This Huohuo teaser set shot in Changsha at the beginning of the year is finally ready to share! To recreate the character's signature traits, a lot of dedication went into early preparations. The mint-green wig was specially trimmed to shape the ahoge on the crown, and the enormous fluffy tail was handcrafted piece by piece using bright green faux fur. It is quite voluminous and carries noticeable weight on the back; during shooting, I had to keep my back muscles continuously engaged to prevent it from dragging across the ground. The outfit's layering is relatively intricate: the drape of the deep blue outer robe and the subtle textures of the inner garments needed to be straightened out neatly before the camera. The wide cuffs feature white spiral patterns, which fluttered gorgeously whenever I reached out or turned around. Orange straps across the torso and small wooden waist charms added richness to the overall styling. The knee-high White stockings on my legs tended to slide down after walking around the outdoor flagstone pavement, requiring constant adjustments between takes. Brown leather shoes adorned with green pom-poms echoed the character's palette down to the smallest detail.
The outdoor location was an antique-style commercial street filled with timber architecture and paper lanterns. The warm amber lighting of the night market complemented the teal tones of the character beautifully, creating a rich visual depth through warm-and-cool contrast. This shoot made extensive use of wide-angle and fisheye lenses, where the perspective distortion proved incredibly fascinating. Leaning in slightly closer or extending a hand toward the lens generated strong spatial tension that drew the viewer's eyes directly into the scene. When framing on staircases or along narrow corridors, the curved distortion of the fisheye lens paired with dense lanterns and wooden pillars produced a striking visual impact of an amplified fantasy quarter. The white paper-doll prop held in hand was prepared specifically after studying the lore; combined with post-production floating paper talismans and little ghost effects, it truly felt like wandering through a night market surrounded by little spirits.
For eye makeup, I made several tweaks, wearing green contact lenses blended with reddish-brown eyeshadow gradients to portray that timid, slightly frightened expression while trying hard to look composed under Mr. Tail's protection. To harmonize with the bold distortion of the fisheye lens, my posing movements were slightly exaggerated compared to standard shoots—such as leaning forward, forming specific hand seals, or glancing back over my shoulder at staircase turns. To keep the compositions clean, we avoided messy backgrounds as much as possible, using wooden crates and barrels as foreground elements to deepen dimensional space. Under the edge distortion of the fisheye lens, the textures of these wooden props took on remarkable depth. The overall color grading tilted toward warm orange hues, blending the character's cool freshness with the lively warmth of the surrounding environment. From costume fidelity to ambient light pairing, after an entire evening of hard work, the final result met our expectations, and I hope this conveys the charming vibe of strolling through bustling streets alongside Mr. Tail.