In March 2020, while filming in Wuhan, the director encountered a father and son in the middle of the night who were unable to secure medical attention; acting partly out of professional instinct and partly on impulse, the director and the cinematographer filmed the scene. Back at their accommodation, the director tossed and turned, the scene—along with the surreal feeling of Wuhan at night during that period—playing over and over in their mind. Suddenly, an English title came to them: Dark is Not Black. Inspired by this title, the director and their team began roaming Wuhan late at night, eventually giving rise to this short film.