Interim Presentation

Updated Animatic

While adding the animated scenes into the existing animatic, I also added additional sound effects and clips.

Production Tracking

Production Tracking Sheets

Before we began production on our degree films, the class was handed a Production Tracker and filled it out. The production sheets are used in order to keep track of our schedule and to apply our time accordingly. The sheets are dedicated to various aspects of the production, such as asset tracking and animation tracking, that are controlled via preset dates that we set out for ourselves.

Over Schedule 

This sheet is the main sheet used in tracking what needs to be done at what point in the production schedule. It is in this sheet that the aspects of pre-production, production and post-production are sorted and outlined using different colour coordination so that I can follow them more easily. The sheet is the overall tracker for my production and allows me to see what needs to be done that month.

Asset Tracking

Assets are the aspects of the film that are animated or are placed within the actual animation. The tracking sheet is used to keep check of what assets are finished and need to be completed.

Animation Tracking

The sheet comprises of the number of animation scenes in the whole film and the seconds they hold. The animation tracking sheet allows me to mark off W.I.P and finalized animation which is shown in the progress Sheet.

Progress Chart Sheet

This sheet is the foremost important aspect of the production tracking as it provides an overall look at the progress of the production schedule and features a countdown of the number of days left for the animation and other aspects.

Environment Concepts

Background Concepts and Perspective Shots

(Overhead view of Kitchen)

(Hallway)

(Kitchen)

(Overview shot of the Child's Bedroom)

(Staircase)

Finalised Character Design - Mother

Character - Mother

The design for the Mother changed by shape rather than her clothing in terms of appearance. The mother is the character who mistakenly calls the wrong babysitting service and hires Creak to look after her child.

(Concept art)

(Finalised Mother)

Finalised Character Design - Creak

Character - Creak

This is the finalised design for the main character of my animation, Creak, a Zombie hired by the family to look after the baby.

(Concept Art)

(Finalised Design)

Finalised Character Design - Baby

Character - Baby

The Baby is the other main character of the story. He is the main cause to much of the trouble in the film as he refuses to sleep and causes problems for the zombie.

(Concept Art)

(Finalised Design)

December Animatic Presentation

Animatic Presentation

Having taken the advice give to me during the last presentation, I changed various parts of the story to allow it to flow easier. The key difference was the opening, where the mother is calling up the babysitting helpline and grows annoyed with her child. The original saw the child throw it's pacifier at the mother, blinding her and causing her to press the wrong button. One opening that was suggested was the mother holds the child and he vomits on her, causing her to follow the same course of action and would jump straight to the zombie entering as the mother hand him the child and rushes out the door still covered in the vomit. Though it is funny, this  scene would have simply thrown off the pacing of the rest of the animation. However, I did change the scene so that the mother is in the kitchen as the child cries at the table, not wanting to eat his dinner. The child throws the hot food at the mother and thus burns her, making her unable to see.

Character design references;

The character design for the zombie changed numerous times, going from a traditional ghoul-like creature to overly bizarre creatures such as a monster with just a mouth.

(Early concept art of the zombie.)

I started to look at the work of Jamie Hewlett, a comic artist known for Tank Girl and his part in creating the fictional characters for the Gorillaz, designs that I looked into.

(Images done by Jamie Hewlett, characters of the Gorilliaz.)

The characters that embody the real-life members of the band have an angular style, similar to the style i wish to develop in my own animation. The characters resemble rather ghoulish creatures in their design that I wanted to try.

(The most recent designs for the zombie)

Background References

(Taken from Pinterest; an early reference for the house)

(References for the bedroom environment)

(Reference for the kitchen layout; I may incorporate a change in composition similar to the bottom one)

Visual Reference; Wreck-It Ralph - Thesis

Wreck-It Ralph

In addition to my own animation, roughly titled 'Baby Troubles', I chose the 2012 computer-animated film Wreck-It Ralph from Walt Disney Animation Studios to use as an example as due to the similarities it held to my original animation in terms of the stages of the narrative method, the Hero's Journey.

Call to Adventure

For Ralph, his call to adventure comes from the loneliness he feels as he is often excluded from the activities the other residences of his game hold in honour for Felix, the 'good guy' of his game. Ralph is urged his call when he decides he want's to be a good guy.

Herald

The Herald for Ralph, the person who taunts him into going after a medal, us Gene, the hotel manager. He says if Ralph can find a Medal, he'll be allowed to stay in the penthouse.

Refusal of the Call

Ralph does not refuse his call, he gladly leaves his own game to search out the object of his desire, the Medal that he believes will make him appear to be a good guy, a hero.

Ordeal

After all his trails, after gaining allies and enemies and getting over many thresholds, Ralph is faced with his main Ordeal; destroy the cart he can Vanellope worked to create in return for his medal.

Animatic 4

Animatic 4

The animatic done for the mid-point presentation on the 6th November, 2017.

In-depth Look of The Hero's Journey - Thesis

In-depth Look of The Hero's Journey

The Hero's Journey;

(The Path of the Hero's Journey; the quest is often shown as a circle, as it begins and ends in the same world, only the characters may be changed.)

The Hero's Journey is a narrative pattern seen in many stories and often adapted to visual media as a way of have characters and stories that the audience can relate to. In the Hero's Journey, there are twelve stages to this narrative that allow it to flow well;

The Ordinary World; the hero is seen in their everyday life.

The Call to Adventure; the initiating incident of the story.

Refusal of the Call; the hero experiences some hesitation to answer the call.

Meeting the Mentor; the hero gains the supplies, knowledge and confidence needed to commence the adventure.

Crossing the First Threshold; the hero commits wholeheartedly to the adventure.

Tests, Allies and Enemies; the hero explores the special world, faces trails and makes friends and enemies. 

Approach to the Innermost Cave; the hero nears the centre of the story.

The Ordeal; the hero faces the greatest challenge yet and experiences death and rebirth.

Reward; the hero experiences the consequences of surviving death.

The Road Back; the hero returns to the ordinary world or continues to an ultimate quest.

The Resurrection; the hero experiences the final moment of death and rebirth so they are pure when the re-enter the ordinary world.

Return with the Elixir; the hero returns with something to improve the ordinary world.

The Three Acts

The Hero's Journey is broken down into three acts, in which the sequence of events are laid out accordingly in how they effect the story and allow it to have a beginning, middle and end. The stages are set up in a way that the main character has a cause to undertaking this journey or quest; it allows a build up of tension at the middle stage and finally a gripping climax at the end.

(The Acts; The stages are often grouped together in order to build tension or further the story.)

The Archetypes

Archetypes are characteristics or qualities that can be seen in certain characters throughout a story. The are given to roles in order to further the narrative of a storyline or to develop a certain character's personality traits. Often times a character may display numerous Archetypes within them.

(The Core Archetypes; There are many different Archetypes seen in storytelling, the Archetypes are given many different names also, however there are often recurring ones.)

Zombie Character Concept - Major Film

Character Design

With the development of my story, I decided to go back and re design my zombie character fir the new story-line.

B.A Animation - Thesis Topic

Thesis Topic

Narrative Style in Animation; Looking at The Hero's Journey

What I wish to research;

1. The Hero's Journey is a narrative pattern that appears in many forms of entertainment media; games, film, animation, etc. It describes the typical adventure of the archetype known as the Hero, an individual who goes out and achieves great deeds on behalf of themselves, or someone else.

2. Stages of Character Development; the Hero's Journey;

• Living fully in Identity
• Glimpsing, Longing or Destiny
• Moving towards Essence without leaving Identity
• Fully committed to Essence, but Growing Fear
• Living One's Truth, with everything to Lose.
• The journey is complete, destiny achieved

3. Character Arcs; The transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of the story, starting as one sort of character and gradually transforms into another in response to change or a key moment in the narrative,

4. Developing a character's story by creating a three-dimensional character

• A well-rounded character
• Three dimensions; Physical, Sociological and Psychological 

5. Character Archetypes in displayed in the Hero's Journey narrative, how these characteristics could be applied to my own characters and what problems come with it?

6. Comparing an example from modern animation with my own character from the animation short.

How this is related to my B.A Major Film;

My own animation short is one where I want to focus on character design and character animation. In creating characters, I find the process of developing intriguing characters an entertaining procedure, solving the problems that may arise during the process and the reward of a physically appealing character at the end is worth it. However, wanted to look at the narrative side of creating a character and from it, a story. The aspect of the narrative pattern of The Hero's Journey, is the path the character takes from his beginnings, going through trails and dangers at the centre of the story and reaching the end, where they gain and the glories or destiny they wanted from the start.  My own character, the zombie known as Creak, only has a minute and a half to get through his story, but I find that I can apply many of the stages of a Hero's Journey to his character arc, from his sudden impromptu desire to not want to die for real and the need to keep the child out of danger for his own safety.
 
Reference Material;

'Character Development and Storytelling for Games' by Lee Sheldon
'The Writer's Journey' by Christopher Vogler
'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' by Joseph Campbell
'A Practical Guide to The Hero with Thousand Faces' by Christopher Volger

Visual Reference Material;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngZQUebMSEg Pixar in a Box; Character Development 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvGcG4m9tgY Screenwriting; The Six Stages of Character Development - IFH Film School - The Hero's Journey

Wreak-It Ralph Produced by Walt Disney Animation Studio, directed by Rich Moore

Script Draft 4

‘BABY TROUBLES’ (WORKING TITLE)

DRAFT 4

FADE IN:

VFX. CAMERA PANS TOWARDS HOUSE.

EXT. FOREST, HOUSE ON A HILL - NIGHT

Camera pans over treeline to a rickety, two storey cabin perched on a shallow hill. The moon is high and a old car sits outside. The camera moves forward, towards upper window and passes through.

VFX/SFX. PAN THROUGH WINDOW, NIGHTTIME SOUNDS SHIFT TO LOW JAZZ MUSIC

CUT TO

:

Aerial shot of coffee table, a folder is placed on it that says ‘BABYSITTERS AT SCARILY CHEAP PRICES!’ in tacky writing. Passes on the bloodthirsty werewolf with high body count, the creepy religious vampire and the mad scientist that show him/her with various body parts, laughing madly. Stops on picture of zombie.

Profile shows CREAK, stands nervously while not looking at camera in ridiculous HAWAIIAN SHIRT. He has never eaten children and only wants a BIG, JUICY BRAIN as payment. Someone taps on the page and the sound of a phone being picked up.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

Opens to darkened hallway with cheap vibe, cracked photo frames and furniture that has been hastily repaired instead of replaced. On Mother as she opens the door. Creak stands outside. Creak reaches out slowly to shake her hand, however mother is in too much of a rush to notice. She simply pushes past him and out the door. Creak is left standing in HALL, still with his hand out. DOOR SLAMS SHUT behind him.

A BANG is heard upstairs, then shuffling across the floorboards before it stops. Creak startles at sudden noise, looks frantically about for source. He begins to PANIC and follows the sound, lumbered towards the stairs as fast as his legs can.

CUT TO:

SILHOUETTE of Creak fumbling up the stairs, falling once or twice.

CUT TO:

INT. TODDLER'S ROOM - NIGHT

Creak peeks into room, finds the crib empty. Creak begins to panic, looking frantically around the room for the baby. Finds the baby over among his toys, playing happily. Creak approaches with hunched back and waves awkwardly at child. Child simply stares at him as he gestures to the crib and motions a sleep hand gesture. The child blows bubbles at him and throws toy brick at him, knocking his eyes out.

By the time Creak puts eyes back in, baby is gone again and Creak freaks out. He finds the baby trying to climb up to the window, but quckly snatches him up. The baby begins to cry and and through a tanturm, knocking off Creak’s head as he flails his arms.

Head bounces off ground to other side of room. Creak is not happy, but hears the baby giggle at him and see the child is calmed down. His body picks him up and he talks to the child, convincing him to sleep. As Creak goes to put the child in the crib, the camera shows Creak’s face as a rip and tear sound is heard.

The scene fades in on the child hugging Creak’s severed arm and pans out to show Creak sitting in a chair beside him reading a newspaper.

Palettes - Major Film

Palettes

Backgrounds

Establishing Shot

Though I planned to have my animation take place at night, a majority of it would take place inside the house of the mother and child. The palettes I hope to use for my animation short are dark, muted tones that that blend together. In terms of background design, much of the environments will be based indoors, where I hope to use darker tones but softened to highlight the atmosphere of a cosy home, even in it's state of disarray. The backgrounds will have no define outline, more so they would comprise of colour and shade, becoming lighter the further the scene gets from the foreground.

There is only one outdoor scene shown in great detail; the establishing shot of the the delapidated house that has been cheaply repaired numourous times. The house sits on a hill, surrounded by trees, shrubs and mountains in the background. I wanted this opening scene to begin with that traditional dark and spooky vibe most scary films begin with, maybe adding some thunder and lightning to give the scene more feel. However, I want it to compose of greens and blues, with hints of purple to give it that outer-worldly effect due to the strangeness of the storyline.





          Interior Environment

The interior of the house will be brighter thanks to the artificial lighting of the lamps and lights within the house. The interior will be a showcase of a cluttered, messy home of a single mother, but should have the sense that this is a home, a place she and her child are perfectly comfortable in. There will be no dense shadows, nor will there be overly dark colours. I hope to be able to blend various shades of blue to highlight shadows with hints of warm colours centred around lighting.

Influences - Artist Inspiration - Major Film

Influences - Artist Inspiration

Genndy Tartakovsky

One of the key artist who has influenced my short animation is Genndy Tartakovsky, a Russian-American Animator, Director, Producer and Storyboard Artist, known for creating the animated television series, Samurai Jack, Dexter's Laboratory and Star Wars: Clone Wars for Cartoon Network. He has also worked on animated series such as the Powerpuff Girls and most recently, Tartakovsky directed the animated Hotel Transylvania films.

(Top; Dexter's Laboratory. Bottom; Samurai Jack 2017)

I think what appeals to me in terms of his character designs, is Tartakovsky's use of simple characters with angular designs and thick, flowing outlines.  from to his designs have maintained this style and though these designs may not seem inherently nice to look at, I still think the are done so for a purpose. Though some of the angles may seem unnecessary, in my opinion the limited number of outlines seems to help streamline the images and thus, the animation clicks for the viewer.

(Top; Concept art from the animated film Hotel Transylvania. Bottom; My own early concept art of the Zombie Main character)

I wanted to try this type of drawing style as it is simplistic yet effective in focusing the audience on the character and not drawing them away with too much excess detail. My attempts at Tartakovsky's have shown me that my own character designs are still too overly complex and I will need to simplify them further.