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.

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.

Script Draft 3

‘BABY TROUBLES’ (WORKING TITLE)

DRAFT 3

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 LULLABY

INT. TODDLER'S ROOM - NIGHT

Brightly coloured room. Stuffed animals scattered across the floor. A crib sits in front. On MOTHER as she places TODDLER in crib. Baby is asleep. The lights are turned off and the door closes.

CUT TO:

INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

Back View of Mother. She is looking through profiles that says ‘BABYSITTERS’. One shows a douchey looking girl with a high price. Mother huffs, she turns to other pile that says ‘SCARILY CHEAP PRICES!’ in tacty 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. Parents hum in agreement and pick up phone.

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. He waves awkwardly to the Mother. She simply pushes past him and out the door. Creak left standing in HALL. DOOR SLAMS SHUT and Toddler begins to CRY.

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 rotting legs can.

CUT TO:

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

CUT TO:

INT. TODDLER'S ROOM - NIGHT

Creak enters the Toddler’s room. He is stand at the EDGE OF CRIB, crying fiercely. Creak approaches slowly, he is HUNCHED and making COOING NOISES as best a zombie can. Toddler is scared of Zombie. Creak tries to play PEEK-A-BOO, but opens eyes to much and they fall out. Baby only cries harder.

Zombie panics even more, looking around. He quickly picks Toddler up and rocks him back and forward.

Toddler only grows more distressed. Flails arms and KNOCKS OFF Creak’s head. Head BOUNCES and ROLLS. Toddler laughs at head as his body picks him up. Creak has conversation consisting of gurgles and moaning with SUBTITLES. Creak convinces Toddler to go back to sleep. Places baby in crib as head breathes a sigh of relief.

FADE OUT:

Script Draft 2

‘BABY TROUBLES’(WORKING TITLE)

DRAFT 2

FADE IN:

VFX/SFX. PAN THROUGH WINDOW, NIGHTTIME SOUNDS SHIFT TO LULLABY

INT. TODDLER'S ROOM - NIGHT

Brightly coloured room. Stuffed animals scattered across the floor. A crib sits in front. On MOTHER as she places TODDLER in crib. Baby is asleep. The lights are turned off and the door closes.

CUT TO:

INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

Back View of Mother. She is looking through profiles that says ‘BABYSITTERS’. One shows a douchey looking girl with a high price. Mother huffs, she turns to other pile that says ‘SCARILY CHEAP PRICES!’ in tacty 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. Parents hum in agreement and pick up phone.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

CLASH OF THUNDER, RAIN HITTING THE GROUND.

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 in rain. He waves awkwardly to the Mother. She simply pushes past him and out the door. Creak left standing in HALL. DOOR SLAMS SHUT and Toddler begins to CRY.

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 rotting legs can.

CUT TO:

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

CUT TO:

INT. TODDLER'S ROOM - NIGHT

Creak enters the Toddler’s room. He is stand at the EDGE OF CRIB, crying fiercely. Creak approaches slowly, he is HUNCHED and making COOING NOISES as best a zombie can.

Toddler is scared of Zombie. Creak tries to play PEEK-A-BOO, but opens eyes to much and they fall out. Baby only cries harder.

Zombie panics even more, holding ARM IN THE AIR in panic and looking around. He quickly picks Toddler up and tries to rock him back and forward.

Toddler only grows more distracted. Flails arms and KNOCKS OFF Creak’s head. Head BOUNCES and ROLLS, Creak experience mild discomfort. Toddler laughs at head as his body picks him up.

Creak has conversation consisting of gurgles and moaning with SUBTITLES. Creak convinces Toddler to go back to sleep. Places baby in crib as head breathes a sigh of relief.

FADE OUT:

Character Influence - Major Film

Character Influences

With the character designs of the wolf and zombie, I wanted to do a style that was simplistic and yet would be easy enough to follow on-screen. Taking influence from the works of Genndy Tartakovsky, I began looking into concept art from animated films that featured monsters as the main aspect.

(Concept Art from Hotel Transylvania; Artwork done by Pete Oswald and Carter Goodrich)

These concepts where the first pieces of influence I took inspiration from, attracted to the concept of horror creatures in an unexpected situation. 

(Art by Tracy Liang)

(Art by Maxime Mary)

Some examples of influence I used in developing my zombie character; here I witnessed the ghoulish creatures express a quirky nature despite their normally terrifying stereotypes and I wanted to test what strange designs I could come up that where as half as interesting to look at as these character designs where for me. 

Script Draft 1

‘BABY TROUBLES’ (WORKING TITLE)

DRAFT 1

VFX. CAMERA PANS OVER TREES AND TOWARDS HOUSE, GOES THROUGH WINDOW.

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.

INT. TODDLER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Close-up shot on crib. A child, TODDLER, is put to bed by MOTHER while FATHER can be heard in back. No voices, only mumbles and random jibberish. Baby goes to sleep.

VFX/SFX. DOOR CLOSES, LIGHT SWITCHED OFF

CUT TO:

INT. DOWNSTAIRS, SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

Back View of Parents. They are looking through profiles that say ‘BABYSITTERS’ on the cover in big, mess handwritting. One is revealed to show a douchey looking girl with a high price. Mother huffs, tapping the price. She turns to other to folder that says ‘SCARILY CHEAP PRICES!’ in tacty writing. Opens to reveal monster profiles. 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. Parents hum in agreement and pick up phone.

CUT TO:

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 in rain. He waves awkwardly to the Parents. They simply push past him and out the door.

Creak left standing in HALL. DOOR SLAMS SHUT and Toddler begins to CRY.

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 rotting legs can.

CUT TO:

VFX. PALETTE CHANGES TO BOLD BLACKS AND WHITES, SHADOWS

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

CUT TO:

INT. TODDLER'S ROOM - NIGHT

Creak enters the Toddler’s room. He is stand at the EDGE OF CRIB, crying fiercely. Creak approaches slowly, he is HUNCHED and making COOING NOISES as best a zombie can.

Toddler is scared of Zombie. Creak tries to play PEEK-A-BOO, but opens eyes to much and they fall out. Baby only cries harder.

Zombie panics even more, holding ARM IN THE AIR as he tries to figure something out and looks around but finds nothing that can help. He quickly picks Toddler up and tries to rock him back and forward, but does it too hard and his arm NOT HOLDING BABY falls off.

Picking arm back up and re-attaches it, Creak tries a to play GOT YOUR NOSE, making noises that resemble gurgled cooing. He pretends to take Toddler’s nose, then his own. Rips of his own nose. Toddler only cries more.

Toddler grows more distracted. Flails arms and KNOCKS OFF Creak’s head. Head BOUNCES and ROLLS, Creak experience mild discomfort. Toddler laughs at head as his body picks him up.

Creak has conversation consisting of gurgles and moaning with SUBTITLES. Creak convinces Toddler to go back to sleep. Places baby in crib in crib and head sighs with relief.

FADE OUT:

CREDITS:

Creak struggles to get his head in place. ENDS with picture of Creak rubbing his face against a big, juicy animal brain, looking in bliss.