Started modelling + Research for trees
Completed storyboards
all pages of shots-board inked
First page of shots-board inked
Storyboard shots concept
Sketch book fox concepts
Photoshop fox concept sketch
A few very rough concepts for our animation’s fox character, I’ve never tired to concept sketching a characters digitally before so this was sort of a new experience for me, usually I will sketch the concept on paper first, then transfer it onto computer and draw over the top of it, I don’t feel like these concepts came out very well but it is a start, and showing these to my team will give me a better understanding of what we are aiming for with design of this character.
Initial brainstorm
- Character suggestions
So the first day of the final semester is over and we had our first team meeting, our brainstorm took a bit of a strange turn, Niall’s been thinking about final year for a while now, and he’s had a sketch of a squirrel character that he wants incorporated into our final animation so we used that as a starting point, figuring out the character before deciding on the story, making a list of animals then crossing off any we didn’t like or though were not appropriate. Later in to our discussion many of the bigger animals had been crossed off the list, as a team we seem to have favoured small burrowing animals with possible exception of a badger
- Environment
We also made a list of possible environments, but having already decided to use a squirrel as a character, we had already decided to use a forest as the environment as it’s the squirrels’ natural habitat, we had also sort of decided on the feel of the animation, when we came together we had decided that we wanted the story of this animation to be character driven and to have a happy tone, something similar to what the likes of Disney or Pixar would make, the reason we wanted to do something like this is because we believed that when people think of animation, Disney and Pixar are first things people think of, their work being iconic and something many animators strive for.
- Plot and Story concepts
Once we got into story concepts I talked to everybody about “the writer’s journey” by Christopher Vogler, explaining his formula for writing stories, everybody already had a somewhat understanding of writer’s journey having had a brief look at it during year which at this point was two years ago so explanation was a bit of a recap
I explained the concept of the ordinary world and the special world, and how the first act takes place in the ordinary world, the second, takes place in the special world and the final act, being the return takes place in or just before the ordinary world again.
I explained how there is 12-17 stages which all have their own variations, as well as the list of character archetypes with can be combined in various ways
When trying to decide a plot we talked about how we want our audience to feel during the acts and stages, mapping them out on a time line, this made it a lot easier to develop the plot, working out the beginning and getting a rough idea of the middle, however we still have yet to decide on the ending
- Assigned Roles
Before ending our meeting, we decided we would figure out our roles within this project, also we also decided how we would maintain quality control, although we all felt that Niall had the best eye for quality, Niall explained that he felt that he wasn’t able to maintain the correct level of quality during the last project being stretch a bit too thinly, thus we all choose a sort of director role insuring the quality of particular area
Matthew Morrison = cinematographer
Niall = Moderator
Rachel = Creative director
Me (Matthew McBride) = Animation director
I wanted to work on animation for this project because I haven’t really done much animation since first year, that being said I have been doing some bits of animation through-out the course but nothing big enough to showcase as a prober piece of animation
Thoughts and Feeling going into Final Semester
You’d think that I got a rest before going into my final semester, and that I’m feeling pretty refreshed, nope! I’m Honestly feeling pretty exhausted, mentally and physically, final years been harder than what I’ve ever imagined, of course, the area’s that I’m having trouble with are, of course, the areas that I have always been having trouble with. I didn’t really have a break over the Christmas holiday, I used that time to work on my dissertation, which I was allowed to do because of the extended deadline that I needed to requested, the problem with that is that I’m now going in to my final semester and final project totally burnt-out. That all being said, since this is the beginning of a new project I think that I’m going to be able to have a bit of time to relax, just for a little while, as the ball gets rolling. Despite being a bit burnt out, I am excited and looking forward working on this project, Niall has agreed to work with me again and Rachel has accepted to join our group, as well as Matthew Morrison, Niall was the one of the most reliable and knowledgeable team-mate from the last project, and Rachel had the best artistic influence over the last project.
So although I’m a bit burnt out at the moment and this year has been very challenging so far, I’m feeling pretty positive going into final semester
Personal goals and aims for Project
What I really want to use this final project for is to create a piece of animation that I can truly be proud of and happily showcase to potential employers.
I want to continue working with Niall so I can try to learn more from him, he seems to have learned a lot from his experience working with inlifesize luckily I can understand most of what he’s talking about
The Writer’s Journey – Christopher Vogler
The Hero’s journey is broken down in to 3 acts and 12-17 stages. The first act takes place in the ordinary world, the second, takes place in the special world and the final act, being the return, is the crossover from the special world to the ordinary world.
The stages are as fallows
- THE ORDINARY WORLD. The hero, uneasy, uncomfortable or unaware, is introduced sympathetically so the audience can identify with the situation or dilemma. The hero is shown against a background of environment, heredity, and personal history. Some kind of polarity in the hero’s life is pulling in different directions and causing stress.
- THE CALL TO ADVENTURE. Something shakes up the situation, either from external pressures or from something rising up from deep within, so the hero must face the beginnings of change.
- REFUSAL OF THE CALL. The hero feels the fear of the unknown and tries to turn away from the adventure, however briefly. Alternately, another character may express the uncertainty and danger ahead.
- MEETING WITH THE MENTOR. The hero comes across a seasoned traveller of the worlds who gives him or her training, equipment, or advice that will help on the journey. Or the hero reaches within to a source of courage and wisdom.
- CROSSING THE THRESHOLD. At the end of Act One, the hero commits to leaving the Ordinary World and entering a new region or condition with unfamiliar rules and values.
- TESTS, ALLIES AND ENEMIES. The hero is tested and sorts out allegiances in the Special World.
- APPROACH TO THE IN-MOST CAVE. The hero and newfound allies prepare for the major challenge in the Special world.
- THE ORDEAL. Near the middle of the story, the hero enters a central space in the Special World and confronts death or faces his or her greatest fear. Out of the moment of death comes a new life.
- THE REWARD. The hero takes possession of the treasure won by facing death. There may be celebration, but there is also danger of losing the treasure again.
- THE ROAD BACK. About three-fourths of the way through the story, the hero is driven to complete the adventure, leaving the Special World to be sure the treasure is brought home. Often a chase scene signals the urgency and danger of the mission.
- THE RESURRECTION. At the climax, the hero is severely tested once more on the threshold of home. He or she is purified by a last sacrifice, another moment of death and rebirth, but on a higher and more complete level. By the hero’s action, the polarities that were in conflict at the beginning are finally resolved.
- RETURN WITH THE REWARD. The hero returns home or continues the journey, bearing some element of the treasure that has the power to transform the world as the hero has been transformed.
According to Vogler’s analysis, the Journey is populated by archetypes—basic functions that tend to appear in every story. They are recurring patterns of human behavior, symbolized by standard types of characters in movies and stories.
- HEROES – Central figures in stories. Everyone is the hero of his or her own myth.
- SHADOWS – Villains, antagonist or enemies, perhaps the enemy within. The repressed possibilities of the hero, his or her potential for evil. Can be other kinds of repression, such as repressed grief, anger, frustration or creativity that is dangerous if it does not have an outlet.
- MENTORS – The hero’s guide or guiding principles, for example Yoda, Merlin, Gandalf, a great coach or teacher.
- HERALD – The one who brings the Call to Adventure, Could be a person or an event.
- THRESHOLD GUARDIANS – The forces that stand in the way at important turning points, including jealous enemies, professional gatekeepers, or your own fears and doubts.
- SHAPESHIFTERS – In stories, creatures like vampires or werewolves who change shape. In life, the shapeshifter represents change or ambiguity. The way other people (or our perceptions of them) keep changing.
- TRICKSTERS – Clowns and mischief-makers. Our own mischievous subconscious, urging us to change.
- ALLIES – Characters who help the hero through the change. Sidekicks, buddies, girlfriends who advise the hero through the transitions of life
JarmanDerek – Chroma A Book of Colour
When I first read Jarman Derek’s book on colour “chroma”, I had been aware that he had become ill with cancer during the writing of this book, his writing leapt from one artistically abstract paragraph to another, spewing out thoughts, opinions, and memories here and there. I thought that the book was just a collection of reflective, melancholy writings by artist in his twilight, it was only when I was coming close to the end of my second read through of the first chapter “white lies”, did I start to understand. Jarman was looking at colour on multiple levels, seemingly in an attempt to challenge the conventional thinking of colours and their meaning by looking at how colour has been used in literature, science, philosophy, psychology, religion and alchemy. This is clear within the first two chapters, where Jarman writes about the colour white(light), and the colour black (shadow).
He teaches us the meanings behind colours, what they mean to him personally, as well as what they mean to us by challenging how we view colours, explaining how they were used in the past, while depicting vivid and vibrant scenes.
As Blain Brown Wrote about colour “They have special power that is shared only by very few art forms such as music and dance: they have the ability to reach people at a gut, emotional level”. Colours may be one of the most influential tools of nonverbal communication
Matthew McBride 