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Pre-Production Module Final Thoughts

Came to the university with an idea and ended up testing it with various exercises, and seeing if I wanted to stick to it after coming up with others. I do

The guidance throughout was really helpful, though sometimes inconsistent, which resulted in frustration and confusion at times. But I realize that this almost definitely wouldn’t be an issue if we were having in-person classes where I could seek clarification more often

I feel much more confident in my story now than I did at the start of the term, even though it’s technically the same idea

The only reason I’m critical of the course, even though as a whole I’m enjoying it and believe it to be well made and the lecturers knowledgable, is because I’m paying a lot of money to be here and I want to get the most out of my course

So far I’ve enjoyed it a lot, and it’s also challenged the way I think and draw. I believe I’m more likely to recognize when I’m boxing myself in creatively (such as with designing Aluben), but I still need to work on it as I’m very much a creature of habit

I’m excited to move forward with my idea but also nervous as it’s a lot for one person and I’m not sure what kind of help I’ll need

I’m also nervous about graduating, even though it’s awhile away now, because I’m not great at job searching or networking, and I’m not sure what to do. I have difficulty seeking help/assistance with this sort of thing in general, but I put aside a long help passion project in order to focus on getting a job and boosting my portfolio, so I probably just need to sit down and face my fears and actually do it

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January 18 conversation with Gerald

Essay topic OK

Feedback on storyboard/script:

need to be consistent with how I draw the characters in the storyboards, Gerald was getting confused with how they’re being drawn differently

add more description to the script, don’t rely on the visual guide. Can’t assume everything will be seen together

maybe look up some industry used storyboards, see if they’re inconsistent at all

keep the more detailed shots as ‘style guides’ for more important scenes

then the question is why didn’t I put that in the storyboard in the first place?

I’ll make them really detailed and practically finished shot

Concept art basically

I know what’s going to give me a higher mark, but it might not align with what I want to do

Gerald’s main piece of advice: consistency

I do find this a bit odd though given that I showed him this style guide when we got back after Christmas and he said it was ok

The guidance makes sense but it didn’t necessarily match up with what he’d said prior, which is a little frustrating and confusing

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I spent most of today doing further work on Aluben. I don’t think she really fit in with the others style wise, so I made her face less realistic and added some flat colors to match the others. She’s meant to be pretty different from them, but not to the point where she looks like she’s not in the same series. I still need to clean up her lineup drawing, but for the most part the ‘core’ aesthetic of each character is done. While I did take away Aluben’s previously-signature ponytail, I still wanted her to have some sort of ‘wispiness’ about her, which is maintained with the lock of hair. I’ve decided swirls can be her motif as well, as seen in her hair and on her bowtie. Speaking of which, I exaggerated it a bit to fit the overall style.

Aluben’s new hairstyle takes some inspiration from Gentleman Jack, which is also fitting for her character. Strong, unconventional, and silently aware of what others think of her

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A chaotic system is one that appears random but simply because we don't know all the information

https://www.facebook.com/theactionlabofficial/videos/1031084940732106

Exa’s approach to the Right? Maybe explains to the Manager?

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Lila and Agatha’s designs are mostly finished, I’m still working on Aluben’s. But this is the main cast minus Exa, who I still have yet to draw for this. Aluben’s is the most challenging so far because she wasn’t going to be a main character initially, so I didn’t have to worry about her palette working with the others. I worry about her looking too “normal” compared to the others as well because they don’t have mostly-normal human faces. I might do something with her ears. I need to stylize her in some way.

These designs have changed a lot throughout the process, but are still unfinished, so I’d like to save the in depth commentary for when I have the “final” lineup complete.

I think I could also do with some more world building. While the pilot/script only takes place in this little village and thus has no need for what lies beyond, it would be helpful to figure that out so I know what boundaries to stick to for character designing.

What do they eat? Do they even need to eat? If they don’t eat, how do they get energy? Do they sleep? Do they dream? Are they expansionists like us? Do they have historians? All these little things about our existence that we don’t think twice about, they don’t necessarily have to exist in this fantasy setting- although it would make them more relatable.

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I think this is as complete I can make the storyboard without tipping it into animatic territory. I’ve padded out the first act a bit more to include Lila running away and Exa’s attention to her flowers. It should follow the script more closely as well. There’s also the “money shot” which I feel would be one of the defining shots of the pilot, hence why I put more effort into it.

I also wanted to point out that I’m not including character descriptions in the script as these are fairly abstract/unusual visually and I feel descriptions would slow down the script. I’m going to make a lineup/visual reference that accompanies the script, or I might just put the storyboard images down the side of the script like Gerald’s mentioned in the past.

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Thoughts after reading through the script

I read it through twice with my partner, once with reading the stage directions and one without (for a sense of timing). I was afraid it’d sound bad when read aloud, but it felt alright. My partner liked it and I got some feedback from another friend as well. I had a printed version so I made some notes, but mainly just for dialogue and phrasing. Again, having added the motive of helping Lila really seems to have polished it off. And the small but significant detail of Aluben being the person who can help Exa get home adds additional conflict, and keeps the story (so far) contained to these four.

Overall, it went better than expected, and I feel more confident in this version than the previous.

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I was hesitant to add the “Lila needs her lake juice” bit but I think it’s really made the story feel rounded off and more complete. Something else I came up with while writing the next script but after I’d storyboarded the above, is that the person Agatha mentions who can help Exa get home, is actually Aluben. Aluben’s theme is space, which could tie in with navigation. But Aluben doesn’t like Exa, which would be another source of conflict, and also give a reason to her sense of authority. Previously, one might ask “Well why is Aluben bossing everyone around? Why don’t they help Exa and then Lila?” Now the answer is, she has something they want, so she gets to set the demands. 

Another criticism might be “Why doesn’t Aluben help Exa so she leaves faster?”, to which the answer is: Lila needs her lake juice, and Aluben needs to stay and protect the village. If they do this, then Aluben will provide directions.

I don’t think this would fit within a pilot, but after they return, Aluben shows Exa a map of the area, but Exa says her home isn’t there. This would then lead to the first “season’s” episodic storytelling, which would be various expeditions out to try and find Exa’s home. This would be a great opportunity for world building.

Here’s a link to first draft of the updated script. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GvzyBwL2SshilKsCEpKU9gUznpA_h7ceIH1e-xRWrno/edit?usp=sharing I’m going to ask my partner to read through it with me to see how it feels when spoken aloud.

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I’m finding this method of storyboarding works a lot better for me than using animation software. If I can easily add frames I get way too inclined to make it more of an animatic, which is harder to make without the blueprint of a storyboard. Since it’s an effort to add in more frames it keeps me economical.

Story wise, something I've noticed is that half of the boards are towards the “end” of the pilot. Whether or not I need to pad out the start, I’m unsure. There could be some additional scenes with Agatha and Exa walking to the village, but these would be dialogue heavy and might weigh down the story. I could add an arc of their journey back, but this might push my abilities in term of doing this entirely on my own. 

I think once I make this into a proper script I can get a better idea of the flow.

When showing it to my partner, she was curious about Lila and her purpose. So a potential addition to the story would be that Lila needs to go to the lake every week to get lake juice and refresh her ink (more easily seen in her reference), which basically keeps her alive, but since she was startled by Exa she didn’t get it. She’s then exhausted from running to the lake and back without getting a new thing of lake juice. This would leave the story hanging with a more immediate story, rather than the overarching “we need to get Exa home”, which may be too vague to really garner interest. This would also add a bit of conflict with Exa’s home journey being postponed to help a local. 

Aaaand this would add a reason for Lila being there in the beginning and having a bucket, apart from humor.  Lila runs back and warns Aluben, which is already there, but adding this might tie it together a bit more cleanly.

I’m not sure whether this would make the story drag on or give it the additional point it needs. Once I flesh out the storyboard I already have I’ll see how I feel about adding the additional plot.

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I’ve started storyboarding and I think it’s going well so far. I’m trying to stick to the very main points and not worry too much about the details yet. I have to actively remind myself not to worry about any frame in particular since I’m so inclined to get tunnel vision. I also wanted to try conveying the emotions/intents without using actual words, both to keep myself from getting too complicated and so I don’t depend on exposition.

It’s a balance between mindlessly drawing and keeping composition and other framing rules in mind. So I’ve tried to keep some basic stuff in mind, like rule of thirds and various camera shots.

Addendum: I had my partner go through the shots and tell me a story using the images only, and it was pretty much exactly what I intended, so that makes me feel a bit better about this as a whole. 

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Essay further research

Essay draft 2: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ToyVv2f8TZXdkM7otHu3NGp6bMpOoVv4eiOG6r4es-k/edit?usp=sharing

I made some good progress today. I’ve changed direction a bit and made the essay more specific to my situation while keeping the original topic, which I think is what’s expected? But basically what I’ve found out so far is that it’s not as hopeless as it feels sometimes. There’s very plausible ways for me to stay in the UK. I also got some good research into how I can stay and what companies I might look for. The fact that I don’t necessarily have to get a high paying job at a specific sponsor-capable company takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders.

I’d like to review these notes with Gerald though just to make sure I’m on the right track.

#notetaking

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Personal branding adjustments (relevant to essay)

While doing research for my essay and looking at prospective jobs and studios, I got thinking about my portfolio and branding again. I haven’t updated my website since Autumn, and I need a new showreel. I decided to make my brand name/logo more dynamic so the showreel’s introduction isn’t too boring. I’ve incorporated some moon imagery to reference the .space aspect of my portfolio, as well as my personality.

I also feel like my showreel should reflect that I’m an animator in form as well as content (at least, I want it to)

I do like the 2 color versions but they don’t really fit with the full version. They might work if I were to do a heavier overhaul, but for now I like the moon versions with colored text the best.

Here’s the animation I made for it:

I’d like to practice motion graphics more often anyway, I find it harder to get inspiration for though

#personal branding

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Essay research

Link to notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Sf-_ps_OfdANePtbuqy22Xy-RNj397x_lLwykWEY1ec/edit?usp=sharing

Link to essay draft: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gWLmHBb-2QFmQ9NJonEminK1uZxD4GLKwMdQAEG-Uno/edit?usp=sharing

Also sent an email to http://www.kingrollofilms.co.uk/our-team asking for career advice and general guidance for working in British children’s animation, and whether I could receive mentoring.

Ultimately I think I just need to get in the habit of cold “calling” (emailing) various animation studios and hoping someone decides to help me. I want to have a meeting with Gerald as well to discuss why I’m struggling so much with breaking into the industry

This is what I have so far in my essay:

#notetaking

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4 January 2021 Monday Lecture - feedback on my stick figure lineup

christian thinks my impromptu style bible works, likes the difference in detail and foreground/background layout in the third panel

using simple shapes and unique colors demonstrates different characters well without getting too caught up in details

Gerald thinks I’ve done the stick figure lineup well

“disposable storyboards vs final storyboards”

using the greyscale to show foreground but also color value/lighting?

What I’m less sure about myself is how to use the grey scale to depict value or placement? I guess ideally it would be intuitive whether the greyscale is depicting distance or placement/value. But given that I could do this entire reference in about 30 minutes, I’m feeling much better about doing a storyboard by next week

#notetaking

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Blot script with some notes on how to edit the story so far

#assignments

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My blot breakdowns using as much of the grid system as I could. As labeled, one is for a pilot episode, and one is for a feature film length version. I found the feature film version really difficult as this is a story meant to be a series, but it was a good exercise to capture the “big points” that really drive the over arcing story.

#assignments

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synopsis remake

below is a work in progress. please see the version for Monday Dec. 14 2020′s hand in here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13_kAcvTUui6-nBjBFLrImEeFkynGjaDf2fKO_Pvnk0s/edit

title/platform, age, media - introduction of concept. background/logline

Title: Blot

Technique: 2D digital hand drawn, hybrid with After Effects

Age: 14 - 25, 12 - 18, depending on how graphic certain aspects are depicted

Platform: Animated Series |  Netflix, YouTube, Prime TV- some kind of online streaming platform, as you don’t have to ‘hook’ your audience with initial fluff or filler and can get right to the point

Genre: Science Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, potentially: Action Fiction, Horror

Exa, a monochromatic Left-Side resident, has accidentally and miraculously crossed the great barrier between her realm and the Right-Side. Her form has been inexplicably altered and she’s desperate to return home, feeling very out of place in such a prismatic world. She seeks the help of Agatha, a friendly Right-Side girl with a smokey skull for a face. Cheerful and generous, Agatha gladly agrees to help Exa get home- but not before introducing her to her colorful friends. During her unexpected visit, Exa learns the Right-Side has been facing a strange hardship: dark, distorted beings come and attack the Right-Siders, leaving them disfigured or worse. No one seems to know where they come from or what they want- until Exa witnesses something chilling, and starts to question who are the true “good guys” in this story.

Background/logline

Character is thrust out of their monochromatic home world and must face new evidence that goes against her previously held beliefs.

Aims

Blot is, at its core, a story about perfectionism, and how it can be both powerfully motivating and a source of fear and destruction. While the events in the story are directly inspired by the creator’s own experiences battling perfectionism, they can resonate with anyone who's overly self-critical, and contain a message applicable to a variety of situations. 

Story

Exa “falls” to the wrong side, is stuck and has to find a way home. Doesn’t trust the right-siders. Witnesses attacks. Starts to question what she’s been tought.

Landscape

The Right-Siders appear to be damaged, but have persevered in spite of this. Agatha doesn’t have a face. Lila is missing the top half of her head. This is supposed to represent hard-core "reasoners" stifling creativity in upcoming artists, as well as the artists’ resistance to such treatment. In order to represent these symbolic differences, the Right-Side is colorful, vibrant, and textured. The Left-Side is monochromatic, pixelated, and calculated. Sources of inspiration for the Left-Side include computers, metropolises, and corporation, while the Right-Side draws inspiration from regal fashion, nature, and Surrealism.

Characters

Stage 1 characters:

Exa: Black and white in a world of color, Exa is representative of my own experiences as a creative who has a more logic-leaning way of thinking (I wanted to be a lawyer or neurologist at one point, so take that as you will), and how I've always felt out of place in artistic environments. Exa stands out like a sore thumb among the other colorful characters, yet there's still a sense of creativity about her due to the flowers in her eye, but is it really enough to justify her being there? This is the internal dilemma I often face. This, and the situation of being where you want to be, but never feeling like you’re truly “there,” constantly outside looking in, are direct inspirations for Exa.

Agatha: 

space guardian, Aluben?:

Stage 2 characters

Stala: atlas, cartographer, scientist

Lila: captured, either killed or seriously injured, hurt, sick, etc.

Stage 2 characters:

The Manager:

The Caretaker:

Technique

2d hand drawn with motion graphics, after effects for special effects, 3d for the left backgrounds

Summary/SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)

strengths: visually interesting, diversity, promote the idea that the arts are just as important as stem subjects, unique story

weaknesses: potentially misconstrued as a “both sides are bad” argument, story might not be engaging enough. potentially expensive

opportunities: exa and agatha are a bit of a pair, both can be used for other things. potential for good merch and art books. 

threats: she-ra reboot mainly, maybe steven universe (explain how these arent an issue)

#assignments