From Script To Screen: Final Presenation

Art of High Aspirations

   

High Aspirations Pre Vis 1 from Mark Stamp on Vimeo.
I present my animatic and pre-visualisation with audio for the From Script To Screen Project and the effort of seven weeks work, discussion and refinement. A long journey, I made some sacrifices and soem cutbacks, but in the end I have created something I am happy with.

@Simon From Script To Screen: Animatic and Pre-Vis construction

    Lacking audio but I have managed to complete an initial animatic. WIthout any sounds it is...eerie even if I havem ost of the story spent on actions instead of dialogue. Today has also been a little crash-course in moving the body parts of the pre-rigged characters being used in the scene. But for the most part I'd say the first scene is roundabout ready for animation.

    This is my current pre-vis setup. with 12 seconds done (I should look at my camera angles and animation lengths as theoretically I should he 20s on my animatic)

    This is the biggest obstacle I have encountered: it seems on copying the project onto my flash drive, Clarette's rig appears to have detached from her body so if there is a way I can reconnect it (I have yet to do the walk-cycle tutorial which I probably should consider for the second half of the animation) things can progress as planned. My current contingency is to work on her animations on the original file at university and then import that into the scene.

From Script To Screen: More Environment Concepts

    I'm mulling over what to do for the bench that will be the setting for the bulk of the composition. Because this is supposed to be within the imagination of the mother I want to convey a sense of surrealism about the location. At first I wondered about keeping it monochrome based on articles that suggested that the majority who grew up with black-and-white television (the transition to colour if I recall was in 1975) experienced monochrome dreams. I figured it would not be too much of a stretch to assume that as a daydream and being part of the generations that grew up with monochrome, Clarette would potentially envision the ordeal in black-and-white.

Regardless I experimented with some colour samples for the bench. Because of the mood that will dominate I'm still inclined to keep it a little washed-out. An alternative is that as the scene gets happier and more optimistic, it gets a little more colourful (perhaps though use of a filter on the camera?). Perhaps Clarette, her bag and the marionette are in colour while the bench is black-and-white in order to amplify the idea this is an unreal space.

Although I included a shaft of light only in thumbnails 1 and 2, I might consider using it for the final concept.

Bibliography

• Alleyne, R., 2008; Black And White TV Generation have Monochrome Dreams; The Telegraph; available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/3353504/Black-and-white-TV-generation-have-monochrome-dreams.html (last accessed 16th February 2015)
• Robson, D., 2008; It's Black And White: TV Influences Your Dreams; New Scientist; available at http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14959-its-black-and-white-tv-influences-your-dreams.html#.VOIau6NFCHs (last accessed 16th February 2015)

From Script To Screen: Improved Storyboard

    Worked on a revised storyboard that includes the new panels as well as tweaks to the original panels so that there is a little less wasted space as some of the panels made the camera look very distant.

From Script To Screen: Storyboard Refinement Ideas

    In response to a suggestion that the camera felt too distant especially at crucial points I have created a few panels to replace current ones or fit within the established storyboard. I feel that while the panning series (second page, central image) may add to the time, I want it to feel immensely powerful as it leads on to the marionette drifting to freedom.

 

    I am now thinking that by the second camera position of that moment the marionette begins to float upwards While it looks like the camera looks at more of the marionette again, the 16:9 perspective of the animatic and pre-viz might mean the camera does not extend leftwards between point 2 and 3. Admittedly there is an anatomical error on Clarette's right arm In that moment which I will fix depending on whether or not it's understood on sight as an error and not Clarette gaining arm-morphing powers for this one moment.

FSTS: Revised Departure Lounge

    With my affliction clearing I finally find myself back with the energy to work. So I decided on what I understand to be the most concerning component of my visualisation: The departure lounge. This is still in the early phases however but I am glad in the space of an hour-and-a-half I managed to create a good foudnation to work on.

    I went back ot my influence map to discover the airport pictures I had gathered were heavy on beige, earthy and pastel colours as well as a touch of wood paneling. I actually like how the cool colours of the exterior actually serve as a nice contrast to the warm beiges and oranges of the interior.

From Script To Screen: Script and Concept OGR

High Aspirations OGR 2

From Script To Screen: Initial Departure Lounge

    I feel like today was very unproductive as I am suddenly not feeling 100% healthy and this partially-finished tonal value image and a related sketch for the airport departure lounge was all I ended up doing. I also realise there might be a few lighting errors but as I said, there is a lot more to do.

From Script To Screen: Definitive Storyboard

    While the quality of the framing might not be pitch-perfect, I this storyboard is a solid one. I will have to make a slight tweak to my script near the end as, based on the idea of "show don't tell", I felt that Simon saying "I really have to go" could be better conveyed visually such as the pasport in his hand, the suitcase by his side and an anxious expresion on his face but not so dominant that it makes him look like he cares mroe about boarding hte plane than spending some final moments with his mother. Even if the animation shows her to be controlling or protective, it would be nice closure to show that in the end he appreciates her.

From Scropt To Screen: Simon Develpment

    Following some advice I have tried adding a bit of youth to Simon by giving him longer hair and a more crazy shirt. I want to keep the basic shirt-and-trousers combination as Simon by the end of the story will be going out into the big world so I figure that in such a situation he'd dress smartly, (maybe to impress his mother?). I also did a bit of rounding of his jawline in an attempt ot make him a little less mature. But someone on the cusp of adulthood otherwise the end scene may look strange and potentially controversial.

From Script To Screen: Character Concepts

    Over the weekend I worked on some concept art for the project. While attempting to get Clarette's (the mother's) face right I hit upon the possibility of giving the characters more angular features as she kept ending up looking either too young or too old. Which I suppose could link with puppets being a key element of the tale. While working on Simon (Clarette's son) I became inspired by the puppets used for the 1960s TV show Thunderbirds (the animation is going for a 1970s aesthetic but Thunderbirds still possesses that campy 60s feel). So to represent Simon's youth I gave him rather large, expressive eyes.

    Simon himself only appears near the very end but his marionette appearance is going to be so dependant on what he really looks like it made sense to get an idea of what he actually looks like first before designing his puppet form.

From Script To Screen: Conception Progress

    I should have done this a little before but this is the content I have so far for for the project: Early thumbnails, a planned script and a good chunk of the storyboard done. I am starting to reach the end of my sketcbook and have taken on the habit of drawing thumbnails alongside jottings and practice drawings admittedly unrelated to the project as there are several pages where I have left a lot of white space.

    I have considered the prospect of blurring out these unrelated sketches so that viewers can focus on the intended drawings. But I am conflicted as apart from thumbnails and project-related drawings I do not show my sketchbook much. Which feels lsightly concerning as I was taught on the Level 3 Art and Design course I took they encouraged that our sketchbooks be windows into our minds. So I am unsure how to proceed with this matter regarding how to treat my sketchbook.

High Aspirations Script V2

This is still unfinished. The remaining frames I have planned relate to the marionette floating away on the balloon and the scene in the airport departure lounge described in the script.

From Script To Screen: New Premise and Logline

Premise:
A tale of a woman trying to cope with her son inevitably leaving the nest.

Logline
The prospect of your flesh and blood finally leaving home can be a difficult one, and some parents just don't want to let go. These feelings can manifest in odd ways but every parent must one day accept that their children must be allowed to spread their wings and take on the world.

From Script to Screen: New idea

    Speaking with others on the matter I have looked into revising my story idea for the Script to Screen project. Phil largely gave the outline for the new idea but I'd feel like I's make no meaningful progress directly lifting the idea.

The story opens with a woman sitting on a bench, illuminated by a spotlight and surrounded by complete blackness. On her lap is a marionette of a young boy. A balloon drifts into area illuminated by the spotlight and is spotted by the marionette. The marionette tries desperately to reach for the balloon, each time it tries it either simply cannot reach or the woman - looking fearful more than angry - keeps tugging him back.

    The marionette becomes upset. Realising what she is doing, the woman then cuts the strings holding her up one by one, with the marionette stil ltrying to reach up. With every cut line the body part it was connected to goes limp and the marionette falls to the floor. The woman watches anxiously as the marionette struggles to stand, growing more confident. Once it stands up fully, it does it's best to reach for the balloon, finally grabbing it. It and the woman hold hands as it floats up and away. 

    As the marionette as trying to stand up and reach for the baloon, the light encapsulating the scene expanded outward. As the marionette drifts away the woman returns ot reality in which she is in an airport departure lounge. Her son - who resembles the marionette - has a passport in hand and planes can be heard along with various other ambient sounds of a busy airport. Standing in front of her looking happy and nervous. "i'll be fine mum. Don't worry" he says, she smiles, nods and says "I'm proud of you" and gives him a farewell hug.

    Phil initially suggested a father/daughter relationship but I considered a mother-son combination out of personal experience. The bond is still strong and I figured when writing about familial relationships, our own experiences can be the best references for early works. I had also considered the balloon being in the shape of a plane as that is how the woman is losing her son in real life and the mind has a reputation of creating analogies to real life obstacles, problems and situations in mental sequences such as dreams and hallucenations.

I feel like I'm getting there. I just need to persevere and keep thinking, keep things open.

Revised story idea

In repsonse to some ocmments I have considered reworking my story idea.

A man arrives at an airport, joined by a controlling older sister who complains about him leaving. While on a private jet he daydreams outside a window, during turbulence an overhead compartment is forced open and a marionette owned by the man falls from it, but is left hanging from it's crossbar.

After a struggle it dislodges iself and chases the balloon around the cabin, with the strings connected to its limbs holding it back and catching on cabin furniture. (This bit might still need some work)

The marionette eventually grabs the balloon after several failed attempts and comes to relax in a seat. Focus returns to the man who checks into passport control of the airport he has arrived in with the marionette riding on top of the suitcase. The story ends with the man looking outside the departure lounge of the airport into the country he has arrived in with a really optimistic feel to the view outside

Step Outline and Revised script

A revision of my proposed script as well as a step outline. The step outline felt surprisingly short compared to my actual script.

 

The guidelines on the Ucreative site suggest for each page to be representative of one minute of footage. While I have stepped slightly over this guideline I wonder if I have enough fluidity that I can fit it into one minute. If not I could always keep my intro brief, or perhaps splice it into an establishing panning shot of the plane's interior.

High Aspirations Step Outline

High Aspirations Script Version 2

FstS update: Extremity of the Marionette's Treatment

    Looking at the Thompson advert of the bear that Jackie provided me I wonder about the extent of the abuse I should indicate in the marionette. The bear in the advert does have it hard but in regards to the abuse he suffers I wouldn't call it malevolent behaviour. Careless definitely but I understand that is typical at the sort of age we saw. And things like being stuffed into the washing machine or being hung to dry be the ear happens regardless of the child's age.

    The amount of abuse displayed will directly correlate with how positively or negatively the child is percieved. If the abuse is too extreme, the girl could fall right into the realms of a nightmarish unlikeable characature. If the portrayed abuse is too soft however the marionette may seem ungrateful for envisioning freedom or trying to physically get away from her.

    I might go slightly beyond the Thompson angle; the marionette gets his knocks and blows, but not ot the point where it is effectively a chew-toy for a callous little terror.

Possible Logline and Premise

     There could be refinement in these but for now here are my initial thoughts on a premise and a logline.

Premise:
To those heavily burdened by rules and constraints, the promise of freedom is alluring and a goal they would do anything to get. But there is always something tugging them back.

Logline:
Trapped on an airplane with an owner who mistreats him, a marionette sees freedom in a simple balloon and endeavors to catch it in order to embrace the freedom it promises. All the while he must battle with the strings of control that deny him freedom.

FStS: Script proposal

I have yet to create a premise or a logline so I will see about doing those before the week is out. ut here is what I have considered for a script. In hindsight I may have jumped the gun a little.

Version 1 Draft: High Aspirations

FStS: Idea assistance

    I had a talk with Jackie about my story ideas and question did arise as to how or why a helium balloon would be on board, a first thought being that the marionette is on a trip back from a holiday and the child who owns the marionette wanted a balloon they gained brought home.

    There is some concern as to whether a helium balloon would fit or perhaps the key prop could be represented another way such as the oxygen masks designed to drop when a cabin de-pressurises (which would be automatically deployed when the marionette opens the door to escape the plane).

    One slight problem with this idea is that while these bags do inflate, they require a central oxygen supply to do so and are designed for short-term use. Being an animation I wonder if I can get away with using the oxygen mask as a balloon substitute or would it just look silly or unbelievable.

    I remain confident with the jet idea, and to show that the marionette is unhappy with it's current owner I was told about Thompson's current advert that had a teddy bear going though a period of abuse (dragged in the mud and put in a washing machine for instance). Because this is a one-minute animation I wonder if it would work to show abuse though a series of photographs at the beginning that show the marionette being abused or improperly treated, perhaps not looking very happy. Perhaps it could link in with the bulk of the scene by either the last photographs - or perhaps all of them - looking like they were taken at the event where the plane took off from.

    One possible portrayal idea for the girl is to keep her face hidden. The technique of the cropped or hidden face has been used in films, traditional animation, television and games to add mystery to the character for a variety of reasons. One being to leave who they are open to interpretation or possibly translation; someone watching the animation is more open to imagining the character with someone they know fit's a character's behaviour because when the brain has no choice but to guess what the most important area to display emotion looks like, it is most likely going to attach a face from memory.

  Key examples where the technique was used to generate this particular effect include Andy in the original Toy Story, the Once-ler from the 1972 Lorax TV special, Tom's owners in the Tom and Jerry cartoons and the adults in the Peanuts comics and cartoons.