Hey guys.
Im currently doing a Digital Media Project for University 3rd year.
I have dedcided to do an animation called 'Big Fish Little Fish'
The animation concept will be inspired from what i read about, specifically focusing on the stories of children being bullied which you read about in the papers most days. The animation will generally attempt to give the following moral:
THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE BIGGER THAN YOU, SO DONT PICK ON THE LITTLE GUY
The idea goes as follows
The idea begins as a single animated character (Character A) based on 'Dobby' from Harry Potter and my own concept art pulls on a chain turning on a light, at which point you see the character look around and the title of the piece materialize in the air beside him, he turns the light off and then on and the text has changed to something different, he repeats this process one more time and the text dissapears, he begins to walk to the right, the camera following him and eventually comes to a door and is stopped in his tracks, he looks up at the door and places his ear to it.
Character (B) lets out a deep laugh, turns and walks across the minimalistic expanse as the camera zooms out, keeping the small door and the crushed creature (A) in shot until another, much larger door comes into view and stops the creature in its tracks.
Character (B) knocks on the door 3 times very lightly as his ear lies against it, the returning knocks sounds like an earthquake in comparison. Character (B) steps back, looking up at the door as a shadow descends upon the creature; eye twitching, he is rather scared. The camera then zooms out like it did before encompassing everything, showing how much larger this creature is than (B). Creature (B) rolls into a ball of fur to hide from Creature (C) who opens his mouth very wide and sucks Creature (B) into it, and swallows him whole. Creature (C) then walks away as the camera tracks with it and the credits roll on as the creature continues walking.
In terms of Soundbed, i will be utilising my connections with a session musicial who works for the BBC, he will utilise his musical prowess to create a soundtrack including classical piano, guitar and trumpets for each character. I will edit the work and apply it to the animation. The deep laugh will come from myself.
The intended audience is for children from the ages of 7-12, as the characters will be lots of exciting colours and textures to appeal to a Childs imagination, the characters are meant to be interesting for children. The morality of the story is meant to dictate that there are always bigger fish in the sea, as well as provide an anti bullying outlook.
I believe other people such as adults or people who study digital media or animation may find the animated short interesting to watch for either the modelling or perhaps the general morale of the story.
This project will be very good for my personal development in a multitude of aspects, as I will get to heavily work with character rigging, modelling and texturing, to an extent that I have not had before. In terms of creativity I have left it completely up to my own imagination to develop the characters.
The whole process will help me operate better in terms of skill in the future as I will be able to show my skill at concept drawing illustrations to a higher degree. As this will be the core starting point of my animation.
What other work (by animators, designers, film-makers, writers, digital media producers, etc.) is relevant to your project? (This work may either be relevant for its conceptual or technical similarity):
I will be using:
http://www.blender.org/education-help/tutorials/
This basically helps in showing various methods of blending that are fast and effective.
I will be using: http://www.expertrating.com/courseware/mayacourse/MAYA-Animation-Basics-2.asp
This helps in guidelines and shortcuts so I can make an animation faster.
I will be using:
http://www.3dworldmag.com/page/3dworld?entry=film_week_behind_the_scenes5
For its use as a reference to unique styles and techniques.
John Lasseter as an executive producer of Monsters Inc. had a unique outlook conceptually on how the animated comedy film should be produced and I wish to do my animation in the same style or near enough to be of aesthetic appeasement.
Some of the following work in modelling is relevant due to conceptual standard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfaR6nIuveM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfaR6nIuveM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwz5zmRaIlQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfaR6nIuveM
I will at some point be utilisng a graphics tablet to help bring my conceptual art to life in a cartoonist way, as i will be handing in a folder of various hand drawn images to accompany the work. (not including storyboards)
I hope your interested. There will soon be images of some of the initial drawings on this blog. Watch this space
Dr Spechemin ^.^
