Live Brief (ExPro) - Thumbnail Storyboard and Concepts

Due to working on two briefs of a similar nature, I'll be calling the 'Live action' entry 'Live Brief #1' and the more CG based one 'Live Brief #2' to avoid confusion. All work blogged about for this brief will have 'Live Brief (ExPro)' at the start of the title from this point onwards. This is to separate this work from the 'short film' work that will also be blogged about under the same module heading.

Live Brief #1

(Live-action response)

I have blocked out the key shots of this response in quick thumbnails. This was to quickly illustrate the key points of the scene. A child is walking through a magical wood and meets different elements of films, in this case a fight between two 'warriors', a dancer, and an animated robot. (The first shot should perhaps be flipped so the child is walking left to right - it's line of movement then being continuous throughout). Once we've sorted a proper shot list and worked out the pacing, I will develop a more detailed storyboard. There is a chance that this whole scene would be shot in one continuos shot, this is something I'd need to take into consideration when blocking out the pacing. 

With some of these key shots/elements decided upon, I have started a little bit of concept art, in order to get a feel. With each different shift in cinema-genre I think the tone should be different, therefore the dancer should be calm and warm and a little magical (in comparison to the fight shot before). 

I have been playing with quite bold a simple colours which allows work to be produced quicker, as a 'realistic render' is not being sought, whilst still getting the point across. This inked style too is something I'm looking at (especially for storyboarding) by researching the artist 'Gabriel Ba' (who will be blogged about later).

Live Brief #2

(CG Response)

As this brief involves simple still shots the storyboard/concept art can work (practically) as the same thing. One of the shots involves the logo being covered with lava, something Luca has been experimenting with here. I found the below video interesting in understanding how lava flow can be manipulated to create forms, and kept it in mind when creating the below concept art.

Science / TV Channel Ident 'Erosion' - Director's Cut from Dvein on Vimeo.

Making a companion - Reference

Our story for the short film is still in development, but a concept we are playing with is that of the protagonist creating a companion for itself. This concept reminded me of this animation: 'The Maker'.

  

This short film has no dialogue but clearly illustrates what happens, the main character expressing a determination and form of affection for it's creation. This dialogue-light form of expression is something we are wanting to play with, therefore the actions of our character should be quite purposeful. The lighting and palette of this piece gives a slightly gritty, antiquated look to it as well as a dark tone (due to the large use of shadow). This is the style of palette that could possibly fit with our story, as it is possibly set in a scrap yard. The warm gold/brown colours could add some warmth however we would have to be careful not to drift too far into the 'steampunk' aesthetic.

This short, and the concept of a mechanical/modelled companion also reminds me of Edward Scissorhands. This could possibly serve as reference to the main character in movement and look. Edward is quite human looking, his signature scissor-hands being the main thing that separates him from us. The simplicity of having different hands is effective, and when considering our characters design it should be ensured that there is a simple, obviousness to it, rather than being too complex and detailed. The below video (despite it's lack of quality) illustrates the idea of building something with a heart, for love etc. which is, ultimately, the intention that drives our character to build their companion.

Since we're looking into the creation of something living it would be silly not to quickly reference Frankenstein. The motivations behind this creation are different however, and appear more gothic in concept. The creation becomes a 'monster' rather than a companion. Each one of these videos has a form of 'montage' that illustrates the creation of the monster, which is something to be considered when creating the storyboard and elements of the companion.

Aesthetically I'm leaning more towards that of 'The Maker', there is a craft like element in it's design that seems fitting to our story at the moment. As the character, at this stage, is a 'robot' like being, it's companion could also be mechanical, or made out of 'junk'. (As initially conceptualised in the previous blog post.)  If this is the case, then the surroundings should compliment the character and it's creation. If it is made from junk, the junk should be seen in the initial design of the scene etc. There should be a level of detail that follows through the scene. The below making of video illustrates the importance of the overall design and the detail in the set and props, this is something that will be considered once the story is finalised. I am aware of the differences between animation and film and how the level of detail achieved in 'The Maker' may be harder to achieve in our film due to time/budget constraints.

More idea development and initial concept sketches

We are intending to enter some live briefs during this project, below is a quick sketch concept of a logo being immersed in vines, an idea that would be realised in VFX.

We have been developing our idea for our 'main' short film. Whilst wanting a 'Black Mirror'-esque feel to it, we have been looking at themes such as advertising, isolation and technology. An idea we are developing at the moment involves a 'robot' type character building things he sees in advertisements, until he ultimately wants to build a companion out of junk. Below are rough, initial concepts in reference to this, drawing on the mechanical people in Mirror Mask and designs from Umbrella Academy. At the moment the designs are 'complex', and a simple identifiable design would be a lot better (and perhaps easier) in the long run, which is something to be considered.

Extended Project - Inspiration and looking at the 'short film'.

For the Extended Project I will be working in a team to hopefully create a 'short' film. I have therefore started looking at films that I have enjoyed and the reasons why. These films have a strong but relatively simple 'what if' premise that makes the short film memomrable and interesting. They have potential to depict people/problems etc. in an illustrative way that's different from reality - without having to explain fully how these 'impossible' ideas came about. It also gives potential for strong imagery that links solidly with the story. This is what I'd like to achieve in our film, visuals that are believable to the story but also interesting and a aesthetically pleasing.

For example 'The Half Light''s use of lighting and colour links directly with the main concept of the narrative, and allows some beautiful imagery, such as a room full of bulbs. This helps create a world in which the concept is accepted and allowing the performance and story to be believed.



This next short is heavier in dialogue, something we are planning to avoid in our short film. However I feel it illustrates a strong and interesting concept executed well. The 'fantastical' element is still believable and accepted in the context of the short film.


Another short film with an interesting 'what if' concept is this film I mentioned last year here: http://lj-dfga.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/room-8-bombay-sapphire.html . This film illustrates the potential of creating a piece in a single room, which is something we could consider due to limited budget etc. and how this can be effective in creating isolation or claustrophobia.


A possible theme we have been discussing for our short film is of isolation in a slightly dystopian environment. A concern I have with this is it could become a little drab if we don't have an interesting hooking concept to illustrate this. However, thematically I feel this trailer for the short film 'Chasing Cotards' is relevant, as it seems to take a quite dark concept and treat it in a considered and captivating way. This film seems to illustrate a sense of isolation and loneliness, highlighting the importance of strong imagery and acting.


Chasing Cotards Teaser Trailer from Chasing Cotards on Vimeo.


Making The Biggest Short Film Of All Time from Chasing Cotards on Vimeo.

The documentary shows the importance of the set, the design and look of the short film. This is something I'm interested in, and feel should be incorporated in our film. Pre-production and design is incredibly important and by creating an environment that is believable to the story, as well as visually interesting in it's own right, a short film can be incredibly captivating. This documentary also illustrates the care and consideration that was taken into account when working with a potentially upsetting subject. This is something we should consider if deciding to opt for a more 'serious' subject for our film. We should take into consideration budget and other limitations, as there is a potential for it to seem 'hackneyed' or insincere if we didn't execute the film well, for example acting would need to be at a high standard.