BLAUW!

For the final presentation which is to be given next Tuesday (or Wednesday) the 17th of August, I will have completed the following:

-All background elements
-“Final” animatic acting as working reel
-Main character turnaround (character “pieces”) layouts

Production Update -- 8/6/10

TREES! Very, very boring, normal trees that all look the same...for now. But that is the point. These are only the drawings, clearly. When I paint them, each will have its own texture, etc. The branches will be mixed and matched.

Holy smokes, storyboards!

Here they are! These contain the overall look and style I believe I will be going with.

Cold open: Simple clear blue sky

Flat clouds and sun pop up (or “pop in” at speed), clouds drift along like carnival shooting game

Camera moves down, green/brown earth pops up straight from screen bottom

House pops up, pop-up book style; basketball board and bush unfurl

Forest then pops up along with other background elements; car pulls up off screen, engine halts; door opens, shuts

Character walks from screen left and turns to face house

Character proceeds

Walks past basketball post, reminiscing; walks off

Steps up to forest; camera pans up

Shows static, almost stagnant tree line not too far above, character looking up at it; sun shines down, clouds go on their way

Cut to PoV shot, lone bird flies off

Cut to character looking up, concerned expression; looks down, thinking

Head and scene become silhouetted as character looks down; camera moves forward into newly formed hole in head

Same as scene 5: house and background elements pop up, but are entirely more whimsical, bobbing around

Smash zoom to dense and wild forest exploding from earth; camera pans up to follow its trajectory

Camera halts, captures top of tree line to capture stark blue sky; flock of colorful birds breaks into the open

Fade to forest floor, quick flash of child silhouetted running through forest, laughter echoing into next shot

Smash zoom out

Hears echo of laughter, looks up wide-eyed and bewildered

Cut to shot from within forest; car horn honks in distance; character turns, starts to walk away




Camera recedes into forest, crossfade further in; fade black

Late Production Post

Date: 6/18/10
State of mind: Beat, but wanting to finish storyboards
Task at hand: Complete storyboards and look at treatment
On the horizon: Refine storyboards
What is working: Visualization of shots still!
What is not working: 8 and 9 hour drives -- also, my sister's wedding planner
Other thoughts: Got into North Carolina yesterday. Two days of 8 or 9 hour drives. Had to wake up bright and early today to put up a GIANT CANOPY (50 feet by 20 feet or so -- 20 feet high) for my sister's wedding at the wedding planner's house, and strung lights all around it, too. While driving stakes I got a rather broad blister ON MY RIGHT PALM! What luck! Have not tried drawing with it yet. Of a rather amusing note: the first thing the wedding planner said to me before even introducing herself was, "Are you shaving your beard for the wedding?" I just laughed!

Production Journal

Date: 6/15/10
State of mind: Rush!
Task at hand: Refine treatment, finish (rough?) storyboards
On the horizon: Keep going!
What is working: Visualization of shots
What is not working: Not going to lie -- I kind of just want to relax and hang out with my parents! But I cannot and will not let my guard down!
Other thoughts: Leaving for North Carolina in the morning. Woo! Thanks a lot for the email, Erik. It helped to gel things, which proceed to become concrete.

Style References and Influences, Part 2...

James Jean

Production Journal -- June 8, 2010

Date: 6/8/10
State of mind: Enthused
Task at hand: Present methods, tools, etc. on here; continue picture gathering; get cranking on concept drawings
On the horizon: Same!
What is working: Informing our stories and concepts with our autobiographies was highly insightful and helpful!
What is not working: Nothing at current
Other thoughts: Saw Secret of Kells. It was incredibly inspirational! A wonderful film!