Fields and Frames - Animation development

Animation development

now we had decided to go with an animation we had to decide how we would devolep the ideas. we wanted to keep the ideas of compositing and the connection of objects/places to past memories. I decided through my animation style research that i wanted to go with a scractchy pencil look for the animation mixed with the contrast of photo composites. 

through group discussion we started putting together ideas and suggesting situations for the story. we had a few ideas but liked the idea of a hoarded house and finding old objects which had significance to the character.

then we split out to work on separate things.

me on the treatment and script
ethan and maise on composite ideas
umor on drawing style practice.


the Treatment 


a animation following landscape narrative where the story is driven by the place where the character is and his interaction with it. The art style goes from pencil hand drawn look for inside the house but when the character has a flash back caused by a object from their past the style turns to composite landscapes created through photographs. The sound will be a mixture of chilled minimulist piano music and foley sounds for objects that transport the character to flash backs. the flash backs will be abstract so meaning can be given to any situation.




story 


now my main thing to do was to devolp a story. I wanted something very simple which didnt distract from the situation narrative created via the location. just something to drive this character to the object. I wanted this narrative to have real human element to it, nothing abstract so people could relate to the sitaution. i decided following after a mouse had lots of implicit meaning reallting to the ideas of cluttered minds and so forth.

 I wanted lots of meaning in each element but also the ablity for the audience to read lots of diffrent meanings without it being abstract and more like a mind puzzle which i dont like. i feel meaning should be there in the art not treating art like an illitest mind game where only the educated understand the fine art meaning.


here is the script i wrote.

Animation script (mouse in the house)

(scene 1)

Opens up to a man watching tv, looking directly at the viewer (who is the tv). He Is surrounded by hoarded objects, he is sitting on a sofa. Suddlenly the flickering light stops and the tv sounds stop. He looks puzzled. He steps up and walks towards the tv.    

(scene2)

+tv close up turning off

(scene3)

Behind the tv. He bends down and reveals broken wire (camera pan down)

(sound of scurring starts)

(scene1b)

He walks back to the middle of the room, stops and listens. Suddly a small blurred mouse scurrys away into a corridor in the hoarded objects. He follows behind it.

(scene 4)

the man is standing in the middle of the corridor, (looking into camera) piles of objects are stacked up on his left and right.

In the middle of the corridor is a chewed teddy bear, he walks towards it bends down to pick it up .as he touches it.

(TRANSITION 1)

THE TEDDY BEAR IS SAT ON A SWING ON A BEACH WITH A SCHOOL ON THE HORRIZON. HE STANDS THERE FOR A MOMENT (sounds of childhood)HE WALKS TOWARDS THE SWING AND PUSHES IT AND IT SWINGS BACK AND FORTH.    (we could have the camera start on the teddy and zoom out)

(scene 5)

Close up of mans face (emotion)

(scene 4b)

The man places the teddy on top of the pillows in the scene and walks on (the teddy and the surroundings become coloured)

(scene 6)

The man walks into a wide room with tall towers of objects. On the far side there is a wall of old doors.(camera is behind person) He sees the mouse scurry into a hole at the bottom of the door. He walks towards the door. As he does camera follows (zoom). When he reaches for the door nob (camera is filled by shoulder and door) as he touches the door nob.

(TRANSITION 2)

A STREET OF DIFFERENT BUILDINGS PUT TOGETHER (THAT WOULDN’T NORMALLY) A FLAT, A FACTORY , A HIGH RISE , A MASION, AND IN THE MIDDLE A SMALL HOUSE. LIGHTS SHINE FROM THE WINDOWS AND SHADOWS WALL PAST THE WINDOWS (sounds of families and arguing/ domestic violence) THE DOOR IS OPEN OF THE HOUSE, HE WALKS TO THE DOOR AND SLAMS IT.

(scene 7)

From behind. The door is open and leds to nothing but more objects. He is breathing heavly.

He then shuts the door. Slowly.

(scene 6b)

Wide, he walks away from the door, the door slowly becomes coloured infecting the other objects.

(scene 8)

Man walking towards camera doors can be seen in the background,

(scene 9)

Following the noise the man walks into another area, (camera over the shoulder) this area is dominated by one big pile in the middle. He sees the mouse run into the pile, it shakes a bit and a tennis ball falls from the pile, and roles towards him.

(scene 10)

Floor shot, looking towards guy, ball roles towards guy. He bends down to pick it up and

(TRANSITION 3)

BALL BOUNCES ACROSS A LANDSCAPE OF DOG BEDS AND LEADS, IN A PARK IT LANDS IT FINALLY STOPS IN A BOWL OF WATER (as ball bounces dog noises then wimper when lands in water) HE GOES TO THE BALL AND PICKS IT UP

(CLOSE UP OF THE BALL)

BALL IS WET AND DRIPPING, THEN WATER DRIPS ONTO THE BALL (FROM TEAR)

(scene 9b)

Man places the ball in a dog bed. And walks out of shot, ball becomes coloured and effects other objects.

(scene 11)

Low shot of feet going past camera , first mouse goes past then feet.

(scene 12a)

Man walks into room, camera is infront of man you can see him in the background. A ladder leans across the room and hanging from it is a locket, the mouse runs across the ladder making the locket swing. The man walks towards it and stops it swinging   (locket is in focus of the frame)

(TRANSITION 4)

A LARGE LOCKET FILLS THE FRAME, INSIDE IS FILLED WITH WATER, ON THE WATER IS A BED (or swan boat). A SHADOW SITS ON THE EDGE OF THE BED LOOKING AWAY FROM THE FRAME. (happy relationship sounds) THE GUY MOVES TOWARDS THE CHARACTER AND PUTS HIS HAND ON HER SHOLDER.

(scene 12b)

The locket falls off the ladder

(scene 13)

Close up of shattered locket

(TRANSITION 4B)

THE BOAT BEGINS TO SINK AND THE SHADOWY CHARACTER JUMPS INTO THE WATER, WATER BECOMES MORE RUFF.

(scene 14)

Man on his knees with locket in his two hands. His stands up

(scene 12c)

The man places the locket in his pocket, is slightly colours him as he walks away the locket falls out of his pocket onto a pill which starts becoming coloured. He excits the frame.

(scene 15)

Shot of man walking ….from inside pile of objects(camera), see the mouse pass infront of the camera.

(scene 16)

(camera the side) Man walks into a room, the objects are all very old, many have moss on them and are cracked, the most runs through the room and dust follows it, as the man walks into the room the dust clears and he sees the glow of a candle, the mouse darts past it and the flame blows out.

(TRANSITION 5)

THE MAN STANDS IN A FOREST, IN THE FOREST THERE IS GRAVES WHICH ARE OVERGROWN. IN THE BACKGROUND THERE ARE DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS.  HE WALKS UP TO ONE OF THE TREES AND TOUCHES IT, WHEN HE DOES THE TREE FALLS AWAY FROM HIM.

(scene 16b)

A small ember glow starts from the candle and slowly brings colour back into the room. The man leaves the frame.

(scene 17)

Birds eye view looking down at floor covered in objects. Man walks across them. Suddlenly floor collapeses and falls through with man. Dust covers scene. When clears there is a big hole in the floor. Man steps up and camera zooms in so whole fits entire shot. The room is full of stuff on the floor and pathways through it. The mouse runs through the stuff and the person follows.

(scene 18)

Low shot in one of the paths. Round the conner, man runs past and trips on suitcase in the pathway.

man gets up and turns around. He reaches towards the suitcase. On his knees.

(TRANSITION 6)

SUITCASE SITS ONTOP OF A CAR WITH LOTS OF OTHER RANDOM OBJECTS PILLED HIGH ONTO OF THE CAR. THE CAR IS ON A ROAD. THE MAN IS SITTING IN THE CARS…..HE LISTENS TO THE SOUNDS THEN DRIVES AWAY. (OBJECTS FALL OF THE CAR AS HE DOES).

(scene 19)

over the head of man, he opens the suitcase. Inside is the mouse. He quickly grabs it.

(scene 18b)

Stands up with mouse in hands.

(scene 20)

Medium shot with mouse in hands (emotion shot)

(scene 21) ********

Goes through previous big scenes with mouse in his hands. These scenes are now coloured

(scene 22)

Close up , can see mouse and guys face. He reaches up. (looks like he is going to kill it) the mouse is on a table to his side held down. Hand comes down.

(scene 23)

Opens door (from behind shot) sees into world. he steps out with mouse in his hands.

(scene 24)

From front. Open door can be seen behind him with opens inside. EVERYTHING IS IN COLOUR

His places the mouse down and it scampers off. The camera slowly zooms out showing his house and then an intire planet made of hoarded objects, it keeps zooming out and there are many different planets with hoarded objects.

END

composite story 

it was then time to work out what the situation for the composites. I wanted to create an abstract story iside the flash backs so the could relate to situations everyone has experienced. 

I though of memories which has specific importance to people and something that could be connect to a place of object. 

i though family pet was something that was strong memory for most people, introducing life and death

death brought memories of death of people and a strong memory linked with religion 

childhood is important in memeory. this was shown with the teddy and the swings and beach being big part of childhood. 

love was also a big part as meories of that are very strong. 

home brings lots of memories, i wanted to show the moving home element to show growth. 

travel was to show the importance of moving through life.