Tree Design

I developed my favourite designs for the tree. Although I prefer the drawing of the tall a-symmetric tree I think the willow design would work best with my story. I then developed the design from various angles.

Tree Design

I researched colours for my tree and tried drawing various styled plum trees, first rough then more detailed and incorporating the colours.

I like different aspects of each of them; the mossy clumps of leaves and simple branches of the bottom left, the twisted trunk and roots of bottom right, simple willow like structure of top right, the simple textures of top left, and the roots of the second from top left.

Rocky Mound Colour

I tried a few different colour schemes, creating different surfaces such as rock, grass, mud and moss. I am not happy with any of them but it has allowed me to see what is possible. The first image is the original gray scaled mound.

Clay Mound

I developed my designs for the rocky mound using clay, keeping in mind the path that the boy will take up and down it.

Rocky Mound Design

I have designed the mound around how the boy can get up and down it. I have also researched colours.

Goat Colour

I took one of the photos of my clay goat and coloured it in Photoshop. I tried several different colour schemes, keeping in mind that it needed to standout against the background whilst being simple.

Clay Goat

I modeled my Goat character out of clay to help me in the designing process. I am very happy with how it turned out but it has highlighted areas that need improvement. My biggest issue at the moment is that the character is too complex and needs simplifying. However, I like how the model seems to have personality.

Goat Design

I have been drawing designs for the goat, which I will develop using clay.

Thoughts on Group Work

I feel I am struggling with concept work and could defiantly do with some help. I will need someone to draw a higher quality version of my final storyboard as visulising different camera angles is not my strong point. The other way I could get round this would be to create a rough mock up in clay for each scene, but although this would greatly aid visualising, I unfortunately do not have the time.

I am confident with rigging, especially if I use Setup Machine, however I am not as confident modeling good riggable characters. I could therefore employ someone to check that my model's edge loops are in the right place to allow for movement.

As I plan to model all characters and scene in clay before modeling them in Maya I will import photographs on to the X and Y plains and use them as a template to model from. However, it would save a great deal of time if I had someone model objects from the photos for me. This will give me more time for animating later.

I will also need a voice actor for the sound of the boy screaming.

I hope to be employed by my class mates to animate, texture and model in clay.

Design Process

I find visualising difficult and therefore drawing without reference material is challenging. I prefer to create things with my hands so I will be doing much of the design work for this project using clay. This allows me to mold a lump into a design, rather than starting with a blank piece of paper where you can not see anything until you have already done it. Designing using a three dimensional medium makes a lot more sense to me. I found some great inspiration from the making of Ratatouille book.

Style 2

I am having difficulties incorporating the look and style into my film. I have features I am hoping to include and I know what I want to emphasise but I am having trouble working out how everything can fit together. I believe my problem is that I am trying to squeeze in too many different styles and I need to settle on one overall film style. I decided to look at tree textures on the Internet for some inspiration.

Animatic 2

I timed the latest version of my storyboard to see whether everything was working as I intended.

Storyboard 2b

This is an updated version of my second storyboard. I have improved the character acting, camera angles and simplified the story. I have considered the audience and tried to make my characters more appealing both in their actions and reactions. I hope this has brought more interest and empathy to my story. As I have not finished developing the storyboard I have called this number 2b as I intend to have finalised my camera angles by the third version.


Synopsis
The story is about a young boy and a goat. The boy’s just been let out of the house and he’s now outside, seeking adventure.

The Boy is carrying a stick and using it as a sword. He intends to playfully attack a nearby goat which he’s pestered many times before, but the boy falls over whilst trying. When he’s lying on the ground he sees that the goat is struggling to reach fruit off the tree it’s tethered to. So the boy picks some of the fruit and as he feeds it to the goat, he jumps on the goats back. In exchange for the fruit the goat gallops off with the boy, on a well worn path around the tree.

Style

I am interested in all animation types but particularly stop motion and cut out. I find these images appealing because of their strong use of textures, lighting and impressionistic backgrounds.

Animatic 1

I timed the latest version of my storyboard to give me a better idea of the pacing in my film. At the moment the duration is longer than I want, therefore I will have to cut it down a bit.

Sound - Boy screaming, and laughing when ridding goat

Outdoor ambient sounds - Don’t think I will need sounds for the majority of footsteps, but will need sound for heavy landing and Goat munching plum/grass

Background music - classical or something very English like a brass band

Storyboard 2

Made a few improvements to the story mainly in camera angles and continuity. I have also thought more about the opening and closing credits.

Character Profiles

Boy
Boy is a healthy, rosy cheeked 5 year old, who lives in the English countryside in a small cottage with his parents. He is allowed to play in the nearby fields providing he always stays in sight of his home, a rule he often ignores. He is an only child and has developed an extensive imaginative and has befriended the local animals. Boy is used to being around animals, so has no fear of them, but does not always treat them with respect. His intelligence is slightly below average for his age and he spends most of his time in a world of his own. He dreams of being a knight; slaying dragons and journeying on dangerous quests. He is both mischievous and adventurous, which seldom leaves him without mud upon his face. Boy is left-handed and can be quite clumsy and uncoordinated. He has a cheeky sense of humour.

Goat
Goat is an old male crossbreed between British Saanen and British Toggenburg. Goat’s behaviour is humanized, although closer to a goat than a human. He cannot speak, but can express emotion beyond that of a typical goat. Goat is kept as a pet by the Boy’s parents and is therefore often an unwilling participant of the Boy’s imaginary adventurous. Goat is tethered to a plum tree, one of his favourite delicacies, if only he could reach them. Other animals seldom venture near the plum tree and the solitude has left Goat nervous and thin despite the excesses of food around him. He has a rough, uneven coat, yet carries his body in a dignified manor. He has reasonably intelligent for a goat with no imagination and a very slight sense of humour.

Scene Moodboards

I want to give my film a very English feel. I have been looking at plum trees and rocky mounds but also lighting and weather. I want to set my film in mid September so that the leaves on the tree will have started changing colour and the plums will be ripe. Weather wise I would like it to be just after it has rained but I realise this would be too much work and cause complications such as the boy should be in wellies but these would restrict movement. I have therefore chosen to give my film a could-rain-at-any-moment feel but keep it sunny. This will allow me to have some nice lighting effects such as rays and dappled lighting under the tree. I would also like there to be a slight mist, which will add atmosphere and save time in that if a background even needs to be created then it will be very low detail.

Storyboard 1

Boy and Goat

2 Characters: 5 year old boy with home-made helmet and sword, Goat with cardboard dragon wings.

Scene: Rock, which the boy is stood on at the start and fruit tree, which the goat is tied to.

Story: Boy charges at goat as if to attack it with sword. Goat, oblivious, tries to reach fruit off tree but it’s too high. Boy falls over and noticing goat’s actions, goes to see if he can help. Boy passes down fruit to goat who then lets him ride on his back.

Pre-Production Schedule