Group Project Story and Thumbnails Day 2

GROUP PROJECT: STORY

BACKSTORY

This morning we went over the story/storyboard. I had the idea to come up with back stories for the main character and the girl, just so we get a better understanding of the characters personalities. We decided on making the two characters siblings, the boy was the first born and got all the attention of the parents but as soon as his sister was born, she was in the "spotlight". She started to surpass him in everything, and became the parents' favorite. The siblings had the usual sibling competition, but their levels got too vast that she would always get all the things he wanted. (she got the good end of the stick) The two siblings joined the circus (the parents hardly keep in contact, and if they do they keep in contact with the daughter). As they joined the circus, they start off as a sibling act, the brother thinks he finally has a chance to be equals with his sister or even to surpass her. But as the act continues, the crowd loves the daughter more and changes from a sibling act to a single act. (he now is only the assistant and she is the main act).

We pin-pointed it down to:

Guy Character

• Courageous
• Thinks he always gets the short end of the stick 
• Fed up
• Aggressive
• Loner

Girl Character

• Proud
• Selfish
• Show off
• Know it all
• Confident
• Cheerful

Liam described it as the "Ying and Yang", they are both opposites and contrast each other.

STORY

We started discussing the start scene, as the Industry feedback said to change the intro to tie in with the ending more. We bounced off lots of ideas one another, and asked Frans to have a look at our ideas as well. Jaron showed us a short pixar movie called "Prestro", where the intro starts with a poster of the magician and it explains everything the audience needs to know. We all liked this idea and started thinking about ideas to incorporate the poster (and title of the short) into the intro. 

Jaron came up with this really cool idea of the poster stamped to a tree (intro in 3D) and the circus in the background. We then hear applause and then a sudden shock from the audience (in the tent) and then the main character bursts out of the tent. (Frans suggested the idea of the audience sound effects)

The camera track the main character running, and another tree swipes the transition of 3D to 2D.

Zack had also a really cool idea of the main character running, and Danielle suggested making the monster appear off and on behind him chasing him, the trees swiping the monster on and off as the camera tracks the main character. We incorporated both of the ideas by the main character running through the forest right away (no vast blank space) and the monster keeps flickering through the trees until it becomes fully visual and chasing him. (this already gives a feeling of "is it real or not?")

As the high pace chase continues (cutting to extreme close ups, intense), the main character eventually hides behind a tree, we see the monster behind him looking for him. The main character decides to gap it, the monster looking his way (very animal like, predator like). But as he runs he starts tripping and starts tumbling until he tumbles into the clearing. The beast stops (the trees are too thick for the beast to get through) and starts walking around the clearing (predator like) looking at the main character (figuring out another way in).
We are also staying with the Vintage look for the circus/characters now.

Liam also suggested making the circus "Russian" which I think would work really well, as the fur the woman wears ties it in as well as the safety precaution would not be used. Russians are also quite strict, and devil-dare which would suit.

Did some character concepts as well tonight, I tried making the guy and the girl look more like siblings and russian. I also had a go at the Beast, I added the collar, arm and leg collars as well to match it with the girl character better. I looked at the "Beast" from the first episode of "Over the garden wall". I tried making the Zebra stripes more wrapped around, I looked at the Zebra patterns from Martin off Madagascar.