Break for a week due to Christmas!!!!
The only week of the year in which I watch Doctor Who as my aunt’s family have it on. Pretty good this year, I like David Tennant, he makes me smile. It’ll do me for a year though. I used to love Doctor Who, I wonder what happened?
Made a ginger bread house and flooded it with icing, a group effort by Isabella, Georgia, Emma (my sister) and myself. We also covered it in all the things that give me migraines except orange juice that would just be silly.
I got a huge new speaker system from Mom and Dad so I can finally listen to CD’s again. It also has an iPod dock (recommendation from Alexis [my eldest cousin])
Friday, 28 December 2007
Friday, 21 December 2007
17th December to 21st December
Aims
Primarily do a bit of dissertation research as I’m going away and it’ll be hard to do anything else as I can’t really take all the things I need with me as my sister is coming and she’ll probably fill the car with a stupid amount of shoes, clothes and cosmetics. Oh, and trashy novels but hey, what can you do?
Goals Reached?
Well this week was interesting. Due to the family Christmas being up at my uncles and it also being his birthday we barely had time to breathe let alone do work but I’ve been collecting a bit of research from books, internet and of course the papers which I have now got into the habit of reading believe it or not. Have I Got News For You now starts to make a bit more sense I feel more “with it”. But seriously, I have tried to work but it’s been very hard to collect my thoughts with so many people around and there’s not much hope for next week as I’ve been informed we’re going down to my aunts to celebrate there and we’re staying overnight.
This week has provided me with a chance to get opinions and talk about my film with a whole range of people. Luckily no-one has just stared at me like I’m crazy although I got a few funny looks at the nice posh birthday meal full of grown-ups as I had bright pink streaks in my hair -_- Funnily enough they stopped having found out I was an art student. Funny that. My uncle made me promise not to tell my 13 year old cousin how I got it pink. She has a habit of getting grounded for dying her hair and I don’t think my latest hair dying whim was a good example.
Primarily do a bit of dissertation research as I’m going away and it’ll be hard to do anything else as I can’t really take all the things I need with me as my sister is coming and she’ll probably fill the car with a stupid amount of shoes, clothes and cosmetics. Oh, and trashy novels but hey, what can you do?
Goals Reached?
Well this week was interesting. Due to the family Christmas being up at my uncles and it also being his birthday we barely had time to breathe let alone do work but I’ve been collecting a bit of research from books, internet and of course the papers which I have now got into the habit of reading believe it or not. Have I Got News For You now starts to make a bit more sense I feel more “with it”. But seriously, I have tried to work but it’s been very hard to collect my thoughts with so many people around and there’s not much hope for next week as I’ve been informed we’re going down to my aunts to celebrate there and we’re staying overnight.
This week has provided me with a chance to get opinions and talk about my film with a whole range of people. Luckily no-one has just stared at me like I’m crazy although I got a few funny looks at the nice posh birthday meal full of grown-ups as I had bright pink streaks in my hair -_- Funnily enough they stopped having found out I was an art student. Funny that. My uncle made me promise not to tell my 13 year old cousin how I got it pink. She has a habit of getting grounded for dying her hair and I don’t think my latest hair dying whim was a good example.
Friday, 14 December 2007
10th December to 14th December
Aims
Re-draw the character model sheets so that they can be accurately modelled from the pictures by Adam and Kyle. I also want to have drawn out an overview of the beach so that we know exactly what’s going where and exactly how much needs to be modelled. It will also help Andrew and I to see the same end product as we can make changes if need be rather than modelling it all then deciding it needs to be changed slightly. I want to email the pictures out to Andrew by the end of this week too so that I can get feedback from him as soon as possible. I hope that these will also be able to give him a rough basis for environment foundations.
Reached goals?
This week has gone quite well. I managed to re draw the character sheets and they’re all ready to go to the respective modellers. I found it quite difficult to get George to look exactly how I wanted him to look on the perspective view because his nose just didn’t look right each time I drew him. However, after persevering for a while I’ve finally got a picture that I’m happy with. George is now ready to be sent off to Adam as I feel he now has an accurate portrayal of how I’d like the finished version to be.
Everyone’s opinion that he should be a short man was also very helpful as I was torn between the two designs. I think he looks quite mouse like and has similarities with the little girl as they are both short and have similar proportions. They look better now standing next to each other.
I’ve drawn some rough pictures of how I envisioned the beach to look and I’ve tried to make it an enclosed area so that it doesn’t look bare and Andrew doesn’t have to model a ridiculous amount of props that will barely be seen.
I’ve re-drawn Lani also but she hasn’t really changed. I adapted her eyes to look more like George’s and less like a typical manga face. I’ve put her eyelashes only on her
bottom lids as I think this makes her look more unique as I haven’t seen many other characters with eyelashes on the bottom. Maybe it can be something unique just for her ^-^
Despite all my concept sketches for her I’ve decided to stick with the overall look but have changed her outfit slightly so that it looks a little more beachy. Lani now wears a sarong type top that ties up at the back the bow quite large to give the appearance that she has wings. I thought this was cute as she is like an angel (sort of) (let me run with it, I like the happy world I live in, it’s nice here) for George as she becomes his friend at the end.
Re-draw the character model sheets so that they can be accurately modelled from the pictures by Adam and Kyle. I also want to have drawn out an overview of the beach so that we know exactly what’s going where and exactly how much needs to be modelled. It will also help Andrew and I to see the same end product as we can make changes if need be rather than modelling it all then deciding it needs to be changed slightly. I want to email the pictures out to Andrew by the end of this week too so that I can get feedback from him as soon as possible. I hope that these will also be able to give him a rough basis for environment foundations.
Reached goals?
This week has gone quite well. I managed to re draw the character sheets and they’re all ready to go to the respective modellers. I found it quite difficult to get George to look exactly how I wanted him to look on the perspective view because his nose just didn’t look right each time I drew him. However, after persevering for a while I’ve finally got a picture that I’m happy with. George is now ready to be sent off to Adam as I feel he now has an accurate portrayal of how I’d like the finished version to be.
Everyone’s opinion that he should be a short man was also very helpful as I was torn between the two designs. I think he looks quite mouse like and has similarities with the little girl as they are both short and have similar proportions. They look better now standing next to each other.
I’ve drawn some rough pictures of how I envisioned the beach to look and I’ve tried to make it an enclosed area so that it doesn’t look bare and Andrew doesn’t have to model a ridiculous amount of props that will barely be seen.
I’ve re-drawn Lani also but she hasn’t really changed. I adapted her eyes to look more like George’s and less like a typical manga face. I’ve put her eyelashes only on her
bottom lids as I think this makes her look more unique as I haven’t seen many other characters with eyelashes on the bottom. Maybe it can be something unique just for her ^-^Despite all my concept sketches for her I’ve decided to stick with the overall look but have changed her outfit slightly so that it looks a little more beachy. Lani now wears a sarong type top that ties up at the back the bow quite large to give the appearance that she has wings. I thought this was cute as she is like an angel (sort of) (let me run with it, I like the happy world I live in, it’s nice here) for George as she becomes his friend at the end.
Friday, 7 December 2007
3rd December to 7th December
Okies so the first week of the holidays and I’ve already messed around with the animatic again shortening it by an extra minute! Whoop! Having listened to everyone’s comments about the animatic dragging at the end I tried to shorten it significantly, much to my surprise there was a lot that could be cut out without damaging the story at all. As a result I’m feeling much happier about the length of the film. It’s seeming a lot more realistic than it was a week or so ago. Now to just get on and do everything else. I doubt that we’ll be able to keep to the schedule but I’ll be starting the character model sheets next week and an overview of the beach that I can email Adam and Andrew so they can start those.
Friday, 30 November 2007
Week 9
This week our aims are as follows
Finish everything.
First we need to put all our work together for the presentations on Wednesday. Then organise it so it's ready for Friday.
Well, this week went faster then any of the other weeks so far. It's all been one mad rush in which i have had little to no sleep and have been taking migraine tablets continuously lol. Despite all of this we've got everything together although regrettably i didn't have the time to do the extra concept i wanted to have done. I must be better at organising time next term there's so much to do and i don't have time to be sitting around twiddling my thumbs.
We showed the presentation to the two Mikes and the feedback we got was good. They didn't say anything i wasn't expecting so i'm glad about that. We still have to cut down the animatic, the begining and ending are too slow but i've already started to alter that. I'll get Andrew to do his part too. I want to do a bit more concept and some layout sketches in the following week and finally get the model sheets done and sent out to the modellers. No problems with finishing that next week. I've changed our schedule again to allow me time to do this.
I was really pleased with the feedback from the rest of the class about the animatic. Loads of people said they liked the journey part and we've worked so long to get that bit right that it makes it all feel quite worthwhile.
I handed in my essays despite them nearly killing me in the process. I really enjoyed the film analysis essay although i could always find something new to say about Spirited Away. It was really hard to keep the essay at a reasonable size. i found out a lot of things i didn't know and also had a chance to voice and make some of my own opinions. I was especially interested in the way Miyazaki portrayed Haku as he is never without any references to rivers or water.
We've had some good news about the sound design too. There are too students interested, Mark and Alex and they're third years just like us.
Finish everything.
First we need to put all our work together for the presentations on Wednesday. Then organise it so it's ready for Friday.
Well, this week went faster then any of the other weeks so far. It's all been one mad rush in which i have had little to no sleep and have been taking migraine tablets continuously lol. Despite all of this we've got everything together although regrettably i didn't have the time to do the extra concept i wanted to have done. I must be better at organising time next term there's so much to do and i don't have time to be sitting around twiddling my thumbs.
We showed the presentation to the two Mikes and the feedback we got was good. They didn't say anything i wasn't expecting so i'm glad about that. We still have to cut down the animatic, the begining and ending are too slow but i've already started to alter that. I'll get Andrew to do his part too. I want to do a bit more concept and some layout sketches in the following week and finally get the model sheets done and sent out to the modellers. No problems with finishing that next week. I've changed our schedule again to allow me time to do this.
I was really pleased with the feedback from the rest of the class about the animatic. Loads of people said they liked the journey part and we've worked so long to get that bit right that it makes it all feel quite worthwhile.
I handed in my essays despite them nearly killing me in the process. I really enjoyed the film analysis essay although i could always find something new to say about Spirited Away. It was really hard to keep the essay at a reasonable size. i found out a lot of things i didn't know and also had a chance to voice and make some of my own opinions. I was especially interested in the way Miyazaki portrayed Haku as he is never without any references to rivers or water.
We've had some good news about the sound design too. There are too students interested, Mark and Alex and they're third years just like us.
Friday, 23 November 2007
Week 8
Aims
Perfect Animatic and show to tutors so as to get feedback in order to change things before the weekend so that it is free to do the essays and presentation for Mike Hirsh.
Week 8 has gone well for this goal. The journey has been altered as has the rest of the animatic.
However, having spoken to Mike Hirsh we explained that we wanted the stamp collector to come across as a kind man but lonely and obsessed. He suggested a pet. This would mean more modelling and although I was really keen on the idea I knew that it wasn’t really feasible. There are only two of us. We next added that it was too long and between us came up with the idea that the stamp could be delivered. This definitely cuts down the time and adds a little human contact in to show the Stamp collector is a nice guy really.
Unfortunately this meant rapid changing for Andrew as I also worked on making the journey and stamp flow within the pages of the stamp book.
Gareth’s essay presentation went well I thought, no one looked confused so that’s at least one good thing. I tried to keep it simple and not clutter the slides as Mike suggested in his presentation and wrote myself notes to follow. I’ll use this method in the final presentation for Mike too as it was much more successful.
Finally we ran through the whole thing with Jared before the weekend hit and he noticed that the end is a little slow, just a bit too long. The film is a little long in itself so this would be a great place to cut it down. These are the weekend jobs as well as writing up the essays both of which have been planned and just tweaking Mike’s Presentation so that I improve on the bits picked up on in my formative.
My regrets for this week are definitely the lack of concept we’ve been able to do. I think this is partly down to my bad scheduling and incapacity to be able to judge how long something will take. The environments need really pinning down and I’ve had to alter the schedule to allow time for that in the Christmas Holidays. Model sheets also need to be done and I will get onto them as soon as all these silly deadlines are over.
I've answered an email from Jared about getting some students from sound to do the sound for the film so hopefully we'll get some sound designers on board.
Perfect Animatic and show to tutors so as to get feedback in order to change things before the weekend so that it is free to do the essays and presentation for Mike Hirsh.
Week 8 has gone well for this goal. The journey has been altered as has the rest of the animatic.
However, having spoken to Mike Hirsh we explained that we wanted the stamp collector to come across as a kind man but lonely and obsessed. He suggested a pet. This would mean more modelling and although I was really keen on the idea I knew that it wasn’t really feasible. There are only two of us. We next added that it was too long and between us came up with the idea that the stamp could be delivered. This definitely cuts down the time and adds a little human contact in to show the Stamp collector is a nice guy really.
Unfortunately this meant rapid changing for Andrew as I also worked on making the journey and stamp flow within the pages of the stamp book.
Gareth’s essay presentation went well I thought, no one looked confused so that’s at least one good thing. I tried to keep it simple and not clutter the slides as Mike suggested in his presentation and wrote myself notes to follow. I’ll use this method in the final presentation for Mike too as it was much more successful.
Finally we ran through the whole thing with Jared before the weekend hit and he noticed that the end is a little slow, just a bit too long. The film is a little long in itself so this would be a great place to cut it down. These are the weekend jobs as well as writing up the essays both of which have been planned and just tweaking Mike’s Presentation so that I improve on the bits picked up on in my formative.
My regrets for this week are definitely the lack of concept we’ve been able to do. I think this is partly down to my bad scheduling and incapacity to be able to judge how long something will take. The environments need really pinning down and I’ve had to alter the schedule to allow time for that in the Christmas Holidays. Model sheets also need to be done and I will get onto them as soon as all these silly deadlines are over.
I've answered an email from Jared about getting some students from sound to do the sound for the film so hopefully we'll get some sound designers on board.
Friday, 16 November 2007
Week 7
Aims
Get the journey animatic done.
Week 7 started well as Andrew had gone away and had done some really nice colour work for our film showing the different variations of part of the journey. I’d also by coincidence done the same scene, China and we’d both done them in the style we had chosen earlier.
I have suggested now to Mike Smith that we may even go as far as making each stamp reminiscent of the paintings from that country, for example in Holland it will be painted like Van Gogh’s pictures.
The journey animatic was finished and we showed it to Mike. We had decided that the best way to show the journey was with moving planes and the Stamp collector moving through locations on stamps. The whole thing will look very 2D like when we’re finished I hope as I do love the way 2D films look.
To tie the whole journey in with the stamps we’ve decided to make the collector actually travel through his stamp collection in his book. We travel across the page zooming into stamps to see the collector appear chasing after his beloved stamp.
We also had another lecture about sound in our films and the lecturer has suggested we talk to the 3rd years in sound design. I’m really keen to do this as it means less work for Andrew and I later on down the line.
Goals Achieved.
We have the Animatic, it needs to be shortened, it’s far too long and I need to re-do the journey as we have had better ideas as I have explained above. I was angry on Thursday as I had to miss Mike Hirsh’s lecture due to another migraine.
This weekend we are going to work on our parts of the animatic, changing the bits that are too long and I need to completely redo the journey.
The animatic is worrying me however because of the time it is taking up. Along with the essays I have little time to do anything else along with the added threat of writing up dissertation questions for companies and research.
I have taken to reading the paper every morning and much to my father’s dismay rip out large chunks of it that have any relevance to my dissertation topic.
I’ve decided that my essay topic for Gareth is far too close to my dissertation topic and have changed it to advertising and marketing in the film and gaming industries. This is going very well and I already have a lot of research including finding an awesome site on the internet that has all the films budgets and domestic gross on it. Whoot.
Get the journey animatic done.
Week 7 started well as Andrew had gone away and had done some really nice colour work for our film showing the different variations of part of the journey. I’d also by coincidence done the same scene, China and we’d both done them in the style we had chosen earlier.
I have suggested now to Mike Smith that we may even go as far as making each stamp reminiscent of the paintings from that country, for example in Holland it will be painted like Van Gogh’s pictures.
The journey animatic was finished and we showed it to Mike. We had decided that the best way to show the journey was with moving planes and the Stamp collector moving through locations on stamps. The whole thing will look very 2D like when we’re finished I hope as I do love the way 2D films look.
To tie the whole journey in with the stamps we’ve decided to make the collector actually travel through his stamp collection in his book. We travel across the page zooming into stamps to see the collector appear chasing after his beloved stamp.
We also had another lecture about sound in our films and the lecturer has suggested we talk to the 3rd years in sound design. I’m really keen to do this as it means less work for Andrew and I later on down the line.
Goals Achieved.
We have the Animatic, it needs to be shortened, it’s far too long and I need to re-do the journey as we have had better ideas as I have explained above. I was angry on Thursday as I had to miss Mike Hirsh’s lecture due to another migraine.
This weekend we are going to work on our parts of the animatic, changing the bits that are too long and I need to completely redo the journey.
The animatic is worrying me however because of the time it is taking up. Along with the essays I have little time to do anything else along with the added threat of writing up dissertation questions for companies and research.
I have taken to reading the paper every morning and much to my father’s dismay rip out large chunks of it that have any relevance to my dissertation topic.
I’ve decided that my essay topic for Gareth is far too close to my dissertation topic and have changed it to advertising and marketing in the film and gaming industries. This is going very well and I already have a lot of research including finding an awesome site on the internet that has all the films budgets and domestic gross on it. Whoot.
Friday, 9 November 2007
Week 6
This weekend could not have gone any worse.
I got a migraine on Thursday evening- the worst one I’ve had in years. I went to bed and woke up with it Friday morning. Furious, as this was my weekend specially reserved for concept and journey development, I had to go back to bed. Later Friday evening it disappeared and I went to bed really early so as to start work on the Saturday morning. Waking up on Saturday I noticed a had vision disturbance in my left eye, half my vision disappeared. This meant only one thing, I had yet another migraine. This time I took my medicine in a hope that it had time to prevent it from getting worse. Naturally they did nothing as always when I really need them to work. Saturday was also spent in bed. I was no happy bunny. I ended up having to take off the Sunday from work too.
All the while I was furious with myself and my stupid migraines by Sunday evening. All my especially reserved work days had been swallowed by migraines.
All of this now meant that we were behind all of this week. We were behind with concept and the journey decisions.
Aims
Get going with the animatic. Choose a style and go with it.
I need to get some more character designs done that should have been done this weekend but now I have no idea how I can catch up.
Andrew came in with some nice journey designs and while I was waiting I did some character designs for the stamp collector.
We had a great lecture about after effects that explained the programme really well and I’m now much more confident about tackling the animatic.
Tuesday however saw a very angry me as we were put into the Lecture theatre and made to sit through something that sounded very much like the bridging unit all over again. I was furious by the end of bridging and I was furious at the end of the lecture. I did not see the point especially as a lot of my time had already been eaten by stupid migraines.
Conveniently I had to turn my attention this week to essays. They’re very interesting but I feel like I should be doing my film work.
I’ve decided to talk about Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away in my film Analysis. Then for Gareth’s essay I will be looking at how large companies in the industry buy out smaller companies and is this a negative or positive thing.
These two formatives went very well and I will continue my research into the two subjects. I’ve watched the two films so many times I’ve lost count.
Andrew and I have started the animatic and have split the story into three, the beginning in which the stamp is lost, the middle aka the journey and the end in which the stamp collector gives up his precious stamp.
I’ve taken on the end and Andrew has the beginning and we’re still working out how to shoot the silly journey, this is ALWAYS the bit that messes up.
We also went to look for styles for the journey this week. We’ve FINALLY found one we both like and are is going to fit the time period, which is the 1930’s (so I can get rid of planes).
I got a migraine on Thursday evening- the worst one I’ve had in years. I went to bed and woke up with it Friday morning. Furious, as this was my weekend specially reserved for concept and journey development, I had to go back to bed. Later Friday evening it disappeared and I went to bed really early so as to start work on the Saturday morning. Waking up on Saturday I noticed a had vision disturbance in my left eye, half my vision disappeared. This meant only one thing, I had yet another migraine. This time I took my medicine in a hope that it had time to prevent it from getting worse. Naturally they did nothing as always when I really need them to work. Saturday was also spent in bed. I was no happy bunny. I ended up having to take off the Sunday from work too.
All the while I was furious with myself and my stupid migraines by Sunday evening. All my especially reserved work days had been swallowed by migraines.
All of this now meant that we were behind all of this week. We were behind with concept and the journey decisions.
Aims
Get going with the animatic. Choose a style and go with it.I need to get some more character designs done that should have been done this weekend but now I have no idea how I can catch up.
Andrew came in with some nice journey designs and while I was waiting I did some character designs for the stamp collector.
We had a great lecture about after effects that explained the programme really well and I’m now much more confident about tackling the animatic.
Tuesday however saw a very angry me as we were put into the Lecture theatre and made to sit through something that sounded very much like the bridging unit all over again. I was furious by the end of bridging and I was furious at the end of the lecture. I did not see the point especially as a lot of my time had already been eaten by stupid migraines.
Conveniently I had to turn my attention this week to essays. They’re very interesting but I feel like I should be doing my film work.
I’ve decided to talk about Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away in my film Analysis. Then for Gareth’s essay I will be looking at how large companies in the industry buy out smaller companies and is this a negative or positive thing.
These two formatives went very well and I will continue my research into the two subjects. I’ve watched the two films so many times I’ve lost count.
Andrew and I have started the animatic and have split the story into three, the beginning in which the stamp is lost, the middle aka the journey and the end in which the stamp collector gives up his precious stamp.
I’ve taken on the end and Andrew has the beginning and we’re still working out how to shoot the silly journey, this is ALWAYS the bit that messes up.
We also went to look for styles for the journey this week. We’ve FINALLY found one we both like and are is going to fit the time period, which is the 1930’s (so I can get rid of planes).
Friday, 2 November 2007
Week 5
Aims
Finish the Thumbnails and get some more concept done for both my film and Asa’s. My concept is still lacking as the thumbnails are taking up all of my time and I’ve now had to start thinking about the two essays we have to write, formatives for those are coming up soon and I need to prepare myself.
This week didn’t go too well, I felt rather de moralised after our formative as we didn’t have as much to show as I would have liked. I had my drawings for Asa to show and some new development ideas of our characters.
We had sketched our thumbnails out and were hoping to have had them finished to show Mike.
I’m worried about concept because there’s so much to do and I’m not very good with environments.
After the nasty formative we saw Mike again and showed him the completed thumbnails.
It was hard to explain and judge how long the film would be with just the drawings and so we went away to start on the animatic and just touching up the shots that Mike thought needed a bit more work.
Achieved Goals?
Yes, the thumbnails are more or less done except for the journey which is proving really difficult to tie down. I’ve done the concept for Asa and changed the design of the old man a little, he looks a bit more comical and I like his piggy bank.
He looks more approachable and kind now rather than aloof and snobby. I’ll keep on developing him this weekend. We’ve been looking at the 1930s for a while now Andrew and I seem to be going in two different directions. I want the journey to be colourful and vivid. I do not want complex modelling as this is a short part of the film. I’ve told Andrew to over the weekend draw how he sees the journey and make a map with dotted line of the locations we visit.
Finish the Thumbnails and get some more concept done for both my film and Asa’s. My concept is still lacking as the thumbnails are taking up all of my time and I’ve now had to start thinking about the two essays we have to write, formatives for those are coming up soon and I need to prepare myself.
This week didn’t go too well, I felt rather de moralised after our formative as we didn’t have as much to show as I would have liked. I had my drawings for Asa to show and some new development ideas of our characters.
We had sketched our thumbnails out and were hoping to have had them finished to show Mike.I’m worried about concept because there’s so much to do and I’m not very good with environments.
After the nasty formative we saw Mike again and showed him the completed thumbnails.
It was hard to explain and judge how long the film would be with just the drawings and so we went away to start on the animatic and just touching up the shots that Mike thought needed a bit more work.Achieved Goals?
Yes, the thumbnails are more or less done except for the journey which is proving really difficult to tie down. I’ve done the concept for Asa and changed the design of the old man a little, he looks a bit more comical and I like his piggy bank.
He looks more approachable and kind now rather than aloof and snobby. I’ll keep on developing him this weekend. We’ve been looking at the 1930s for a while now Andrew and I seem to be going in two different directions. I want the journey to be colourful and vivid. I do not want complex modelling as this is a short part of the film. I’ve told Andrew to over the weekend draw how he sees the journey and make a map with dotted line of the locations we visit.Friday, 26 October 2007
Week 4
Aims
Thumbnails! GET THEM DONE!
As you can see the main aim of this week as I have already said to Andrew is to get our thumbnails done so that we can start putting it into an animatic as soon as possible.
Best case scenario-finish storyboards and show them to a tutor.
Wish us luck
This week has been up and down. I’ve both hated and loved doing thumb nailing. At first I was clueless and pretty naf at the whole thing. I felt pretty pressurized to get the nasty things done too. However, as I got into the swing of things I started to enjoy the thumb nailing I especially liked drawing out the end-the nicest bit for me. The journey is proving very difficult as it’s quite abstract and trying to make it fit is difficult.
We want to try and find a style before we rush head long into the journey as this will dictate an awful lot. Style is very important as this will hold the story together. I would quite like it to look like the old 1930’s coloured posters but I think Andrew is seeing it differently.
As the week has ended we’ve decided it would be best to go away and research a style for the film and how people looked in the 1930’s and any images we find. I’d like to get some character sketches done as I feel they need to be dressed quite differently.
Thumbnails! GET THEM DONE!
As you can see the main aim of this week as I have already said to Andrew is to get our thumbnails done so that we can start putting it into an animatic as soon as possible.
Best case scenario-finish storyboards and show them to a tutor.
Wish us luck
This week has been up and down. I’ve both hated and loved doing thumb nailing. At first I was clueless and pretty naf at the whole thing. I felt pretty pressurized to get the nasty things done too. However, as I got into the swing of things I started to enjoy the thumb nailing I especially liked drawing out the end-the nicest bit for me. The journey is proving very difficult as it’s quite abstract and trying to make it fit is difficult.
We want to try and find a style before we rush head long into the journey as this will dictate an awful lot. Style is very important as this will hold the story together. I would quite like it to look like the old 1930’s coloured posters but I think Andrew is seeing it differently.
As the week has ended we’ve decided it would be best to go away and research a style for the film and how people looked in the 1930’s and any images we find. I’d like to get some character sketches done as I feel they need to be dressed quite differently.
Friday, 19 October 2007
Week 3
Aims
I want to have decided upon a final story. I’m starting to think we’re wasting time now. We don’t have long. This week we address the areas that have problems and do something about them. We only change the problem areas. We only change non problem areas if we HAVE to.
I’d like to decide upon a style and time period we’re setting this in.
We’ve been doing ok this week. At the beginning we had no concrete story now we have two to choose from.
Version 1
Scene One Search for the Elusive Stamp
The stamp collector is sitting at his desk looking at his stamp collection. He keeps staring wistfully at a space where the final stamp should be but alas, he has not yet acquired it. He has never been able to get his hands on it. Around him are magazines with pictures of this elusive stamp he looks at these longingly too as if studying them.
As the post is dropped through the mail box a subscription stamp magazines is also dropped through the door. As the collector picks it up a flyer falls from the magazine advertising a new shop that specialises in rare and unusual stamps. Beneath the type is a picture of the stamp. The collector quickly grabs his hat and his piggy bank still with his nose in the flyer he hurries out of the house not noticing his neighbour waving at him across the street.
Scene Two Return of the Collector
The collector returns with a smallish parcel that he handles very carefully as if it were easily broken. He quickly sits down and starts to unwrap his parcel in which is the stamp. As he places it on the table he opens his draw to get out the adhesive and tweezers. Once he's lifted them out he notices a picture frame at the bottom of the draw. He is immediately saddened by the picture, that of his grand-daughter and himself. He cleans it a little brushing the dust and fluff off of it. He then puts it away again reluctantly.
He takes the stamp in the tweezers and is about to place it into the collection when a gust of wind blows it out the open window and down the street being carried along by the wind of the cars whizzing by.
He hurries from the house clutching his stamp collection close. As he stares the stamp is getting further away. He looks around in panic and sees a bike and rides off after the stamp.
Scene Three The Fantastical Journey
Here follows a fantastical and magical journey across the world as the stamp is blown about e.g. through the Windmills in Holland and past the Eiffel tower then through the fish shaped wind socks of Japan. All the while the Stamp collector is trying desperately to catch the stamp that always somehow manages to fly out of his reach.
Scene Four Reunited at Last
We are now in Hawaii as we can see from the environment around us. The stamp flutters into view and falls, finally settling beside a young girl who is looking intently at a book. she sees the stamp and picks it up curiously taking a look at it. A shadow falls across her and we see the stamp collector just about ready to snatch his stamp back. The little girl turns to see who is behind her and there is a moment as both of the characters freeze. A look of amazement can be seen in the collector's eyes and he glances about him for the first time. As he does this the little girl stares down at the photo album she was looking at and there is the same photo the collector had back at his house titled Grandpa and Me however her's maybe titled Grandpa and Mummy indicating that many years have passed since the collector has seen his family. He stares at his granddaughter in amazement not quite knowing what to do, his thoughts of the stamp are pushed completely to one side as something far more dear to him has suddenly appeared in his life again.
Not so sure about this bit so any suggestions would be great, they need to do something with the stamp but the more important thing to him now is his family and finding them again.
She turns and holds out the stamp to her grandfather who takes it and smiles at the stamp in his hand. She takes his stamp collection and they stick the stamp into it. She then takes his hand and they walk down to the beach where the rest of the family wait.
Version 2
Scene One Search for the Elusive Stamp
The stamp collector is sitting at his desk looking at his stamp collection. He keeps staring wistfully at a space where the final stamp should be but alas, he has not yet acquired it. He has never been able to get his hands on it. Around him are magazines with pictures of this elusive stamp he looks at these longingly too as if studying them.
As the post is dropped through the mail box a subscription stamp magazines is also dropped through the door. As the collector picks it up a flyer falls from the magazine advertising a new shop that specialises in rare and unusual stamps. Beneath the type is a picture of the stamp. The collector quickly grabs his hat and his piggy bank still with his nose in the flyer he hurries out of the house not noticing his neighbour waving at him across the street.
Scene Two Return of the Collector
The collector returns with a smallish parcel that he handles very carefully as if it were easily broken. He quickly sits down and starts to unwrap his parcel in which is the stamp. As he places it on the table he opens his draw to get out the adhesive and tweezers.
He takes the stamp in the tweezers and is about to place it into the collection when a gust of wind blows it out the open window and down the street being carried along by the wind of the cars whizzing by.
He hurries from the house clutching his stamp collection close. As he stares the stamp is getting further away. He looks around in panic and sees a bike and rides off after the stamp.
Scene Three The Fantastical Journey
Here follows a fantastical and magical journey across the world as the stamp is blown about e.g. through the Windmills in Holland and past the Eiffel tower then through the fish shaped wind socks of Japan. All the while the Stamp collector is trying desperately to catch the stamp that somehow always manages to fly out of his reach. As the scenery flies by he slowly starts to take notice of the world around him and all of it's fantastical colours. However, each time he does this he snaps back to following the stamp a few seconds later. You can see him start to take note of his surroundings though.
Scene Four End of the Journey
We are now in Hawaii as we can see from the environment around us. The stamp flutters into view and falls, finally settling beside a young girl who is looking intently at a book. She sees the stamp and picks it up curiously taking a look at it. Her face brightens as she looks at the stamp and quickly picks up a pritt stick that is lying beside her and slams the stamp into her book. The stamp collector is horrified and storms over snatching away her book wiht the stamp in it. The little girl is shocked for a moment as he is about to tear out his stamp but suddenly the collector realises what he's looking at, the little girl also has a stamp collection and this is it. He looks at as she stares at him with big, worried eyes, she is on the verge of tears. The stamp collector looks back at the stamp then shame faced hands her the book back with the stamp still inside. The little girl looks up at him gratefully smiling but the collector has sat down to look sadly at his incomplete collection. The girl looks at him sadly then hurries away. She hurries back a second later and places something into the collector's hand. As he looks down to see what it is he smiles. The girl has made a little drawn copy of the stamp herself for the collector to stick into his book. She hands him the glue stick and he sticks it into the book.
Scene Five Home Sweet Home
Finally we return to the collector's home that is now full of bright trinkets from his journey around the world and his time in Hawaii, outside we see him in the garden enjoying the sun (a stark contrast to the opening scene) and as he catches sight of his neighbour across the road he smiles and waves. The neighbour looks surprised then also smiles and waves.
The camera is placed in such a way in this scene that the final thing we see is the stamp collection open on the page with the little girl's stamp stuck in at the end.
We’ve printed out the two versions and have been asking people what they think of them. We finally got to talk to Jared and discussed the two versions. Jared preferred the one that was most like our original idea. The biggest change was at the end the little girl draws the collector a version of the stamp which he keeps.
Feeling happier Andrew, Jared and I began talking about setting and different ways to show the journey taking place.
Jared pointed out that animating a man riding a bike would be very difficult and maybe, if it’s going to feature a lot we should perhaps consider using a moped instead.
All depends on how brave I feel.
Here are our journey thoughts as this is integral to the film
Seeing only a passport office and passport being stamped. Each office, depending on where it is in the world should have different trinkets decorating it.
A map with a dotted line showing where the man and the stamp are going.
Show the collector whiz past landmarks.
Have pop-up backgrounds and paint them being very clever with planes.
We then showed Dan and he also liked the drawing idea better. We briefly mentioned it would be fun to go past Ash’s film characters in Paris and Dan seemed really keen on the idea. Ash thought it would be cool too so we’re going to try and fit that in.
We now need to decide where the collector will visit in his journey.
Goals Achieved?
Yes! This week the story is finally complete. Now onto thumbnails. I’m looking forward to doing something different! I can now start to think more clearly about style next week as we’ll be talking about transport and locations.
I’m happy how this week turned out, it’s taken longer than expected to get here but at least we have.
I’ve started work on my concept for Asa’s film and I’m enjoying it. Asa’s pretty pleased with my drawings too so I’m looking forward to doing more work for her. It’s a lot of fun but I must remember to do my work too.
I want to have decided upon a final story. I’m starting to think we’re wasting time now. We don’t have long. This week we address the areas that have problems and do something about them. We only change the problem areas. We only change non problem areas if we HAVE to.
I’d like to decide upon a style and time period we’re setting this in.
We’ve been doing ok this week. At the beginning we had no concrete story now we have two to choose from.
Version 1
Scene One Search for the Elusive Stamp
The stamp collector is sitting at his desk looking at his stamp collection. He keeps staring wistfully at a space where the final stamp should be but alas, he has not yet acquired it. He has never been able to get his hands on it. Around him are magazines with pictures of this elusive stamp he looks at these longingly too as if studying them.
As the post is dropped through the mail box a subscription stamp magazines is also dropped through the door. As the collector picks it up a flyer falls from the magazine advertising a new shop that specialises in rare and unusual stamps. Beneath the type is a picture of the stamp. The collector quickly grabs his hat and his piggy bank still with his nose in the flyer he hurries out of the house not noticing his neighbour waving at him across the street.
Scene Two Return of the Collector
The collector returns with a smallish parcel that he handles very carefully as if it were easily broken. He quickly sits down and starts to unwrap his parcel in which is the stamp. As he places it on the table he opens his draw to get out the adhesive and tweezers. Once he's lifted them out he notices a picture frame at the bottom of the draw. He is immediately saddened by the picture, that of his grand-daughter and himself. He cleans it a little brushing the dust and fluff off of it. He then puts it away again reluctantly.
He takes the stamp in the tweezers and is about to place it into the collection when a gust of wind blows it out the open window and down the street being carried along by the wind of the cars whizzing by.
He hurries from the house clutching his stamp collection close. As he stares the stamp is getting further away. He looks around in panic and sees a bike and rides off after the stamp.
Scene Three The Fantastical Journey
Here follows a fantastical and magical journey across the world as the stamp is blown about e.g. through the Windmills in Holland and past the Eiffel tower then through the fish shaped wind socks of Japan. All the while the Stamp collector is trying desperately to catch the stamp that always somehow manages to fly out of his reach.
Scene Four Reunited at Last
We are now in Hawaii as we can see from the environment around us. The stamp flutters into view and falls, finally settling beside a young girl who is looking intently at a book. she sees the stamp and picks it up curiously taking a look at it. A shadow falls across her and we see the stamp collector just about ready to snatch his stamp back. The little girl turns to see who is behind her and there is a moment as both of the characters freeze. A look of amazement can be seen in the collector's eyes and he glances about him for the first time. As he does this the little girl stares down at the photo album she was looking at and there is the same photo the collector had back at his house titled Grandpa and Me however her's maybe titled Grandpa and Mummy indicating that many years have passed since the collector has seen his family. He stares at his granddaughter in amazement not quite knowing what to do, his thoughts of the stamp are pushed completely to one side as something far more dear to him has suddenly appeared in his life again.
Not so sure about this bit so any suggestions would be great, they need to do something with the stamp but the more important thing to him now is his family and finding them again.
She turns and holds out the stamp to her grandfather who takes it and smiles at the stamp in his hand. She takes his stamp collection and they stick the stamp into it. She then takes his hand and they walk down to the beach where the rest of the family wait.
Version 2
Scene One Search for the Elusive Stamp
The stamp collector is sitting at his desk looking at his stamp collection. He keeps staring wistfully at a space where the final stamp should be but alas, he has not yet acquired it. He has never been able to get his hands on it. Around him are magazines with pictures of this elusive stamp he looks at these longingly too as if studying them.
As the post is dropped through the mail box a subscription stamp magazines is also dropped through the door. As the collector picks it up a flyer falls from the magazine advertising a new shop that specialises in rare and unusual stamps. Beneath the type is a picture of the stamp. The collector quickly grabs his hat and his piggy bank still with his nose in the flyer he hurries out of the house not noticing his neighbour waving at him across the street.
Scene Two Return of the Collector
The collector returns with a smallish parcel that he handles very carefully as if it were easily broken. He quickly sits down and starts to unwrap his parcel in which is the stamp. As he places it on the table he opens his draw to get out the adhesive and tweezers.
He takes the stamp in the tweezers and is about to place it into the collection when a gust of wind blows it out the open window and down the street being carried along by the wind of the cars whizzing by.
He hurries from the house clutching his stamp collection close. As he stares the stamp is getting further away. He looks around in panic and sees a bike and rides off after the stamp.
Scene Three The Fantastical Journey
Here follows a fantastical and magical journey across the world as the stamp is blown about e.g. through the Windmills in Holland and past the Eiffel tower then through the fish shaped wind socks of Japan. All the while the Stamp collector is trying desperately to catch the stamp that somehow always manages to fly out of his reach. As the scenery flies by he slowly starts to take notice of the world around him and all of it's fantastical colours. However, each time he does this he snaps back to following the stamp a few seconds later. You can see him start to take note of his surroundings though.
Scene Four End of the Journey
We are now in Hawaii as we can see from the environment around us. The stamp flutters into view and falls, finally settling beside a young girl who is looking intently at a book. She sees the stamp and picks it up curiously taking a look at it. Her face brightens as she looks at the stamp and quickly picks up a pritt stick that is lying beside her and slams the stamp into her book. The stamp collector is horrified and storms over snatching away her book wiht the stamp in it. The little girl is shocked for a moment as he is about to tear out his stamp but suddenly the collector realises what he's looking at, the little girl also has a stamp collection and this is it. He looks at as she stares at him with big, worried eyes, she is on the verge of tears. The stamp collector looks back at the stamp then shame faced hands her the book back with the stamp still inside. The little girl looks up at him gratefully smiling but the collector has sat down to look sadly at his incomplete collection. The girl looks at him sadly then hurries away. She hurries back a second later and places something into the collector's hand. As he looks down to see what it is he smiles. The girl has made a little drawn copy of the stamp herself for the collector to stick into his book. She hands him the glue stick and he sticks it into the book.
Scene Five Home Sweet Home
Finally we return to the collector's home that is now full of bright trinkets from his journey around the world and his time in Hawaii, outside we see him in the garden enjoying the sun (a stark contrast to the opening scene) and as he catches sight of his neighbour across the road he smiles and waves. The neighbour looks surprised then also smiles and waves.
The camera is placed in such a way in this scene that the final thing we see is the stamp collection open on the page with the little girl's stamp stuck in at the end.
We’ve printed out the two versions and have been asking people what they think of them. We finally got to talk to Jared and discussed the two versions. Jared preferred the one that was most like our original idea. The biggest change was at the end the little girl draws the collector a version of the stamp which he keeps.
Feeling happier Andrew, Jared and I began talking about setting and different ways to show the journey taking place.
Jared pointed out that animating a man riding a bike would be very difficult and maybe, if it’s going to feature a lot we should perhaps consider using a moped instead.
All depends on how brave I feel.
Here are our journey thoughts as this is integral to the film
Seeing only a passport office and passport being stamped. Each office, depending on where it is in the world should have different trinkets decorating it.
A map with a dotted line showing where the man and the stamp are going.
Show the collector whiz past landmarks.
Have pop-up backgrounds and paint them being very clever with planes.
We then showed Dan and he also liked the drawing idea better. We briefly mentioned it would be fun to go past Ash’s film characters in Paris and Dan seemed really keen on the idea. Ash thought it would be cool too so we’re going to try and fit that in.
We now need to decide where the collector will visit in his journey.
Goals Achieved?
Yes! This week the story is finally complete. Now onto thumbnails. I’m looking forward to doing something different! I can now start to think more clearly about style next week as we’ll be talking about transport and locations.
I’m happy how this week turned out, it’s taken longer than expected to get here but at least we have.
I’ve started work on my concept for Asa’s film and I’m enjoying it. Asa’s pretty pleased with my drawings too so I’m looking forward to doing more work for her. It’s a lot of fun but I must remember to do my work too.
Friday, 12 October 2007
Week 2
So, this week begins the story planning. We’ve already been warned our ideas could change completely from the original. I’m not so sure I like that trail of thought. I’ve worked pretty hard to try and think up a story that works. However, I’m more than happy to talk through ideas with Andrew because there might be something better than the original that we think of together.
Aims
I’d quite like to have the story nailed by the end of this week and possibly have started thumbnails but that’s unlikely. I also need to write up a schedule and contracts for my part time workers. These include:
James Lawrence
Rob Sidney
Dave Bates
Kyung
Caspar
Desmond
Adam Smith
Other projects I’m involved in.
I’ve offered to help out on a lot of projects- probably too many. I may have to re-think my time especially after I write out my timetable for my film. Here is what I hope to work on and how I hope to contribute.
Asa’s Film, The Day That I Died- Concept Art
Kyle’s Film, Aspiration Point- Animator
Dave Bates, The Muse- Animator
Adam Smith’s, There’s a War in Wunderland- Animator
I wanted to help out on Jessica Do’s and Jono’s but I really think I may be pushing it way too much. I’ll have to see what the schedule looks like.
End of Week 2
This has been quite eventful.
My story has been ripped to shreds. I thought it was pretty good- so much for that.
Andrew and I have been in everyday trying to get the story together. It’s very difficult. Having spoken to Dan we realised that there was a problem with the end as the stamp collector falls out of character- not that he had much character or so to speak.
Andrew and I first noticed a problem as we tried to write up the end of the story in more detail. We came to a total stand still and suddenly were re-thinking the whole story.
Over this week we’ve come up with so many different ideas that I have trouble remembering them all unless I look back at our notes of this week.
Our first attempt to improve the story was to give the old man more character in the beginning as we couldn’t do much with him in the middle as this is all a journey.
We tried to make him more grumpy and anti social so as he walks down the path to get the final stamp he sees a football in his way and a child waiting to get it. He picks up the ball and pops it finally throwing it into the bin. We also wanted the boy’s reaction to be scared. I thought this was imperative to this part as the girl at the ends reaction is more of a shock as she is upset.
I wanted there to be a difference between the reactions, people were originally scared of the collector when he was at home but when he meets the Hawaiian girl he just upsets her. This is a new experience for him.
In addition to this development we also talked about the beginning sequence starting with a squirrel just looking for some food and happen upon a bowl of nuts the stamp collector is eating while sitting by his window. Of course the grumpy collector shoos him away.
I wasn’t sure I really wanted to make the stamp collector a grumpy, angry person. To me he was always a lonely person more than anything else.
This development idea also caused problems as he doesn’t really have any time to develop as a character, the journey to Hawaii getting in the way.
Our next suggestion was to take out the journey as this was causing a lot of our problems. This suggestion didn’t go down well at all as this is the visually beautiful part of our film. This decision was quickly changed- the journey stayed.
We were still unhappy with the way things were going story wise but were determined to carry on.
I’d decided to write down what the old man could possibly be like and what the story message was.
About letting go-you can’t have everything.
Being nice is more important than getting what you want.
The need to have exactly what you want and doing anything to get it.
Grumpy, anti social old man who re-discovers his nice side.
Andrew and I finally decided to go away and think about the story for the evening both of us writing down what we thought could happen, here is my new idea.
The stamp collector is the little girl’s grandpa and when she visits him she’s clearly bored. And the grandpa shows her the stamps. He’s trying to cheer her up. At first she’s still bored but then they embark on a fantastical adventure through the stamps and the beautiful drawings.
Nice idea but it sounded like a lot of other people’s ideas that had already been pitched. The original idea was more unique.
Having got to more dead ends I reviewed what I really wanted the film to say. I tried yet again to write down what I wanted it to mean.
I want him to be a nice person at heart who has just become so obsessed and wrapped up in his stamps that he’s forgotten how to consider other people’s feelings.
He’s quite boring and mundane; there is no longer any colour in his life.
His motive is the stamp but then a dilemma arises, the little girl is the choice.
He must regain his colour.
I wasn’t a big fan of the new ideas, the original seemed much stronger and people liked that one a lot more. I was starting to wonder what the point in changing the idea. The story was becoming pointlessly complex- something I had wanted to avoid from the very beginning.
We spoke to Dan once more and he suggested putting a twist in the end maybe that would help.
Some people were suggesting that the old man was a paedophile. This had never crossed my mind and I was getting pretty frustrated that people were thinking it at all.
I was pretty angry by the time I left college this week.
Did I achieve my goals?
No, not this week. We’re now at the close of week two and I still haven’t got a firm story down. I’m quite upset by this as I thought story wouldn’t take long. I’m fed up with changing things only to decide the original is best.
If I’ve learnt one thing it’s that you can’t please everyone.
I have yet to write up schedules and contracts. Storyboards of course cannot be started without a solid story so I’m a little upset about them too.
Why Not?
Story has just proved harder than I originally planned- there are holes in the plot. For example, why after travelling all the way around the world would the collector give away the stamp if he’s a diehard collector?
On the plus side questions have been asked and flaws have been pointed out.
We still have a lot of problems to fix.
Aims
I’d quite like to have the story nailed by the end of this week and possibly have started thumbnails but that’s unlikely. I also need to write up a schedule and contracts for my part time workers. These include:
James Lawrence
Rob Sidney
Dave Bates
Kyung
Caspar
Desmond
Adam Smith
Other projects I’m involved in.
I’ve offered to help out on a lot of projects- probably too many. I may have to re-think my time especially after I write out my timetable for my film. Here is what I hope to work on and how I hope to contribute.
Asa’s Film, The Day That I Died- Concept Art
Kyle’s Film, Aspiration Point- Animator
Dave Bates, The Muse- Animator
Adam Smith’s, There’s a War in Wunderland- Animator
I wanted to help out on Jessica Do’s and Jono’s but I really think I may be pushing it way too much. I’ll have to see what the schedule looks like.
End of Week 2
This has been quite eventful.
My story has been ripped to shreds. I thought it was pretty good- so much for that.
Andrew and I have been in everyday trying to get the story together. It’s very difficult. Having spoken to Dan we realised that there was a problem with the end as the stamp collector falls out of character- not that he had much character or so to speak.
Andrew and I first noticed a problem as we tried to write up the end of the story in more detail. We came to a total stand still and suddenly were re-thinking the whole story.
Over this week we’ve come up with so many different ideas that I have trouble remembering them all unless I look back at our notes of this week.
Our first attempt to improve the story was to give the old man more character in the beginning as we couldn’t do much with him in the middle as this is all a journey.
We tried to make him more grumpy and anti social so as he walks down the path to get the final stamp he sees a football in his way and a child waiting to get it. He picks up the ball and pops it finally throwing it into the bin. We also wanted the boy’s reaction to be scared. I thought this was imperative to this part as the girl at the ends reaction is more of a shock as she is upset.
I wanted there to be a difference between the reactions, people were originally scared of the collector when he was at home but when he meets the Hawaiian girl he just upsets her. This is a new experience for him.
In addition to this development we also talked about the beginning sequence starting with a squirrel just looking for some food and happen upon a bowl of nuts the stamp collector is eating while sitting by his window. Of course the grumpy collector shoos him away.
I wasn’t sure I really wanted to make the stamp collector a grumpy, angry person. To me he was always a lonely person more than anything else.
This development idea also caused problems as he doesn’t really have any time to develop as a character, the journey to Hawaii getting in the way.
Our next suggestion was to take out the journey as this was causing a lot of our problems. This suggestion didn’t go down well at all as this is the visually beautiful part of our film. This decision was quickly changed- the journey stayed.
We were still unhappy with the way things were going story wise but were determined to carry on.
I’d decided to write down what the old man could possibly be like and what the story message was.
About letting go-you can’t have everything.
Being nice is more important than getting what you want.
The need to have exactly what you want and doing anything to get it.
Grumpy, anti social old man who re-discovers his nice side.
Andrew and I finally decided to go away and think about the story for the evening both of us writing down what we thought could happen, here is my new idea.
The stamp collector is the little girl’s grandpa and when she visits him she’s clearly bored. And the grandpa shows her the stamps. He’s trying to cheer her up. At first she’s still bored but then they embark on a fantastical adventure through the stamps and the beautiful drawings.
Nice idea but it sounded like a lot of other people’s ideas that had already been pitched. The original idea was more unique.
Having got to more dead ends I reviewed what I really wanted the film to say. I tried yet again to write down what I wanted it to mean.
I want him to be a nice person at heart who has just become so obsessed and wrapped up in his stamps that he’s forgotten how to consider other people’s feelings.
He’s quite boring and mundane; there is no longer any colour in his life.
His motive is the stamp but then a dilemma arises, the little girl is the choice.
He must regain his colour.
I wasn’t a big fan of the new ideas, the original seemed much stronger and people liked that one a lot more. I was starting to wonder what the point in changing the idea. The story was becoming pointlessly complex- something I had wanted to avoid from the very beginning.
We spoke to Dan once more and he suggested putting a twist in the end maybe that would help.
Some people were suggesting that the old man was a paedophile. This had never crossed my mind and I was getting pretty frustrated that people were thinking it at all.
I was pretty angry by the time I left college this week.
Did I achieve my goals?
No, not this week. We’re now at the close of week two and I still haven’t got a firm story down. I’m quite upset by this as I thought story wouldn’t take long. I’m fed up with changing things only to decide the original is best.
If I’ve learnt one thing it’s that you can’t please everyone.
I have yet to write up schedules and contracts. Storyboards of course cannot be started without a solid story so I’m a little upset about them too.
Why Not?
Story has just proved harder than I originally planned- there are holes in the plot. For example, why after travelling all the way around the world would the collector give away the stamp if he’s a diehard collector?
On the plus side questions have been asked and flaws have been pointed out.
We still have a lot of problems to fix.
Friday, 5 October 2007
Week 1
This week begins with everyone pitching their film ideas to the rest of the class. I was so nervous when I had to do mine. I felt that I was pretty well prepared; I knew about the characters and had drawn out some concept of environments and characters.
I wanted to keep my story idea simple so only created two main characters, one of which only appears at the very end.
My environments are going to be more complex if my film gets chosen as there will be quite a few.
Here is my pitch.
Becca Chandler
Personal pitch
Storyline, a short overview
100 Words
There was once an obsessive stamp collector who was missing the last stamp in his collection. One day he found it in a shop and bought it. Unfortunately while placing it in the collection it blew out the window and a passer by caught it and put it on their letter which they posted. The collector followed the stamp all around the world until it finally arrived in Hawaii. It was taken by a little girl who also collected stamps but the stamp collector snatched it back. She began to cry and out of the goodness of his heart the stamp collector gave it back to her. He is now pen friends with the girl and goes to Hawaii for his holidays. He has recently learnt to surf and has started to make friends again.
The longer version (with more detail)
Once upon a time there was an obsessive stamp collector. He owned every collectible stamp known to man. There was one stamp however that eluded him. He had become so obsessed that he had forgotten about all his friends and relatives and no one bothered to talk to him anymore, what was the point? All he talked about were stamps. One day while shopping he saw the elusive stamp in the window of a collectors shop. He rushed in and bought it quicker than you can say Stamp Collectors United. Once home he began to carefully put it into his collection in a place specially reserved for it. Suddenly a gust of wind blew the stamp out of the window and straight into a young man’s face.
"Oh what a bit of luck!" he thought "I needed a stamp for this letter"
And he promptly stuck it on the letter and mailed it in the post box. The stamp collector saw all this and was furious. He jumped up and ran outside only to discover the postman had just collected all the mail and was driving away. So he followed suit on his old bike.
He continued to follow the stamp all over Europe, across Asia and finally arrived in Hawaii.
Here a mother received the letter and gave the stamp to her daughter who just so happened to be an avid stamp collector too. Our old stamp collector stormed over to the little girl and 
snatched away his stamp. However upon seeing the girl’s tearful eyes and in that moment remembering, grudgingly, his good nature, gave away his prized stamp.
He retuned home without the stamp but from this day forth his house that was bare and boring is now filled with the gifts and trinkets he got on his holiday in Hawaii and where his walls were bare they are now decorated with pictures of him and his new pen friend Lani from Hawaii.
I wanted to keep my story idea simple so only created two main characters, one of which only appears at the very end.
My environments are going to be more complex if my film gets chosen as there will be quite a few.
Here is my pitch.
Becca Chandler
Personal pitch
Storyline, a short overview
100 Words
There was once an obsessive stamp collector who was missing the last stamp in his collection. One day he found it in a shop and bought it. Unfortunately while placing it in the collection it blew out the window and a passer by caught it and put it on their letter which they posted. The collector followed the stamp all around the world until it finally arrived in Hawaii. It was taken by a little girl who also collected stamps but the stamp collector snatched it back. She began to cry and out of the goodness of his heart the stamp collector gave it back to her. He is now pen friends with the girl and goes to Hawaii for his holidays. He has recently learnt to surf and has started to make friends again.The longer version (with more detail)
Once upon a time there was an obsessive stamp collector. He owned every collectible stamp known to man. There was one stamp however that eluded him. He had become so obsessed that he had forgotten about all his friends and relatives and no one bothered to talk to him anymore, what was the point? All he talked about were stamps. One day while shopping he saw the elusive stamp in the window of a collectors shop. He rushed in and bought it quicker than you can say Stamp Collectors United. Once home he began to carefully put it into his collection in a place specially reserved for it. Suddenly a gust of wind blew the stamp out of the window and straight into a young man’s face.
"Oh what a bit of luck!" he thought "I needed a stamp for this letter"
And he promptly stuck it on the letter and mailed it in the post box. The stamp collector saw all this and was furious. He jumped up and ran outside only to discover the postman had just collected all the mail and was driving away. So he followed suit on his old bike.
He continued to follow the stamp all over Europe, across Asia and finally arrived in Hawaii.
Here a mother received the letter and gave the stamp to her daughter who just so happened to be an avid stamp collector too. Our old stamp collector stormed over to the little girl and 
snatched away his stamp. However upon seeing the girl’s tearful eyes and in that moment remembering, grudgingly, his good nature, gave away his prized stamp.He retuned home without the stamp but from this day forth his house that was bare and boring is now filled with the gifts and trinkets he got on his holiday in Hawaii and where his walls were bare they are now decorated with pictures of him and his new pen friend Lani from Hawaii.
I’m glad the pitches are over but I think the most agonising part of this week has been waiting to see whose ideas get chosen. I really enjoyed making up the story and if it gets chosen I look forward to developing characters and working in a group again.
End of the week
My idea has been chosen and I’m still undecided as to whether or not I’m happy about this, of course I’m happy I’m just terrified of this year. The workload will be immense and there’s only Andrew and I as permanent members although a lot of people said they’d like to work on the film. I feel happy that many of my friends have offered to help me out.
Feelings by the end of this week.
Ok, so I’m pretty terrified. It’s only Andrew Monin and I in the group so our workload is going to be insane. That’s something to look forward to. ¬_¬
Mike suggested that if I was so worried that maybe I should drop the film. I would but it feels like quitting and I hate to just give up on something. The stress maybe awful at times but I hope that I would be able to cope.
I worry about after effects and animating at the end of the year when everyone panics. Modelling is not so bad, I’ve had people offer to do it and Andrew is pretty awesome at environments.
I’m not so worried about my story, I think it’s quite a solid story and has a nice feel about it. I’ve also already started to panic so that’s all good.
Kyle has decided to go ahead with his film too and we’ve been talking about his story in the car journey home. He’s very determined to get it done and it’s quite inspiring. We’ve changed part of Kyle’s story so that the boy and the robot are not friends at the beginning; it makes the boy’s character development much more interesting. I really like Kyle’s story.
I’m glad I have so many people ready to help me and back me up in my film even if they’re not permanent members. It’s nice.
End of the week
My idea has been chosen and I’m still undecided as to whether or not I’m happy about this, of course I’m happy I’m just terrified of this year. The workload will be immense and there’s only Andrew and I as permanent members although a lot of people said they’d like to work on the film. I feel happy that many of my friends have offered to help me out.
Feelings by the end of this week.
Ok, so I’m pretty terrified. It’s only Andrew Monin and I in the group so our workload is going to be insane. That’s something to look forward to. ¬_¬
Mike suggested that if I was so worried that maybe I should drop the film. I would but it feels like quitting and I hate to just give up on something. The stress maybe awful at times but I hope that I would be able to cope.
I worry about after effects and animating at the end of the year when everyone panics. Modelling is not so bad, I’ve had people offer to do it and Andrew is pretty awesome at environments.
I’m not so worried about my story, I think it’s quite a solid story and has a nice feel about it. I’ve also already started to panic so that’s all good.
Kyle has decided to go ahead with his film too and we’ve been talking about his story in the car journey home. He’s very determined to get it done and it’s quite inspiring. We’ve changed part of Kyle’s story so that the boy and the robot are not friends at the beginning; it makes the boy’s character development much more interesting. I really like Kyle’s story.
I’m glad I have so many people ready to help me and back me up in my film even if they’re not permanent members. It’s nice.
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