Initial Ideas and Concepts

So for this unit we are to engage with Post Production techniques and Visual Effect workflows that are utilised professionally in the Animation Industry. As the eight weeks go on, we are to reflect on our individual lessons and self-manage our own project where we will apply what we have learnt. This blog is a reflective journal of the ANI14203 Unit, Post Production and Visual Effects. As such, this is where I will be doing all of my critical analysis of my work and also reflect on the stuff that I have learnt and show visually (with images and screen caps) how my work has progressed.

Initially, we were briefed on the project and what was expected of us. After this, it was suggested that we jot down some ideas and concepts for what we wanted our final film to be. I found it difficult to get back to working on just paper with just a pencil, but to be honest it was very refreshing too. I designed some rough characters and ideas that maybe I won't even end up using them but it was good practise to get the ideas flowing. During this time, we were taught about the importance of narrative and filmic language/cinematography, and that we should implement these techniques into our final films. It's important to note that despite the fact we do not know what our film is going to look like at this stage it's vital that we consider the way it is going to tell the audience a story. This is something that we all learned previously in other units and this is the perfect opportunity to apply what we have learned from our previous mistakes.

After learning about filmic language we started to identify our individual specialisms. However, I found that it was quite difficult to identify my specialty even though I've done this course before, and this was only exemplified by the rest of the class who, more or less, felt the same way. It became less a question of WHAT our specialisms were, but instead WHAT WE'D LIKE to specialise in. So, after deciding that (I've chosen to focus on 2D Character Animation and After Effects/Nuke Compositing) we started to form groups. I am in a group with Liam, a fellow classmate who had plenty of ideas of his own and we're still not certain which one we should go for. 

Discussing ideas with other creative people has always been fun, but it does have it's problems. For instance, no body wants their idea to be scrapped... and by the same token no one wants someone else to be forced to work on their idea if that person doesn't want to. It's a bit of a catch 22, so to speak. But, however, I had this same problem last year and I knew to avoid it I'd have to change my attitude/approach. So, when me and Liam were discussing ideas we decided to go with his second idea as the first one seemed a little too ambitious. 

Our idea, in a nut shell, is to merge 2D Animation with Live-action in the vein of Roger Rabbit or Space Jam. It shows four students working in a creative environment sitting down and thinking of some ideas. As they ponder, their thoughts visually come to life above their heads and interact with eachother. It's a simple but effective idea, one that enables us to try new compositing techniques in Nuke and After Effects but it's also firmly grounded in what we both love... 2D Animation. 

Now, it's important to note that this idea is not final, it's just what we're going with for now. But, it does allow us to expand and apply what we are going to learn aptly and resourcefully, so to be honest Im personally going to fight for this one because I am extremely excited about the concept! 

Rough Storyboard of Initial Idea