I would say a very interesting experience,because it is different add to a really interesting storyline told in a storyboard way, which will glue to the screen not only to try to understand the complex story but also because it is really interesting concepts used. the photographs shot really help to create the mood of the scenes, although no movement is implied. the sound really helps not only to understand the story but also sometimes to confuse the all scene.
I just finished watching the documentary, which we will be watching next week as part of our cutting edge series for unit 04, As we all are going to see, some for the second time, it deconstructs the film scenes, and explains the important role of a editor, that to date I have to admit I wasnt familiar with. This documentary will change the way you look into film scenes or shots, as it explains many different techniques presented by American Cinema, French Cinema, German and Russian. it is just a eye opener, and helps to understand how a shot is exhaustively manipulated to appeal the audience.
I would argue the pre production of the film alonside with the screenplay writing as the guide of the film, the directors role as the happening of the shots and ultimately the editing as a crucial work done to produce a more appealling as well dynamic film.
I have come up with some ideas for my story, even though they are not perfect they can be polished, and I believe I will take if not a good final, at least a bit of advice.
After Phil pointing me Farrelly Brothers type of comedy, such like There's Something about Mary or Dumb and Dumber, it made even more sense the type of comedy I wanted to achieve.
1st Initial Idea: Genre: Comedy Character Vs. Technology
It starts with a vain and masculine Lumberjack, who had put a few pounds on, deciding to break this barrier between him and technology, and nervously visits a Beauty Parlour, seeking for a Colonic Irrigation treatment. As he arrives, he is attended and given a paper to sign explaining the procedures of the same treatment, to after realise how it is done. While the Lumberjack nervously tries to avoid the treatment and wants to left, a living Colonic Irrigation Machine (hose pipe) focus on the Lumberjack pursuing him to give his session. When he realises he tries effortlessly to escape, just to realise he is in "enemy" territory, where the Beauty Parlour is compared to a mine camp, as he ventures in to make his way to the door, he trips and stumbles on the objects and cosmetics inside the shop, giving him an almost extreme makeover. Ultimately, he trips on the sneaky Hose pipe from the Colonic Irrigation machine, which is more than happy to do its job. Finally, A treatment session later, the Lumberjack leaves the beauty parlour, uncomfortable and with little less of masculinity, wanting never to come back.
Although this is not a definite story at all, I can see some potential in it and makes it my preferred, though it needs a bit of retouching and editing, who I am hoping to get on our Story workshops or maybe earlier. For this Animation, I was thinking of having a stylized character which would resemble a cartoon to add this extra hint of fun to it. Having a the Farrelly brothers comedy style in mind, I am hoping to create a really funny animation, maybe something silly out of Me, Myself and Irene.
2nd Initial Idea: Genre: Musical comedy
This young Lumberjack arrives to the beauty parlour aiming to start his career as a beautician, as he enters he realizes that the Shop is owned by crazy Lumberjacks, who trimmer and stylize trees for a living. as he is introduced they start to sing a song made by them, explaining who they, what they do, why they do it, exhibiting the tools and different hairstyles, like something out of Polar Express, with the Hot Chocolate scene. the whole music leads the shop to this feeling of happiness as well as craziness, with water hose pipes from the backwash machine spraying water, trees dancing and Joyful Lumberjacks.
Some Musical scenes related to my idea to better visualize :
Polar Express
Shrek
Beauty & The Beast
3rd Initial Idea Genre: Action, Comedy Character vs. Technology, with ticking clock
A lumber jack is working by a forest setting which surrounds this whole village, by the end of the village is this beauty parlour where people have being experienced strange happenings, while the lumberjack is working he hears a scream coming from the beauty parlour, as he sneaks in to see whats happenings, he is faced with a supernatural phenomenon, all the objects are alive, as he keeps hearing the scream, he realises a young woman, who is a beautician in the shop is beeing hold by this Colonic Irrigation Machine as being the primary enemy, as the hose pipe of the machine is strangling the young woman, our lumberjack, plays his superhero role alongside with his masculinity role and attempts to save the woman, before the machine can strangle her to death. Throughout some challenges set by the environment of a beauty shop which is opposite of the lumberjack nature, he finally arrives next to her and with his axe cut the machine hosepipe and frees the poor woman, who is gratefully thankful for what the lumberjack did. As the machine is cut, no more supernatural occurings happen, arguing that was all the machine's fault. for them maybe to start something together. and our lumberjack being the hero for the day.
This idea is pretty rough, if I take it further, I will have to do some editing, for example as it starts too slow for 1 minute animation, also accentuate the ticking clock happening as being quite chaotic and dangerous and for the end reserve something out of a happily ever after book.
For my 3-act pre-viz animation, I have as place of my seting a Beauty Parlour, to better understand what is it, as im not really familiar with it, I have done some research on what you can find in there. From furniture to simple objects and also cosmetic products that will make my world believable.
A Beauty Salon is a place where many people go aiming to get different types of treatments, from massages and Facials to Waxing and Manicure and Pedicure. Ultimately, a Beauty Parlour can also have more specific sessions, such as Colonic Irrigation treatment or Fake Tan Spraying.
Also I would like to introduce a list of treatments, which I found in a Beauty Parlour Website, which allow me to understand better this world as well as using small treatments procedures to add that extra sense of humour to my animation.
List of Treatments:
Reflexology A one hour treatment with consultation and foot spa. Reflexology has now proved to be a very safe and effective way of helping the body to heal itself. By stimulating the reflexes we can balance the body to bring about a feeling of relaxation and well being. A course is recommended for best results.
Aromatherapy Massage One hour fifteen minutes of sheer bliss whilst relaxing in warm peaceful surroundings with the aroma of pure essential oils. Let me ease away the stresses and strains of every day living by massaging the whole body or just neck,shoulders and back. A whole body massage consists of neck, back, shoulders arms, legs and abdomen finishing off with a lovely mini facial and facial massage. A very relaxing massage using the finest essential oils extracted from plants for their therapeutic qualities. The oils are chosen after a consultation to suit your individual needs. A course is recommended for best results.
Swedish Massage A one hour massage using different techniques such as beating, pounding,hacking,cupping to stimulated the circulation and tone muscles, also helps in the removal of toxins. A massage to help relieve stress, tension and muscle pain.
Indian Head Massage A relaxing neck, shoulder, scalp and facial massage using a pressure point technique. This massage relieves physical and mental symptoms of stress. Eases away those tight tension pains in the shoulders and neck whilst stimulating circulation to the brain. A lovely half hour of "you time".
Facial Treatments From 1 1/4 hour of gorgeous pampering through cleansing, exfoliation,mask and massage using the finest essential oils to a half hour mini facial. All products used are the finest whilst being non allergenic, perfume free using plants and tree derivatives. They are not tested on animals.
Wedding Packages Trial makeup session in the salon and makeup in your home available for that big day and why not combine this with a pamper day.
Waxing Using a beautiful golden warm wax from France. From full leg wax finishing off with a gentle massage with cool antibacterial gel to a top lip wax.
Eye Treatments Lash and brow tinting. Brow shaping using either wax or tweezers Duralashes (false individual lashes) for a stunning look. Tinting and duralashes require a patch test 24 hours prior to treatment.
Jessica Manicure and Pedicure. Using the wonderful Jessica products from America these treatments make you feel a million dollars. Treatments to suit all types of nail and with regular attention your own nails will look absolutely fantastic. Many colours to choose from and many in stock to buy.
Paraffin Wax Treatment A wonderful treatment for those of us with hard dry skin either on hands or feet. Especially good for sufferers of arthritis and carpel tunnel syndrome. A short consultation would be taken prior to treatment for ladies with any of these conditions.
ChocoBeauty - chocolate indulgence without the calories! ChocoBeauty Body the ultimate indulgence.
Gorgeous chocolate treatment for the body with a chocolate orange cream massage followed by ChocoBeauty being spread over the skin and then wrapped in warm blankets. ChocoBeauty Facial After cleansing and exfoliating smell and feel the gorgeous chocolate treatment being spread over the skin giving it a smooth soft appearance when removed
Ladies Pamper Days Spend a day or just an hour or two being pampered, relax in the quiet surroundings of this beautiful location. Enjoy the peace and quiet of the garden on a lounger or spend time in the conservatory with a good book. Relax in the jacuzzi after a massage and facial then a light lunch followed by a manicure and pedicure. If time is short treatments can be adapted to suit the individual. A maximum of two ladies only at any one time.
After researching my character, I decided to research a little bit more about the object, that will be featuring in my three-act animation, as we can apply fantasy the idea of a hose pipe alive is not out of option, where it will have its specific movements. Even though, the object can be a character as well, I have to know where to find it in that specific place, Beauty Parlour. Thus,I have researched some objects in a that same place that have hose pipes attached to them.
Colonic Irrigation Machine
This machine is used for the Colonic Hydrotherapy session, a treatment that I'm not daring to describe, but I will post a video on it instead. I just can say it may be painful and umcomfortable, something that a man would be not liking at all. This treatment is often done in Beauty Parlours. I have some ideas with this object but with Phil's help I will be able to polish them.
This video, which I advise to not see if you are fainted hearted, shows how nervous and umcomfortable a man can be when doing one of this sessions.
Do no try this at home!
yes, Phil I have to post what Tutors nowadays tell students to research, only kidding!! :)
Spray Tan Machine
This is other machine that has as one of his parts a hose pipe, It is used in a famous process to give a fake tan to mostly women around the World. This hose pipe sprays 'paint' which gives a orangy look to anybody who ventures in front of them.
Backwash Hose pipe
This object is used to wash the client's hair before they get a new haircut.
Although, I'm more inclined to use the first object as well its process to my animation, which gives an idea of twist in the character's masculinity, the possibility to use the others is also present which deals with the character vanity and beauty.
The Birds is 1963 suspense film by the famous Alfred Hitchcock, it is based on a 1952 novel, with the same name by Daphne du Maurier. This film tells a story of a young "Avant-garde" single woman, Melanie, who lives in the hearth of San Francisco, and falls in love for this man, Mitch, who she just met in a pet shop, while looking for some birds. She decides to pay him a visit without him knowing and bring a present along, 2 lovebirds, which were a supposed present for Mitch's sister. As she arrives to Bondega Bay, the place where Mitch lives, strange happenings start to occur, with the birds of that village, such as gulls and crows. Melanie sees herself between a jealously of Mitch's Mum, Lydia, and this revolted birds. As the films prolongs the attacks become more dangerous, from a simple 'slap' to mysterious deaths. As Melanie fights against this happenings, her relationship with Mitch streghtens. by the end of the film the bird's attack are so dangerous that Mitch's family and Melanie have to stay closed in his house with every window blocked. When the next attack occurs Melanie, suffers severe wounds and she has to be taken to hospital, but the problem is that they are blocked inside the house with millions of furious birds outside. As they sneak safely to the car they make their way to the hospital or not?
Exactly, this film is interesting to me because we never really know what happens in the end, it is like an open door that leads to the viewers imagination. Did they make it or not? the question is set. From beautiful camera work, where we almost feel what the actually characters feel to amazing montages ,for that time,with millions of birds attacking the town center. Also to highlight, the special effects, when they are locked in the house and the door is beeing "eaten" by the birds. The whole film gave me once again the sense of the Uncanny, and it is a shame I havent seen it earlier, where the long known birds start to behave strangely for no apparent reason just something out of Gregory Crewdson's work. Finally the last shot of the film is just purely brilliant, I can see it as a concept art already, where the sense of wonder if they will make it is present always watched by the birds.
Also, to know that a remake is coming out in 2011, I just hope it is not a disappointment.
Before, I started to write my story, I wanted to research a little bit more about my character, as I want to know, what really characterizes it, for after twist it and apply new,maybe opposite, ideas to it. So I started to brainstorm a bit about what I know about lumberjacks, just to come up some words that I would use to describe them.
Lumberjack:
Masculinity, Macho, Strong, Dirty, Rough, Blunt, Vain, Arrogant (some), Proud Being, Brute, Muscular, Unkind, Heavy, Unmannerly, Ungentlemanly, Axe, Beard, Canadian, Boots, Cap and "Square" Shirt.
These were the words I came up with, and right after this brainstorming I could better visualize my character. Although, I am stepping already a bit in Character Design, I have to know my character, and as Phil said today your character mainly will tell the story by his moves and looks.
I researched the film, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, where I found this actor looking exactly how I pictured a Lumberjack, even before I have seen one.
So to better show what are the characteristics of my character, I researched some famous characters from previous 2d and 3d animations and games. to give a better idea what i am trying to achieve and convey.
He will be a mixture of :
Mr. Incredible by Pixar - ( The fat version)
Bluto from Popeye
Bob from Tekken 6
All these characters have something in common, they are heavy , with big arms and a bit of stomach, something that certainly my character will have.
