During my first week I focused mainly on research on other child characters in animation and other media. My initial idea for a character design, is to create a very cartoony character, as that is what I am interested in doing this year with my major project. So the usual cartoony characteristics for a child, like big head with big eyes and a cute nose.
I looked at characters from 'Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends', and the lead character from 'Lost and Found'. I also looked at the children from 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' as they are all very generic and fit the bill.
I also considered designing a girl character, just to give me a challenge. After seeing Toy Story 3 and seeing how cute a little girl character can be (Bonnie). It would also be interesting to see if I can pull it off.
I also brainstormed on what kind of child I want to create. Ever since I read the brief I have had it in my head that I would either want to create a child who is like Andy, from Toy Story, the playful child who runs around with a cape and a cardboard sword, or the messy child, who plays with mud and has pet worms, and is never without grass stains on his clothes and plasters on his knees.
Also during my first week I made a project plan, which essentially is a production schedule, but in written form rather than in a table. I had never made a project plan before, so I wasn't sure if I was doing it right. But when I uploaded it on whatisyourmonster.com, (a website I am using to upload and discuss my work with Ricky O'Donnell; creative director of RJDM studios, who also set us the brief) Ricky said it was good and well detailed. I tried to be realistic with the timing of things, and based it on the speed I worked at last year on each part of the production. But I also took into account the fact I only have this project to think about this term, so I can be completely focused on it.
Week 2:
During week 2 I started getting drawing initial sketches for my character, I still hadn't decided completely what personality I wanted my child to have, but the more I thought about it the more I couldn't decide, so I thought to just have it somewhere in between the two personalities I liked. Playful and imaginative, but still the kind of kid who plays in the mud, and who likes to draw on the walls and skid everywhere :)
I had a few pages of character designs before I came up with one I really liked. However, now, by the end of week 2, I have been feeling like I came up with him too fast, he is too simple, and he too closely resembles the child version of Flint Lockwood from 'Cloudy'. So over the next week, even though I am quite attached the my character, I will take him back to the drawing board, but still keep my original design in mind.
This week I have also been thinking about story ideas, amongst several half thought up ideas, I came up with 2 strong and quite promising ones.
Now before I start I should say that the story has to be 30 seconds long and must involve and child being asked what they would track if they could. After reading this in the brief I wanted to focus on the imagination of a child, and the worlds it can take them to.
So, My first idea was about a kid who wants to send his goldfish on a mission, by strapping a tracking device to him and flushing him down the toilet. We would then follow the kid, and what is actually a very mundane adventure, and who eventually just ends up with some fishy friends in the ocean/lake/pond. But in the kids imagination he imagines he goes off and fights an evil race of alien sharks. I liked this idea, but it would require a lot of modelling work, and sets, which I really don't think I have time for if I want to concentrate on good animation.
My other idea, which is the one I am currently pursuing, is about a little boy, dressed up in makeshift pirate gear, and is playing in his back garden, with a makeshift pirate ship (made from a cardboard box, broom for the mast, and pair of pants, for the flag) and he wants to track hims 'treasure' (his favourite toy, or some Monopoly money). He then trots over to his sandbox and buries it with a plastic spade. Then we would cut to the child, either hiding in the bushes of his garden, or in his house watching over the sandbox with a toy telescope, and explaining if he could track his 'booty' he wouldn't have to always keep a watch over it.
This is the idea I have chosen to develop further until it is at a point I can start storyboarding and scripting.
Later in the week I drew a picture of my character I really liked, so I scanned it in and coloured it in, in Adobe Illustrator, also put him in different coloured clothes to imagine what he would look like, and give myself an idea of the colour scheme I want to go for. I also uploaded those onto 'monster' (whatisyourmonster.com) and am currently waiting on feedback from Ricky. I also created and uploaded a mood board of all the things that have inspired and swayed my designs over the past couple of weeks. I was hoping to cut up the Argos catalogue for all the cool kids Toys but my house mate has thrown it out. I am going to go back to my mood board once I have a new one and put other things on it too such as textures, scenery and lighting moods.
Oh yeah, I also created my production schedule today, which will guide me with my time frames, I have also posted that up on monster for Ricky to view, and I am currently waiting on feedback for that also.
Well I think thats it for now, I hope to check in again next week.
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