I've started planning for artistic research sources, technical research sources, and visual reference component of my thesis. I hope to collect quite an extensive resource library of source material by the end.
Storyline concepts about child development:
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
http://sisterhoodofthetravelingpants.warnerbros.com/story.html
http://www.amazon.com/Sisterhood-Traveling-Pants-Book-1/dp/0385730586
Toy story
http://www.pixar.com/featurefilms/ts/tale.html
Ideas for style and art direction:
ESPN advertisment
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GHIQkS1TY50
Sep 19, 2007
Thesis Previs: Thesis statement revison 1
I've decided to choose the story about the young boy and the baseball card as my concept.
Thesis Statement: Through the use of Visual Effects and Compositing, I will tell a story that characterizes the natural maturation of a boy from childhood to adolescence as described by a baseball card.
Thesis Statement: Through the use of Visual Effects and Compositing, I will tell a story that characterizes the natural maturation of a boy from childhood to adolescence as described by a baseball card.
Sep 12, 2007
Draft Revision for Story Synopsis #1
After meeting with my thesis adviser, Mike C. earlier this week, we both agreed that since the central message of the story is littering, making changes to the story so the creature arises from the environment would add to the realism of the experience. In other words the context of the story is about littering, and it would add to the realism if the creature was a) something affected by the environment, or b) a product of the environment. And then it hit me!
______________
Lionel Essrog is having one of those days where nothing seems to go right. After nearly getting ran over by a passing motorist, he spills his morning coffee on his shirt. Not wanting to appear unprofessional during his meeting, unsuccessfully he tries to remove the stain. However, carelessly he discards the napkin onto the ground.
Disgusted by the gross display of littering, a pigeon lands in front of Lionel. Naturally, he thinks nothing of it and nonchalantly attempts to walk away. Except he is prevented. At that very same moment hundreds of pigeons appear from the sky and land in front of Lionel. Feeling the situation is steadily getting out of control, Lionel wisely takes off running down the street. Moments later the flock of pigeons take to the air, and form a colossal pigeon; it ambushes Lionel Essrog. The enraged flock swiftly chase Lionel through the streets and alleyways like the hunter in a game of hide and seek.
Finally, the mega-pigeon corners Lionel. The flock disperses from the huge form and land again in front of Lionel. With no escape, Lionel pleads with the flock. Aptly the pigeons are able to illustrate what has upset them, and once Lionel realizes his mistake, they release him. Lionel properly tosses his napkin into the trash and the statue returns to an inanimate object.
Thesis statement: Digital compositing is a new kind of realism, which creates the perception of something that could have happened, although it really could not.
I think what this story has that the other one did not is 1) context within the conflict. You have nature fighting back against human negligence. Furthermore, 2) there's irony. Pigeons have the label for being called "rats with wings". While I could not agree more, I feel its more significant for the protagonist to be something that contradicts that stereotype.
______________
Lionel Essrog is having one of those days where nothing seems to go right. After nearly getting ran over by a passing motorist, he spills his morning coffee on his shirt. Not wanting to appear unprofessional during his meeting, unsuccessfully he tries to remove the stain. However, carelessly he discards the napkin onto the ground.
Disgusted by the gross display of littering, a pigeon lands in front of Lionel. Naturally, he thinks nothing of it and nonchalantly attempts to walk away. Except he is prevented. At that very same moment hundreds of pigeons appear from the sky and land in front of Lionel. Feeling the situation is steadily getting out of control, Lionel wisely takes off running down the street. Moments later the flock of pigeons take to the air, and form a colossal pigeon; it ambushes Lionel Essrog. The enraged flock swiftly chase Lionel through the streets and alleyways like the hunter in a game of hide and seek.
Finally, the mega-pigeon corners Lionel. The flock disperses from the huge form and land again in front of Lionel. With no escape, Lionel pleads with the flock. Aptly the pigeons are able to illustrate what has upset them, and once Lionel realizes his mistake, they release him. Lionel properly tosses his napkin into the trash and the statue returns to an inanimate object.
Thesis statement: Digital compositing is a new kind of realism, which creates the perception of something that could have happened, although it really could not.
I think what this story has that the other one did not is 1) context within the conflict. You have nature fighting back against human negligence. Furthermore, 2) there's irony. Pigeons have the label for being called "rats with wings". While I could not agree more, I feel its more significant for the protagonist to be something that contradicts that stereotype.
Sep 10, 2007
Thesis Previs: Story Synopsis #1
Lionel Essrog is having one of those days where nothing seems to go right. After arriving late to work for a conference call, he hastily soils his shirt while gorging himself on lunch. Not wanting to appear unprofessional during his afternoon meeting, unsuccessfully he tries to remove the stain. However, carelessly he discards the napkin onto the ground.
Disgusted by the gross display of littering, a statue of colossal proportions decides to take action; it ambushes Lionel Essrog. The enraged statue swiftly chases Lionel through the streets and alleyways like the hunter in a game of hide and seek.
Finally, the statue corners Lionel. With no escape, Lionel pleads with the statue. Aptly the statue is able to illustrate what has upset it, and once Lionel realizes his mistake, the statue releases him. Lionel properly tosses his napkin into the trash and the statue returns to an inanimate object.
Thesis statement: Digital compositing is a new kind of realism, which creates the perception of something that could have happened, although it really could not.
Disgusted by the gross display of littering, a statue of colossal proportions decides to take action; it ambushes Lionel Essrog. The enraged statue swiftly chases Lionel through the streets and alleyways like the hunter in a game of hide and seek.
Finally, the statue corners Lionel. With no escape, Lionel pleads with the statue. Aptly the statue is able to illustrate what has upset it, and once Lionel realizes his mistake, the statue releases him. Lionel properly tosses his napkin into the trash and the statue returns to an inanimate object.
Thesis statement: Digital compositing is a new kind of realism, which creates the perception of something that could have happened, although it really could not.
Thesis Previs: Story Synopsis #2
It is casserole night in the Montgomery household, but Christopher wants nothing to do with what's on the menu. Sternly, his mother encourages him to eat his everything on his plate, otherwise he cannot excuse himself from the table. Perhaps from the comments by the mother, or being poked repeated by Christopher, the food in the dish begins to address Christopher. Without further provocation the casserole picks a fight with Christopher.
As the food attacks Christopher, his parents are appalled and left scratching their heads. To the parents, Christopher is only acting out another tantrum, but for Christopher this is real.
Fed up by his antics, the mother scoops up Christopher's dinner, tosses it down the garbage disposal, and sends him to his room without any supper. Thankfully Christopher accepts the punishment.
Thesis statement:
Integrating effects with live action plates is the bread and butter of the visual effects artist.
As the food attacks Christopher, his parents are appalled and left scratching their heads. To the parents, Christopher is only acting out another tantrum, but for Christopher this is real.
Fed up by his antics, the mother scoops up Christopher's dinner, tosses it down the garbage disposal, and sends him to his room without any supper. Thankfully Christopher accepts the punishment.
Thesis statement:
Integrating effects with live action plates is the bread and butter of the visual effects artist.
Thesis Previs: Story Synopsis #3
On a delightful, yet uneventful summer day Trent rides his bike through the park on his way to the store. Thrown from the seat of his bike, because of the uneven sidewalk, he lands face down on the ground. As fate would have it, he comes across an old piece of cardboard partially protruding from the ground. He picks it up. It is an antique baseball card. Physically there is no significant value to this card. He examines the card. There is something familiar about this card, however. He then proceeds to secure it into the spokes of his bike, to operate as a noise-making device. Trent continues on his destination.
As he rides off, the spinning motion from the wheel with the card attached begins to animate like a Zoetrope. The card unlocks a dream-like gateway to fond old memories. These are the memories of the card, and how it use to entertain its previous owner. But gradually over time they grow distant between one another.
The interest to this card fades as the previous owner matures and finds a new interest, girls. Rejected now, the card falls to the wayside and remains unnoticed until Trent discovers it.
Back on the bike, Trent and the card continue on their destination.
Thesis statement: Digital compositing creates the perception of something that could have happened, although it really could not.
As he rides off, the spinning motion from the wheel with the card attached begins to animate like a Zoetrope. The card unlocks a dream-like gateway to fond old memories. These are the memories of the card, and how it use to entertain its previous owner. But gradually over time they grow distant between one another.
The interest to this card fades as the previous owner matures and finds a new interest, girls. Rejected now, the card falls to the wayside and remains unnoticed until Trent discovers it.
Back on the bike, Trent and the card continue on their destination.
Thesis statement: Digital compositing creates the perception of something that could have happened, although it really could not.
Thesis Previs: Story Synopsis #4
This concept is a work in progress. I'm still asking myself what the conflict should be? What's the subplot line? Or, where's the misdirection? Last semester I produced a short video which contained all these elements, and I think the main story benefited from this direction immensely. Anyways, this is what I have so far:
A documentary-style film about an ordinary man living the "American Dream". He works a 9-5, umpires at his son's little league games, home owner, drives a car, has a supportive (albeit repressed feelings about her husband) wife. Pretty normal except for his condition. This man lives with his head up his anus, literally.
Thesis statement: Digital compositing is a new kind of realism, which creates the perception of something that could have happened, although it really could not.
A documentary-style film about an ordinary man living the "American Dream". He works a 9-5, umpires at his son's little league games, home owner, drives a car, has a supportive (albeit repressed feelings about her husband) wife. Pretty normal except for his condition. This man lives with his head up his anus, literally.
Thesis statement: Digital compositing is a new kind of realism, which creates the perception of something that could have happened, although it really could not.
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