In this, my final year of university, I was asked to produce a three minute short film. This film will act as a culmination of all I have learnt with my time spent here.
I shal be developing on techniques and ideas that I have I have been experimenting with throughtout the years and hopfully crreate a film that will reprisent me well enough, to the industry.
The brief for this piece includes having to identify, develop and finalise my final year film proposal. I need to produce a full audio-visual pre-visualisation that will show the asthetic and dynamic qualities of the film, and at least 30 seconds of tests.
Initial concept
In this film I wanted to explore the Christmas film genre as I find it interesting as most memorable christmas films are animation, and most christmas animation is stop motion, such as "Rudoloph the red nosed raindeer" and its sequals, "Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas" and although they dont often have christmas themes, the "Wallace and Gromit" series are shown every christmas along with "Robbie the reindeer"
Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
Wallace and Gromit: A matter of loaf and death
Robbie the reindeer in close encounter
It started when I had an idea on one of my previous projects. In it, Santa has slept in and awoken by a suprised Mrs.Clause. Paniced he rushes off to deviler the presents late and unprepaired, causing him to dissapoint all the children by giving them last minute gifts like chewing gum.
After this I was inspired to produce a christmas film, I feel stopmotion not only goes well with Christmas, but most Christmas storys stand the test of time as people generally only view them at Christmas time, which makes them unique and somtimes bring back memories and nostalgia.
Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
Wallace and Gromit: A matter of loaf and death
Robbie the reindeer in close encounter
It started when I had an idea on one of my previous projects. In it, Santa has slept in and awoken by a suprised Mrs.Clause. Paniced he rushes off to deviler the presents late and unprepaired, causing him to dissapoint all the children by giving them last minute gifts like chewing gum.
After this I was inspired to produce a christmas film, I feel stopmotion not only goes well with Christmas, but most Christmas storys stand the test of time as people generally only view them at Christmas time, which makes them unique and somtimes bring back memories and nostalgia.
Ideas
Here are some of my initial ideas and concept, you can see my train of thought as i went through different variations and storys. Many of them contain using the pulfrich effect, which I will discuss further on.
Idea#1
Start off with a shot of santa wiv a welding mask on hammering away as sparks fly.
Then he lifts up his mask and proclaims 'ive done it!'
Then cut to a super cute/cool toy and voice over of santa saying 'the greatest toy in the world!' then cut to santa laughing 'hooo ho ho hoho hooo'
Then cut to opening credits: dramatic music plays as u see a sillhoet of a factory line convayer belt. A big stamp comes down and when it goes a silohet of the toy with no head or arms appears. Then zooms off. this happens 3 times then cuts to the next shot of the toy zooming on then being stamped and a head appearing. This happens 2-3 times. Then same thing but with hands and then cut to the outside shot of santas house panning out revieling the shape of the house and a sign reading 'ho ho home' wiv santas evil laugh in the background as the titles appear and the snow turns red.
Or just show a bunch of crates and zoom in to the name (toys are we?) and fade to black. Dramatic music comes to a holt. And a bleeping sound starts. Fade out to alarm clock and start 1st person sequence.
December 25th 08:00am is displayed at the bottom.
Idea#2
Start animation off with santas perspective. He wakes up looks at the alarm clock turns it off (this hints at who it is by showing his hand..he could maybe get changed?) Then gets up and walks to the bathroom mirror. As he walks past glances his reflection then goes up to the mirror an maybe washes his face or sumat. (To do this make 2 puppets and sets. Then attach digital camera to its head using mini tripod)
If done correctly will look awesome!
Could hav same begining as other but hav it as a mall santa. (Puts fake beard on in mirror.)
Then goes out an flys his raindear off an goes to a shopping centre.
Could hav evil snowmen tryna stop him an big snow face. Also have santa rev up his engen an rudolphs nose light up the snow making the house look like santa!
Idea#3
Set in a motel wiv blinking light. Do same 1st person view of walking to the bathroom then wen looking in the mirror the room splits/cracks in two
And follows the guy on the other side of the mirror spinning around in a dream world (using pulfrich effect)
Then he snaps out of it either by waking up in bed or a woman knocking on the bathroom door.
Possible directionr to go are, the guys going crazy and starts having flashes/visions of the woman dead in the bath. Womans voice is replaced by police.
Then figure out how he got in that situation wiv backwards story telling. Use pulfrich effect by showing outside of motel and slowly revolving round it showing police cars surroumding the building in 3d.
Idea#4
Bloodshed for santa!
Start of by showing santa and frosty in a battle then santa winning or just the snowman watching on as santa gets all the glory...kids building him and he smiles then santa (or their dad dressed as santa) walks past an they ignore the snowman making him swear revenge on santa for taking focus off him. Then his hat gets knocked off or he writes santas address on a sticker an slaps it on his hat or on a box that he drops his hat into. and frostys hat traveling montage. Then he reforms outside santas house an the snow turns red as the title appears all dramaticly an makes the house look like santa. Then cut to santa shuddring.
Alternativly show santa in his house and pan camera out to revieal outside house THEN turn snow red reviel title. (Maybe after dramatic title an music, u hear him shout 'rudolf! Go to sleep will ya!' an then the snow goes back to white as a raindeer flees the sceen..flys away maybe or jurt runs..or u just see antlers there the whole time then they go)
(Notes on idea;
Dont actuatlly say shit.
E.g;
Ho ho hoooly shi-
Then rudolf or sum1 pops up an says something.
Santa workin out in his garage montage. Using a punch bag, weights bench press etc. Set to 'you make my dreams' by hall and oates. All the while moving the camera round to get the 3d pulfrich effect.)
Idea#5 (alternate opening)
Black and titles
Mans voice: 'it starts with me being a part of a bomb squad...'
Cut to panicy man an then close up to see the beads of sweat.
Cut to a huge bomb with a timer counting down wiv only seconds to go.
Cut to a man shouting at our main character
'dammit man! Just cut the wire!'
Cut back to paniced man, then bomb wiv less seconds to spare then back to paniced man who suddenly becomes shocked as he looks down.
Pan out to reviel man stood there in his underwear
Cut back to bomb with only 1 second to spare
Cut to officers laughing and pointing
Cut to embarrased and confused man in underwear
Cut back to bomb now reached 00:00 and loud bleeping
Transition with eyes opening revieling alarm clock in exactly the same place as bomb timer then as eyes fully open a hand strikes down on the alarm turning it of with a slap.
Still from 1st person perspective the character sits up, flicks on the light and makes his way towards the door leading to the bathroom.
Once in the bathroom walks to the mirror revieling the man from the dream still in underwear as he brushes his teeth.
Once finished the mirror man starts to turn and walk away as the camera pans through the mirror following the character back into the bedroom wer it
Cuts to him walking towards the wardrobe and opening it
Cut to inside of wardrobe as the character opens it (think tarrentino car boot style)
The have the camea revolve 180. Degrees round the wardrobe revieling character fully dressed on the other side as he closes the wardrobe, turns round
Idea#6
After brushing teeth the camera follows the mirrored image and as he starts to walk through the door back to the bedroom the camera goes through the wall, but on the otherside of the door he is fully dressed and outside walking down a street, 2 weeks earlier is displayed at the bottom of the screen. (To do this, angle the camera so that it shows the man completly dissapeap apart from maybe a foot. Then change the character so that when the camera moves to the other side of the wall revieling the street, the man is fully dressed)
Newspaper hits man in face,
from a 1st person view he lowers the paper and sees a photo of the toy and the caption '#1 most wanted christmas present! Your kid will hate you for not getting this!' is underneth. He lowers the paper more, revieling the 'toys R we' shop with a crowd a mile long. He disgards the paper and it flys straight into an old womans face! Knocking her to the ground leaving her zimmer frame still standing as he says 'this could take a while...gulp'
Cut to 30mins later and hes back on the street walking past the old woman still struggling to get up. 'weeell.. That was easier than i thought!'
Cut back to man at bottom of the stairs shouting 'hey kid are you up yet?'
Idea#7
Kid runs down stairs but trips up, but is unfased by it and still exited. He runs to the tree an rips open a present. its the cute toy. he takes it out of the box and it says 'Your my friend!' an an eerie overly cute voice. the kid throws the toy to one side as he shouts 'laaaame' then unwraps the next present ('NINTENDO SIXTY FOOOUUR!' lol) its a remote controle car.
cuts to a view of the kid playing with his toys from the perspective of the toy, it has a robotic view and locks onto the kid as 'motion tracking enabled' 'best friend aquired' flashes on the screen.
cut to shot of kid playing with car and the 'bested bud' is slowly walking up to him but the kid runs off unaware of the approching toy. the toy stops and walks off screen after him.
cut to night time and the kid is in bed when he hears the robitic footsteps of the 'bestest bud' toy can be heard and are getting louder. the kid starts to look worried and a little scared as he looks over to the door. the door slams open and the 'bestest bud' is in the doorway! "There's my bestest buddy!" it screams.
the kid looks terrified and pulls the duvet up to his eyes, shaking.
the looks at the door (from his view, with the bottom of the bed in shot) but the toy has gone! (zoom in fast to ephisize this.then zoom back out) the toys hand creeps up at the bottom of the bed, followed by its other hand and finally its head. 'hi there!' it says eerily
The kid screams and runs out of bed and down the stairs. the toy isnt far behind as it cuts to its feet at the top of the stairs weary of how to get down them. the kid jumps out from behind the toy and whacks it downstairs (with a bat or something)
cut to the bottom of the stairs and pan down to see the toy all mashed up with half of its face ripped off like terminator. 'You are my friend' it says as its voice melt.
...
Animatic #1
The first Idea I decided to focus on was a mixture if all the previous ideas, in it a toy company created a super toy that made santa redundent, a sub plot focused on a man and his son as he goes to buy it for christmas and brings it home only to have his son reject it as it creeps hiim out. The toy then goes on to follow the child everywere he goes, exclaiming that he is his 'Bestest bud'. As the child is sleeping he is awakened by the mechanical footsteps of the toy as it opens the door and walks in, climbing upon the bed and coming ever closer, until Santa saves the day by blowing its head of with a sawn off shotgun, seemingly not bothered that there was a child behind it. It cuts to the man and his son talking to santa on his way out of their home, and asking how he knew the toys were evil? where as Santa repies 'Evil? ho ho oh no! I just couldnt stand not having my job!' the camera zooms in as he shouts 'Merry christmas everybody!', the titles roll as it shows polaroid stills of santa and his elves re-opening his workshop.
Back to the drawing board.
After discussing the concept with my peers I decided to go ahead and create storyboards and a rough animatic. After discussing this animatic and my ideas more thuroughly, it was decided that I had too much going on. I was desperate to get as many of my ideas into this film as I could and as a consiquence it made the story complex and too packed full of ideas that could probably go on to create a few seperate animations or a feature.
I was told to think more simpley and as I had no structure in my narrative, I was asked to look into the 3 part structure,
The 3 part structure:
This includes, establishing the main character, something happens to upset the ballence of said character's world and then finally resolving the situation with the character somehow changed from the experience.
as In this idea i had no real main character it didn't really have a structure so I went away and started to brainstorm new ideas.
I first started by trying to alter the story I already had. This let to some ideas such as having an army of elves helping Santa, having lots of santas, having the story mainly about santa going round to the childrens houses one by one and destroying the toys with weapons such as ninja death star style candy cains or toy guns that shoot a cock on a string. One Idea even had the toy being evil and freezing all the kids on the spot, or even into monkeys and the toys were created by a giant monkey.
It was at this point I decided to think up an entirly new idea.
I was told to think more simpley and as I had no structure in my narrative, I was asked to look into the 3 part structure,
The 3 part structure:
This includes, establishing the main character, something happens to upset the ballence of said character's world and then finally resolving the situation with the character somehow changed from the experience.
as In this idea i had no real main character it didn't really have a structure so I went away and started to brainstorm new ideas.
I first started by trying to alter the story I already had. This let to some ideas such as having an army of elves helping Santa, having lots of santas, having the story mainly about santa going round to the childrens houses one by one and destroying the toys with weapons such as ninja death star style candy cains or toy guns that shoot a cock on a string. One Idea even had the toy being evil and freezing all the kids on the spot, or even into monkeys and the toys were created by a giant monkey.
It was at this point I decided to think up an entirly new idea.
New story
The next idea I began to develop was about a disgruntalled elf, who to retaliate against Santa, released an advert on TV showing a brillient transforming toy, that all the kids wrote to santa asking for. When Santa could not find the toy anywhere all hope seemed to be lost, until another elf who had been examaning the advert and discovered some clues and figured out that the advert was a hoex by the disgrunteled elf.
After this discovery Santa and the elfs began trying to create this non-exsistant super toy, and after a quick montage it was done. The only thing left for santa to do was confront the bad elf. It cuts to a shot of the elf being dragged by the ear by santa and thrown into a candy cane cage as Santa exclames "Lets see him get out of THIS one!" when one of the good elfs worries that he could just eat his way out of this candy prison, santa says "Not likely. Those candy canes are more sour than the milk that little timmy leaves out for me!"
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