Sunday 18 December 2011

The Cat Came Back

The Cat Came Back is a 1988 animated film by Canadian director Cordell Barker, produced by fellow award-winning Winnipeg animatorRichard Condie.


Inspiration for the conflict between the puppy and William, although perhaps a lot less dramatic and disastrous.  The concept of the cat always managing to get back inside the house, against all odds, without the man noticing, is hilarious.

Thursday 15 December 2011

Character Profile

Name: William Peterson-Smith
Age: 32
Height: 5ft 11"
Weight: 12st 3ibs
Birth Date: 1978
Hair: Short, tidy, brown
Eyes: Hazel
Birthplace: London
Other facial features/appearance details: Wears glasses
Dress: Tucked in shirt, sweatervest, smart shoes, trousers, white socks showing
Description of home: Small apartment, but with a largely dominating lounge and kitchen. Small bedroom has a bed, bookshelf and bedside table with a lamp. Lounge has a window, a small tv, a single couch, a classic piano, beautiful persian rug and original paintings on the wall. Kitchen is minimalist, sink, cooker, fridge, with a larder cupboard filled with healthy foods. There is a stool underneath a tall part of the counter, serving as a dining table.
Dominant Character Trait: Conformist
Secondary Character Trait: Loner
Best Friend: None
Other Friends: N/A
Enemies and why: N/A
Family: Mother and Father are self obsessed, uncaring and unaffectionate. Upper middle class, father has a well paid job in parliment while mother is unemployed but enjoys shopping and pampering herself.  His older brother is very charismatic, he is an actor in the london broadway shows and has been famous since he was a child actor. Several years older than Will.
What kind of person is he with others: Loner, fears intimacy, doesn't look people in the eye, bites nails, mumbles.
Sees self as: Content, self reliant
Is seen by others as: Too shy, uninterested in others, weird

Sense of humour: Doesn't like childish humour or cartoons. Never seems to smile for very long at others.
Temper: Very patient, slow to react
Basic Nature: Docile, serious, calm, lonely
Ambitions: Content with his job, although greatly under appreciated despite his intelligence, but would love to become an artist, though he lacks the basic skills.
Educational Background: Top grades in school, university degree in chemistry.
Work experience: Works as a chemist in a pharmacy.
Habits: Bits nails, pats hair, keeps everything tidy. Always checks his watch, organised.
Talents: Cooking, painting, piano, good with written words, intelligent
Hobbies/pastimes: As above
Choice of entertainments: Documentaries on TV, artistic film, classical music
What trait will make the character come alive: Creativity yet reclusiveness
Why is the character likeable?: True to life, he has strengths and flaws
Why is the character loveable?: He manages to develop a personality.

Golden Retriever Mood Board

Thursday 8 December 2011

Project Proposal Documents

Recently completed my project proposal and the supporting documents.
Below is the structure of my project, the project map.




Aim >Objectives >Methods >Tasks

Story Development

I have decided to show the relationship between man and beast, as i'd be interested in designing an animal character as well as a human character.






List of possible inspiring films:

How to Train Your Dragon
Pokemon/Digimon
Tintin
Avatar
Marley and Me
I Am Legend
Princess Mononoke
Hachiko: A Dog's Story
The Jungle Book
Ace Ventura
Pete's Dragon
Tarzan

Starting to think along a more fantastical route:





Basic Story Template:

geeky man, nature freak
neat, composed
gets lost from the trail
forest? bird watching?
follows something, something stolen
hat? notebook? shoe? glasses?
big wolf/bear/animal gets them
man scared, tries to run away
but wants his thing!
Tries to reason with the beast
growl, scream
it's sniffing him
surprise, you want this?
tickle, scratch, food, drawing
happy, docile
poses for a drawing? photo?
happy, cuddly moment
steals
man - haha funny give it back
snarl
scared
okay... you keep it
smile, pats it gently

Development, status