Danielle Prieto - Character Animator: March 2013

Poster Design for my Film

WISP

Story by Danielle Prieto

CONCEPT:

A fairy tale story made from digital cutouts in After Effects.

THEME:

Sometimes it can be hard to find inspiration for you work, but inspiration is always there. You just have to reach for it and hope it doesn't slip through your fingers.

CHARACTERS:

Vasco - Main character, a writer looking for inspiration in a library.

Wisp - The source of Vasco's inspiration.

SYNOPSIS:

Vasco is seated in a library trying to find some sort of inspiration for his work. He gives up for a moment and walks away from his seat. As he leaves, a wisp-like creature reveals itself from a book on the shelf and dashes to one of the books on Vasco’s table. He hears the shuffling of pages and immediately rushes back to his place in the library. Vasco sees the wisps tail enter the pages and he grabs for the book. He is then forced into what seemed like a dark corridor. It is at first empty, but fills with the light of the wisp. He sees and follows the wisp further into the darkness. The wisp morphs into a white beast and floats just above Vasco. As he goes to reach for it, he hesitates. More wisps join the first, dancing above him. The wisps then move up into the sky far above Vasco and turn into stars. He is looking out the library window up at the stars as they look down on him. He turns back to his table and walks toward it, filled with thoughts and inspiration. He sits and begins to write.

Original Ideas:

ANIMATION TESTS

TEST #1 - Hand Test

A quick Test using digital cutouts in After Effects. Here, I was trying to turn my characters hand in space, using 2D objects. I could follow through with the fingers a bit longer, but other than that I was overall happy with the test.

TEST #2 - Walk Test

This test was to find a good walk cycle for my character. In my film he will be doing a few strides across the screen, so this test was very important. I still need to give more weight in this test, and add laterality to the arms.

SHOT BREAKDOWN:

- Vasco is at his table in the library, flipping through pages of a book.
- He sets the book down and walks away from his workplace.
- Wisp reveals itself from a book on the shelf.
- Wisp shuffles books around on the table and seeps into the pages of one of Vasco’s books.
- Vasco hears the shuffling of pages and rushes back to his workspace.
- He sees the tail of the wisp and picks up the book, becoming transported to a dark corridor.
- Vasco finds himself enveloped in darkness but sees the light of the wisp.
- He follows the wisp into another corridor.
- Wisp grows brighter and morphs into a white beast.
- Wisp looms over Vasco as other wisps appear.
- Wisps fly into the air and become stars.
- Vasco is looking out a window, gazing at stars.
- He turns to his workplace and starts writing.

SCENE 1 - WISP

My first scene starts with a close-up shot of my character hand skimming over the page of a book. Nothing too complicated for the moment, but I'm excited to move forward with my film.