Third Year Project: #1 Story Idea

I am not sure if I want to go down a 'film' or 'game' route just yet, however right now this seems like it could be developed with the combination of the two. A game cinematic or game play preview. I think this would be in need of a discussion before my Minor Project starts. I decided to take a much more 'creative' look at this concept, as to me, the initial idea began to appear like another version of Mad Max.

 #1 Story Idea

The 'world' was fueled by the [name] tree that was the source of life. It is the worlds source of food, knowledge, help, and balance. Harnessing it's energy from it's seed. However, one night, the seed was stolen. Decay and unbalance spread through the lands; and soon darkness had replaced the light; and the thought of finding the seed was dwindling.

After the death of the [name] tree, everyone had lost hope to search and find the missing seed. However, the hero never wanted to give up. She kept searching and searching, feeling her chances slipping through her finger tips. Yet, on that night, she discoverers something glowing, wedged between twisting tree roots and plant life. As she moved closer, a burst of pure star light, with a warmth that felt familiar, appeared in front of her. After the light dimmed, she looked back to have discovered a creature. This creature was the 'light' of [world name]. The creature explained to her that it become lost after the [name] tree had lost it's grip on the world. It also explained it would happily guide her on her journey to find the lost seed and restore life back to the world.

A 'creature/monster' stole the seed during the night in blind hatred. The [name] tree never seemed to approve of it's actions, and never gave the answers it desired. (Black Sheep) The creature/monster knew of the [world's name] 'light' that would search for the seed, and was always on the hunt for it, and anyone who came looking. (This still could be worked on. I'm unsure what would make someone/something take the seed initially. Feel like this is a sad story and the monster/creature ''villain'' could eventually be forgiven).

Main Characters(?): 

• Villain - Guardian
• Side-kick - Lost Light
• Hero
• World Creatures

@Phil Third Year Project: What if there was an actual 'Money Tree'?

Premise: What if there was an actual 'Money Tree'?

This is quite wordy however I just thought I would post what I have been thinking about. After going through each 'What if' - the Money Tree idea seemed to spark a chain of ideas.

At the moment I'm keeping my options open when it comes to deciding on a genre. Is this wise?

I was thinking about this scenario and it certainly seemed to spring more ideas into my head than others. It also gives me a chance to think of a world that could be totally unique. Yes, it is a tree, but maybe this tree is different in many other ways. I thought about two ways this could effect society.

1) It could be the wealth and heart of society, and therefore criminals, bandits and so on would always try to steal or destroy it. So the ''caretaker'' would be its protector.

2) Society is selfish and only using the tree's wealth/power to benefit 'some' inhabitants. So poverty, ruin and famine could be result everywhere else. So this ''caretaker'' would be the ultimate 'bad guy'.

I like both ideas. In some way, they both have potential for a story to emerge. However, they both could holds and make a 'larger picture'. So - this ''caretaker'' would be important to the wealthier side of society; keeping it secure from (in their eyes) any 'criminals'. Where really, these 'criminals' are the poorer people.

I am still unsure if the combination works, however it definitely leads me on to further questions.

• Is this planet earth or another earth like world?
• Who owns the 'tree'?
• Does it only just give money?
• Could this 'tree' be a humanoid?
• Who are the rich/ who are the poor?
• Who would try to steal/destroy it?
• Who is the 'caretaker'?

I was also thinking that this idea could incorporate other premises, but as additional features. For example:- Tree's produce oxygen, so maybe this tree is the last of its kind, and everywhere else the air has turned poisonous. The world doesn't necessarily mean earth in my story - so maybe these characters who would fill this 'world' could have insect sized dogs? Or have insect features, etc.

Acting Lessons: Class Review and Experience

Acting Lessons: Class Review and Experience

What I had gained from these acting classes was mainly more confidence, but also a better understanding of others around me. This fundamentally helped me understand and think in a different way creatively when it comes to my own CG work around character design. I definitely enjoyed the activities that happened during each Wednesday and I felt a lot more inspired towards live action and animation.

<Group List>

Acting Class 01 (4th March)

• The first acting class was about becoming something else that your partner had designed, using our bodies like 'clay'. Such as a tree, rock star and a table! The second part was to create a story using three freeze frames.

Acting Class 02 (11th March)

• The second acting class was all about 'class status'. This was shown by attaching a playing card to our foreheads; starting from Ace all the way up to the King. (Lowest - Highest) We would then have to guess our own statuses to how the people around the room would treat you.

• The next half of the lesson we we paired together and given a scenario. However, we were individually given 'an end goal' with different statuses. Such as Josh and I were given 'mother' and a 'son' role, yet my goal was to meet his girlfriend before he went out, while Josh had to leave before I could meet his girlfriend. (High and Low).

Acting Class 03 (18th March)

• The third acting class was about imagination and thinking on the spot. There were several items spread out over the floor, ranging from toilet rolls, gloves, books and a top hat. One person would leave the room while the rest of us would choose an object, and imaginably change it to become 'something else'.

• When the person re-entered the room, we could only communicate by clapping to indicate if the person was acting out the right thing. For example, when I left the room and re-entered, I discovered I had been given the computer mouse. I had to perform several silly actions to guess what it might be, and in the end it was a skipping rope. Others had the top hat as a towel, a hole punch as nail clippers and a toilet roll as a cat.

Acting Class 04 (15th April)

• For the fourth and final acting class we were paired again and were given an identity to portray for the rest of the evening. We had to become these characters using a mask to cover our faces to help bring out our new identity.

Third Year Project: Potential Ideas Development

Minor/Major Project Potential List & Development

This list is a collection of all my top 'What if' questions. So I am now going to develop some of my favorites to see what ideas that could get out of them. Basic development until I find one or two ideas to take further.

1. What if insects were the size of dogs?
2. What if fizzy drinks turned people into 'monsters'?
3. What if listening to music gave you 'powers'?
4. What if the air turned poisonous?
5. What if there was an actual money tree?
6. What if there were actual 'monsters' hiding under peoples bed's?
7. What if vehicles were replaced with large domesticated animals?
8. What if mother nature was a real person?

Premise: What if insects were the size of dogs?

After Phil's comment about the insects idea, I went ahead to think about the owners and what kind of world would inhabit 'dog sized' insects.

• Could the owners also be something associated with insects? Animals, plants, food or rubbish?
• Maybe this world is inside a forgotten green house, rubbish tip, or wheelie bin?

Premise: What if fizzy drinks turned people into 'monsters'?

This idea could relate to the world right now. They're so popular, they will more than likely still be produced in 'the future'. In today's society, so many people drink fizzy drinks these days to even care whats on the label, with 'new & (apparently) improved' formulas selling like hotcakes and not many people care to see what it could be doing to their health.

• Maybe a popular fizzy drink company (Or a future brand) had put something inside the liquid mistakenly (or not) and made people so addicted to it, it turned them 'mad'?
• Could the drink have turned them into wild beasts that become under the control of someone?
• If it was a mistake, then maybe the whole world has changed and adapted to the creatures beyond; potentially training fighters to put an end to it?
• The concept of a man made object ruining 'nature' - but on another planet.

Premise: What if the air turned poisonous?

Poisonous air stood out to me when I first thought of it. If the air really did turn poisonous, then what would it have done to the world? How would the world react?

• Would we now live somewhere else in the universe?
• Plants, trees, earth itself deformed and corrupted? Creating new intelligent life?
• New rules, law, government, society?

Premise: What if mother nature was a real person?

If mother nature was a physical being, how would she fit in a civilized society? Who or what would she be? Her purpose?

• Could mother nature's plan be to end the human race? Too much of a lost cause?
• Becomes so well loved she changes for the worse? (Nazi Germany reference)
• Maybe mother nature is someone who travels worlds to bring balance?

Minor/Major Project Ideas (2)

Minor/Major Project Ideas

More ideas for my minor/major projects.

• What if home grown vegetables came to life?
• What if there were actual 'monsters' hiding under peoples bed's?
• What if we were awake during the night and slept during the day?
• What if vehicles were replaced with large domesticated animals?
• What if mother nature was a real person?
• What if kites were living things?
• What if the moon was made of diamonds?
• What if you could taste a rainbow?
• What if the world was a spaceship? Or we all lived in one?

Minor/Major Project Ideas (1)

Minor/Major Project Ideas

After having a conversation with Phil and Alan about my third year, we discussed how I should obtain an idea before I think aesthetically. Phil and I talked about if we lived in a world were 'pigs could actually fly' to demonstrate how far one idea could be expanded and developed. So I have been thinking about some interesting questions/situations to start my idea from.

• What if clouds were made of candy floss?
• What if gold was actually at the end of the rainbow?
• What if insects were the size of dogs?
• What if there was no gravity?
• What if we lived inside the Moon?
• What if fizzy drinks turned people into 'monsters'?
• What if listening to music gave you 'powers'?
• What if the air turned poisonous?
• What if we lived in the sky?
• What if everyone lost their voice?
• What if there was an actual money tree?
• What if we were allergic to sunlight?
• What if a gun had a 'soul'?

I'm hoping to come up with more of these unless some already have potential. Aiming for an idea by the end of next week. Any suggestions/thoughts?

Minor/Major Project Thoughts

Minor/Major Project Thoughts

For my third year project(s) I am thinking about having it as one large project. The project would focus on character design leading to an animated cinematic of some sort.

I have been watching countless animated shorts, new upcoming film trailers and game advertisements and I have embedded some that I found most inspiring. I don't have any actual 'ideas' yet, however a mixture of these next cinematic's/animated shorts give a range of ideas.