The final prop assets are near completion. Below are the main props in our film. Again exploring a mix of photographic textures mixed with Photoshop painting to build our art style.
The ladder at the bottom of the tree. Also holding the first article of clothing lost
The exterior of the rocket ship with metal texture
With the interior of the rocket ship we played with the concept of it resembling a uterus that would cradle him
Last the image we will use inside of the book he is reading. War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Looking at the design of various props throughout the film. We started by exploring the critical props, mainly the rocket ship. Additional props will include things such as his hatchet, his book and the ladder.
We are still exploring the look of the character in relationship to the environments. The character will be animated 2D digitally using Toon Boom. We are currently leaning towards options without the paper edge.
Exploration of the paper edge around the character animation.
Above is a character line up of Goddard at various ages.
Lastly some thumbnail sketches of 16yr old Goddard's facial expressions.
We have been exploring a variety of color palettes and design directions for the environments. The team is narrowing in on a final direction of the film that includes photo textures and compositing, with watercolor backgrounds, digital painting and digital 2D character animation.
Initial direction. Colors based on colors from a prop concept.
A revised concept adding more colors to the sky. This also explore the ripped paper cutout look for our character.
A newer concept exploring a blue color palette and watercolor textures for the sky. Also another approach to the character animation.
A concept exploring the original styleframe color palette and a fully colored character design. This concept also introduces some flower blossoms scattered on the branches.
Final environment direction includes the texture quality of watercolor.
The
short begins with a close up of cherry tree branches. Limbs are twisted and
contorted to create a complex graphic pattern similar to synapses of the human
brain. The camera cranes down through the thicket of dead branches to lush
budding flowers, and reveals the title card carved into the tree’s trunk.
The environment is
expansive and empty with a single tree in its center, extending above the frame
with a short ladder leaned against its trunk. A teenage boy walks towards the
tree.
The boy climbs the
ladder and slowly ascends the tree. Branches transition from ripe with life to
dying as he climbs higher and higher. When he crests the canopy, the boy is
looking out into endless space. In the distance the young boy sees a hazy red
planet. He reaches towards the planet in awe. Suddenly, the branch he is
supporting himself on breaks and he begins to fall back to the ground. He turns
slowly while falling and now, with his back towards the ground, is looking back
towards the red planet. He is aging as he speaks the line "it has often
proved true that the dream of yesterday is the hope of today, and the reality
of tomorrow."
The words physically
animate from his mouth and decay into black soil that collects on his chest
where a seedling begins to sprout. The frame slowly tightens around his face as
he calmly closes his eyes. He dies.
A hatch closes,
framing his face in a porthole window. The camera trucks out to reveal a rocket
ship being propelled into space. The loud rumble of a rocket is increasing and
increasing in volume as the reverb layers and builds. Hard cut to black as only
the echo of the rocket reverberates into hollow space.
The final frame is an old man sitting on a red planet
under a cherry tree reading the book The
War of the Worldsby H.G. Wells as credits roll to the side of the frame
