Laura's Star Animatic

This is our storyboard for the opening of our animated film Laura's Star. Last monday we drew each shot on a piece of sticky note paper and layed them out in order on the table. Unfortunatly taranpreet wasnt with us today, but we managed to film each shot of the storyboard to give us an idea of what our film will look like. In the story, Laura finds a broken star on the floor outside her house and she fixes it back together. In the morning she discovers that the star had disappeared and she is upset, but at night the star reappears and she understands that the star can only come out at night. Laura ties some balloons to the star to take it back up to where it belongs.Hannah and i uploaded the film and edited it on i-movie. We cut out unwanted parts so that is flowed more evenly, and even added sound effects like a sparkle for the star and a splash for a puddle. It does seem a little cheesy, but hey its from a childrens storybook, so i don't think theres anything wrong with a little magic touch :)

continuity final cut.

When looking back over the film we noticed that in shot 2 of lewis, that the view is not coming from charlotte's perspective, it was just an angle by the camera for the viewer. If we would be moving charlottes position it would be breaking this rule. We cut out the slow tilt up to Lewis to get just the mid shot of him delivering his line.

Our Team Continuity Sequence - 1st Cut

This is our continuity sequence for the exam board. Brief: someone had to enter a

room and exchange dialogue with another person. However we was not allowed to break the 180 degree rule and we had to keep the continuity so that it flowed.We used Charlotte to enter the room and play cards with lewis. Beforehand Hannah taranpreet and myself created a stroyboard to plan this and we basically stuck to it. We did not make a script for our two characters because we wanted to keep the sequence natural, we just told them that Charlotte would arrive late and that they would play cards on the table. This is our first cut in i-movie.

THE PITCH

we gave our pitch to the class....

We didnt make a powerpoint, because we decided to talk directly to the class and show drawings which we made. The blog was also used on the screen.

We started by telling them that we going to make an animated sequence which will start in real life and then turn into animation. We briefly explained the story of Laura's star which gave us the inspiration for our film. We had the book with us so we each made an example of what we will draw. Taranpreet had a house with laura looking out of the window and balloons floating across the credits. Hannah had laura's bed with a name stitched into the pillow and i had laura shinning a torch onto a name. We presented these to the class to give them an idea of what the drawing will look like. We showed the Hannah's blog to the class which had the Saul Bass research, and our research into animated titles.

Feedback

there were no negative comments, they said it would take a lot of tome to do, but we could handle it (we're up for a challenge plus im really lookig forward to it :D)

Animation Titles

We've decided to make an animation sequence for the opening titles and so we are looking at other animated titles for inspiration and ideas.
Genre: children's/family film

We will start the film in the real world as normal and then to go into an animated world, to give a storybook/childish feel to the film. This idea came from the film Elf which is one of my favourite Christmas films .
http://http//uk.youtube.com/watch?v=t5cv0MxKAzk

ELF (2003)




This film begins in animation. snowflakes fly across the screen, to reveal titles,which is like our star will do. There is a book which opens and the picture turns to real life. Later on in the clip at about 2 minutes in, the book opens up into a pop up book. This part is kept quite simple but it is still looks beautiful, which proves that you don't have to over complicate the animation to make it work. The pages of the book turn and a name appears on each page along with some snowflakes blown across. The camera glides along the pages of the book showing the viewer colourful drawings inside the book of elfs and toys. 3D animation is also used int this opening sequence; there is a penguin, a polar bear and a walrus.


These characters move about, talk and sometimes interact with the text. In one shot the penguin pulls along a sign with credits on. When it has finished the pages ofthe book flutter to the end and as the final page blows away we are cut to the real world again inside an orphanage.
From looking at this clip i would like to use the flying snowflake idea, but with a star, to relate to the story. The images that we are going to draw will be colourful and childlike like the pictures in this opening scene.


JUNO (2007)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_NPNoKHlTLM






This is an example of how animation is developing today. At the begining a girl named Juno walks along the street drinking sunny D,minding her own business. When Juno steps past a tree and comes past the other side, her world turns into a series of colourful drawings. The house behind is in a block colour with simple lines and Juno's clothes look like they have been coloured in. It is likeshe has stepped into another carefree and simple world. The film is " a comedy about growing up... and all the bumps along the way" so it shows Juno in a young and playful environment because she is still a teenage girl. It sets the tone for the rest of the film. Juno walks through the neighbourhood in the whole sequence with nothing fazing her.

The credits appear behind her on buildings, on fences, beside her face and on the pavement. The film makers asked Shadow play to make the opening titles for Juno which also made the titles for Thank you for smoking, another Jason Reitman film. This handmade sequence hundreds of photos would have been taken of (Juno) walking down the neighbourhood and then colouring in the photos using Adobe After Effects.


I found this website very intersting and helpful, it gives a video tutorial on how the titles were made:)!http://library.creativecow.net/articles/bonner_simon/The_Juno_Look/video-tutorial.php

The BIG Picture

Today we looked at the "Big Picture" created a mind map filled with ideas. I wrote down examples of animated opening titles like catch me if you can. we also included animation from music videos like D.A.N.C.E by Justice where by the t-shirts have animated images which are constantly moving and changing and a video on Teamedia by a previous student Hannah Bingham's Black Horse and the Cherry Tree video, where she drew pictures of a beating heart, chattering teeth, and moving footsteps. We also began looking into the music. We wish to create a piece of music on the macs to use in the opening, something magical and childlike, along the lines of twinkle twinkle little star.

This is my mindmap :)

Through are ideas we decided to go with the children's/ family genre so that we could make young and playful drawings. It is also a genre that is not often used so i think it will be a challenge, but very fun :) We have chosen to use the storyline from the book "Laura's Star." In the story a little girl finds a fallen star and she looks after it and puts it back into the sky. We will shoot as normal, in the real world with a girl looking out of her window at the stars and as we zoom into the star, it will turn to animation and drop down from the sky.

The titles will appear on the screen and the star will guide you round. The star will also act as a wipe so that we can cut to different parts. The animated images will interact with text, For example the writers name will appear on the pillow, or even when the girl shines her torch the text lights up. When the titles have finished the film will resume ack in the real world.

Saul Bass

Saul Bass was a master of creating opening titles. I had little understanding of Bass' work and i was suprised to learn that he created famous and recognisbale film openings such as Psycho and Goodfellas and that he collaborated with the legendary Alfred Hitcock and Martin Scorsese. In the documentary Bass on Titles Saul Bass told us of the importance the opening credits has on a film to come and to take the audiences attention before the film has even started. He explained that they act as a "Prologue" which can "contribute to the storyline." He also said that titles often get ignored, and so he found an opportunity to "use titles in a new way." In bass' work, you can clearly see that he doesnt want his titles to go unnoticed!


I have chosen to look at:


West Side Story
Walk on the Wild Side
Goodfellas





West Side Story (1961)

This has to be one of my favourite films, it's a classic. There are two sets of credits and i looked at the end titles. At the end of West side story, there is a sudden death of one of the main characters, Tony who plays the young romeo. Bass made a long gentle sequence to follow this, so that the audience could take in what had happened and recollect before the lights came on. He described it as a "decompression chamber." The graffiti writing on the walls fitted in perfectly with the storyline and film environment. A slow pan movement follows the walls and fences to show the names of the cast and crew etched on them. I have only realised now why i sit and watch these end credits. Normally when the credits roll up i turn over, but in this sequence i always stay to watch because i find the music and gentle movment calming after the sudden death. Very cleverly presented.

Walk on the Wild Side (1962)

This title sequence follows a black cat walking along the dark street. The cat has bright blue eyes which show up in the blackness; it looks a little bit like a panther. The titles appear along side the cat as it prowls down the street. It looks mysterious and sly but it also has a sleek and cool style which comes across to me. The music is quite slick and the beat goes in time with the cat's steps. It looks like the cat has an important presence as we follow him. At the end of the sequence we see the cat jump out and attack another cat and fight. The cat is not involved in the stroyline but they have used the cat to convey the meaning of "taking a walk on the wild side" which gives you a hint on what is to come.

Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas is about ganster life, and Henry Hill who works his way to the topthrough the mob hierachy. I chose this title sequence because it differs from other Bass titles i've seen. They have used acting as part of the opening.Firstly the names of the actors slide across the screen, pause, and then slide off again in simple white text against a black background. They make a swooshing sound as they speed past, like cars. It is then cut to a car driving down and then into the car to show 3 guys. They think they have hit something so they step out of the car. They hear banging from and they open it up to reveal someone inside. One of the men stabs the person repeatively in the stomach and another shoots, to make sure the person is dead for certain. It is quite graphic for the opening titles, but once again puts you into the story and to show you what to expext from the film. A voiceover of a man is played when focused on the third man which says "As far back as i can remember, i always wanted to be a ganster." this is the tagline of the film. This tells you that this is his job and he always wanted to do it. The frame freezes and a jazz type upbeat song ,rags to riches, which in a way lightens the mood to show a dark comedy side to the film.It then chnages to the black screen again to show the title "Goodfellas" in red, and the other credits follow in the swooshing effect.

Animation research

We've been looking at some animation clips on youtube to give us ideas of animated opening titles, from a mainstream action film, Casino Royale,to a fully animated family film, Monsters Inc. We are interested in the typography, movement, and images used.

We even looked at the titles for the Us sitcom Desperate Housewives, which features animated text and "pop up book" style imagery.

We have looked at :

Catch me If you can

Run Lola Run
North by North West
Pink Panther
Casino Royale
Quantum of Solace
Se7en
Monster Inc.

Catch Me If You Can was one of our favourite choices:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz5mh8DngHY

And so it begins....

Todays Brief: Opening Sequence.

I am begining to plan an opening sequence of a film for Media with Hannah Moore and Taranpreet Dhooper. I have worked well in the past with Hannah and Taranpreet so i'm certain we can produce a great opening sequence. We are unsure which genre to go for. I have already filmed a Horror trailer in year 11 and i would like to try something new. We have already decided that we would like to have an animation sequence for the titles which i'm sure we will really enjoy. We havn't tried this before and it It will take some time but we will get there! i'm reserching opening clips such as the new James Bond films "Casino Royale" and "Quantum Of Solace" which both include animated title sequences. I will also look at "Run Lola Run" which has fantastic animation at the begining which really propels the audience into the film. We wish to use this in our film so that we can step into the animation world just like "Run Lola Run."