CREATING A MOVIE (Part 1)

Digital Media / 3D Animation 12

Managing your Movie (& Expectations)

Characters

Characters

Not your characters:

Your Characters:

NO

YES

Rendering...

Still .. Rendering ...

And then there’s post-production

• Video editing
• Voice-Over?
• Sound Effects (Foley)
• Titles & Credits
• Digital Colour Grading
• Special Effects
• Anything Else ??? &^%&!!!

K.I.S.S.

• Simple Characters
• Simple but well thought out story
• 1 or 2 simple locations or sets (think of a stage play)
• Simple animation
• Well-Thought-out camera angles
• THIS MINIMIZES THE NEED FOR COMPLICATED ANIMATION!!

Identifying the Elements of A Plot Diagram

Plot Diagram

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Plot (definition)

• Plot is the organized pattern or sequence of events that make up a story. Every plot is made up of a series of incidents that are related to one another.

1. Exposition

• This usually occurs at the beginning of a short story. Here the characters are introduced. We also learn about the setting of the story. Most importantly, we are introduced to the main conflict (main problem).

2. Rising Action

• This part of the story begins to develop the conflict(s). A building of interest or suspense occurs.

3. Climax

• This is the turning point of the story. Usually the main character comes face to face with a conflict. The main character will change in some way.

4. Falling Action

• All loose ends of the plot are tied up. The conflict(s) and climax are taken care of.

5. Resolution

• The story comes to a reasonable ending.

Putting It All Together

1. Exposition

2. Rising Action

3. Climax

4. Falling Action

5. Resolution

Beginning of Story

Almost at the end of the Story

End of Story

Plot Mountain!

CONFLICT

Common Types of Conflict in Movies:

1. Person vs person
2. Person vs Environment/Nature
3. Person vs Society (Government)
4. Person vs Themselves
5. Person vs Machine
6. Person vs Fate / the Supernatural

Person vs Person

• Protagonist vs Antagonist.
• The most common form of external conflict.
• The protagonist wants something, and the antagonist obstructs the protagonist from getting what he wants
• Interpersonal Conflict.
• Gets the physical story going.��

Person vs Environment

• Pits the protagonist against the forces of nature or physical obstacle.
• Often hinges on the idea that nature is indifferent to humanity, has no morality or sense of fairness.
• Physical in nature, emotional desperateness.
• Also includes person vs Animal��

Person vs Society

• Occurs when the protagonist is placed at odds with a government or cultural tradition or societal norms.
• Example: When a teenager gets in trouble with their parents for sneaking out of the house at night against a curfew, this puts the teenager at odds with societal expectations that children obey their parents, a higher power or authority.��

Person vs Self

• Internal Conflict
• Conflict takes place within the mind of the main character, and often involves the character making a decision between right and wrong, or other mixed emotions. However, this struggle could also exist in the form of a character battling mental illness.
• Is often the source of the greatest emotion / struggle / dilemma within the protagonist or character.
• Makes the movie interesting & relatable.
• CAN get the story going physically too.��

Person vs Machine

• Can mean that a person is in direct combat with robots, in the context of science fiction, or it could mean simply that technology stands in the way of the protagonist getting what he/she wants.
• Example: Workers are going to be laid off because their jobs are being replaced by machines that do the job faster and cheaper. The physical struggle here is against the machine, but the emotional struggle is against the society that breeds technology.��

Person vs Fate or the

Supernatural

• Often used in horror movies.
• Similar to Person vs Person because the monster/demon/ghost/god is present and sentient, but is not limited to the realities of humans.��

Character Design

Mr.Boorman - © 2019

IAIN McCaig

Character DESIGN ?

Pixar + Character Design

Character Design is ~roughly~ halfway between art and design

Character design is NOT just drawing or modelling a character!

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• A Character has a PURPOSE:

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• NARRATIVE : The story! What ROLE does the character play in the story? Are they the protagonist, or what do they do that aids or harms in the resolution of the story’s central conflict? What is the character’s personality? Motivations? Back-Story? Quirks? How do these affect the story-arc?

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• **The character’s role in a story will affect how you visually design them.

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Character design

1. Characterization
1. Archetypes
2. Tropes
3. Spin & Specifics
2. Visualizing a Character
3. Tips

Characterization:

• the creation or construction of a fictional character.

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• Characterization: “the representation of persons (or other beings or creatures) in narrative and dramatic works of art."

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• a description of the distinctive nature or features of someone or something.

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a) Character archetypes:

In storytelling, a character archetype is the basis of a character ‘blueprint’ who represents a specific set of universal, recognizable behaviors. Carl Jung, one of the forefathers of psychoanalysis, suggested that they are part of the human collective unconscious. He believed that these recurring figures are part of the mythmaking fabric that is common to all humans.

a) Character archetypes:

Common Character archetypes:

1. The Warrior/Hero: Confident Lead destined to fight for what’s right

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2. The Child / Innocent: Innocence, Naive, Potential Future, and sometimes Innocence is lost when forced to grow up

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Common Character archetypes:

3. The Orphan: Plucked from obscurity and elevated to prominence

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4. The Creator: Willing to sacrifice their own well-being for pursuit of greater abstract goal/role.

Common Character archetypes:

5. The Caregiver: Selfless: often parent, teacher or best friend. Protective. Not center stage.

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6. The Mentor/Sage: Prepares the protagonist for the trials ahead.

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Common Character archetypes:

7. The Joker: The fool, hedonist (pursuit of pleasure), laid-back

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8. The Magician: Powerful, Inquisitive, Seeks enlightenment, knowledgeable about the world

Common Character archetypes:

9. The Ruler: Leadership, Power, Control

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10. The Rebel: Possesses a will to go against norms, expectations, overthrow status quo, a freedom fighter.

Common Character archetypes:

11. The Lover: Passionate, in pursuit of love, idealistic, fears being alone.

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12. The Explorer: Don’t fence me in. Desires freedom for self-discovery by exploring the world.

1. Character Archetypes:

• Can be found in popular narrative media

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• Are a STARTING POINT for developing a character.

b) Character TROPES:

Commonly recurring literary and rhetorical devices, motifs or clichés in creative works.

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eg: Cliché, “Stock” Characters

1980’s Highschool Character TROPES:

• The Criminal
• The Jock
• The Basket Case
• The Princess
• The Brain

b) Character TROPES (Clichés / Stock Characters / Familiar):

• The Fool
• Jerk Jock
• Sidekick
• Mary Sue
• Stoner
• Noble Savage
• Space Nazis
• Classic Villain
• Gentle Giant
• Dumb Muscle
• Cat Lady
• Sleazy Lawyer/Politician

• Dumb Dad
• Absent-Minded Professor
• Bad Boy
• Mean Boss
• Librarian
• Damsel in Distress
• Hotshot
• Nerd
• Burglar
• Gunslinger
• Pirate
• Dark Lord

Space Nazis?

Character Trope: “Gentle Giant”

Character Trope : Mad Scientist

b) Character TROPES (Clichés / Stock Characters / Familiar):

• The Fool
• Jerk Jock
• Sidekick
• Mary Sue
• Stoner
• Noble Savage
• Space Nazis
• Classic Villain
• Gentle Giant
• Dumb Muscle
• Cat Lady
• Sleazy Lawyer/Politician

• Dumb Dad
• Absent-Minded Professor
• Bad Boy
• Mean Boss
• Librarian
• Damsel in Distress
• Hotshot
• Nerd
• Burglar
• Gunslinger
• Pirate
• Dark Lord

c) “SPIN”:

Something new/more added to create something fresh!

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• Obsessions / Interests
• Flaws
• Mixes of multiple tropes or archetypes
• History
• Abilities or Super Powers
• Distinct Appearance

Hermione Granger:

1. Archetype: Mentor / Sage (Someone who guides the protagonist from a place of gathered wisdom)

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b) Trope: “Bookworm” / “Girls are more studious than boys”

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c) Spin:

• Both parents are dentists

→ wants to achieve better, so works hard.

• Faces discrimination because she’s a “mudblood”
• Not a social butterfly.
• A Know-it-all + not popular.
• Bushy hair, large front teeth.

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James P. Sullivan

1. Archetype: Hero → Creator

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b) Trope: “Gentle Giant” / “Jock” / “Entitled Successor”

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c) Spin:

• Is a big furry monster!
• Is a ‘gentle giant’, but scares children for a living.
• Is the world’s best at what he does
• Father is a famous scarer

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Beginning Characterization : Starting a character

1. Archetype

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• Trope

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• Spin

Characterization : Exercise

• Archetype

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• Trope

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• Spin (x2)

Visualizing a character (shape, stature, pose)

• Colour
• Line
• Shape
• Form
• Space
• Texture
• Tone / Value
• Time

• Colour
• Line
• Shape
• Form
• Space
• Texture
• Tone / Value
• Time

Protagonist

Antagonist

Tips:

• Decide who your character is aimed at, or what genre.
• Choose: Character attributes (personality, role in story)
• Research other designs : in similar genres and of similar character roles
• Prototype with simple shapes
• Make them expressive!: think of potential: pose, posture, attitude.
• Artistic Elements: Lines, Colours, Shapes,...
• Details & Accessories