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Ciaran Morton
Research report
Introduction
Web
First of all, I searched the age rating for the popular film the
Nightmare before Christmas, this is a popular film by Tim
Burton, the image to the right is the cover for the film. This
film is a PG; this shows that I can create something like this
while sticking to my target audience as the target audience
is already set by the brief to children.
This research shows that I am able to create a darker
themed Claymation while still sticking to the PG rating, the
other Tim Burton films/works are also proof of this as they
are mostly PG ratings while still having a darker theme.
The image to the right is an image of the cover of the Corpse
Bride which is another popular animation by Tim Burton which
is also a PG, this is further evidence that I will be able to
create darker themed Claymation and stick to the appropriate
target audience.
Audience
The definition of an audience is the people who either watch the content
or are targeted to the content, the people targeted by the content are
potential audience as these are the people who are most likely to watch
the content.
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Viewing context:
Basically, viewing context is what context the story line is taken in and if
everything makes sense. In short this is all about if the animation makes
sense or if it is just nonsense, an example of this is a character doing an
action and the appropriate response to the action. Context also refers to if
the audience will understand what is going on, however as I have to target
small children this is not really relevant as most plots and storylines would
be too complex. Even if this was different I only have a 30 second
animation so I wouldnt be able to include a lot of plot of story line into the
animation due to it being so short. Most programmes viewing context
would apply to would be either 20+ minuet programmes or films as these
have just enough time to develop a good storyline/plot rather than a very
short 30 second clip.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, this section is all about the audience and the context, given
the audience being children and the time frame being so short the context
is not too big of a deal, this would be different if I had an older target
audience and a longer time frame (animation wise e.g. 20/30 minuet
programme pilot or film as these have enough time to develop characters,
backstories, motives, plot, side plot etc.).
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Generation of concepts
Subject:
Characters:
There will only be a few characters at most, these will all be quite gothic
and very well designed, these will be the main focus of the animation, as I
have already done some research into the age ratings I know the
barrier dividing PG and 12, this means that I will easily be able to
design characters with a dark theme while keeping the age rating
from going into a 12 as this would basically fail the unit as it is not
what the brief specified. As I have based a lot of research off of
Tim Burton I am going to base my characters off of that theme.
Through research I found that the only gothic styled characters I
could use are basic simplistic characters, this is shown through
the films I listed as all of the characters arent too detailed, the
best example of this is the Jack Skeleton character in Tim Burtons
film a nightmare before Christmas, the image of this character is
shown to the right.
Visualisation:
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characters, the background and any other assets that may be used in the
animation. The gothic theme can be portrait by the characters by styling
the characters in gothic clothing and styling the face of the character too
look gothic; I can also create a simplistic gothic backdrop e.g. grey/black
houses in the background at night, dead trees etc.
The image to the right is of a background for the
nightmare before Christmas film, this is a great
example of simplistic gothic backgrounds, this is
in 3D but the background I am creating is in 2D
so this is a good example-le but this is not the
background I am going to be using as I am going
to be creating my own background.
I know that I have a lot of technical limitations, this is mainly due to the
time frame that I have to produce the short animation, I have found that I
am going to be using Adobe Flash, this is great as I know a lot about stage
3.0 of Flash; this includes how to edit content on this version of Flash and
how to add additional content when editing the content.
In conclusion (and knowing which editing
platform I have to use) I think that I will
have very little/no technical limitations, this
is going to be quite an easy project as I
have to aim the content at children so the
storyline does not have to be too detailed or
too well done, all I need to do is create a
simple 30 second animation introducing a
new character. The image to the right is of
the Adobe Flash logo, this logo shows the
platform I am going to be editing on.
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Storyline:
Sets:
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Backgrounds:
The backgrounds are going to be quite split and quite different, this
includes two very different backgrounds to add a lot of contrasts between
the two different styles of bright colourful and dark gothic, this is used in
the film a Nightmare before Christmas.
To keep within the PG rating that I need to stick to in order to keep to the
brief (this is because the brief told me that my target audience is small
children so I need to have an age rating of PG). If I had an older audience,
I would be able to add more
detail to the animation and I
would be able to think of a lot
more content that would not be
flagged by an age rating of a
12+ or 15+. The images to the
right are of the example
images I used previously when
describing the set and the story line.
Audio:
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Soundtrack design:
The sound track I have to use has already been set for me to use, it is
already designed and used frequently on the CBBC
channel, if I were to use my own music I would fail the
unit therefore I do not have much to write in this section
as I do not have anything to write other than the
soundtrack is the soundtrack to CBBC. The logo for
CBBC is shown to the right as this is the most relevant
graphic I could think of to show for this section as this is
the logo for the company I am going to be using.
Lighting:
The lighting in this animation will be controlled so that the images look
good, this will be done with overhead lights, I can also use some makeshift
barriers against the sunlight, this will stop any camera glare, this will
ensure the I have all good images as a light spot in one image will throw
the entire animation down a grade as the animation will have a big flicker
of light appear in middle of a frame.
The lighting overhead should be s white light as to not change the colours
as a yellow light will change the tint of the entire stage to yellow and ruin
the animation.
This is all I can really write about lighting as it
is important but not very complex as it is just
setting up the correct lighting to ensure I can
get good images; without good lighting I
cannot ensure that all of the images are good.
The image to the right is a studio lamp, these
are very big and very expensive lamps used in
television and creating films and programmes.
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Stop frame techniques is a VERY simple process where images are shown
one after the other that makes the images look like they are moving, this
is the technique I am using, this is all oriented around frame rate, as the
brief says to make a 12+ frame rate animation I am aiming to create
around a 30 frame per second animation to avoid any jittering, this will
make the overall animation good as the quality is all oriented around the
frame rate (the higher the frame rate the better the animation will run).
The image to the right
shows the basic stop
frame graph that
shows how frame rate
is a huge part of stop
motion, if the frame
rate was terrible then
the animation will look bad but if the frame rate is 60 frames per second
then the overall quality will look a lot better in general and a lot less
jittering.
Plasticise animation:
Plasticise animation has been around for years, the leading animator is a
company called Aardman animations, here is a brief look into the history
of animation in the Aardman animations company:
1972:
In 1997 they produced a unique brand of independent films that engaged
audiences with their storylines and had a worldwide reputation as they
had received 10 Oscar nominations and won four of them.
The founders Peter Lord and David Spoxton started their animating
partnership at school and registered the name Aardman Animations in
1972.
After graduating, they moved to Bristol in 1976 and produced their first
professional animation Take Hart.
Peter and David initially wanted to develop an adult audience for model
animation Conversational Pieces commissioned by channel 4. In this
show Aardman demonstrated that real people could be characterised with
insight, humour and sensitivity.
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In 1985 Peter and David met Nick Park at the National Film and Television
school when working on his student film A Grand Day Out. Nick joined
Aardman full time in 1985.
1986:
In 1989 channel 4 commissioned by channel 4 again to create a series of
five 5-minute films, Lip Synch. Channel 4 also aired: Peter Lords War Story
and Going Equipped (Images of both below)
(Images to the left)
These are images of
the animations by
Peter Lord that were
aired by Channel 4.
Channel 4 also aired
Barry purves Next,
Richard Goleszowski's
Ident and Nick
Park's Creature
Comforts images below)
(image to the left) is of an image of Creature
Comforts.
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1998:
Aardman received a BAFTA for Stage fright in 1998. Stage fright is a 11-
minute short film commissioned by channel 4 Television.
Rex The Runt was the studios first animated series that youth and adults
watched. It was first shown on BBC 2in 1998 and gained lots of top
international awards.
(Link to videos from Rex the runt series: https://www.google.co.uk/search?
q=rex+the+runt&biw=753&bih=681&tbm=vid&source=lnms&sa=X&ved
=0ahUKEwijh57Pz97MAhVCDsAKHY43B9gQ_AUIBygB&dpr=1 )
2000:
In 2000, Chicken run was Aardman first full length theatrical feature film
which was founded by DreamWorks (logo below)
In the UK and US Chicken run got excellent
reviews and outstanding box office receipts and
made over $220 million at the world wide box
office.
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In 2007 Aardmans Shaun the sheep series started and was inspired by A
close shave from 1995. In 2007 Aardman also produced a US version of
Creature Comforts.
2008:
Another Wallace and Gromit film was released called A matter of loaf and
death it was broadcast on BBC 1 on Christmas day 2008, it was viewed
by 16.15 million people and was nominated for an Oscar in the best short
animated film and went on to win a BAFTA for best animated short film.
(Image below).
In 2009 Wallace and Gromit featured in The world of
cracking ideas. This was a major exaptation held at
the science museum in London that attracted over
half a million UK visitors to date.
Both Shaun the sheep (second series) and Timmy
time (preschool version of Shaun the sheep) both
aired in 2009 on BBC 1.
2010:
In 2006 Aardman produces a new 6 series Wallace and Gromit World of
invention was produced and broadcasted on BBC1. On top of the series a
game and website was developed, extending the viewers experience to
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different media platforms. This went on to win a BAFTA for new Media.
(Image below)
2011:
Aardman animations produced and released Arthur Christmas as part of a
feature film deal with Sony Pictures Animations (SPE logo below).
Aardman also released The Pirates! In
an Adventure with Scientists another
feature film which was released in March
2012, it also received an Academy award
nomination. (Image of the pirates below).
(Image to the left) This is the cover of the Pirates
film that was released in 2012.
2012:
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2015:
By 2015 Aardman was producing the 5th series of
Shaun the sheep, and a half hour special called
the farmers llamas (Image of the farmers
llamas below)
This pretty much covers most of the relevant plasticise information, this is
the history of Aardmans work with plasticise and how plasticise work has
evolved or improved over the years.
Task 5 conclusion:
Task 5 Production:
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Storyline
The storyline for the first idea is quite simple, this is there is two separate
sides of the stage, a colourful side and a gothic side, this is shown with
the colour scheme and 1 side of the stage being sunny where the other
side is night. There are two characters starting on one side of the stage
and another character on the other side of the stage, the characters on
one side of the stage is colourful (the two houses on the colour side will be
red and orange) where the character on the gothic side of the stage is
gothic styled. The character then runs inside when the other two
characters go to the dark side of the stage, the characters then knock on
and the gothic character appears. Then while introducing himself, forgets
his name; then rushes over to a chest in the house and starts frantically
throws items across the room trying to remember what he is called, after
a few seconds he gives up. In the end they run out of the house following
the gothic character, cuts to the duel screens (both the gothic set and the
colour set, all characters run out of set (via the colour side).
Sets
There is going to be three sets, one of which includes two sides of the
stage, then the next one is just the gothic side of the stage, then the last
one is inside the black house in the gothic side of the stage. These three
sides of the stage are all vital parts to the story as I have planned the
majority of the story around the locations.
Backgrounds
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then another background is going to be fully gothic style stage; the last
stage is going to be inside the black house of the gothic style stage.
Scenarios
Audio
Apparently the audio is going to be taken from the CBBC show, this means
that I can just download that sound track and will not need to bother
finding a song of my own and I wont need to bother editing a song of my
choice down and implementing it in the flash document.
Storyline
For the second idea, I have created two other characters. In this second
idea (I have had hardly any time to create), I am going to also use the
other three characters I created to add to the cast. I am going to have the
five characters all die eventually via different ways (squashed) e.g. falling
of an asset, being hit, hitting into something etc.
Sets
There are going to be a few different sets to show the five different ways
that the characters will be killed/squished, this involved the top and
bottom of a building. There are also going to be another couple of sets like
a road and a field.
Backgrounds
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The backgrounds will be the top of a tower, bottom of a tower, road and a
field. These are all going to show in the various locations. These are all
going to be quite simplistic, as I have to create a lot of them within a very
short space of time.
Scenarios
Audio
Apparently the audio is going to be taken from the CBBC show, this means
that I can just download that sound track and will not need to bother
finding a song of my own and I wont need to bother editing a song of my
choice down and implementing it in the flash document.
Storyline
Sets
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There are going to be three different scenes. These three are going to be
similar the first scene will have a split down the middle; on one side there
will be a bright colourful side and the other side with be dark and gothic.
The second set is going to be all dark and gothic, and then the last scene
will be from inside the gothic house showing the front room of inside the
black house.
Backgrounds
As I have decided that I am going with the first idea as it is more suited to
the designated brief target audience. In the first idea I have to create
three different backgrounds. The first idea has a split background of the
left hand side being a colourful place, a red/orange house during a sunny
day with a green field; the other side is a black house during night with a
dead field in-front of it.
The second stage is just all the night side of the stage; this is the part
where all of the characters leave the colour side of the stage. The last
stage I need to create is inside the black house as the characters enter
the black house during the middle of the animation.
Scenarios
The scenario is what I have written for the first idea scenario, this is
basically: The scenario is the same as the storyline, which is simply; three
characters, one of which is on the gothic side of the stage and two are on
the colourful side of the stage. At the start, the gothic character hides.
Then appears later on and tries to remember its name then gives up. At
the end the gothic character ends up running out of the house, out of the
right side of the stage then completely off the stage ending the animation
with the other characters chasing after him. This is quite a short storyline
but I did not have much time to think the story line up.
Audio
The audio will mainly be the CBBC music that I am being supplied with,
this is along with the CBBC logo to display on screen while the animation
is being showed. The brief I have seen says that I am going to be able to
use both the CBBC music and the CBBC logo, this is the best thing to use
as it is already edited down for me, it is suited to my theme and my target
audience and it is specified on the brief. If I had to use my own music I
would have to choose a suitable song for the scenario, then I would have
to use Adobe to edit the song down and export it before using it. These
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Computer animation:
In this project I am going to be using Adobe Flash auto script 3.0, this is an
earlier version of flash that is still accessible through the Adobe Flash cc
2016 application, the image to the right is
the auto script platform I am going to be
using to edit the images I take together to
create this project, I am also going to be
using this editing software to possibly edit in
some assets or fix any images with any
problems e.g. light flare, too dark, too bright
etc. I will keep editing to a minimal to avoid
any kind of compression on the final save as
compression on a file this size will cause the
image quality to plummet causing the animation to look bad.
Television
Film
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Film is another form of animation, this is mainly for the bigger campaigns
that produce animations, this project I am currently making is for a pilot
for a new programme so this is not going to be a film and the animation is
only 30 seconds long so it cannot be a film as the animation is only
supposed to be 30 seconds long whereas the animation I am supposed to
be making is at least over 1 hour 30 minutes (an example of this is an
Aardman animation e.g. Flushed
Away, Chicken run, Wallace and
Gromit etc.) The image to the right is
of the Aardman animations logo, this
shows the logo of a film company that
shows an animator that produces
films (even though I am not going to
produce a film, just a pilot to a television programme that will be 30
seconds long).
Web
To conclude:
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Storylines
Sets
Backgrounds
The backgrounds are going to be quite split and quite different, this
includes two very different backgrounds to add a lot of contrasts between
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the two different styles of bright colourful and dark gothic, this is used in
the film a Nightmare before Christmas.
To keep within the PG rating that I need to stick to in order to keep to the
brief (this is because the brief told me that my target audience is small
children so I need to have an age rating of PG). If I had an older audience,
I would be able to add more
detail to the animation and I
would be able to think of a lot
more content that would not be
flagged by an age rating of a
12+ or 15+. The images to the
right are of the example
images I used previously when
describing the set and the story line.
Scenarios
In this assignment I have to produce two separate scenarios for the client
to pick one out, I have currently only designed one so far, I will be able to
develop another scenario shortly, then I will write up the rest of the story
boards and dope sheets I need to finish, then I will ask the client who will
pick out one to create, then I will shoot the images, edit it all together,
finish and publish and show the final product to the client along with all of
the work I created. ADD IN AN IMAGE OF A STORYBOARD!!!
Audio
I have heard that I am allowed to use the cbbies (childrens television
programme) own music which is 30 seconds long,
so instead of using my own I am going to use this
as it links into the brief that I have to use this music
and I have to display the cbbies logo somewhere on
screen while the animation is going on, this is to
represent that the animation is aired for cbbies. The
image to the right is of the logo of CBBs, this is the
logo ai I cannot take an image of a music track so
this is the most relevant image I can think of.
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As both of these ideas are similar I would be creating both of them the
exact same way, so instead of trying to write out the same thing for both
of these, the columns (use of possible format, generation if production
ideas and audience are all going to be shared between both ideas) this is
mainly to save time and stop from printing out the EXACT same thing for
both ideas, this is because any Claymation I am going to be creating will
be created using the same platforms, producing ideas and I have to use
the same audience as it is already has the audience set.
As I am able to use Adobe Flash auto script 3.0 I am going to be using this
this is because I have a lot of previous work with this version of Adobe
flash. There are other editing platforms available but I have the most
amount of experience with Flash auto script 3.0, this is because this is an
older version of flash that I used to use and still remember how to use all
of the different tools to better edit my animation together.
As I have already made the storyboards for this assignment (this includes
both of the ideas I had to create) I have already formed all of my ideas,
however I thought of these animations by coming up with a basic idea
then adding to it until it turned into a solid thirty second animation idea,
this was quite easy as the animation is going to be aimed at small children
so the plot and storyline does not need to be the best or very coherent.
Audience
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control over the audience I would have set it is 15+ or 18+ so that I could
incorporate better content without having to be restrained by PG rating
bands, this is because PEGI PG allows
Drawings
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Storyboarding
The images below are all of the story boards I produced for this project, all
of these are for both of the ideas I came up with, later on the client will
choose one to pick, then I am going to produce this animation. (All of the
story boards are shown in the section above).
Dope sheet
The dope sheets are similar to the story boards; this is because the dope
sheets are also all about the animation, the difference is the story boards
are about the assets involved in the animation whereas the dope sheets
are all about the frames/seconds per scene in the animation along with
how many frames are in the animation, what happens in each scene, what
the camera is doing in the animation e.g. zooming in/zooming out, moving
to the left or right/up or down. The dope sheets I produced (for both of my
ideas I created) are shown below, this includes the dope sheets for the
idea I chose and the idea I did not chose to produce.
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Consideration of movement
Continuity
The frames per second on this project was going to be around 12+ frames
per second, this is really bad in way of animation as this quality is very low
and causes a lot of lag, this is why I am going to try and film in 30 frames
per second, this is to try and create a well-made animation without lag. If I
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created the animation in 12 frames per second it would be quite slow and
would jitter a lot as there wouldnt be enough frames to smoothly
transition between the separate images.
In short, I am going to
aim the frames per
second at 20/30 frames
per second to ensure
that I can create a good
animation without a
lot/any jitter.
In the image to the right it shows frame rate this is what frame rate is.
Perspective
Set or background
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Lighting
Colour
Script
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The script is very short as the animation is only thirty seconds long, the
script is basically the gothic character going to introduce himself but
forgetting his name and eventually running away, this isnt the best script
but I only had a couple of days to fully think up both of the ideas along
with the story line, backgrounds, script, characters and any other assets I
am going to use.
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