Storytelling in the FMP
To created a project that leaves an impact on the viewer, I knew I had to embed a more structured story rather than just loose concepts. I did not aim to make a detailed animation but more of a short video that would bring out emotions out of the audience. I would compare this idea to the opening credits of a show. To achieve it, I started with the narrative structure of a basic story, shaping it into a 3 act structure:
- Beginning: Introduction of the scene, shots of the interior.
- Middle: Simulation of bursting bubble, change in the scenery.
- End: Reveal of the dream-like circumstances.
It is important to differentiate between plot and theme in story telling. The plot describes what is the story about, whereas the theme describes context of the story (time frame, aesthetic, etc). It is also useful to differentiate between text and sub-text. The text is the narrative or the actions that take place in the story, and the sub-text is how the audience identifies with the story (no need to be shown in the actions of the story but what it is interpreted from what is shown).
I tried to include the following in order to be engaging and interesting:
- Suspension of disbelieve. Audience is willing to accept anything that is happening in the story (e.g. talking fish).
- Inciting incident. This is an incident that confronts the protagonist with a major dramatic question that makes the story to move forward (plot points).
Plot development
After developing a few mood boards, I decided to work on the plot of the animation, hoping it would help me create more well-thought-out concepts.
The scene opens with a charming cottage core witch shop, surrounded by trees and a street. As the door opens and the bell rings, viewers see a cat’s tail moving, introducing them to the inside of the building. Following it, the audience sees different objects moving in close-up shots, providing a better understanding of the place’s interior. After that, the lighting drastically changes, signalling the change of the atmosphere. The cat meows and its eyes start glowing, adding a touch of mystery to the scene. More special effects are showcased inside the shop, with multiple deformations, and growing shadows, creating a visually appealing effect. The final shot is of the transformed outside, with the shop standing in the middle of the ocean.
During the development of the plot, I considered the special effects that I would like to include in the animation. After gathering inspiration from the moodboards, I decided that I liked the idea of bird cages featuring abstract particles or string simulations. To reflect the ‘lack of control’ aspect of the dream world, I thought about adding strings or cobwebs around the space, similar to puppet shows or spider threads. I believe that appearing and disappearing objects would add to the mysterious atmosphere of the space, while firefly and cat animations would introduce an aspect of vitality. I also want to include particles floating around as it always adds a nice visual effect, especially in stylised animations. To differentiate the lighting in the scene, I am planning to add multiple reflecting and translucent materials.
I will need to ensure that the composition and lighting balance out the busy environment, but I hope that this vision will help to create cinematic shots. I would also like to add symbols of the dream world around the interior to deepen the scene’s context.
Reference work
While searching for inspiration, I sifted through stylized animations and dynamic VFX trailers. Throughout the process, I focused on identifying cool colour palettes, convincing storytelling, and engaging close-ups of details that helped create an atmosphere. Below are the works that resonated with me the most.
Bibliography
DIM Entertainment (2021) Arcane Intro | League of Legends Series. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDjVH8cxrCQ (Accessed: 05 August 2023).
Emilyamiao (2022) Under This Luminous Sky | Animated Short Film 2022. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgyJ0Uj2Xg0 (Accessed: 05 August 2023).
GOBELINS Paris (2023) MADRE – Annecy Festival 2023. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O02w3_J9mQ (Accessed: 05 August 2023).
Just The Titles (2022) The Wheel of Time – Title Sequence. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCY-i1feaEo (Accessed: 05 August 2023).
THE LINE (2023) Heavenly Vessel. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWvSL813obk (Accessed: 05 August 2023).