Throughout the summer i worked on three different ideas for a three minute film. Below is my character designs for each idea.
These following character designs are for a fantasy idea i came up with.
These following character designs are for a fantasy idea i came up with.
Fox Character
Side view and Action Pose
Front and Back View
Facial Expressions
Here is my character research from which i took inspiration from for my character designs.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Fantastic Mr Fox is a 2009 British/American stop-motion animated film based on the Roald Dahl children's novel of the same name.
Produced by Regency Enterprises and Indian Paintbrush, and released in the autumn of 2009, the film features the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, and Bill Murray. For director Wes Anderson it was his first animated film and first film adaptation.
Development on the project began in 2004 as collaboration between Anderson and Henry Selick (who worked with Anderson on the 2004 film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou) under Revolution Studios. In 2007 Revolution folded, Selick left to direct Coraline, and work on the film moved to 20th Century Fox. Production began in London in 2007.
While raiding a squab farm, Mr. Fox (George Clooney) and his wife Felicity (Meryl Streep) trigger a fox trap and become caged. Felicity reveals to Fox that she is pregnant and pleads with him to find a safer job should they escape.
Two years later (12 in Fox Years), the Foxes and their sullen son Ash (Jason Schwartzman), are living in a hole. Fox, now a newspaper columnist, moves the family into a better home in the base of a tree, ignoring the warnings of his lawyer Badger (Bill Murray). The tree is located very close to facilities run by farmers Walter Boggis (Robin Hurlstone), Nathan Bunce (Hugo Guinness), and Franklin Bean (Michael Gambon). Soon after the Foxes move in, Felicity's nephew Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson) comes to live with them, as his father has become very ill with double pneumonia. Ash finds this situation intolerable; his soft-spoken cousin is apparently superior to him and everyone, including his father, is charmed by Kristofferson at Ash's expense.
Fox and the opossum building superintendent, Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky), steal produce and poultry from the three farms. The farmers decide to kill Fox and camp out near the family's tree. When he emerges the farmers open fire but only manage to shoot off his tail. They then attempt to dig Fox out. After demolishing the site of the tree, the farmers discover the Foxes have dug an escape tunnel.
Reasoning that the Foxes will have to surface for food and water, the farmers lie in wait at the tunnel mouth. Underground, Fox encounters Badger and many other local animal residents whose homes have also been destroyed. As the animals begin fearing starvation, Fox leads a digging expedition to the three farms, robbing them clean. While the other animals feast, Ash and Kristofferson, beginning to reconcile after Kristofferson defended Ash from a bully, return to Bean's farm, intending to reclaim Fox's tail. When they are interrupted by the arrival of Bean's wife, Ash escapes but Kristofferson is captured.
Discovering that Fox has stolen their produce, the farmers flood the animals' tunnel network with cider. The animals are forced into the sewers, and Fox learns that the farmers plan to use Kristofferson to lure him into an ambush. The animals are confronted by Rat (Willem Dafoe), Bean's security guard. After a struggle with Fox leaves him mortally wounded, Rat divulges Kristofferson's location.
Fox asks the farmers for a meeting in town near the sewer hub; he will surrender in exchange for Kristofferson's freedom. The farmers set up an ambush, but Fox and the others anticipate it and launch a counterattack. Fox, Ash and Kylie slip into Bean’s farm. A much-matured Ash frees Kristofferson and braves enemy fire to release a rabid beagle to keep the farmers at bay.
The animals become accustomed to living in the sewers with others considering moving in. Ash and Kristofferson settle their differences and become good friends. Fox leads his family to a drain opening built into the floor of a supermarket owned by the three farmers. Celebrating their new food source and the news that Felicity is pregnant again, the animals dance in the aisles.
Joe Roth and Revolution Studios bought the film rights to Fantastic Mr Fox in 2004. Wes Anderson signed on as director with Henry Selick, who worked with Anderson on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, as animation director. Anderson stated that he signed on because Roald Dahl was one of his heroes. The story the novel covers would amount to the second act of the film. Anderson added new scenes to serve for the film's beginning and end. The new scenes precede Mr. Fox's plan to steal from the three farmers and follow the farmers' bulldozing of the hill, beginning with the flooding of the tunnel. Selick left the project to work on the Neil Gaiman story Coraline in early 2006. Mark Gustafson is his replacement. 20th Century Fox became the project's home in October 2006 after Revolution folded.
In September 2007, Anderson announced voice work would begin. Cate Blanchett was to voice Mrs. Fox but she left the role for undisclosed reasons.
The director chose to record the voices outside rather than in a studio: "We went out in a forest, went in an attic, [and] went in a stable. We went underground for some things. There was a great spontaneity in the recordings because of that. “He said of the production design, "We want to use real trees and real sand, but it's all miniature." Great Missenden, where Roald Dahl lived, has a major influence on the film's look. The film mixes several forms of animation but consists primarily of stop motion. Animation took place in London, on stage C at 3 Mills Studio, with Anderson directing the crew, many of whom animated Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. Selick, who kept in contact with Anderson, said the director would act out scenes while in Paris and send them to the animators via iPhone. Fantastic Mr. Fox is Regency Enterprises' first completely animated film.
The Fox and The Hound
A young red fox is orphaned after his mother is shot and killed by a hunter. Big Mama (Pearl Bailey) the owl, along with her two friends Boomer (Paul Winchell) the woodpecker, and Dinky (Dick Bakalyan) the finch, arrange for him to be adopted by Widow Tweed (Jeanette Nolan), who names him Tod (Keith Mitchell). Meanwhile, her neighbor Amos Slade (Jack Albertson) brings home a young coonhound puppy named Copper (Corey Feldman), and introduces him to his old hunting dog Chief (Pat Buttram) to be his guardian.
One day, when Tod is unable to find someone to play with, he wanders off chasing a butterfly. At the same time, Copper starts smelling something strange, and wanders off sniffing until he encounters Tod as its source. After a brief introduction between the two, Tod and Copper become playmates and form a friendship to which they vow will last forever. But when Slade becomes frustrated at Copper's wandering, he places him on a leash. Undeterred, Tod decides to play with Copper at home, but wakes up Chief and Slade, who chase after him. Tweed intervenes, but Slade issues a stern warning that he will shoot Tod if he trespasses again. Hunting season soon comes and Slade takes his dogs into the wilderness for the interim. Meanwhile, Big Mama explains to Tod that his friendship with Copper cannot continue, as they were bred to be enemies, but he refuses to believe her.
Months pass and Tod and Copper reach adulthood; Copper has become an experienced hunting dog, while Tod has grown into a handsome fox. On the night of Copper's return, Tod (Mickey Rooney) sneaks over to meet him. Copper (Kurt Russell) explains that while he still values him as a friend, things are different now. Chief awakens and alerts Slade, and another chase ensues. However, Copper, not wanting to see him killed, lets Tod go and then diverts Chief and Slade so he can escape. Unfortunately, Chief maintains his pursuit and chases Tod onto a railroad bridge, where Chief falls and is grievously injured. Enraged, Copper blames Tod for the accident and swears vengeance. Slade also blames Tod, leading Tweed to realize that her pet is no longer safe with her. She thus leaves him at a game preserve that restricts hunting. Slade and Copper notice this, however, and develop a plan for poaching Tod.
The next morning, Big Mama finds Tod and introduces him to a female fox named Vixey (Sandy Duncan), whom he takes an immediate liking to; the feeling becomes mutual, and she helps him adapt to life in the forest. Slade and Copper later break into the preserve and begin poaching Tod, and although the pair eventually find him and Vixey, their lengthy pursuit culminates in an attack from a bear. Slade trips and is caught in one of his own traps, dropping his gun just out of reach. Copper fights the bear and is soon overwhelmed, but before the bear can finish him, Tod quickly intervenes and continues to battle the bear until they both fall down a waterfall. The bear is killed, while Tod survives, but is worn to an inch of his life.
Copper approaches Tod as he recovers, stunned by his heroism in spite of current events. Slade arrives and prepares to shoot him, but Copper quickly interposes his body over Tod, refusing to move. Touched by the act, Slade lowers his gun and leaves with Copper, but not before the two friends share one last smile. Back home, Tweed nurses Slade back to health while the dogs rest. Copper, before falling asleep, smiles as he remembers the day when he and Tod became best friends. On a distant cliff top, Vixey joins Tod as he looks down at the scene from afar.
The Animals of Farthing Wood is an animated series created by the European Broadcasting Union between 1992 and 1995 and based on the series of books written by Colin Dann. It was produced by Telemagination, based in London, and La Fabrique, based in Montpellier in France, but also aired in other European countries. The first countries to air the series were Germany and the United Kingdom, in January 1993.
Synopsis
The television series followed the basic plots of the series of books, although certain elements were changed. It followed the animals of Farthing Wood, who were forced to flee their homes after humans started destroying the wood in order to build houses. Led by Fox, and guided by Toad, the animals left Farthing Wood on a journey to White Deer Park, a nature reserve where they would be protected.
Unlike other children's series and films, The Animals of Farthing Wood did not feature much comedic content but rather relied on its strong storyline and plot, and multiple main characters are killed or die during the journey. The series contains mild gore in some episodes, like the 1978 film Watership Down.
Series 1 chronicled the journey to White Deer Park, Series 2 took place in White Deer Park and chronicled the feud between the Farthing Wood animals and the hostile blue foxes, the third, and final, series chronicled the invasion of the rats into White Deer Park and the animals' attempts to fight them off.
The episodes were made in both the UK and France. Because of this, in Series 1 the motorway's carriageways have traffic driving on the right hand carriageway of the motorway. However, they are briefly seen in Series 3 driving on the left hand side.Cartoon Foxes
Foxes
Monster Character
Boy Character
Front, Side and Back view
Action Pose
Facial Expressions
Manga boy
Extras
Fantasy Backgrounds
Monster Character
Back view and Action Pose
Front and side view
Facial Expressions
Cartoon Monsters
Front, Side and Back view
Manga boy
Extras
pixie and fantasy bird
Fairies and wing designs
Fantasy Creatures
Background design idea
Below is my synopsis for my fantasy idea.
3 minute film synopsis
A boy is asleep having a reoccurring dream. In the dream he is 3 years younger, haunted by the disappearance of his sister. In the dream is a black shadow, his sister’s ball, and a log cabin. He wakes up and hears crying from the forest. He goes to investigate and finds a fox trapped. He releases the fox from the trap and sets him free. He is about to leave and sees the log cabin from his dream. He enters with the fox following and they fall through the floorboards in to another world. Whilst there he finds his sisters ball, and again has a flashback to the dream sequence involving the ball. As he snaps out of the flashback and the monster from his dream in front of him and seems like he’s going to attack. Suddenly the fox jumps in the way and sacrifices itself, killing the monster at the same time. The boy is sad, and walks off following a light in the distance. He walks through the light and finds himself 3 years younger, carrying on from the same day when his sister went missing, as though nothing happened. He looks towards forest confused, but seeing nothing, grabs his sister’s hand and walks back in to his house. The fox who is still alive is watching him, happily he returns safely back to the forest.
I also produced character mood boards for my character designs involved in the fantasy idea.
Fox character mood board
Monster character mood board
Boy character mood board
Extra Characters mood board
Here is my rough character designs for my business interview idea.
Business Applicant Character
Front, side and back view
Action Pose and facial expressions
Businessman
Secretary Character
Front, side and back view
Action Pose and facial expressions
secretary
Boss Character
Front, side and back view
Action pose and facial expressions
Boss
Background idea
office backgrounds
Synopsis for my business idea.
Business Synopsis Idea
The scene starts with a guy running up a flight of stairs whilst checking his watch towards a building. He looks nervous and enters the building. Inside his boss is waiting. Unimpressed by his consistent late attendance, the boss fires him and shoves all of his work belongings to him. Upset, the guy turns around and enters his car and drives home. The scene then cuts to him at home, sat at a table reading a newspaper with his two kids sat either side of him drawing and scribbling on sheets of paper. The guy notices a job that he can apply for and points to the job advertisement in the newspaper. The scene then cuts to him entering the company building being advertised in the newspaper. He is wearing a business like suit and is carrying a briefcase with all of his applicant forms and CV documents inside. He walks up to the reception desk, and is told to take a seat by his secretary. The secretary then calls him over and asks about the application form. He opens his briefcase and a load of his kid’s toys including toy ponies and army tanks fall out. He then hands the form over which he realises on the back has his kids scribbling all over it. He walks back to his seat after being embarrassed and looks to the other applicants. He becomes nervous and then tries to calm himself down by grabbing a drink of coffee. As he does he spills the coffee all over his tie, and then pinches another applicants soda water bottle with him unaware and attempts to get it out. After a few comical events he eventually gets the stain out and is called to the bosses room for the interview. As he’s walking to the interview a guy walks past and accidently spills coffee on him. The applicant turns bright red and is about to explode with anger but then sighs in defeat. He enters the room and hears the boss cursing. He looks to him and notices that he too has also just spilt coffee on him. The boss tells the applicant that he’s just having ‘one of those days’ and then looks at the applicant’s suite. Noticing that he’s spilt coffee, he starts laughing and they both share a laugh. The applicant, feeling better, walks in confidently and then closes the door behind him.
Character mood boards for characters involved in business idea.
business applicant character mood board
Secretary character mood board
Boss character mood board
Rough character designs for birthday cake idea.
Hawk character
front, side and back view
Action pose and facial expressions
Anime guy
Flo character
front, side and back view
Action pose
facial expressions
anime girl
background idea
kitchen backgrounds
Synopsis for birthday cake idea.
birthday cake synopsis
The scene starts with a brother and sister talking in a kitchen. The sister is telling the brother about how she wants to make their friend a birthday cake. The brother laughs and begins to watch from a distance. She gets out a bag of flour and pats it lightly. It explodes and then spurts all over her covering her in white. The bother again laughs and then remarks sarcastically by going off the screen and coming back on the stage with a bag of popcorn, a deckchair and 3d sunglasses. The sister grunts in an unimpressed manor and then walks over to the cupboard again, grabbing various ingredients such as sugar, milk, eggs, butter. She puts the ingredients in to the bowl and uses the whisker, getting her self entangled in the whisker with the ingredients until the whisker explodes and the cake mix fly’s everywhere over the worktops and on the floor. The brother makes another sarcastic remark and the sister glares at him, and goes over to the cupboard to grab some bananas. She unpeels the bananas and begins to peel them, but it shoots out of the skin and hits her in the eye. She staggers backwards, her foot catching and wrapping around the wire of the toaster and the toaster falls on her foot. In turn the toaster pulls over a jar, which hits her on the floor as she’s knocked on to the floor before lastly the bowl of mixture falls on her as well. She takes the bowl of her head and then again, glares at her brother who is laughing. The brother smiles and then walks up to the counter feeling sympathetic towards her, and gets her back up to the same stage that she was before it went wrong. The sister walks off the screen and returns wearing a nuclear outfit and carrying a long pair of tweezers. She tilts a pinch of salt in to the bowl and then sets the container down gently on the side before taking off her headgear. She sighs in relief then suddenly a ship the size of the titanic falls on her from the top off the screen and makes a blowing noise when it crashes. The brother runs out of the room and hides behind a doorframe whilst the sister picks up the boat and chucks it off the screen. After chucking the boat of the screen, she walks up to the oven and places the cake mixture in to the oven. She then sighs again, thinking nothing will go wrong when suddenly the oven blows up and leaves a trail of smoke behind. She grumbles and puffs out a puff of black smoke. She stands there un-amused with her hair pointing upwards. The brother then runs up worried, and begins to rummage through his pockets. He pulls out a variety of objects such as an elephant, an Italian with a pizza box and a bear. He then pulls out a new oven and other appliances. He then fixes everything in a blur and then sets the cake in the oven. The scene then cuts to the pair with the finished birthday cake outside their friend’s house. The pair ring the doorbell and the friend answers the door. The friend says thank you but then asks what its for telling them that its not his birthday until a later date. The sister stands there with her jaw hanging open, giggles and then faints. The friend and the brother look back and forth to each other and the scene ends with the brother shrugging his shoulders.
Character mood boards for birthday cake idea.
Hawk character mood board
Flo character mood board
I then put all of the following in to a presentation.
Out of the ideas above i decided to do the fantasy idea. However, when i wrote my idea up as a script the story became too complex and too big to fit in to a 3 minute film.
3 MINUTE FILM-FANTASY IDEA
INT.BOYS BEDROOM.DAY
Scene opens with a BOY fast asleep in his room witnessing a recurring nightmare.
As he is sleeping, he tosses and turns uncomfortably.
INT.IN THE BOYS NIGHTMARE-CABIN.DAY
In the nightmare he comes across an old abandoned cabin in a forest.
The boy looks around. The cabin is dark and gloomy.
A flickering light bulb hangs from the ceiling, reflecting shadows of his body and various objects on the wall.
Cobwebs fill the corners of the dusty interior. As he walks across the floor, the cabin floorboards creek.
Suddenly, he falls through the floorboards and in to a bottomless void of darkness.
He looks around panicked as he continues to fall. A pair of red glowing eyes emits through the darkness.
Suddenly, a dark shadow emerges from the darkness and consumes him.
EXT.BOYS NIGHTMARE-ON A SUNNY FIELD-DAY
The boy after being consumed is transported to a beautiful, sunny field.
The grass is a lush green.
Animated flowers blow softly with the light breeze.
He looks around inquisitively.
He then looks at himself, and notices that he is three years younger.
He looks ahead of him, and is greeted by his younger SISTER who is holding a ball.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 2.
She smiles and chucks the ball across to him. The brother chucks the ball back. The sister misses the catch and the ball fly’s past her. She wanders off in the direction of the ball to retrieve it.
The boy turns around after hearing rustling noises from the tall grass, drawing his attention away from his sister going to fetch the ball.
Suddenly he hears her scream.
He turns around beside a ditch.
He runs over to Out of nowhere,
worried and sees only his sister’s ball lay
the ditch and slowly looks over the edge. a MONSTER jumps up quickly.
INT.BOYS BEDROOM.DAY The boy wakes up sitting up immediately from bed.
Realizing that its just a dream, he sighs and then throws himself back down on the bed.
He looks across to a photo on his bedside cabinet with him, his younger sister, and mother and father behind him.
His attention focuses on the younger sister in the picture.
Frustrated, he chucks the photo frame against the door, smashing the glass.
He then walks off out of his room.
EXT.OUTSIDE THE BOY’S HOUSE.DAY
The boy is seen looking frustrated cutting a pile of wood with an axe.
His mum walks over to him.
She hands him a photo frame replacing the one he smashed earlier, with the same picture on it.
She looks to him and gives him a weak smile.
She then puts her hand on his shoulder and then walks back inside.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
He stares at the photo whilst setting it down on the floor beside him.
Suddenly, he hears whimpering noises coming from the direction of the forest.
He plants the axe down on to the log from which he was cutting wood on.
He walks off curiously in to the forest of the whimpering.
EXT.FOREST.DAY The forest is dark and gloomy. A few rays of sunlight peer through the Animated leaves blow across the screen.
following the source
gaps of the trees.
After a few minutes of walking, the boy the whimpering, coming across a FOX that has his leg stuck in a bear trap whinging.
The boy slowly approaches the fox. He bends down and opens the bear trap.
The fox walks up to him and rubs his head against the boy appreciatively.
The boy pets the fox’s head. All of a sudden a group of shadows appear.
They start attacking the boy, whilst the boy thrashes about trying to get them away.
The fox’s eyes begin to glow gold.
The boy covers his eyes from the bright light.
The light kills the shadows.
The fox’s eyes resume to normal and the boy takes his arm away from his eyes.
The boy stands there speechless looking at the fox.
He then looks around the forest to see if the shadows are completely gone.
finds the source of
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
Whilst looking around, he sees the log cabin which keeps reappearing in his nightmares.
[enters flashback showing the log cabin appearing in his dream]
[End flashback]
Back to reality, he walks cautiously and curiously to the cabin.
The fox accompanies him following closely behind the boy.
They enter the cabin.
They both look around.
Various jars are placed on the shelves on the wall.
Exactly like in his recurring nightmares, cobwebs cover the old furniture.
A single light hangs from the ceiling. The light begins to flicker.
Suddenly, more shadows arrive and begin to attack the boy again.
The shadow of the monsters and the boy can be seen from the flickering light against the cabin wall.
The boy steps backwards on to a loose floorboard. The floor caves in and the fox and the boy fall through.
EXT.UNDERGROUND WORLD-DAY The boy opens his eyes slowly.
He looks to his side to find the fox sat beside him looking at him.
He then rubs his head and stands up, looking at the drop. Around them are pieces of broken floorboards and debris. Shocked, he looks around. Everywhere is bright and peaceful.
Glowing wisps soar across the air.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
Glowing birds fly across the sky. Pixies are seen scurrying mischievously across the land.
Fairies illuminate the area, leaving a trail of colourful dust from their wings.
He is approached by a swarm of fairies.
They grab him by his jacket and lead him towards a river.
They fly off.
The boy confused, looks around wondering why they have brought him to this location.
He then looks down surprised and notices his sister’s ball lay beside the river.
He picks it up.
[He enters another flashback sequence, re-showing the day his sister went missing. He hears his sister scream and then walks up to the abandoned ball staring at it.]
[End flashback]
As he’s finished thinking about the flashback, a tall dark shadow walks through the forest.
The colour of the forest drains as it walks past.
All nearby creatures such as birds and faires can be seen dropping out of the sky dead.
The flowers wilt within proximatey of the monster. The boy stares at the monsters red glowing eyes.
[Enters flashback, showing the monster the ditch to him]
[End Flashback]
The monster approaches the boy slowly.
The boy scared, begins to back away.
The monster reaches his arm out and is boy.
jump quickly out of
about to grab the
Suddenly the fox jumps in the way. The fox snarls and his eyes begin to glow gold again.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.
Again, the boy covers his eyes with his arm from the sudden bright light.
After a few seconds he then removes his arm seeing the creatures resurrected by the fox.
The animals and creatures have a gold aura around them.
They lift back up from the ground and begin to attack the monster.
As the creatures are attacking, the monsters presence begins to fade away.
The monster thrashes about trying to get the creatures off of it.
As the monster is about to fully disappear, its arm transforms in to shadow and blasts the fox.
The fox is sent flying miles across the floor.
The monster then after hitting the fox disappears completely.
The colour to the land comes back.
Flowers come back to life.
The boy looking concerned runs up to the fox.
He kneels down beside the fox.
He puts his hand on the fox.
He then covers his face with his hands and then begins to cry.
He looks up to see a light from the end of the pathway at the other end of the forest.
He walks up to his sisters ball and then picks it up. The boy walks towards the light at the end of the forest.
Whilst walking slowly down the path he hears his sister laughing.
Suprised, he begins to run down the path.
As he’s about to walk through the light, he covers his eyes with one arm, his sister’s ball still in the other.
He walks through the light.
EXT.OUTSIDE THE BOY’S HOUSE.DAY
The light begins to dim down.
As the bright light dims down, he uncovers his eyes.
The environment is bright and sunny.
Butterflies are flying across the screen.
In front of him is his house.
He looks down at the ball.
He then looks across to find his sister happy and laughing.
He looks at himself and notices that he is three years younger.
The day is a direct juxtapose of the day his sister went missing, with the events and actions being mapped out the same as that day, exept carrying on without his sister’s dissappearance.
The boy confused, looks back to the forest. He notices nothing out of the ordinary. He then turns back to his sister. He runs up to her dropping the ball.
He then hugs her with her looking confused.
He grabs her by the hand and walks in to the direction of the house.
They both enter the house.
As soon as the two go in to the house, rustling can be heard from the bushes just outside the house near the forest.
The fox pops its head out from over the bushes. He then looks across to the house. The fox smiles and waves its tail.
It turns around and walks back to the direction of the forest, fading in to it after watching the boy return safetly.
END
I decided that because too much needed to be edited and changed, it would be more ideal to come up with a new 3 minute film idea, one where the premise is much simpler, and can fit in to the time slot of 3 minutes.
Looking for a new idea, i looked in to a variety of 3 minute film examples, hoping to get a few ideas from some of them.
Below is a video from which i was inspired in coming up with my new 3 minute film idea.
synopsis for new 3 minute film idea.
Opens with a puppy being dumped in a cardboard box outside in the rain from a car. Puppy cries, as it is alone. Puppy tries to seek shelter under a piece of cardboard but it caves in. He finally falls asleep after being up all night crying. The next day he goes looking for food. He comes across some but other stray dogs beat him to it, and growls, which scares him away. He looks for somewhere to sleep and finds some trashcans, but again, when he goes up to them, a pack of dogs are already occupying them. The puppy alone feels like an outcast and slumps on the floor before falling asleep. He wakes up to a car door slamming. He looks across to see a kitten dumped on the side of the road. A stray dog from earlier goes to attack the kitten. The puppy and dog fight, and the puppy comes out with a few injuries. The kitten goes up to the puppy and comforts him. The cat jumps up a pile of scrap and helps the puppy make a shelter. The next day is a lot sunnier. The cat steals food from windowsills and shares with the puppy. They find a kite in a dumpster and play with it at the park across the road. They befriend a young group of kids who share ice cream and play with them. They chase their tails and roll around playing in puddles happily. Later at night its raining again. The dog carries the cat who is exhausted on its back, back to their makeshift home. They fall asleep cuddled up to each other happily.
Puppy Character
Looking for a new idea, i looked in to a variety of 3 minute film examples, hoping to get a few ideas from some of them.
Below is a video from which i was inspired in coming up with my new 3 minute film idea.
I really like this video because of its simple art style and simple storyline. The storyline in this is about an alien trying to find a friend, and shows there friendship as the story progresses. I took this approach of a sad/happy ending and the idea of something wanting to find friendship, and incooperated this idea in to a puppy gets a home 3 minute film idea.
synopsis for new 3 minute film idea.
Puppy gets a home synopsis
Opens with a puppy being dumped in a cardboard box outside in the rain from a car. Puppy cries, as it is alone. Puppy tries to seek shelter under a piece of cardboard but it caves in. He finally falls asleep after being up all night crying. The next day he goes looking for food. He comes across some but other stray dogs beat him to it, and growls, which scares him away. He looks for somewhere to sleep and finds some trashcans, but again, when he goes up to them, a pack of dogs are already occupying them. The puppy alone feels like an outcast and slumps on the floor before falling asleep. He wakes up to a car door slamming. He looks across to see a kitten dumped on the side of the road. A stray dog from earlier goes to attack the kitten. The puppy and dog fight, and the puppy comes out with a few injuries. The kitten goes up to the puppy and comforts him. The cat jumps up a pile of scrap and helps the puppy make a shelter. The next day is a lot sunnier. The cat steals food from windowsills and shares with the puppy. They find a kite in a dumpster and play with it at the park across the road. They befriend a young group of kids who share ice cream and play with them. They chase their tails and roll around playing in puddles happily. Later at night its raining again. The dog carries the cat who is exhausted on its back, back to their makeshift home. They fall asleep cuddled up to each other happily.
Puppy Character
Front and Side View
Back view and action pose
facial expressions
kitten character
front, side and back view
Action pose
facial expressions
Stray Dog Character
side, front and back view
Action Pose
facial expressions
rough script for puppy idea.For each character design i have developed a character colour code sheet so that when it comes to animating, i can reference to the colour keys to ensure continuity of the same colours through out the film.
puppy colour key sheet
Kitten colour key sheet
Stray Dog colour code sheet
3 MINUTE FILM-A PUPPY GETS A HOME
EXT. STREET.NIGHT Scene opens with a car driving down a street.
Suddenly it stops and a cardboard box is chucked out of the car door.
The car drives off.
A PUPPY pokes its head out from the cardboard box.
It watches the car drive off and begins to cry.
The sky is opaque.
Rain is pouring down heavily.
A second car drives past through a puddle and splashes the puppy.
The puppy grumbles and shakes in an attempt to dry himself. He looks up at the rain sorrowfully.
He plods down the alley way in an attempt to find shelter from the rain.
He finds a clutter of trashcans.
He walks up to them thinking he can seek shelter in them.
When he looks in them he sees sets of eyes glaring at him.
A stray dog comes out and growls at him for trying to trespass in to his territory.
The puppy stumbles backwards and then walks away upset. Feeling like an outcast, he slumps to the floor in despair. He closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep. He wakes up to hear a car door slam. He pricks an ear up and opens his eyes slowly. Looking across the road, he sees a small KITTEN. Seeing it alone and lost, the puppy walks up to it. The kitten looks afraid and backs away slowly.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 2.
Suddenly, the stray dog from earlier walks up. It growls and goes to attack the kitten. The puppy jumps in the way. The puppy growls trying to protect the kitten. The dog bites the puppy on its ear.
The puppy yelps. He jumps up and scratches the dogs nose.
The dog snarls and then treads backwards slowly in to the dark alleyway.
The kitten walks up to the puppy who is sat whimpering.
The kitten licks the puppy’s ear and nudges her head against him.
The kitten looks up at the rain.
She then looks across to a pile of scrap.
The kitten jumps up and nudges a metal fence panel down.
It falls and leans resting against the dumpsters.
The puppy and kitten take shelter underneath it from the rain.
They both slowly drift off to sleep.
EXT.STREET.DAY
The puppy wakes up smelling food.
The sky is a lot brighter.
The sun is shining and is reflecting puddles from last nights rain.
He looks up to see the kitten sat on him.
CUT TO THE NEXT DAY
light off of the
a windowsill high above
Suddenly the kitten jumps down from the windowsill with a string of sausages in her mouth.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
She walks up to the puppy who is wagging his tail and shares some with him.
After they’ve finished, the puppy licks his lips. He looks atop of the dumpsters and notices a kite.
He pulls the string and begins running with the kite in his mouth.
He runs across to a park on the opposite side. The kitten follows.
A group of young kids with ice creams can be seen playing on the park.
They see the puppy and kitten playing together and walk up to them.
They cuddle the puppy and kitten and share their ice cream with the two.
One of the kids finds a frisbee and plays fetch with the puppy whilst another is stroking the kitten on his lap.
He wags his tail happily and the kitten watches contently.
After a while, the kids wave goodbye to the two.
They start to head back towards their new home.
The puppy wagging his tail, nudges the kitten and accidently pushes it over in to a puddle.
The kitten sits their looking unimpressed with water dripping from its fur.
The puppy looks apologetic when the kitten springs up and dives on him, pushing him in the puddle.
The two roll around in the puddle playing and laughing whilst splashing water at each other.
The weather turns to heavy rain.
CUT TO
The puppy can be seen carrying the kitten on his back who is asleep with her paw dangling.
He walks back in to their make-shift home.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
He picks the kitten up by the scruff and sets her down gently.
He then lies down and looks out to the rain.
He smiles and then falls asleep happily next to the kitten knowing he has found a new home and a new friend.
END
My second draft for my 3 minute film script.
3 minute film-a puppy gets a home-scrpt
Scene 1-ext.street.night
Opens with a car driving down a street.
Suddenly it stops and a cardboard box is chucked out of the car door.
The car drives off.
A PUPPY pokes its head out from the cardboard box.
It watches the car drive off and begins to cry.
The sky is opaque.
Rain is pouring down heavily.
A second car drives past through a puddle and splashes the puppy.
The puppy grumbles and shakes in an attempt to dry himself.
He looks up at the rain sorrowfully.
scene 2-ext.alleyway.night
He plods down an alley way in an attempt to find shelter from the rain.
The alley way is dark and narrow.
Only the sound of rain can be heard.
He finds a clutter of trashcans.
He walks up to them thinking he can seek shelter in them.
When he looks in them he sees sets of eyes glaring at him.
A STRAY DOG comes out and growls at him for trying to trespass in to his territory.
The puppy stumbles backwards and then walks away upset.
Feeling like an outcast, he slumps to the floor in despair.
He closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep.
He wakes up to hear a car door slam.
He pricks an ear up and opens his eyes slowly.
Looking across the road, he sees a small KITTEN.
Seeing it alone and lost, the puppy walks up to it.
The kitten looks afraid and backs away slowly.
Suddenly, the stray dog from earlier walks up.
It growls and goes to attack the kitten.
The puppy jumps in the way.
The puppy growls trying to protect the kitten.
The dog bites the puppy on its ear.
The puppy yelps.
He nips the dogs paw.
The dog snarls and then treads backwards slowly in to the dark alleyway.
The kitten walks up to the puppy who is sat whimpering.
The kitten licks the puppy's ear and nudges her head against him.
The kitten looks up at the rain.
She then looks across to a pile of scrap.
The kitten jumps up and nudges a metal fence panel down.
It falls and leans resting against a skip.
The kitten jumps down.
The puppy and kitten take shelter underneath it from the rain.
They both slowly drift off to sleep.
cut to the next day
scene 3-ext.alleyway.day
The puppy wakes up smelling food.
The sky is a lot brighter.
The sun is shining and is reflecting light off of the puddles from last nights rain.
He looks up to see the kitten sat on a windowsill high above him.
Suddenly the kitten jumps down from the windowsill with a string of sausages in her mouth.
The kitten shares and eats some sausages with the puppy.
After they've finished, the puppy licks his lips.
He looks atop of the skip and notices a kite.
He pulls the string and begins running with the kite in his mouth.
He runs across to a park on the opposite side.
The kitten follows.
scene 4-ext-park.day
The park is filled with trees and flowers.
Young kids and adults can be seen playing on the park.
A group of young kids with ice creams can be seen.
They see the puppy and kitten playing together and walk up to them.
They cuddle the puppy and kitten and share their ice cream with the two.
One of the kids finds a frisbee and plays fetch with the puppy whilst another is stroking the kitten on her lap.
He wags his tail happily and the kitten watches contently.
After a while, the kids wave goodbye to the two.
They start to head back towards their new home.
scene 5-ext.street.day
The puppy wagging his tail, nudges the kitten and accidently pushes it over in to a puddle.
The kitten sits there looking unimpressed with water dripping from its fur.
The puppy looks apologetic when the kitten springs up and dives on him, pushing him in the puddle.
the two roll around in the puddle playing and laughing whilst splashing water at each other.
cut to
scene 6-ext.alleyway.night
The weather turns to heavy rain.
The sky is dark.
The puppy can be seen carrying the kitten on his back who is asleep with her paw dangling.
He walks back in to their make-shift home.
He picks the kitten up by the scruff and sets her down gently.
He then lies down and looks out to the rain.
He smiles and then falls asleep happily next to the kitten knowing he has found a new home and a new friend.
Below is my script breakdown with all of the camera angles in place.
My second draft for my 3 minute film script.
3 minute film-a puppy gets a home-scrpt
Scene 1-ext.street.night
Opens with a car driving down a street.
Suddenly it stops and a cardboard box is chucked out of the car door.
The car drives off.
A PUPPY pokes its head out from the cardboard box.
It watches the car drive off and begins to cry.
The sky is opaque.
Rain is pouring down heavily.
A second car drives past through a puddle and splashes the puppy.
The puppy grumbles and shakes in an attempt to dry himself.
He looks up at the rain sorrowfully.
scene 2-ext.alleyway.night
He plods down an alley way in an attempt to find shelter from the rain.
The alley way is dark and narrow.
Only the sound of rain can be heard.
He finds a clutter of trashcans.
He walks up to them thinking he can seek shelter in them.
When he looks in them he sees sets of eyes glaring at him.
A STRAY DOG comes out and growls at him for trying to trespass in to his territory.
The puppy stumbles backwards and then walks away upset.
Feeling like an outcast, he slumps to the floor in despair.
He closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep.
He wakes up to hear a car door slam.
He pricks an ear up and opens his eyes slowly.
Looking across the road, he sees a small KITTEN.
Seeing it alone and lost, the puppy walks up to it.
The kitten looks afraid and backs away slowly.
Suddenly, the stray dog from earlier walks up.
It growls and goes to attack the kitten.
The puppy jumps in the way.
The puppy growls trying to protect the kitten.
The dog bites the puppy on its ear.
The puppy yelps.
He nips the dogs paw.
The dog snarls and then treads backwards slowly in to the dark alleyway.
The kitten walks up to the puppy who is sat whimpering.
The kitten licks the puppy's ear and nudges her head against him.
The kitten looks up at the rain.
She then looks across to a pile of scrap.
The kitten jumps up and nudges a metal fence panel down.
It falls and leans resting against a skip.
The kitten jumps down.
The puppy and kitten take shelter underneath it from the rain.
They both slowly drift off to sleep.
cut to the next day
scene 3-ext.alleyway.day
The puppy wakes up smelling food.
The sky is a lot brighter.
The sun is shining and is reflecting light off of the puddles from last nights rain.
He looks up to see the kitten sat on a windowsill high above him.
Suddenly the kitten jumps down from the windowsill with a string of sausages in her mouth.
The kitten shares and eats some sausages with the puppy.
After they've finished, the puppy licks his lips.
He looks atop of the skip and notices a kite.
He pulls the string and begins running with the kite in his mouth.
He runs across to a park on the opposite side.
The kitten follows.
scene 4-ext-park.day
The park is filled with trees and flowers.
Young kids and adults can be seen playing on the park.
A group of young kids with ice creams can be seen.
They see the puppy and kitten playing together and walk up to them.
They cuddle the puppy and kitten and share their ice cream with the two.
One of the kids finds a frisbee and plays fetch with the puppy whilst another is stroking the kitten on her lap.
He wags his tail happily and the kitten watches contently.
After a while, the kids wave goodbye to the two.
They start to head back towards their new home.
scene 5-ext.street.day
The puppy wagging his tail, nudges the kitten and accidently pushes it over in to a puddle.
The kitten sits there looking unimpressed with water dripping from its fur.
The puppy looks apologetic when the kitten springs up and dives on him, pushing him in the puddle.
the two roll around in the puddle playing and laughing whilst splashing water at each other.
cut to
scene 6-ext.alleyway.night
The weather turns to heavy rain.
The sky is dark.
The puppy can be seen carrying the kitten on his back who is asleep with her paw dangling.
He walks back in to their make-shift home.
He picks the kitten up by the scruff and sets her down gently.
He then lies down and looks out to the rain.
He smiles and then falls asleep happily next to the kitten knowing he has found a new home and a new friend.
Below is my script breakdown with all of the camera angles in place.
Diagrams of where the camera directions will be on the three minute film illustrated on the script breakdown.
After i produced my script plan, i collected my sound for my animatic and developed my storyboard, shown below. I edited the contrast on the scans so that the image shows up a lot clearer.
After i produced my storyboard, i cut each image separately so that they were ready to be imported in to premiere for my animatic.
After i cut each image, i imported them all in to premiere and made my animatic.
Here is my cover for my animatic dvd box.
Animatic
Overall i think my animatic is ok. However if i allowed myself more time i would of added more sound effects and cut out the characters and moved them to show what direction they were moving. For the pre production as a whole i think the work has turned out alright. However given more time i would of altered the camera angles in some places and would have done more background design ideas to support my animatic.
