Test Animation

Further Changes

Improving on the concept of control, I've decided to represent the collective Possessed as being held by strings or rope, as if they were puppets. Which was inspired by a music video by Yousei Teikoku. The puppet string concept fits in more with the theatre setting and creates a better sense of the possessed being victims, rather than being sinister.

To further imply the manipulation of society, the main character will be shown entering commands into a computer. Which then the possessed will act out the moment it's typed. This gives the character more of a presence in the story. I will limit how much is shown of the character during these scenes, to create a stronger sense of mystery and sinister nature.

Filament by Yousei Teikoku


Image from 'The Matrix Reloaded - 2003 directed by Andy Wachowski And Lana Wachowski  Produced by and Warner Bros. Pictures Village Roadshow Pictures Silver Pictures  NPV Entertainment 
Heineken Branded Entertainment

Feedback and Changes.

This project as are the others are weekly reviewed by our tutors. So far the main concept of my project has been received pretty well, as were the uses of symbolism. However the main criticisms centralise on the depiction on the Collective possessed character designs. It has been pointed out that they are too zombie like and therefore distracting from the point they there to make. So it's been suggested I tone it down and make their 'Possession' more subtle.

It has also been expressed that some feel the storyline is too convoluted for a film of it's length introducing too many characters with histories that are referanced. The orginal point was to introduce different groups of characters that the main character was then to "Fix" by possessing them and make them behave in an more ideal but disturbing way, disturbing because the behavor is forced and not natural. So along with the toning down I have to simplify the storyline, perhaps by introducing just one group of people being possessed and focous on how they alone are effected, with more subtle referances to the fact they arn't the only ones possessed.

Storyboard

Character Designs Part 2: The Puppet Master

Character Designs Part 1: The collective possessed

Research background part 2

When it came to the style and setting of my project, I visualised that it should be set on a theatre stage. The stage is metaphysical and symbolises the things in our reality that we have no control over. The central character ‘Test subject 111’ in most circumstances would appear to have gained the power over everything and can morph society as he sees fit, but using this style I can show that he is just another puppet on a theatre stage that only the audience is aware of.

As the stage is metaphysical It also means I can play about with the nature of it. As it isn’t a literal stage it doesn’t have to play to real world physics. The stage can expand beyond the dimensions of a normal stage if the setting required it. Also the stage seems to function at it’s own will, with no evidence of stage staff behind the scenes.

Originally I thought of including an audience to the theatre, consisting of the possessed collective in an ironic twist of logic as it would mean that even though ‘Test Subject 1111’ is in control of them, they in turn are watching him on the stage he isn’t aware of. However this proved too confusing for people when shown the storyboarding process, as the presence of the possessed watching the stage made them unsure whenever the stage is supposed to be a literal stage or not.

Taking the stage symbolism further I'll  represent the characters as paper cut out puppets as they move about the stage. This is a classical style used in many animations, quite recently in the game 'Alice: Madness Returns'

Other Symbolic imagery I thought of was the Tree of knowledge from Genesis. The very existence of the tree had to be some kind of test of freewill from God, otherwise why create fruit that isn't to  be consumed? Therefore having 'Test Subject 1111' destroy the tree would be a perfect metaphor for his act of removing freewill from society.


Alice: Madness Returns-2011 created by American McGee developed by Spicy horse,


Theatre image from www.stutterstock.com


Burning tree image from 'The Ring'