Comp

Stuff I like

   

"OURO" By Pierre-Jean Le Moel and Eva Jiahui Gao.   CyberSlav by Evil Pirate Studio

Comp Test

TBD

Animation

Style Reference

For the animation, there will be a combination of Rigged and Hand drawn 2D. I aim to have a mix of semi-realistic animation using flowy, solid movements for diolague shots and then more hyper exaggerated expressions and pose's with snappy motion aided by smears for the more dramatic and action heavy shots.

   

Rise of TMNT.    Voltron

Test Shot

TBD

Rigs

TBD

Animatic

TBD

Props

Weapon Reference.

Guards.

Gladiators.

Style Reference.

All.

Vehicle Reference. (Style Ref outlined in Pink)

Concepts.

TBD

Final Designs.

TBD

Characters

Character Reference

Examples of Anthropomorphic Characters.

Style Reference

Practicing the Style

These aren’t characters that will be in the short. I did these so that I could start to figure out how I wanted features to look and how to go about doing colour. Still needs to be refined but this is close to the final look. Will probably try to push a little further to realism.

Character Design

TBD

World Design

Design Reference

The City...

For this project, I think its good to design a world in which the story can believably take place. Therefore, I think it would be best to go with a dystopian future in the vein of a filthy tech hub. My reason for this is because I feel its a good way of showing a society that is more concerned about entertainment and the technology that provides it compared to the real world and its values. They let the city fall apart and crime happens unquestioned but money is poured into making machines that do the jobs of people, project big flashy advertisements, and keep people distracted.

I also want the design to be a mix of old architecture with technology added on after the fact. I think this is a good parallel for the story because, just like people being taken and mutated for the population's entertainment, the city has also been altered with no care in favour of entertainment. There's no respect for the city just like there is no respect for human life within this world.

The Old Architecture I have chosen is Aztec. Partly because it’s something I’ve never seen and I think it could look really unique but more importantly because the Aztec culture has a lot of traditions and ideas in their society that we could adapt and evolve with this story. 

In Aztec culture the warriors would represent themselves as animals [Jaguar, Eagle, Serpent] and wear a pelt of the animal on their head. I think this could also play into the story as the mutants could be an extension of that idea. The Aztec warriors mutated into these animals that society worships fighting against  prisoners/outsiders mutated into animals viewed as less or from other cultures.

Old Aztec Architecture.

Syd Mead.

Akira

Mute, Ghost in a Shell and Bladerunner

City Props.

Part of this story is about people being controlled by companies to make money. So, I want to put some focus on the gross commercialization of people to sell products. I think it would be a good idea to have advertisements with the Mutated Gladiators endorsing all sorts of crap posted around the city. I feel this would be a good way of building up the world this story takes place in and its a good way to foreshadow what's about to happen. I've put some examples below to help illustrate what I mean.

Hulk Hogan Putting his face on anything.

Animal mascots being used to ad a fake and likable persona to a companies product.

The Prison/Lab...
So I haven't thought too much of what the prison layout is like when you first go in but after he has been processed I have this idea of him walking down a long, low lit hallway to a door that leads him into a room. This room is where he will be mutated and it will have a big window on one of the walls with a scientist on the other side controlling what is happening.

Mute, RoboCop, Terminator, Deadpool 2 and Serpico

Mute, Terminator 2, Deadpool 2 and Ghost in a Shell.

Tech Ref

Mutation Tech Ref

Gladiator Arena...
For the design of the prison, I want it to be a dominating building that is huge in scale. I also what the arena attached to it (Preferably at the top) but don't make it super obvious that it is an arena from the outside. For the inside, I want to have a more modern looking arena that's pretty simple in design with a huge door for lars to come out of. Look at the Thor pictures to see what I mean, they illustrate really well what I'm looking for. I also want the walls to be fairly tall (This is just so there are fewer shots with crowds in them).

Style Reference

This is the art style that I want to achieve for the backgrounds in the short...

BG's By Vitaliy Shushko, Audrey Egorov and Vasili Zorin.

Concept

TBD

Story/Shot Reference

Arrest and Processing Sequence

Scene Tone: Intrigue, 

So the scene when Alpha gets arrested should be simple, what I really want to focus on is the city. The reason for this is because the story is a bit out of this world so I want to showcase a world where this kind of situation happens. I think the best way to do this is by staying outside of the police van and just have it driving through some really dynamic perspective shots, long shots and maybe a point of view if it works. They don't necessarily even have to link up, just as long as there city shots and then van driving through some of them, I think the Akira opening is a good example of what  I'm trying to say.

   

  NerdWritter (Identity in space).    AKIRA opening.

Also, just because I think it looks cool, I want a sweeping shot like the ones below.

Scene Tone:  Funny,

This will be the proper introduction tho the main character Alpha, so the scene needs to be light-hearted and filled with some friendly banter because I want Alpha to be likeable. Also, It will be a stark contrast to the following sequence which will hopefully throw the viewer off.

(Guardians of the Galaxy)

   (Arrest process Clips)

Transformation Seguence 

Scene Tone: Mysterious, Scary, Dark.

I want to explore body horror in this scene, Most body transformation we see in film are mostly to do with superheroes and is shown in a positive and triumphant tone. I want to negate that and show how shit scary it would actually be if your body started to change rapidly before your eyes.

I think a good way to approach this scene is to not fully show what is happing while making it clear that whats happening is very bad. I feel this would leave the viewer confused and have their minds racing which would parallel with the feelings of Character A.

   

   

   

   

   

Gladiator Scene

For the fights, I don't just want to have mindless action that looks cool. The character's personalities, the mindset at that moment and their body type should be reflected in their respective fighting styles. Below are a few examples of what I think makes a good fight scene. 

Starwars:

For me, the best part about this fight sequence is actually the moments of pause in between the action when they are making their way through the laser barriers. 

Darth Maul confidently paces back and forth in a slow and intimidating manner with this laser-focused stare on Qui Gon. It's like he's a hunter ready to pounce on his prey. He does all this while smirking, showing that he's enjoying the moment and excited for what's to come. We also see him performing literal acrobatics while welding a ridiculous double-edged lightsaber showing that he's highly skilled and petty mental but is also aware that he's mental and is in control of it. All this reinforces Darth Maul as a powerful and sadistic force user.

Qui gon kneels and lets his guard down by shutting his eyes in order to take in his surroundings and connect with the force. This shows that he has a high level of trust in the spiritual side of the force and that he truly believes it will help guide him to victory. This helps reinforce his character and how he believes that Anikin will bring balance to the force. And on a side note, despite all this he ends up dying anyway and I like the way that inadvertently throws into question his belief in Anikin. This adds more depth to the story and it was done through a fight with no dialogue. 

Obi-Wan

   

   

DareDevil and Starwars:

In these two fights, the action feels very real. The characters are falling over, breathing heavier as the fight goes on showing that they are exhausted. This gives more weight to the scene by taking away the superhuman aspect and making the characters vulnerable. This hooks the viewer into the fight because they actually feel a sense of danger like there might actually be consequences to this fight and they become invested in the outcome.

   

Jackie Chan in Action:

Personally, I think Jackie is the best at choreographing and filming action. There's a rhythm to the way he moves in a fight scene, almost like a dance to a beat. He also makes the fight much more interesting by using objects from the environment around him which in turn gives rise to unique moments. Had I seen a fight that involved kicking and punching before? Yes, too many times but had I seen a guy kung fu kick the shit out of someone with a ladder, a dress, or an entire kids playground? Eh, no but I have thanks to Jackie. Like, Imagine him in Ikea! He'd knock God out in that place within seconds!

Anyway, He's really good at framing the action too. The characters a clearly silhouetted within the scene, they wear contrasting outfits, he's always telegraphing were the action is going to go next, for example: if he's about to fireman slide down a 200-foot pole covered in fairy lights while they explode then you see that 200-foot pole covered in fairy lights in the previous shots.

He's also not afraid to let the camera just sit for extended periods of time while filming the action. He only really cuts to add emphasis to a move but the only reason it adds emphasis to the move is because of the way Jackie does his cuts.

In other movies, if they were filming a guy throwing a punch that cuts to him landing the punch then that's exactly what you see. Shot 2 starts on the exact frame shot 1 ended on. But! When Jackie does it, Shot 2 starts by repeating the last ten frames of shot 1. This happens so quickly that the viewer doesn't notice the repeating frames but subconsciously they pick up on it so you get a better feel of impact by doubling up on the movement and it allows them extra time to read what's happening so there isn't any confusion about what's happening.

Back to him holding the camera on the action without cutting, I love that he does that, like reallllly love it. Think about it, when a person uploads a video to Facebook of some mad shit happening and the camera is moving all over the place what do you say in your head? I bet its along the lines of... Hold the camera still you Jerry Atrick fuck. because it's frustrating and it's the same in film so keep that in mind please! :)

   

Creative Inspiration

Movies

So I just thought I'd put a list of some of my favorite movies that deal with similar themes, idea's and philosophies (Control, Dystopian, Capitalism, Body Horror, sense of self). These movies really helped me get into a headspace where I could imagine the world and story of Gauntlet. Id suggested watching these to get a better understanding of where I'm coming from.

Gladiator
Ghost in a shell

Akira

Mute

Robocop

Atlantis

Road to El Dorado

Shorts

These shorts have a visual style that I want to draw from in creating Gauntlet. Over the next few months, I want to incorporate certain elements from each into my own style and come up with a cohesive style that works well for the story I want to tell.

   

"X Story" by Vitaly Shushko.

Izzo Commercial by THE LINE.

Night Runner (Feat, Dan Avidan) by Knights of the Light table.

Story

The theme.

Control

Tone.

Some of my Favourite shows growing up where TMNT, Gargoyles, X-men, Batman and the tone of the shows were a big part of the reason why I loved them. So, I want to have a mix of  Comedic playfulness and dark maturity as I feel it sits well with the story.

Outline of Story

Draft 1

Opens up to Layne being Arrested.

He's brought to the prison and processed.

Thinks he is being brought to a cell but is brought to a mysterious room.

Forced onto the medial table on strapped down, gets injected with the serum.

His body starts to change as it cuts to black.

Opens up to him in a giant stadium confused.

He hears an announcement and seems someone coming towards him.

He's attacked by this person.

Reluctant to fight back but realizes he needs to fight to stay alive.

He struggles at first but then wins by outsmarting his opponent.

We see him standing, breathing heavily, and looking angry but then he smiles and lets out a victorious roar.

End

Draft 2

Opens up to a city shot as camera pans down.

We see the main character Layne being arrested.

Officer says your going to the Arena/Prison.

Officer Puts Alpha in police Van.

Montage of the van driving through the city.

Vans stops, door rolls open and cuts to a wide shot of Layne walking out of the van and towards the Arena/Prison.

He stops, looks up the side of the enormous building.

Door shoots open and he walks in with officer following.

Cuts to Layne being processed.

Then we see Layne being brought through the prison to a mysterious room.

He is then forced into an invasive and torturous medical procedure. The scene is hectic and hard to make out with only glimpses of what is happening to Layne before cutting to black.

Opens to 1st person view of  Layne, blurred vision, confused he looks at his hands. They're unrecognizable furry and claw-like, he's shocked.

The camera pulls out and we see he is mutated and standing inside of an arena with crowds of people cheering.

Still confused he hears an announcer (And here comes Lars the Tiger Kiiiiing).

The camera cuts to a giant door slowly opening, smoke emits as we see a silhouette of a man appear but it leaps from the dark and into the blinding lights of the upper stadium.

Layne looks on scared not sure what to expect as it lands letting out a mighty tiger roar.

Layne is like, Oh shit!

Lars charges at Layne letting out a flurry of brutish attacks.

Scared and battered, Layne tries to get away but Lars pulls him back just beating the shit out of him.

Layne spots a weapon in the distance and see's an opportunity to get it.

Layne gets the weapon just in time to defend himself against Lars as the battle continues.

Eventually, Layne's speed and smarts wins out against Lars's Brutish brawn.

Layne stands, breathing heavily, and looking angry but then he smiles and lets out a victorious roar.

Camera quickly pans up, Title screen.

End

Character Background.

So the whole premise of this story came about one day when I was listening to some Alice in Chains.

I got to thinking about the singer Layne Staley and his drug addiction to heroin and how this affected the band. One instance that's stuck in my head was when AIC was meant to be opening for Metalica but they ended up having to pull out of the show due to Laynes drug problem. Then, during the show, Metalica frontman James Hetfield mocked Layne making fun of the fact that he had an addiction and stated that Layne was a crybaby for letting something like that get in the way of a show and it resulted in a back and forth rivalry. The reason this stuck with me is that James is an addict and because of this multiple shows have been cancelled because he was unable to perform and I find the hypocrisy funny. They are two sides of the same coin and have basically lost control to a substance.

As I was thinking about this, my imagination fueled by 90's Cartoons like Steet sharks, Gargoyles, X-men and TMNT  kicked in. I started to wonder what kind of animal represented their persona, Then I start thinking of how a substance could take control of them and bring out these mutated versions of themselves which then led to wondering how a rivalry between the two in this situation could arise and playout. 

So, I want to try and retain the base of where these characters come from when coming up with their backstory, personality and design but also draw inspiration from other fictional characters that I feel could help flesh out the characters.

Layne...

Layne is a young man who is a bit of a loner and finds it hard to connect with people. He lives with his mother in a lower-income area called the Farmlands. Imagine acres of fields, where the only buildings around are these giants flats, crammed with people who spend their lives working the farm or manning makeshift shops. He has a disdain for the Gauntlet Games and is against people being mutated and used for entertainment which puts him in the minority of social thinking. Despite this, he doesn't do anything about it and deals with it by making cheeky self-aware and sarcastic jokes. Until one day an inciting incident that I haven't thought up yet causes him to vandalise an advertisement for the gauntlet games. This is where the short pick up.

Trapped:

Layne has grown up working in the outer district working the flatlands while watching friends and family being taken away to be forced into the Gauntlet Games.

Rebellious:

Growing up this way has caused him to act out and become outspoken, known for his sarcastic and carefree humour. 

Scared:

His rebellious antics are all acted out on the wrong people [Friends, Family]. He would never actually stand up to the people who run the flatlands... yet.

Lars...

Lars is one of the Aztec mutes, he is seen as the King/God of the Gauntlet Arena. He takes great pride in beating up his opponents and enjoys playing up to the crowds. His Father runs the Gauntlet Arena and Lars would do anything to please him which the father uses to manipulate him.

Pride:

See's himself as the perfect embodiment of the Aztec people and culture.

Charismatic:

Really good at winning people over and playing to a crowd.

Hatefull/Angry

Has a seeding rage built up that comes out in the Arena.

Unloved:

Dies everything he can to win his father over but to no avail. This feeling of rejection is the route of his other characteristics.

Officer Anqui

From the city, has never left the city and doesn't know much outside of it. She is pretty unaware and laidback about the situation. She speaks her thought out loud.

Dr. Ollpheist...

While volunteering at the prison hospital Dr Ollpheist was viciously attacked by a prisoner and lost both hands as a result. Since then he has risen to become head of the rad batch division where he mutates prisoners set to fight. He no longer sees's them as people but as pets that he has a weird sense of pride and ownership over. Performing the mutations while smoking his opiates is like a ritual to him that brings him extreme pleasure.

Dale...

Dale is a robot who works at the front desk of the prison. He super positive and always has a smile on his face no matter the situation. Dale loves his job and longs for a better life. He likes to take walks on the beach, dance to 80's love ballads and hold hands... despite not having any. He also claims to be Asian because (Made in China).