I can update this later....
End of January:
-Concept work and general drafting finished and be ready to start panels for the graphic novel.
June:
-Good quality finals of the visual novel panels.
-Start communicating with the right people about the details of the installation.
-Start planing and production of animated sequences.
November:
-Be finished and have handed over finals to people in New Plymouth.
-Be ready to travel through Vietnam and Cambodia.
December:
-Set up or go to installation.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Things To Do....
So I figure the best way to both explain the details of the story while developing the visual style is to produce heaps of concept art for things I have written down as notes and stuck in the back of my head. One of my goals (maybe ill do a separate post with a timeline schedule) was to have a finalized visual style by the end of January. So on the to do list of concept work is:
1. A proper rendering/ cross section of the building the people live in. And maybe a separate layover pyramid diagram which shows how the building symbolically and physically epitomizes their beliefs. This can go in hand with notes which perhaps explain their laws, ways of life and how they come down to interact with the land.
2. Concept work for the characters (the old ones shown in an earlier post are worth nothing). There are several major and minor characters vaguely in my mind and this will be a good way to flesh them out. Also perhaps a rendering of a class member from each tier of their society.
3. Mechs.... for now I'm pretty happy with the mechs. Perhaps they could use a bit of variation (a few different models). Or I could better theorize their production. Or visually develop my ideas for their storage and how they interact with the building (supports).
4. Also, the mechs of coarse need something to fight. So the physical antagonists. Concept work would be a good way to flesh this out in my own mind also. I could perhaps have several pieces, one being a landscape scene showing how they are ever present: Constantly looming on the oceans edge, and show how they are accepted (apprehensively?) as a part of the environment. I also only have a vague idea of how these guys look. And only a loose justification of what they stand for.
5. Some descent landscape scenes showing both Mt Taranaki (in its unique state) and the home of the people. Also show what has become of the general landscape.
6. Maybe some general illustrations showing how I am going to represent the third (spirit world) section, which reflects the physical world....... Just some general brainstorming for this would be good. Specifically I could develop a few key scenes in the spiritual journey.
7. A few illustrations showing some of the ideas and technologies I want to use.
9. Any other key shots which I think will be important.
That seems like enough for now........
1. A proper rendering/ cross section of the building the people live in. And maybe a separate layover pyramid diagram which shows how the building symbolically and physically epitomizes their beliefs. This can go in hand with notes which perhaps explain their laws, ways of life and how they come down to interact with the land.
2. Concept work for the characters (the old ones shown in an earlier post are worth nothing). There are several major and minor characters vaguely in my mind and this will be a good way to flesh them out. Also perhaps a rendering of a class member from each tier of their society.
3. Mechs.... for now I'm pretty happy with the mechs. Perhaps they could use a bit of variation (a few different models). Or I could better theorize their production. Or visually develop my ideas for their storage and how they interact with the building (supports).
4. Also, the mechs of coarse need something to fight. So the physical antagonists. Concept work would be a good way to flesh this out in my own mind also. I could perhaps have several pieces, one being a landscape scene showing how they are ever present: Constantly looming on the oceans edge, and show how they are accepted (apprehensively?) as a part of the environment. I also only have a vague idea of how these guys look. And only a loose justification of what they stand for.
5. Some descent landscape scenes showing both Mt Taranaki (in its unique state) and the home of the people. Also show what has become of the general landscape.
6. Maybe some general illustrations showing how I am going to represent the third (spirit world) section, which reflects the physical world....... Just some general brainstorming for this would be good. Specifically I could develop a few key scenes in the spiritual journey.
7. A few illustrations showing some of the ideas and technologies I want to use.
9. Any other key shots which I think will be important.
That seems like enough for now........
So What Next.......?
A script? I don't know if I'm ready for that yet. But I do know the basic structure and sequence with which I want to tell the story. Its Basically divided into three parts.
The first is an establishment and introduction to the characters, their society and way of life. It introduces the idea of a small sustainable community, their level and use of technology and their customs. In this segment I also attempt to explain their understanding of why they are apparently alone in the world and what threats they face. Their culture is based around certain Maori and East Asian traditions. As well as a moral/ social code based on the necessity to prevent overpopulation and maintain a sustainable relationship with their environment. This belief is kept in check by looming dangers which may or may not be explained. At the least, they will be visually alluded to. Other elements that suggest a more spiritual nature to the story are also brought up in this section, but then developed much further in the section section. An example of this would be the half risen Mt Taranaki, which has uprooted itself to show that it is more of a "giant living creature" than a normal geological mountain. However the mountain remains static in its pose and has done so for a long enough period that people accept it for what it currently is, but discredit the possibility that it can move. (Note: this is one example of unique iconography that I hope will appeal to a developing region such as Taranaki, hungry for an identity).
The section will be a chapter of instability, everything that is known and established will be twisted or discarded. It will be cataclysm related to the looming dangers presented in the first section. And simply because I love them, the defense systems of the community will involve mechs. Allot is undecided about this section but the general idea is that it will be brought into question weather their way of living was "enough" to survive. Or weather it was right at all. It will reflect our current dangers and potential cataclysm and question our nature and what the next evolutionary step would be. It will evaluate weather it is even possible to exist beyond a certain level of evolution or weather it is natural to entirely perish at a certain time.
The third section will draw allot more inspiration from Maori and Japanese mythology and spirituality. It will involve the journey from life to death for several characters and will switch between one character who is making the journey alone (and in an unusual way) and a pair of close friends who are making the more traditional Maori journey of death.
I could probably go into a bit more depth about each section, but I figure I can do that later, and with pictures to make it seem more substantial.
The first is an establishment and introduction to the characters, their society and way of life. It introduces the idea of a small sustainable community, their level and use of technology and their customs. In this segment I also attempt to explain their understanding of why they are apparently alone in the world and what threats they face. Their culture is based around certain Maori and East Asian traditions. As well as a moral/ social code based on the necessity to prevent overpopulation and maintain a sustainable relationship with their environment. This belief is kept in check by looming dangers which may or may not be explained. At the least, they will be visually alluded to. Other elements that suggest a more spiritual nature to the story are also brought up in this section, but then developed much further in the section section. An example of this would be the half risen Mt Taranaki, which has uprooted itself to show that it is more of a "giant living creature" than a normal geological mountain. However the mountain remains static in its pose and has done so for a long enough period that people accept it for what it currently is, but discredit the possibility that it can move. (Note: this is one example of unique iconography that I hope will appeal to a developing region such as Taranaki, hungry for an identity).
The section will be a chapter of instability, everything that is known and established will be twisted or discarded. It will be cataclysm related to the looming dangers presented in the first section. And simply because I love them, the defense systems of the community will involve mechs. Allot is undecided about this section but the general idea is that it will be brought into question weather their way of living was "enough" to survive. Or weather it was right at all. It will reflect our current dangers and potential cataclysm and question our nature and what the next evolutionary step would be. It will evaluate weather it is even possible to exist beyond a certain level of evolution or weather it is natural to entirely perish at a certain time.
The third section will draw allot more inspiration from Maori and Japanese mythology and spirituality. It will involve the journey from life to death for several characters and will switch between one character who is making the journey alone (and in an unusual way) and a pair of close friends who are making the more traditional Maori journey of death.
I could probably go into a bit more depth about each section, but I figure I can do that later, and with pictures to make it seem more substantial.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Very Old Scene Concepts
No comment on the quality of these, but it would be more to my advantage to post everything I have so far rather than worry about how crap it might be:
Mech Concepts
Yes, there are mech's in this story. Sorry, I cant help it. But what I CAN do is justify it. Hmmmm actually Im not sure if I have it in me right now to give a detailing of these guys, might be more successful If I wait to get peoples comments on them. I wont comment on them individually but as a whole: They are mostly influence by Maori culture and the anime Neon Genesis. I wanted them to look very strong and muscular. Any resemblance to rugby players (however appropriate) was unintentional. Those close to me know how I feel about that. The design I settled on in the end was to have a protective vest to shield the pilot inside. It is worn like any modern swat member or Kohana ninja would wear a kevlar/ flak jacket. Those things on their backs are their sources of energy, I hope to make energy conservation a subtle reoccurring theme throughout the story and it will be shown in the behavior of these guys.
Soldier Concepts
Old concepts for the main character. Things have changed allot since then.
This one I detest, I don't know why I did it like this seeing as I hate caricatures..... big heads ect. But I do remember that I was looking at pictures of "toon link" from the Legend of Zelda series at the time which I quite liked. Also I think it would be a safer idea to keep away from the "spikey haired youth" of most Japanese RPG and manga and come up with something more origional.
More realistic approach, on this o\not I have not idea what the final intended style is.
This one I detest, I don't know why I did it like this seeing as I hate caricatures..... big heads ect. But I do remember that I was looking at pictures of "toon link" from the Legend of Zelda series at the time which I quite liked. Also I think it would be a safer idea to keep away from the "spikey haired youth" of most Japanese RPG and manga and come up with something more origional.
More realistic approach, on this o\not I have not idea what the final intended style is.
Mt Taranaki Concepts
These are from a year or two ago. Around about January every year I get exited and do a few drawings or something but then stop for some reason. Heres what Ive Done. For mt Taranaki. Its based on the Maori mythology that Mt Taranaki is a god and can uproot itself and walk around.
This one has some influence from Maori art and also The anime neon genesis...
This one has some influence from Maori art and also The anime neon genesis...
For this one I liked the idea of it being a bulk of muscle, it doesn't retain much of the original mountain......
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