Tag: Creative Conscience

I started by looking back on my style design map from my original presentation and created an updated mood board with more relevant examples of illustrative styles. A lot of the examples use limited colour palettes, solid colours and sometimes grainy textures. I think for this animation I want to take a more realistic approach to the style because I don’t want to take the viewer out of the situation. This shows that it’s really happening here to real people and not an imaginary concept.

I then started gathering some real reference images specific to the visuals feature in my animation so I looked at inspiration of kitchens as well as real footage captured during the water scarcity in Tunbridge wells. This helps keep it grounded and an accurate representation of the situation.

I then made a list of all the backgrounds I needed to complete so that I could see which ones were going to be easier or more complex. Then I started sketching the compositions of all the backgrounds. I didn’t draw any of the elements that move within the backgrounds as they would need to be done separately in Toon boom during the animation.

• Kitchen Side
• Laundry Room
• Inside Shower
• Kitchen Sink
• Bathroom Sink
• Pipes under Sink
• Outside Parking lot queue for water

Then I coloured all of the backgrounds with realistic colours and textures. When I do the compositing I want to adjust the tones of the videos before, during and after the water scarcity to further highlight the crisis by having it be darker possibly with some vignette.

Here’s what it looks like so far with just the backgrounds. Next I need to start drawing out the rough animation for each section. I think once I have animated it I am going to import it into after effects or premiere pro to do the text based slides at the end and adjust the colours.

We then had a feedback session where we could show our works in progress and receive feedback on what we have already done. It was also great to see everyone else’s progress. Overall, I am on a good track and that I should get my animatic reviewed before I animate so that I can receive more feedback on the timing. Also If I want to record dialogue then I can book out a recording studio at Uni to get good audio quality.

After receiving feedback from our presentation to Creative Conscience, I felt that my developed idea was definitely better and I had a clearer vision of it going forwards. My next step is to create a storyboard for each of the videos outlining the scenes visually based on the story outline I created for my presentation.

When I was creating these, I felt that they could work better with some narration, just to help make the visuals clear and understandable to the audience and also to guide the story and make it flow. I created a small draft script that I feel like fits with the videos that will work temporarily until I make a final decision or get outside opinions. I might also make adjustments when I make the animatics because it has to work with the timing of the videos.

After our internal presentation, I wanted to work on implementing the feedback I received in order to solidify my idea for my next presentation. After taking a break from this project I had some time to reflect and have since felt that I have lost clarity in my ideas especially in the visual feel of the pieces. Therefore, I wanted to return to experimenting with different ideas that reflect the theme and new feedback. I went back and reread the original creative conscience brief and decided that I wanted to balance my original idea of showing the severity with also providing positive ways to help combat these realities; which is more aligned with the brief of identifying an issue and providing a way to improve it or raise awareness of it.

I then wanted to create a detailed outline of each video idea and back it up with research on each real event that inspires it, as well as the resources available that provide ways to prevent them. So, I spent some time reading news articles, timelines and official statements from each of the case studies and found out the impact it had on people and the environment as well as how they could have been prevented or reduced the severity.

I then revised my presentation PowerPoint to reflect the changes I have made and the feedback I have been given. We have been given 10 minutes maximum to present our ideas, but I am not worried about that restraint as I like to give short, precise presentations because you have to use your time wisely and not waste it for yourself and others.

Then I can get feedback on this more solidified positive concept. I feel like I can better picture what it is I would like to create now and I think it will be more impactful on the audience as it has a call to action to make a change. I am more confident in this idea and my ability to execute it. My next steps afterwards would be to start storyboarding the two videos.

Feedback:

In order to create my pitch, I had to first create a proposed project timeline that laid out the different aspects of productions and their associated expected duration. I looked at examples online to get an example of what to include and how to composite it. I used an Excel template which I customised for this project as this was my first time doing this and I wasn’t sure what to use.

Then I finished creating my Pitch Deck by following the template we were given. This feedback will be helpful for refining my pitch presentation as well as for developing my ideas as this project progresses.

Feedback:

• Only do 3 if they’re all equally strong otherwise do less
• Look at specific local UK case studies (tumbridge wells) 
• Have 3 fully detailed ideas for feedback before storyboarding them 
• Align myself with organisations such as the fire brigade 
• Do more character based so that people can see it happening to themselves and people they know 
• Make it set modern day to create urgency as people will put it off if they imagine it to be a future issue 
• Idea 1 What if you woke up tomorrow and insert location was blank  
• Flooded / on fire / drought no water 
• Potential idea first person perspective 
• Allow more time for colouring in the schedule 
• Sound design make scratch track and have the sound designer come in earlier  on the schedule 
• Change resolution to be vertical

This was a good opportunity and I felt like I received some very useful feedback it was also great that some of my peers contributed with feedback and ideas as it shows that this is something that other people are interested in. My next steps would be to refine my pitch presentation ready for creative conscience, continue my research and to start generating ideas.

For my SIPS project, I tailored it to the Creative Conscience awards briefs which explore finding creative solutions to solve or improve issues such as climate change, health and wellbeing, and inclusivity. I wanted to find a way to incorporate one of these topics with animation and my interest of social media. I filled out the SIPS form for this project.

In November we had a session with Zoe about how to instil our values into our work which involved a couple of tasks that helped us identify what we value and what we contribute as an individual.

I had to identify one idea for the Sips project so I spent some time researching into both topics and considering which one would wok best. I considered which would give me more potential and resonate more with an audience to have the biggest impact. In the end I decided to go with climate change. I then went back to the original SIPS form and edited it to reflect my chosen idea. Next I started to Mind map out some Ideas for this Project related to the issues of Climate change.

To start with I looked at examples of my theme and process that already exists on social media so that I can build an understanding of what already exists and how I can create something new. I found that I really like the animated climate change stories by Greenpeace as they focus more on storytelling rather than infographics.

Climate Change Can Feel Huge. Start Small. Green Heart Animation Show The Love 2022: https://youtube.com/shorts/94Dg4aSwjBA?si=7tv6d28V57wNJoCB

Climate change (according to a kid): https://youtu.be/Sv7OHfpIRfU?si=7hWUdeA6GvOalwgu

Wisdom’s wise words on ocean protection – Greenpeace: https://youtu.be/JREYxnesAGA?si=NsfJWvT_ulJ5192b

Sanctuary: A Fish Tale of Ocean Survival: https://youtu.be/EQKf1hoHQfQ?si=22Xk1cc7ZM-SDnLy

I got the opportunity to share some of my ideas at our session and hear from others. It was interesting seeing which topics others had chosen to focus on and how they were going to incorporate it with their practice. I also got feedback on my idea which was to get in contact with the UAL Climate Emergency Network about potential events or collaborations, think about collaborating with a sound student, It can be posted on social media by me, DPS and UAL social media accounts. I also wanted to see if there was any climate change specific animation festivals that take place around next year April / May time that I might also be able to submit to.

Then I started researching into my idea so that I can build off of factual information and use it to inform my design and plots. This way I will have a solid base for my pitch for Creative Conscience. I kept track of all of my sources of research and inspiration In this document which I will continue to build as this project develops.

I then started creating mood boards to gather images to use as inspiration as well as include in my pitch to help give the viewer an estimate at what they could expect. I looked at both real images and style inspiration from art that already exists.

I also watched some episodes of Our Planet for further inspiration. Our Planet is a British nature documentary series made for Netflix. The series is narrated by David Attenborough in collaboration with the conservation charity World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The series focuses on the wildlife and natural wonders of eight different ecosystems, and has been noted for its greater focus on humans’ impact on the environment than traditional nature documentaries, focusing around how climate change impacts all living creatures.

In order to start creating my pitch document for my SIPS project by following the guide we were given, using a template and incorporating some of the research and visuals I have found. I watched a couple of YouTube video’s about building a pitch deck and pitching to an audience to get some advice.

Preparing an Animation Pitch Deck & Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/live/HVC8G6Cn9xg?si=IeLaRe7yRMAmQPkc

The Art of Pitching: https://youtu.be/UWq8RPyFxQI?si=UE8DVvEG3WPi40_4

My next steps are to create my pitch presentation, contact the UAL Climate Emergency Network and rehearse and practice my pitch in preparation for when we share for feedback.