Panagiotis Tsimpiridis Thesis PreProduction

Below is a pdf with the areas of research, an MLA style outline and a link to my Refworks Thesis Pre-Production folder including references of articles and books I have gathered for my research.

Download Areas of Research pdf file
Download MLA style outline pdf file
Link to Refworks Thesis Pre-Production folder
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Character Design

Having a basic scenario in my mind about the story I started thinking about the personality of the father. Since he will end up having no space to relax on the small empty place he will find, because of his own gear, he should be spending for products a lot. I think of him as a bit of a guy who is a materialist, likes showing off and making his presence known to others without being "oppressive" though. He doesn't have power, he is just an average guy so he is trying to gain respect in other people's eyes through the things he owns that are supposed to be the latest fashion, technology etc trends. He is witty, funny and he is trying to come up with solutions to problems that usually do not work (cliche). He is the guy that loves his family. He would check though a woman of his taste as she passes by, when his wife is not watching...

So after making all these thoughts about his personality I came up with some characteristics about his physical look. He is short, not the athletic type, with a round body, but not fat, with skinny legs and arms. He has no neck, his head and body are one, an influence from modern cartoons design of the 1950s.

Below are some reference images of 1950s modern cartoon design.

(im. 1) Ray Patin Productions. Gulf Oil Commercial. Designer unknown. Model sheet. Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in Fifties Animation. Chronicle Books. 2006

(im. 2) Fine Art Films. Petroushka (1956). John Wilson. Model sheet. Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in Fifties Animation. Chronicle Books. 2006

(im. 3) Grantray-Lawrence Animation. Commercial designs by Gene Hazelton. Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in Fifties Animation. Chronicle Books. 2006

(im. 4) Image from the back cover of the book: "Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in Fifties Animation. Chronicle Books. 2006"

Below is an image of Mike from Monsters Inc., Pixar, 2001. His personality, physical look and movements are very inspiring for a character like the one I am trying to make.

(im. 5) Poster from Pixar's "Monster Inc". 2001

Final Look
Regarding the final look of my animation short, browsing through the internet I came across a new animation feature film from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment called Despicable Me. The trailer is showing a group of tourists visiting the pyramids in Egypt. Blue sky and sand... I guess that this is very close to what I would like to achieve...

(im. 6) Still image from the trailer of Despicable Me (Universal Studios & Illumination Entertainment). Release date July 2010.
Link to the trailer of Despicable Me on youtube

Atmosphere (Look & Feel)

One of the things that are commonly used in animation films is the difference of the landscape/background color & lighting in order to emphasize the difference of each location, physically or emotionally. Two examples are the feature films The Incredibles (Pixar, 2004) and the Corpse Bride (Warner Bros, 2005).

At the example of the Incredibles, the colors at Bob's working environment (im. 6) are very pale, the light is evenly spread, there is no contrast. Bob is also depressed working there, because not only he is unable to help people the way he used to -as a superhero- but his boss expects him to work in favor of the company and not its clients. Whereas at Bob's home (im. 8), the colors are more vivid, there is definitely more contrast and the scene gives a sense of warmth. Apart from the fact that there is different lighting used in an office and a house, it is obvious that the color palette and the lighting have to do also with the protagonist's feelings. Bob is not himself at work as he is at home.

(im. 7) Still image from The Incredibles (Pixar, 2004). Robert Parr (Mr. Incredible) working at the office

(im. 8) Still image from The Incredibles (Pixar, 2004). Robert Parr (Mr. Incredible) at home

In Corpse Bride the difference is between the 2 worlds, the world of living (im. 9) and the underworld (im. 10). Although someone would expect the world of living to be the one with the vivid colors and the dull, monochromatic the one of the dead, the reverse is what actually we see in the movie. The reason is that the underworld is a more fun place to be, there are no worries and everyone has accepted his place. There is no discrimination, everyone is equal before death. On the wold of the living it is exactly the opposite. People are pretending and are trying to become something else, they are worried of what will happen in the future and they would compromise in order to achieve their goals.

(im. 9) Still image from Corpse Bride (Warner Bros, 2005). Inside the Everglot's Mansion.

(im. 10) Still image from Corpse Bride (Warner Bros, 2005). Inside the Land of the Dead Pub.

I would like to use that feel of difference in my animation short. A more pale look without much contrast at the first location, that the father cannot find an empty space for him and his family. Whereas the small, hard-to-reach spot, that he finds empty, would have more vivid colors and contrast. Although both locations are close to each other this difference of the atmosphere will strengthen the difference of the protagonist's feelings also. The frustration in the beginning and the happiness afterwards.
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This a draft of my story's script. As I was afraid that would happen, the story is too long (at least shorter than what I had in mind originally). I will revise it and hopefully come up with something shorter.

Beach-less Script
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I believe that my character's personality is a stronger characteristic than the one of being a father (he could be anyone) so I decided to take out that part from the story, meaning the fact that he is a father. Based on the references I had, I made some doodles. I always thought of him as a Greek guy and that is why my wife and I named him Kostas, a typical Greek name.

First attempts of designing Kostas

Below is the design I feel that expresses the character's personality and form I had in mind the best. I have placed him next to a Nissan Figaro not only to give an idea of his scale but because that is the car I would like to base his car's design.

Kostas with his car
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I still need to refine my storyboard since I have plenty of scenes for the first part whereas the second part is not as well organized.

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Having thought of, planned out and changed my story (at least) a couple of times and having reviewed it in class for a few times already, which was extremely helpful, I think I am ready to post my latest revisions on my statement, synopsis, screenplay and script before the midterm presentation. A revised and more elaborate and full storyboard will follow and my goal is to make an animatic with sound effects as they will be very helpful for the understanding of the story.

Thesis Statement Rev.3
Using 3d character animation, in a graphic shading style with influences from the 1950s modern design cartoons, I will try to visualize the efforts of a man trying to find space and relax in a crowded beach.

Story Synopsis Rev.3
A man going to the beach finds the place so crowded with people, umbrellas, chaise lounges, beach chairs, inflatables, iceboxes, toys and music players that there is only a small spot for him. The combination of people annoying him and his own things taking over all the space he had to lie down and relax make him leave the place and go to the open sea with one of his inflatables to find peace and space. The story is trying to describe the situation where primary needs, in this case relaxation, often cannot get fulfilled because there are secondary ones on the way, deriving from our consumer society.

Screenplay Rev.2 (click to download file)

Script Rev.2 (click to download file)
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I have already done some more research on the character design, style, look etc. that I should have posted earlier... After deciding to use as a reference the 50s modern design cartoons, I always had in mind Friz Freleng's "the man" from the short The Pink Phink (1964), that won the academy award. The story is so simple but yet so amazing!

Still image from The Pink Phink (DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, 1964).

Anyway, the other Friz Freleng character that is great as a reference is the Inspector who makes an incredible duo with sergeant Deux Deux...

Still image from The Inspector (DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, 1965-1969).
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Here is my revised storyboard... just before the animatic :)

My review went pretty well and I am excited, as it was a boost to keep going... Endless nights without sleep paid back after all and I am happy.

So, summarizing the review -from Patricia's and Myles' comment sheets & my schoolmates helpful notes.

Some general comments...
- They liked the concept, the design, the sound fx and the music. For the latter I should get clearance -something that I am already working on, hopefully I will get some responses soon.
- The short is quite long :D so I should try to squeeze it a bit.
- Regarding the design I should try to incorporate my drawings in the final look of my piece to add a more artistic flavor.
The truth is that although I want to experiment on the final look, it never occurred to me to use my sketches in doing that. So Patricia & Myles revealed a total new path. The truth is I always thought of my sketches as quite good but not good enough. Their comments helped to get some confidence...
- There is lots of character animation and I should keep the rest of the elements simplified to keep production needs down.
That comment combined with the suggestion of using my drawings in the final look and the fact that I would like to experiment rather than do everything in the typical cg look could help me orientate and set some limits.
- I should also hit the story beats harder (finding through the binoculars the first spot at the crowded beach and that there is not enough space there, the finding of a new spot at the cliff's edge, the final realization that there is not enough room at the packed-from-his-own-stuff new place).
I believe that this will actually make the story stronger as these points are not as stressed as they should be in the animatic.
- I should have my character modeled before the end of the semester to start doing animation tests.
I have started already... Trying to find some time to work more on that...

... and more specific ones...
- I should reveal what he discovers at the edge of the cliff. Myles suggested to use a narrow perspective in POV to stress the distance and the size of the small beach, or use a dramatic shot showing from a distance their height and size relation.
I thought it would be easily implied since that was what he was looking for, but they are right. Myles' suggestion on the shot will stress the fact/gag, as he also noted, that he goes a long way up and down to gather his stuff on the beach.
- Patricia suggested to work on the bubble thoughts more in both occasions. At the first one, when he is thinking he just wants to lie down, I should try to make the billboard work more for my story. At the second one, when he realizes there is no room, this moment needs to weigh against the implication at the end of him having space finally in the open sea but being in danger because of the ship.
Maybe the billboard could turn into his dream bubble, with him lying on the sand with no one close and no props, some text also stressing that he just wants to lie down, in an advertising way... On the second bubble thought, I could have him try to lie down, struggle a bit, play also with the camera and the packed limited space, then have him look at the donut shaped inflatable and show him smiling implying that he has an idea.
- Although the ship is introduced when he looks through the binoculars, I should make it more obvious and stress the fact that there is a ship there to support more the gag at the end with the ship's horn.
When he looks through the binoculars in the beginning, while adjusting them he could see far away a close view of the ship and then adjust them again to see the beach.

Below are Patricia's and Myles' evaluation forms and comments sheets.

For the cloud with the crowd and the equalizer attacking Kostas I had the videos below as inspiration & reference. I would like to post them although one of the suggestions I got in my midterm review yesterday was to keep production needs down and I will most probably follow...

For the cloud of dust I was thinking to create something that will not be out of particles with a realistic look but something out of geometry, more like the cloud in 0:39-1:00.

Peripetics by ZEITGUISED
Vimeo page: As quoted from Zeitguised website, “Zeitguised made a piece in six acts for the opening exhibition at the Zirkel Gallery. It entails six imaginations of disoriented systems that take a catastrophic turn, including the evolution of educational plant-body-machine models and liquid building materials.”

Peripetics by ZEITGUISED from NotForPaper on Vimeo.

For the equalizer I was thinking of making it in 3d rather than 2d as it is in my animatic. (0:55-1:03)

Typophile Film Festival 5 Opening Titles
Vimeo page: Handcrafted with love by BYU design students and faculty, for the 5th Typophile Film Festival. A visual typographic feast about the five senses, and how they contribute to and enhance our creativity. Everything in the film is real—no CG effects!

Typophile Film Festival 5 Opening Titles from Brent Barson on Vimeo.