Draft animatic and feedback please:)

sorry about the late upload, internet is very bad...

I can completely agree with both Ryan and Paul, I think Paul's animatic is sequenced really well, but I just had a problem with the pacing of the 2nd half, what I meant by linear was that it didn't excel in speed to match the music..

So I have put together a really rough animatic of the type of pacing I think would suit, its incomplete but will but done later today
The music is from  Brick and Inception soundtrack just an idea of how the music could mirror the pace of our trailer.

It may be completely wrong for our film so please tell me what exactly you think :)


Its fara from perfect but I just wanted to load it up anyway, so we can get feedback


If I appear really stubborn especially in the last post I apologize,its just I really want to push our film, I don't want to rush it at all

More Branding Progress

Our studio agreed on a final logo for our latest project 'The Skeleton Key on Broadway'. This was a blend between number 2 and number 3 from the title concepts posted a few days ago.



This is the final logo we will be using on the rest of our marketing and promotional work in regards to the film.

Direct download links for the logo in psd and png formats are below for when we need to add it into the posters, movies, concepts, character turnarounds etc.





In other news, I've experimented further into our studio's branding within the motion department.

A draft animation for our Studio's Title Sequence. Right now it's pushing towards a 'computer-interface' style, obviously taking into influence from the GUI Idea. Guys please post feedback and let me know what you think. Is this the direction we want to go for?







Finally, as part of Studio Marketing we've also got a Youtube Channel and Facebook Page up.

Skeleton Key on Broadway Animatic with sound

Hey Alex/Ryan,

I know we talked about redoing the animatic but; seeing as the feedback from the crit was positive on the original, the only negative was it's lack in sound. So, I've added a score and changed the ending with the alternate one we discussed.

Alex I know you are keen on adding a scene with the victim as a child, I still think we can include it in the collage at the end. This is by no means the final animatic. We can replace the scenes with people sitting down to jack in with the mobile ones, also imagine the flying car sequences with Ryan's futuristic car designs.
Personally I think we should run with what we have. I think the music makes it much, MUCH better and it says all we need to say.

P.S. Please excuse the awful American accent but you get the point... What do you think of it?

Pitch Template

GUI concepts

(Originally posted by Ryan El)

Vechicle Concepts

Further Vehicle Concepts

As we are to show cars flying around throughout the background of the trailer, the vehicles are not of major importance to dedicate a large amount of resources towards. From the initial sketches, I've cut the ideas down to 3-4 of the best and created silhouettes out of them. Number 1 was the most well received so I made some further progress with it.

(Originally posted by Ryan El)

character/Fashion Concepts

 

Future Fashion Concepts

For a number of purposes.

Number 1 is the current Detective & Victim clothing. However I would like to throw some variety into the mix just in case. Furthermore, since we will be having civilians walking around the environment within our trailer. Some ideas on variety for their appearance.

Mouseover Images to see Highlights

 
Optic Tech:

When performing code breaking or manipulation, the victim's optic tech works through sequencing: Sectors of information are unlocked one at a time. The victim's graphical user interface displays this through concentric circles, as the sectors are unlocked the assigned ring for that sector will stop at 90 degrees upward.

Optic Tech:

When performing code breaking or manipulation, the victim's optic tech works through sequencing: Sectors of information are unlocked one at a time. The victim's graphical user interface displays this through concentric circles, as the sectors are unlocked the assigned ring for that sector will stop at 90 degrees upward.

 

(Originally posted by Ryan El)

Marketing

More Marketing stuff:

WIP - Initial Moving Title Intro Concepts


Just starting it, looking very basic at the moment. But possibly the direction were going for? ideas? feedback?




Also, Variety on Still Title Graphics- For Marketing purposes (Promo Poster, Videos, etc)





Fleshing out our world:






 

More direction

So after our talk with Alan we realized we could tell more of the narrative just based on the construction of the environment. We completely missed this perspective me especially as we wanted to tell the story well, that we never thought of the type of shots a mis en scene of our trailer.

So we was directed to Edward Hopper's work, to which we covered in unit 3 for our uncanny project.

His work is tells a story that is ambiguous, that changes  meaning with every different viewers perception. its through staging and lighting. It  sets up a atmosphere but leaves the audience to decide that reason.

This is exactly what we need to achieve, to be able the Detective is a lonely and sardonic man for whatever reason. He especially needs to be set up in an environment that reflects his mood and outlook of the case.

Alternate Ending - Animatic

Hey Alex / Ryan,

As discussed I've altered the ending to our trailer as per our talk with Alan... what do you think?

The Skeleton Key On Broadway - Animatic / Storyboard

Hey Alex / Ryan,

I have finally cobbled together a full rough draft of our storyboard. Hopefully it SCREAMS noir and covers most of the points we have discussed. Let me know what you think....

Rough Storyboard - halfway through

Hey Alex / Ryan,

I'm about halfway through a rough storyboard/animatic for our trailer. I'll try and get it finished by the end of today.

Note* Imagine the text as a voice over and add some dramatic music over the top of it. I also called our detective "Smith" because we haven't discussed names yet. This will be changed once we have talked about it. As I said I'm about halfway through it, what are your thoughts so far?

The Detective look

As we have a secondary 1930's detective portrayed in a play, current day detective should be a man of his year. Be in touch with the technological environment around him, and that should reflect on him attire.

 BUT! if there is a way to pick certain elements in the traditional film noir uniform, and upgrade or add it to the future modern day look, than that would be even better.

WIP - Detective Character and Broadway Environment Concept Progress

Still a work in progress, building on top of Paul's Character Concepts and his Environment Concept Progress

Also taking into reference what Alan said in regards to unification of character and environment:

"Often a character who has grown up in an enviroment resembles that environment in some way (body structure). If this is New York then may be our detective is constructed of angular lines to mimic the architecture and harshness of living in the city. Try to bring the architecture and character closer together"

Narrative: Concept Progress - Victim

Following Alex's post on the Art Direction for our project. We will push for the Characters' and Environments' concept style to contain a certain amount of definition whilst retaining a bold sleekness to it.

Victim's concept so far:

The Art Direction

I really think our story can be quite stylistic with artistic license. I feel we can be bold and illustrative but still maintain the narrative in a clear and precise way.

Some examples of the type of style that would be cool for our environments and generally atmospheric feelvfor our trailer.


Jasper Goodall ( you would love him Ryan, if you don't already know about him ;) )

The thing to take away from Goodall's work is his bold geometric illustrations, which is complied with simple blocked colours or soft yet sharp brushes to create something really mystic and fantasy like.

maxim zhestkov

Phil actually directed me to Zhestkov for my uni 6 neo noir project, and I think his work is again right for this one aswell. Its moody but spectacular at same time. I love the texturing in each one of his animations.  Again his use of shapes is something to consider

Chick by Michael Socha.

A great animation and story board. Bold simple and great memorable shapes and characters.

CHICK from Mayki on Vimeo.

Concept progress

Obviously this is very early stages but I've started work on some concept art for our futuristic New York. To start with I've blocked out some horizon and perspective lines. Then looking at some photographs of a New York street today, I've blocked out what will be Old Broadway. This will be old and run down with only a few people wandering the street. The plan is to fill the background with futuristic buildings, skyscrapers and flying cars etc. to emphasise that life is lived high above old New York. Work in progress....

Detective Silhouettes

I've looked at some images of detectives and knocked up some quick silhouettes for our detective character. I've got traditional detectives in mind, so overcoats, ties and even the hat in one of them.

Character Silhouettes: Victim

Designs for detective

I'm really feeling for our detective to have an Italian type flair to him, with his hair slicked back and pencil moustache

Next stage

Following our talk with Alan our next task is to start flushing out shapes and silholette of our characters and environments.

Here are some alternate figures of our Detective

A couple thumbnails for the environment

Character Biographies for Skeleton Key on Broadway

Bio's

Three Act Structure

Three Act Structure

REVISED Treatment

After an exciting meeting with team Glass Key, we went over the rough treatment and have developed it into a solid story for our movie. I have amended our treatment, Alex is covering the Character bio's and Ryan is taking care of the three act structure! GO TEAM!!

The Skeleton Key on Broadway
The Treatment Version 2

The year is 2085, New York’s skyline has changed dramatically. Home to some of the World’s tallest skyscrapers, the glow of lights and advertising billboards can be seen for hundreds of miles. The city’s inhabitants live out their lives high above ground, commuting between buildings via advanced bullet trains and flying cars. The streets below are distant memory of the World today.

Technology has developed to the point where people can download and share memories and experiences directly into their minds. Entertainment is now a digital “experience”; people can virtually interact by plugging their minds into what was once called the internet.  Cinema’s, concerts and theatre productions are considered an old pastime. Old Broadway is struggling for business, with only a few traditional plays and theatres still performing.

(Detective character) is a former Cop with a dark history. His wife left him and his daughter years ago when she was still a baby, his world revolved around his work and raising his daughter. Under mysterious circumstances, his daughter disappeared when she was 15 years old. The case was never solved and after 10 years of searching, she was listed as presumed dead. Devastated by his loss, he left the force to start his own Private Detective agency, specializing in “missing person” cases.

One day he is anonymously assigned a new case; to find a woman who writes traditional plays on Old Broadway who has mysteriously disappeared. Usually the detective never works for unidentified clients, but when a large sum of money is transferred to his account, he reluctantly accepts. 

Initial research reveals the woman only has records going back a few years.  As the detective delves deeper into the case, he discovers she has adopted a pseudonym. Very rare in the security cautious world they live in today. Further research reveals she is the descendant of a pioneering scientist who developed the technology everyone uses for entertainment. He discovers the girl’s family were tragically killed. She was adopted by ____ a high ranking Government official.

As the detective delves deeper into the case, he learns that the woman also worked for the Government and had a unique talent. Her Scientist grandfather implanted her with technology which gave her the ability to unlock people’s memories, thoughts and secrets and manipulate their decisions. The Government and her adopted father immorally used her talents to gain advantage over their enemies, politically, economically and in modern warfare. The woman ultimately found out that she was being used. Worried about the consequences of her actions, she used her ability to adopt a new identity and hide from the Government and pursue an honest life as a writer of plays.

The detective realises the benefits of having this woman’s abilities and the power it would bestow to anyone in control of her. He also believes she maybe the key to discovering the mystery around his own daughter’s disappearance. It dawns on him that her cover has been blown and he has been hired by the Government to bring her back. He carries on regardless. He attends her plays and discovers hidden messages within them, as most of the storylines depicts events that have happened, or are happening in her life. After examining her apartment, he finds the script to one of her last plays in which the female lead kills herself. The detective must race against time to find her as he believes she intends to do the same rather than be forced to return to her former life.

Rough Treatment

Hey team Glass Key,

Further to our conversation with Alan last week, I've put together a rough treatment of our ideas so far. This isn't set in stone and is just the way "I" see our story going at this point in time. Does it fit with everything we have said so far? Shall we change / alter anything?

Once we have pinned down our overall story, we can begin to flesh out the characters and finally get on with pre-production.

The Skeleton Key on Broadway