Story Board Part 1

Here's my story board so far.

Muzac

So Nicole helped me out this weekend and found an instrumental version of my song. I can't decide if it's better without the lyrics but I'm going to listen to both and see what they do for the imagery I want to create.

Boston (instrumental)
Boston (non-instrumental)

Visual 3 Expanded

I like the imagery and idea for visual 3 the best. I think I'm going to expand on that. I looked at some wallpaper patterns to get more ideas for my sequence. I like these colors and these patterns. For my imagery I want to use patterns and type to express the intro. I’m thinking that a nice wallpaper pattern might help to make the intro look more sophisticated and add to the tone of the movie. Although I still want to incorporate the idea of change. I think maybe I’ll start with a cooler color, or even black, and move into a warmer tone.










Color Palette For this new idea:












Fonts

Visual 5

For this last poster I was thinking about using only graphics and type as imagery. The idea is that the graphic would continue through the whole sequence and create the words as it moves along. I don't think this one is as strong though as visual 3. They are essentially the same thought, just executed in a different way.

Visual 4

For this visual I was thinking of a more classic look. I like the black and white. I think the tone of this imagery would be old, stylish and personal. I think too the hand drawn look adds a nice change to the digital look. However, my drawing skills are not that good so hand drawing the whole thing would be very difficult. I feel like, too, that for a poster this looks fine, but as far as creating a movie sequence I don't see a lot of possibilities.

Visual 3

For this idea I wanted to go along with the music. I'd like it if the title and words scroll along on side but if imagery on the right hand side comes up in time with the music. I don't know if I necessarily want to use this particular image but the concept is what I'm trying to portray. I want the music to dictate where the lines go on the screen but I want it to be a simple, elegant graphic. Hopefully I can do that.

Visual Idea 2

In this design I was looking at the Art Nouveau works. I like the idea of layering imagery. This idea reflects not only an interesting visual element but also a more metaphorical imagery of Audrey Hepburn's character. However this image is similar to that of my first idea. Although the color choice is different, which for me has a different tone. This image almost feels more active, a warmer, more vibrant characteristic. I don't know if it's really reflecting my ideas though, although those are still a bit fuzzy.

Visual Idea 1

So for this path I would use scenes from the movie to go along the title sequence. I think what I want is to make the photos create themselves, they’ll build onto the screen. The color will help to unite the different images. I would start with the beginning and move my way through scenes (is this really a title sequence?). The words would move in organically. I'm not really sure if this is an interesting title sequence or more of an artistic slide show. I'd like to continue with this idea but I feel like it may not capture the tone I'm going for.

Oh, yes, the tone :) Well I think more specifically the tone of the movie is that of Holly moving from a place in her life where she felt the need to be alone, to a place where she accepts love. It's this idea of change. I want the images to change as the scene continues. Maybe color? Style? I like this look because it seems old fashioned, like an old photograph. Ugh...I'm losing it hahaha

Creative Brief



Project Details
Date: October 19, 2008
Prepared by: Whitney Root
Project name: Project 2
Design Lead: Whitney Root
Hand-off to Production: (11/12/08) Product Release: (11/12/08)

Project Concept
Provide a two-sentence summary that describes the core user value of this project. If the value of the project is primarily a business one, then mention that, too.

The value of this project is to express a title sequence in an interesting and captivating way. It is important to capture the audience’s attention from the beginning in order to set a mood for the film.

Objectives
Use this section to list the objectives or goals for the project (for example to provide the tone for the movie, to provide back story, etc).

My goals for this title sequence are:
• To set a mood/tone for the film
• To create an interesting visual that will interest the audience along with inform them of the people involved in the movie

Audience
Use this section to describe the audiences (primary and secondary) for this project/product. Include any information that you have about the audience (demographics, etc.).

The primary audience would be young women. The story is a love story and the audience for love stories is usually young women. They would be primarily single women, women who enjoy a good story about happiness. The secondary audience would be older, married women. They still enjoy a good love story but they don’t associate themselves with it as strongly as the younger single audience.

Perception/Tone
Use this section to define the overall visual qualities/tone of this project. This should be something that would appeal to your target audience and reflect the essential quality of the movie.

I want the tone of the movie to be classic, esoteric. I want the viewer to feel a part of the story, I want them to be captivated and brought into the feel of the movie. The movie is about Holly Golightly discovering who she is and what she wants in life and I want the intro to reflect a change in characteristic.

Communication Strategy
What will you do to create the perception/tone and how will you meet the overall project objectives.

I plan to use soft color tones in the beginning and maybe move to brighter colors to reflect the internal change of Holly. I want to incorporate Art Nouveau elements to reflect the time period and the overall visual feel of the movie. I hope to also use more natural movements of the letters and graphic elements. I’m hoping to create the imagery out of free flowing movement, similar to that of paint on canvas.

Competitive Landscape
Use this section to list some examples of competitive products, what are they doing, and how the team can learn from them. (think about movies that might have the same target audience)

• Any sort of “chick flick”, like Gone with the Wind or West Side Story
• Drama, tension between the two love interests
• A good use of language
• A color palette that reflects the tone of the movie

Single-Minded Message
One term that encapsulates this project’s message.

Transforming

Creative Ideas

Here are some video clips of the movie

Trailor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urQVzgEO_w8

Moon River image sequence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRfl-K3JrAE&feature=related

Frank Sinatra’s Moon River
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uweq4_K5sTc

Final Scene (sort of :) )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO4rvRmhq4Q&feature=related

My biggest obstacle I think will be finding music that I think will capture the mood of the movie. The movie is about a girl who is scared and lost and doesn't know who she is, but by exploring her life in New York she finds that all she wanted was for someone to see her for who she was and love her for that. The movie is changing, witty, quick paced and touching. I need a song that somehow creates a confused mood in the middle of the song but allows itself to be free in the end. I'd like a classical song that has no lyrics. I feel like a song with lyrics might go against the feel of the movie, but I will explore both ideas.

My first song choice is Boston by Augustana. Here are the lyrics.

In the light of the sun, is there anyone? Oh it has begun...
Oh dear you look so lost, eyes are red and tears are shed,
This world you must've crossed... you said...

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
She said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

Essential yet appealed, carry all your thoughts across
An open field,
When flowers gaze at you... they're not the only ones who cry
When they see you
You said...

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
She said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

She said I think I'll go to Boston...
I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,
I'll get out of California, I'm tired of the weather,
I think I'll get a lover and fly em out to Spain...
I think I'll go to Boston,
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind...
I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset,
I hear it's nice in the Summer, some snow would be nice... oh yeah,

Boston... where no one knows my name... yeah
Where no one knows my name...
Where no one knows my name...
Yeah Boston...
Where no one knows my name.

Here is a video on youtube.com of the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnqvjD7Kxs4

Here is an instrumental version. I'd really prefer to have the song without the lyrics but if I can't get it that is okay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phKirDXk9LE

I think that this song is a good choice because the lyrics kind of reflect the character that Audrey plays. The song is also really beautifully done. The music is soft at first but builds as the tension of the words build. I'd like to make the smaller sounds that are intertwined in the song be small graphics in the background that flow into the names of the characters and the title. I think that the movement of the song can yield some really nice images. I did some painting along with the music because I'd like to have the words move as organically and smoothly like that of painting. That is my song idea for now. I will have more soon.

On to Project Two

This next project yields some fun possibilities. Despite the fact that I don't know how to use After Effects, I'm still really looking forward to doing this project. I've chosen the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, and if you haven't seen it you should, because it's fantastic. Anyways the premise of the movie is that a small town girl moved to New York searching to renew herself, but what she finds is that no matter where she goes she isn't happy, and the only that can make her happy is to let someone love her. Audrey Hepburn's character Holly Golightly is hysterical in her eccentricity. It's definitely a good movie. Anyways...here are the notes that I took of the movie.



Holly Golighty: the main character

• She’s obsessed with Tiffany’s
• Keeps her phone in a suitcase
• Tiffany’s calms her and seems like a safe place for her
• Talkative
• Very personable
• She might be a prostitute…maybe…at least an escort
• Keeps track of who rich men are
• Delivers messages for a mob boss
• Moon River is a song that goes throughout the movie
• Was married to a much older man at 13, her brother is in the army, ran away from home with her brother
• Calls her neighbor Paul, Fred, because he reminds her of her brother
• Paul loves her but she’s only interested in marrying rich
  

Mood

• High culture, classic shapes and movement
• Art nouveau

Color palette: blues, greens, soft tones

Fonts: serifs, or curvilinear fonts

Conversation is quick, witty, maybe the imagery should be quick, music should be an upbeat sound with a lot of change and a lot of action

Very sixties, drinking but classy dress, high life
Almost Gatsby like

Moon River Lyrics from the movie

Moon River, wider than a mile,
I'm crossing you in style some day.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
wherever you're going I'm going your way.
Two drifters off to see the world.
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end--
waiting 'round the bend,
my huckleberry friend,
Moon River and me.

Important Information
Title: Breakfast at Tiffany's
Audrey Hepburn
George Peppard
Mickey Rooney
Patricia Neal
Director: Blake Edwards
Book by: Truman Capote
Screenplay: George Axelrod

Imagery

I'm thinking that the imagery and movement of Art Nouveau would be a good look for the movie title sequence.


As far as fonts go for this movie I was looking at a number of different ones.

Each one of these fonts seems to reflect the mood of the movie for me. They are thin fonts, small serifs or no serifs. Each in itself is somewhat whimsical, as if the letters move on their own but are still forced to sit within the realms of what their shape dictates. I also think that each have qualities of the Art Nouveau movement. Especially the fonts Amerika Sans and Aubrey. I like Aubrey the most I think, because of its large letter forms and its changing line quality. I think I will use this one for the title and use the other fonts as supporting forms.

Abadi MT Condensed Light
Ambrosia Demo Regular
Amerika Sans Regular
Aubrey Regular
Big Caslon Medium
Century Regular
Footlight MT Light
Mammagamma

That is my list for fonts. I tried to put them on the blog in the form of a jpeg but it's not working very well so I will have to put them up another time.

The trouble is....

So I've finalized my ideas and I've even completed two videos (their quality however is questionable).

For my hair dryer noise I created a video that shows abstract shapes shaking apart from one another.

• Limitations: form is abstract, sound is referential, two found colors

For the slot machine noise I did typography. It is bright and quick paced like the sound.

• Limitations: one typeface (Desdemona), sound reflects typeface (both are active, the letterform is sharp and large and the sound is bold), sound determines structure, two found colors (McDonalds...they're bright colors)

For the wind chime noise I'm making a video with leaves. In critique it was suggested that falling leaves was more interesting (and probably easier) than dancers.

• Limitations: recognizable imagery (leaves), sound determines structure, objects in nature

Those are the finals of my videos. I'm irritated that the videos are not as good as they look in my head but because I am learning it will just take time before my mind and skills catch up.

Animation 1 The Hairy Dryer

The infiltration of the hair dryer has begun. I've decided ( I think haha) that I'm going to create an image that starts out with some dots on the screen that slowly take over the whole image. I got this idea from the imagery of insects and how they swarm. I'm going to use the two colors limitation.


I used this picture for the color. I picked two reds from the shirt. I chose these colors because they remind me of fire ants and I feel like the colors will seem overwhelming, which is what I'm going for.

Monday Critique

For wind chime

leaves falling is more random than dancing, instead of it being choreographed
image of leaves falling is heavier than the wind chime sound

For hair dryer

the idea of the insects was strongest, sound seems to overwhelm something

For slot machine

best for typeface, a growing, ticking noise, maybe the typeface can grow and bounce off one another, the sound is hurried/crowded, put the letters in as if it's a busy place

Images for Wind Chimes

Animation # 3: wind chimes

Must use image that is recognizable
media limitation may be using only still photographs, I don't know if I can find video that will completely match the sound

I’m wanting to use some kind of dancer, like a tap dancer or a ballerina, to go along with the sound

Tap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGc3ib49Iag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JubLEOaRku4&feature=related

Ballet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUrJuSh0evE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ0L24YbGGI&feature=user

Images for Slot Machine Sound

Animation # 2: slot machine sound

Must use only one typeface
Sound added to reflect typeface
Sound still determines structure
Media: only two colors: yellow and orange/red

I have to admit I’m not really sure how this animation works. Are we spelling something out? Are we writing something? Should the words just pop up letter by letter? Do I have to decide this all myself?! :)

For some reason this sound reminds me of the Great Gatsby....





I'd like my typeface to somehow reflect the 1920s and my slot machine sound....

I think I'm going to use the fonts Ambrosia and Desdemona for now and see what I can do with them...

Images for Hair Dryer sound

Animation # 1: hair dryer

Form is abstract
Sound is referential
If it is hand drawn can I do it like a stop motion film?

What is it going to be of though?
What about a dark screen, something is looming in the background, maybe a soft light begins to appear out of the corner….or maybe a bright page and a dark item begins to loom on the corner







The sound of the hair dryer reminds me of a swarm of insects.
The sound makes me think of something that stutters, a person :) or something that is jittery.

Struggles to address

So week one is down and my motivation continues to be aloof. I'm digging deep though to find it. I've been listening to my sounds and I think I've got some ideas about what to do for my animations. The only problem now is making my ideas come to fruition. Oh we will see :) wish me luck!

Sound Files

http://www.pacdv.com/sounds/domestic_sound_effects/water_drain_1.wav
http://www.pacdv.com/sounds/domestic_sound_effects/hair_dryer.wav
http://www.pacdv.com/sounds/miscellaneous_sounds/whooosh.wav
http://www.pacdv.com/sounds/miscellaneous_sounds/wind-chime-1.mp3
http://www.soundsnap.com/node/85968
http://www.soundsnap.com/node/95760