Idea Development

Now that I have decided to create an animatic not based on my previous work, I will need to create an idea to be carried forward as a narrative. Ideally, this narrative would form the basis of my third year film. I have always been interested in design work, photography and culture of the 20th century, and began research into the past to inspire my work. An excellent resource of this period is www.retronaut.co, a website dedicated to archiving the unusual and unique aspects of 20th century life. Visiting this website has been able to give me a few ideas that could be developed into story ideas.

The most interesting photos I found on Retronaut, for me, were the ones showing life pre-1930s. I find these photos interesting as they show life completely different to how it is now, and the people portrayed with in these pieces seem to have a lot of character. I was able to find a series if photos showing life within the snowy setting of winter. These photos, in their bleak black and white, are very striking, and provide an interesting setting for an animated short.

Above images from skating party, 1912

Above, Jerusalem in the snow, 1921

I think what is interesting about these photos is their use of light. The black and white usage within the photos allows for an excellent contrast within the photos, and as previously stated, gives each one a very bleak style. It is this bleak style that I wish to replicate, as I think 3D computer animation would create a unique platform for this style. The pieces are able to even take on the "Dickensian" look, and a similarity to this could grow into an interesting short film.