So one thing I have learned since I was not a producer at the start of this project and I tend to work in production. The key in pre-production is not just having story and some quick thumbs is not enough. What you need to have is beats. Now what are beats? Robert McKee (who I am now reading) says: "beat is an exchange of behavior in action/reaction. Beat by Beat by these changing behaviors shapes the turning of a scene." (Robert McKee Story) Now something I had to show was beats for my spoon and fork story.
Now the problem with my the knowable I had was I thought from my animation background oh i need story board which is part of pre-production but are not beats. So here I go making a ton of storyboards and I took them in on the 3/5 cards ready to show and low and behold ACK... my producing work shop thinks I am some crazy undergrad who has lost her mind. Thus I felt I was taking on to much with my pandemic cartoon But Vince sent me to another instructor to help me find the light since he and a few other teachers really like my idea/script (and even the script was written out bad but its a learning proses ) My project comes from my time in Michael Vickners about 1 year ago with 2D animation. Basically I have 2 spoons who fight because their baby is a spork. well this idea of a utensils world has changed a bit and soon I will show you my up dated "spoon"
Now here I am with understanding a bit about animation and rigging but I have several story ideas and so How do I show that to producers with getting it across very fast a quick (I will have to do this if I come back for my masters when I write my thesis) So I go over to Bob with my friend Justin and with big eyes ask what is a beat? I know about story boards that are written from a script since I have done that but I was a bit lost in translation. First he asks me, Do you like story? I think I lit up cause I love a good gag or story and enjoy writing them out in my note books. Then he says good Can you draw? I told him i can get my point across but that i am still working on it. He said good. Then he said do you want to make your short? I told him it would make me happy to make a short but that I needed help with it cause I don't know it all. I am willing to learn as much as I can but one thing I will say now is I am Human and I know where I have weaknesses at and getting everything off the ground with Pre-Pro and seeing the whole picture is where I am lost Because I have been so focused on getting my animations to flow well. So first he says since you don't have too much knowable in pre-pro let me give you a crash course.
1. Have a story/ idea/script
2.character turnarounds
3. have some beats
4. Color
5. Make a call is it in 3D or 2D (i think we all know what i said here)
6. since your the producer and the director you make wear many hats and get a time line set up and coffee and your close friends who you trust to help you.
ok so i have 1, 2, 4, 5,6 I was missing number 3 so I told him what are beats. Becuase I thought from scipt we make boards to get the idea going... yeah he said but you dont want to drag out your idea to producers you dont want someone to take up a ton of your time with there idea and all kinds of detail you want to sell it quick and that is where beats come in. So my home was in 5 shots can you tell your story?
1. You first must have you intro set up the an r stage where your story is happening at.
2. Introduce your antagonist and protagonist
3. From that jump to conflict because where is story with out conflict?
4. Then then show the reveal
5. End it.
I sat for a few minutes with this aw struck look. OK I knew exactly how to board this. Since I like my story and I want to see it as a short I know that.
1. The american dream home with a hall way the leads to a room we can see a baby crib at the end. on the walls we have photos hanging showing off awards and the american family
2. Then we have our two "spoons" which have been changed to "forks" with the baby crib in the middle sort of becoming the line that divides them.
3. we can see them pointing at each other both are angry finger pointing.
4. we get to see what is in the crib and it is a baby spork.
5. dad fork is looking out the window and the neighbor spoon is waving....
So I put these down on boards as well as sent my self a 2ND package so that i can have it timestamped the idea and changes. I took these into the Producing meeting and it was like night and day. So what have I leaned. One that I do have a good ideas, this is one of 12 that I could see actual make some cute shorts. two that I really am enjoying reading Robert McKee cause I am getting more ideas for how to put my story's better together. Three that Justin Chris and Gio and Ivanna are awesome people who are willing to help me so we have a small team but I know we can do it. Hopeful in the next blog you will see a producing lay out and some concept art and the turnarounds of my fork, spork, spoons. along with our color pallet. i really think we can have this going very soon but pre-pro dose take a long time to get off the ground and a lot of love. so Maybe I am a producer because when I love and Idea and I feel it is strong i want to see it fly. so With that passion I will leave to get back to work. Will blog again soon.
-em
Ps. If you are interested in script and story writing then check out Robert McKee Story. it is a good read for those who want to tell story.
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