Unit 2 - Space - Green Light Review

8/3/2019 Unit 2 - Space - Green Light Review

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UNIVERSITY OF THE CREATIVE ARTS ROCHESTER - CG ARTS AND ANIMATION

Unit 2: Space

Interim Online Review

David John Vandepeer (Stitch)

11/7/2011


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November 7, 2011 [UNIT 2: SPACE]

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Contents

The Neverending Source Material.................................................................................3

The Neverending Short Statement................................................................................5

The Neverending Scene Breakdowns............................................................................6

The Neverending Production Design Influence Map......................................................7

The Neverending Scene Influence Maps........................................................................8

The Neverending Key Thumbnails.................................................................................9

The Neverending Introduction to the Unit 2 Written Assignment..................................10

The Neverending Creative Partnership..........................................................................11


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Source Material

A world of dreams have been talked about by many in numerous contexts bending realms

beyond the real and in some cases the surreal. It is an inner child-like pursuit for one to live

their hearts desires, as we get older the embers fade but when we are confronted with

children we see it anew, invigorating us, inspiring us. This is the case for my creative project

based on the late Michael Endes novel The Never Ending Story.

Michael Ende was born in 1929 in Germany on the birth of the Nazis regime. Michael was

called to war in 1945 at the tender age of 16 but absconded to join an activist group. When

the war ended Michael became an actor which led to his role as a critic and eventually intothe field of fictional writing. Michaels first success was the childrens book Jim Knopf und


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Lukas der Lokomotivfuehrerloosely translated as Jim Knopf and Lukas the Engine-driver.

Michael received great appraisal for his various works but remained modest, reluctant

almost, with one eye affixed to the world of reality with the other deadlocked in

fantasyland, half in and half out of his next masterpiece.

The Never Ending story is about a young podgy boy named Bastion who comes across a book

entitled The Never Ending Story. Bastion eventually gets absorbed into the book when he

discovers that he is the one who has to help the boy warrior Atreyusave Fantasticafrom

the dreaded Nothing. For Bastion to return to his world he has to find his true Identity in

the real world.

The Never Ending story was written to bring about the inner child in adults as opposed to

inspiring young children. Ende loathed the idea of his works being categorised for a young

audience as opposed to adults, for he felt his stories could appease the child mannerisms of

adults such as his own. The Never ending story is rather tame in its pursuit for a mature

audience, being told with such clarity and imaginative depth all while avoiding the grotesque

and evil epitome. Blood is not spilled it is merely mired in a pure picturesque controversy,

almost as if the story is running away with itself. One could argue that Endes innocent

analogy of Fantasy is what relegated his works to the younger demographic.

Ende was visiting Japan in 1977 - 1979 noting that in 1979 the book - never ending story was

released. One could argue that the Japanese culture had inspired this novel allowing Ende to

incorporate his analogy of reality with his own brand of dream like escapism. One could

assume that Endes need to be half in and out of reality was a way to escape, growing up &

being faced with a war could not have been easy to comprehend. Endes escape from the

front lines is what saved him; he therefore believed that escaping reality could save him.

Dreams are important especially in a time of severe crisis, like a world war.

While nothing can compare to the original classic a number of adaptions were made in light

of The Never Ending Story, the adaptions are as follows: The Neverending story I, The

Neverending story II & the Neverending story III were adapted into films receiving mixed

successes but nothing as acclaimed as the original novel. The Tales of the Neverending story

& a Neverending story cartoon were adapted onto television with less public attraction then

that of the films. Auryn Quest, The NES Palace, The Never Ending Story were a few of many

game adaptions made by Japanese games developers.

The Original novel was illustrated by Roswitha Quadflieg which included the Never Ending

story cover & chapter art. Johann Kott, Herbert Strabel & Gtz Weidner handled the art

direction for the film adaption of the Never Ending story trilogy.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0917801/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0917801/


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Short Statement

The first thought one derives from Endes novel is child fantasy, it does not matter how he

loathed being categorised in this fashion but merely that this is what his work conveyed. It is

my belief that he meant his story to be related to an adult audience and for that to happen

one would have to embrace an almost slight edge of Sinicism. I would like to explore,

without pushing the boundaries past a Childs appetite but wetting the beak of the

adolescent to fulfil a much wider demographic.

My designs will spring with beauty but maintain some influence of imperfection (aka reality),

this may be done with a single object (e.g. a muddy footprint on the foreground revealing a

majestic city in the distance). My concepts will be half in and half out of realty just like

Endes writing which I will break down as follows:

The Sinicism will influence the realism I believe that Ende preferred fantasy to reality whenwriting the Never Ending Story, I know that anything lower than the limit of ones

imagination is less majestic & more imperfect.

The Beauty will influence the dream, the wonder, the perfection of imagination. Endepreferred surrealism (as do I) for the simplest reason - anything is possible. Placing

something normal next to something perfect lowers the plateau bringing imagination that

much closer to reality.

For these productions I will be primarily analysing Disneys Epic Mickey for interesting

production design namely for the combination of perfection & imperfection. This direction

will be a fresh experience allowing me to explore child like surrealism (i.e. slanting chimneys

& exaggerated caricature style buildings that exhibit traits of realism).


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Production Design Influence Map

For my production design I will be analysing the Disney franchise very closely, leaning

toward their recent and surreal Epic Mickey games concept directed by Warren Spector.

As you can see (above), the art is particularly gritty & very surreal. The very idea of a

structure perched on top of a very thin pillar feels perilous. Despite the darkness the concepts

jump out and engulf the viewer due to the wide range of colour & imagination.


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Scene Influence Maps

Below this are my individual scene maps, I decided to combine them to create what I will call

A Supa Map. This map identifies the inspiration for each of my individual scenes.


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Key Thumbnails

My Key thumbnails (shown below) are broken into specific film strips. I began with

sketchbook miniatures and then decided to venture into digital thumbnailing. The curving

buildings are directly referenced to Spectators Epic Mickey caricature buildings.

The Silver City Thumbnail number 8 started my deep influence of the surreal. I wanted to

illustrate awkward structure which I refined in Thumbnail 21. Thumbnail 12 was a more fun

look into surreal structure with a characteristic castle feel. I wanted to pool my silver city

together which gave birth to Thumb 18. Thumbnail 29 and 15 were pure acts of inspiredsymmetry, nice but not Disney.

The Ivory tower began to flow from thumbnail number 5 which although primitive isolated a

surreal structure. This image inspired Thumb 25 and 24 which are almost walking structures.

Thumb 23 was born from thumb 11 showing the fun & beauty of perspective curvature, I

couldnt help but imagine the ivory tower being a twisting staircase that leads to a single

building.

The desert of colours was rather simplistic but made me realise that any true definition of an

isolated desert would have to be colour & detail heavy to attain a required level of feeling.The colour depth is almost hallucinogenic but it really does capture the eye.


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Introduction to Unit 2 Written Assignment

This essay will study the production design of Director Stanley Kubricks sinister rendition of

Stephen Kings mind melee The Shining(1980), which is based on the unravelled psyche of

the criminally insane. The subject of production design will be analysed using Norman

Kagans book The cinema of Stanley Kubrick. The analogy of the set design will be assessed

in regard to Kubricks vision of Jack Torrances degrading mental state ranging from

implosive to explosive violent tendencies. Documented research will include Jane

Barnwells book Production Design: architects of the screenwhich will analyse the

practice of Iconic set design with expressionistic case studies; Harry Baileys website The

Kubrick Cornerwill be used to explore Kubricks various Aesthetics and visual Theorys; to

finalise this study will examine an article by Ryan Lambie entitled Iconic set design: The

Shining's Overlook Hotelwhichwill provide specific detail on the Hotels mesmerising

visual importance with regard to its bearing on Kubricks story.


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Creative Partnership (WIP)

25/10/2011 - jojo610 said...

Hellos!! Joey here, hope you're having a good holiday! I am your creative partner for the

Unit 2 Space project so when you're back I can help you out with the low downs and we

shall begin with the awesomeness of work!! :P

02/11/2011 - jojo610 said...

Hey Stitch,

That is one scary taskboard you've got there!!! I've changed my taskboard similar to

yours as it looks way better than my old one and am trying to get used to this routine

since my last one didn't quite work out well.

The Never Ending story is such a good one, haven't read the book but watched the film

before. It quite links to The Spiderwick Chronicles, Narnia, The dark crystal, Labyrinth

and The seeker: The Dark is Rising because of the weird fantasy style so they're worth

checking out. Hope they help!! :D Looking forward to see your first thumbnails!!

06/11/2011 - jojo610 said...

Hey Stitch,

Thanks for your helpful feedback and advice, got all the changes made especially StarsWard!! whoops!! haha

I really like your 2 mins ones, especially the third one on the top row, very well

proportioned. The butt and the legs are improving as well but Keep it up!!

I see what you mean about the negative space thingy, but as what Chris says to me

drawing faint measurement lines is a common way of approaching this but do try and

draw without them. Oh and try to avoid joining lines in between shapes like your 4th pic

where she's sitting on a chair.

Apart from all that, its all looking really good!!! :D

06/11/2011 - jojo610 said...

Hey Stitch,

I really like your approach of Disny- surreal twist as your influences, makes it more

exciting to see your thumbnails!! Speaking of Disney twists, Kingdom hearts also

contains stuff of what you're aiming for. A lot of its world areas contain a light and dark

twist in them. Here are some examples:


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Radiant garden:

http://kingdomhearts.wikia.com/wiki/Radiant_Garden

hollow bastion:

http://www.creativeuncut.com/gallery-02/kh-hollow-bastion.html

the world that never was:

http://www.creativeuncut.com/gallery-02/kh2-world-that-never-was.html

Realm of darkness:

http://kingdomhearts.wikia.com/wiki/Realm_of_Darkness

Land of departure:

http://kingdomhearts.wikia.com/wiki/Land_of_Departure

Castle oblivion:

http://kingdomhearts.wikia.com/index.php?title=Castle_Oblivion&image=CO-jpg

Sorry its kinda a long list, but I hope these help towards your final images! Can't wait to

see your thumbnails!! XD

Documents

Unit 2 - Space - Green Light Review