Senior Animation Project Proposal by Felicia Scott

Senior Animation Project Proposal

Working Title

Lost and Found

Summary

To produce a 5 minute animated short called “Lost and Found” about a widowed elderly woman who creates a life size puppet of her past husband.

Synopsis

Lost and Found, by Felicia Scott: “Reminiscing over her late husband, an elderly woman invents a way where they can embrace their lives together again.”

Description

 My film will be a short animated piece that will be focusing on the emotional roller-coaster one goes through when a loved one has passed away. It is going to be shown through a widowed elderly women based on my grandmother and grandfather. Its function is to inform, engage and entertain the audience through sorrow, laughter, and gratifying hope. The audience is meant to target all ages, something the whole family could watch and gain a valuable lesson from. The lesson being that although a loved one may be gone, they are always with you in your heart and mind, and even though it hurts one day you will learn that and be able to move on.

Visual Treatment

 I will be showing this through CGI, buy using planes, texture maps and simple shapes. I want to use planes as the premise to make it appear as if it was done by cut-out. The texture maps and design of the scenes and character will support this cut-out look. The colors and lighting of the scenes and characters will support and add to the moods played throughout the film. The texture maps will be done to create this “drawn” look. Clean lines, solids colors and soft shading will define this drawn look that will be maintained for the characters, sets and so forth.

Sound Treatment

 The quality I wish to create for the soundtrack is of a fairytale musical essence. It is music and sound effect driven. Dialogue will be included although it requires very few spoken lines. The dialogue of the elderly woman will be taken care of by my grandmother. The dialogue of the neighbor Bernie will be taken care of by herself. The dialogue of the past husband will be done through a chosen voice actor, preferably of Danish or Swedish accent. The style of the music will vary in the particular mood that will be showed. For example, the beginning will be played by Jim Reeves “Have I told you lately that I love you,” while the character is reminiscing over her past husband. Creating a slow, country sweet melody, whereas when the woman is creating the doll the music will quicken, being more adventurous and exciting, going along with her movements and passion for her creation, such as the Russian Dance in the Nutcracker. However, when the puppets magical spark ignites the melody of the music will be more soothing, relaxing and enchanting. Something you would hear when listening to fairies sing. Yet at the end of the film where the character overcomes her sorrow and decides to take a set forward in life the music will be soothing and joyous, with flutes and violins the music you hear from a spa and a wedding mixed together. The music will play and enhance the seriousness or lightheartedness of the moods displayed by the character, a soundtrack to her life.

Production Schedule

Shown on next page.

Budget

New Computer                 2500.00 (once)

Sound Designer                100.00/ Volunteer

Texture Designer             Volunteer

Rights Fees                      100.00 (once)

Rent                                  500.00 (per month)

Utilities                            150.00 (per month)

Food and Health              350.00 (per month)

Transportation                 350.00 (per month)

Miscellaneous                  500.00

                Total                      4550.00 (for first month)

Agreements

Anyone helping me or working with me on my grad film will be signing a contract stating that their tasks were of either financial or volunteer purpose and will receive credit towards my film but will not be holding any rights to the film or receiving a copy. They will not be able to collect any finances or rewards based off of any that I may make if my film is seen within festivals or so on.

I will try to receive the rights of a song done by Jim Reeves whether it is the actual song or just the sheet music. I will also be working with a composer. Any music I gather will be from either the ECU library or a public domain.

Jim Reeves Rights to Song – “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You”: Scott Wiseman Writer and Composer of original song. Covered by Jim Reeves.

 Copyright 1945 BMI. Broadcast Music Inc holds rights. Publishers: Song of Universal Inc. BMI work# 531984/ Wiseman, Scott: CAE/IPI# 33105728

Production Schedule

April 2011           * Animatic, Concept art, Rough blocking screen shot, rough CGI character design,

                           *  Look into rights of Jim Reeves music.

May 2011             Model, Texture, Rig, Weight Map Mormor and Papa

June 2011            Model, Texture, Rig, Weight Map Bernie and Puppet, concept art for scenes

July 2011              Model, Texture sets and props

August 2011        Lighting, search for music, rights and contracts (legal)

September 2011                  Record dialogue and music, Animate

October 2011                      Animate, Lighting

November 2011                  Animate and start composting

December 2011                  Compositing and Promotional

January 2012                      Draft 1 complete

February 2012                    Composite and Editing

March 2012                       Editing

April 2012                          Final complete