Animation
Characterisation
2020
Project Summary
This project entails the visualisation, design and build of an interesting and compelling character, specifically for the purpose of stop-motion. The final design needs to be a beautifully and thoughtfully crafted ‘movable’ character, one that shows careful consideration of medium, shape, colour, texture, silhouette, gesture (body language), and expressions (emotions).
Deliverables
1 x Character design
1 x main pose and expression sheet (A3 landscape)
1 x Character mini-storyboard (A3 Landscape)
1 x main pose and expression sheet (A3 landscape)
1 x Character mini-storyboard (A3 Landscape)
Design Strategy
Gabe died by electrocution in the Mirthful Murphy Hotel, which he now haunts to pass the time. He is ridiculously clumsy, but his main flaw is his faint-heartedness. Gabe is designed to have a soft, almost cuddly, silhouette to clearly communicate how non-threatening he is. His hairstyle and the soot on his left side allude to the way he died. His face’s design allows for a wide variety of expressions since the features are all separate pieces of clay.
The main pose and expression sheet depicts Gabe as terrified of his own shadow, which portrays his extremely faint-hearted nature and the expressions showcase the variety of expressions he can portray.
The main pose and expression sheet depicts Gabe as terrified of his own shadow, which portrays his extremely faint-hearted nature and the expressions showcase the variety of expressions he can portray.
The goal of the character mini-storyboard is to tell a mini-story that captures the character’s essence in a single scene. Gabe sneaks into one of the hotel rooms and hears that the tenant is in the shower. He sneaks into the bathroom intending to frighten the person in the shower, but slips. In an attempt to prevent the fall, he grabs onto the shower curtain and dislodges the pole it is attached to. The pole hits the person in the shower on the head, which kills him and turns him into a ghost as well. This mini-story depicts Gabe’s impossible clumsiness and unintimidating nature.
