Happy New Year

Disaster Labs

I’m currently working away on an extensive pitch document for an Animated Television series, based in the same universe as the Strange Science short film, but set many years later.

The Synopsis.

Disaster Labs is a Science Fiction drama about Zoëy Botton, a struggling robotics engineer, alienated by her family and community she absconds her dreary life when she is offered her dream job working for the international conglomerate Anorak Inc.

Stationed in the infamous D-Labs, deep within one of Anoraks secret research facilities, Zoey meets her idol and childhood hero Eric Yackoff, the man said to be the father of true AI. Zoey’s enthusiasm rekindles a spark in the old scientist and over time they form a close friendship. However as Zoey grows accustomed to her new home she begins to discover that all is not well in the facility.

Funding cuts have left many areas unsafe to venture in and as she digs deeper the darker side of company reveals it’s self. Zoey soon finds herself on the tip of a thread that leads to a tale of conspiracy, espionage and murder with the facilities pragmatic and mysterious Administrator at the heart of it.

Morning Brew

My current project  is a 3 minute film I’m creating for my final year in university.

The film will be called Morning Brew, I’ll be animating it in my time honoured tradition of light box drawn images and digital colouring. The film will be composed of roughly 3000 drawings not including backgrounds, I will have roughly 4 months to complete it.

Essentially a slapstick comical piece it will have no dialog and rely on sound affects and music to carry the action.

The reason I wanted to do this particular film was to push the limits of what I could animate, with lots of strange camera angles and fluid movement it should prove a decent challenge. Hopefully if it succeeds this film will be a showcase for my current abilities.

Synopsis

Liz and Dan are a young competitive couple, neither of them are morning people and can’t function without a decent brew.

Upon discovering that only one bag remains, the groggy couple desperate for a cup of tea begin to chase, dupe and fight each other over the precious item, tearing up the kitchen in the process and eventually destroying the tea bag.

Their antics awakens their flat mate Sam, a logical if not mildly pedantic woman, Sam cuts into her friends ridiculous struggle to reveal that a fresh box of tea is hidden in the kitchen, embarrassed the couple release each other and sit down in the living room with a brew each finally content... until they reach for the biscuit tin that is...

Annecy

 I'm back from the 2011 Annecy Animation Festival, it’s was very inspiring and I can't wait to get stuck into my next project.

The setting was a very beautiful as you can see.

Lack of updates...

I had many  things I wanted to spend the last few months doing... however my decision to repeat my final year and the subsequent battles with student finances have taken up rather a lot of my time.



This is basically what I’ve been doing for the last 6 weeks.



                       

Character Profiles

Initial character designs for the Strange Science animation.



Strange Science

I'll be working on this three minute film over the summer and it will be the culmination of three years of studying animation at The University of Central Lancashire.  

The film will be a 2D cell animation, digitally coloured and animated. However the actual drawings will made by hand using the time-honoured tradition of locking one’s self in a small dark room and spending 5 to 6 hour bent over a light box.