Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Supervision Notes & Thoughts

Exploring the NZ environment aspect and why they are fairies:

So one of Monarch Park's goal is to create awareness of the native flora and fauna around NZ at a miniature level. Showcase the beauty to kids around NZ who might not spend as much time outside these days. Get them involved in being able to name and recognise the plants and flowers that the characters represent. Also native birds, bugs, and animals that the fairies use as their transport.

The stories are character-driven narratives about real life kids doing real things but with a fantasy twist. The first season is fun stories of what they get up to during their school holidays. But with over arcing plots of their friendships splitting up and getting back together at the end. They are fairies because that is a universal creature that spends its time in among the environment and has a closer perspective to plants and animals.

I want the characters and NZ identity to work together in harmony. Especially not letting the environment aspect over power the stories of the characters. It needs to have purpose when used within the stories and scenes.

I have thought about having parts where characters explain what their flower is and some facts about them during 'commercial breaks'. Also activity and colouring books that would have flower facts and ways to take care of plants in them. Competitions that get kids to take photos of the flowers they see and recognise, their own flower fairy characters that could be part of the Monarch Park world. Games where facts are sprinkled in while they're having fun. All this comes into the transmedia of this project. Getting kids and parents involved in the NZ environment outside, but also able to learn and interact inside online or board games. Stationary merchandise to promote being prepared for classes and learning.

But again, I don't want to be obviously pushing an environmental message or any message, because kids would retain it better through an edutainment method. If the main focus is the characters and stories that kids can relate to then the occasional fact would be fun to learn, not a chore.

This is also because I personally am more interested and passionate about the characters and stories. Obviously the environment aspect is also important to me but not my priority.

Target Audience:

Another goal of Monarch Park is to bring NZ stories to NZ television that's made by New Zealanders for kiwi kids. There is plenty of preschool content like this already but a lack in the 8-12 department. Most of the animated shows on TV are from overseas. I do want to change that with Monarch Park. This is why the perceived target audience by outsiders is important to know. I need to accurately target this age demographic and make it clear it's not specifically for preschool age. This is why Canadian animation is influential on me as they have a huge industry there for this age range and older.

I plan to have a wall of influences and leave it viewers to look and compare what I envision and then give feedback and their opinions on what audience they think it is. I might need to look into how ethical this is. Perhaps contact the person who's quote I might used to get their permission. Or have something there to be read and agreed to and signed. I might not even use anyone's feedback.

Politics:

A comment in particular made me concerned that people will politicize my characters. Comparing Hilda to a Disney princess and saying that isn't what she should be then me explaining that her personality is that she is girly and reserved and worrisome but likes to help others,- then she was pinned with a conservative label. In reality they wouldn't be even thinking about politics like kids shouldn't be. They're kids. I certainly don't want people being divided because they judge one character being a certain way when they don't really know them at all. Hilda's character arc is that she does come out of her shell and stops worrying all the time. Which is a crucial skill for children to learn in order to function in the adult world when necessary.

Honestly I believe politics shouldn't enter the equation of creating a show for children. Sure there are values and morals to cover, no content that is unsuitable in the eyes of our currents laws. The only thing that could be classed as political could be the environmental messages but that's just common sense taking care of the world you live in. It's not talking about legislation.

Monday, 26 February 2018

Grub Karting

Just had an idea of having my characters go karting, but what would be the equivalent in Monarch Park?

Huhu grubs!

Does it say older than preschool?

Just doing a super quick drawing of the scene

Final

Creepy art I found http://scribol.com/art-and-design/art/evil-fairies-massacre-insects-in-mid-air/

Thursday, 22 February 2018

Facebook Pages

Just a list for my class to like on fb:

SIT Arts
Toon Boom Animation
New Zealand Game Developers Association
Mukpuddy
Cartoon Brew
Cartoon Brew Animation Jobs
Animation Jobs
Animation World Network
Animation Magazine
Animation Resources
CG meet up
animationboss.net
character design references
cartoon hangover
let's animate
animation boss
animation mentor
traditional animation
the art of animation
concept art world
imag.co
walt disney animation studios

Research Homework

Practices can be:

Artworks
Physical
animations
films
tv shows

Texts can be:

books
articles
interviews
podcasts

Three Practices:

Braceface

Canadian cartoon 2001-2004 by Nelvana
It's a slice of life, growing up tv show around 3 main friends.
H2O Just Add Water

Australian tv show 2006-2010
A unique take on mermaids but also 3 friends growing up.
The Flintstones

American cartoon 1960-1966 by Hanna-Barbera
Normal family in the stone age. Slice of life and comedy.

Three Texts

Everything about Storyboarding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWztAc8tMEk
Interview with Simon Paquette by StylusRumble
Storyboarding is an important part of making animation.
Prime Time Animation: Television animation and American culture

Edited by C. A. Stabile and M. Harrison 2003
History of television cartoons
Your Screenplay Sucks! 100 ways to make it great

by W. M. Akers 2008
Tips on script writing

Cool CVs & websites

For Internship class:

Well number one is my website and CV ;)
http://rubyred13.wixsite.com/rubymeades

My other past class mates have decent CVs & websites

https://www.campbell-henderson.com/ wow fancy URL

looks like he needs to update it

http://joeramage25.wixsite.com/showcase I think his goals have changed since then

I hate this so much

Labs free

Here's when the computer labs are free in semester 1

Project homework

Show/discuss the following

At least 2 of each of Working drawings &quick practical tests that explore specific aspects of your projects conceptual focus/ideas

At least 2 of each of Working drawings and quick practical tests that explore specific aspects of your projects approach and methods (eg aspects of materials, processes and their relationship to your questioning)

Journal/Blog underway including 2 texts and 2 practices analysed in relationship to practical work

Project Question

Due Tuesday 27/2

Wednesday, 21 February 2018

Notes

Random notes I need to write down:

Transmedia

visual novel
comic
toys
merch
stationary
game
board game
card game
behind the scenes
fan art
people interact
invite people on fb

What is the target audience?

Drawings of:

playing pool
at school
library
nectar bar booth
sport
flying

Inspirations:

H2O Just add Water. It has a unique take on mermaids. Similar audience and genre. Like Monarch Park is a NZ unique take on fairies. No magic, flower power, bird transport, mixed with Maori myths and legends.

The Flintstones. Slice of life in a particular setting. Gives comedy but also relatability. But Monarch Park is more for kids.

Wings

I need to look up how other things have done fairies flying around and do experiments of how I want my fairies to look when they fly especially their wings.
In my script and game two characters are definitely shown flying so it's important I get their movement correct that will translate well on TV and last over time.

Are there the final wings I want?

Are they too detailed?

Are they taking away from the character?

How are they attached?

how do they move?

Tuesday, 20 February 2018

Research Supervision

Go down to transition and claim space!
Use it to physically explore what Monarch Park is.
Have walls for each character and build up who they are.
Have space for why they are fairies and what NZ environment aspects it is.
Also for the target audience, what makes it look like who it's for?
Question development section including character driven narrative.

Get some newsprint to put up.

My question is still to broad.

Research some fairy context in animation. Why are they associated with children's stories?

Book could be good? https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=Y34yDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA23&ots=ujHmY49uB_&dq=why%20fairies%20in%20kids%20tv&pg=PA2#v=onepage&q=why%20fairies%20in%20kids%20tv&f=false

https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=CsnMCQAAQBAJ&lpg=PT21&ots=qsSgzOUCtd&dq=why%20fairies%20in%20kids%20tv&pg=PT29#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://www.fairyist.com/fairy-films/childrens-fairy-films/

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChangelingTale

https://www.npr.org/2015/01/08/375878511/and-the-moral-of-the-story-is-kids-dont-always-understand-the-moral

https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/is-it-wrong-to-be-encouraging-childs-belief-in-fairies-29839706.html

Fairies allow the exploration of the NZ environment at a miniature scale and also fantasy story lines mixed in with slice of life. Normal kids couldn't do the things I want my characters to do. In the Flintstones it focuses on the family of normal people but in a prehistoric setting. But why not make them in the present day? It gives an interest of what those kind of people could be doing but also including modern day things for comedy and relate-ability. Same thing in the Jetsons. Two pretty popular shows. I'll explore this in detail.