Outline Homework
A transmedia approach to the pilot of a cartoon series for
kiwi kids about flower fairy friendships and rivalry in a miniature city.
Monarch Park is my 2D animated series idea aimed at kids
aged 8-12 that could identify with the storylines and New Zealand motifs.
Instead of making an 11 minute animation pilot by myself this year, I am taking
a different approach to the first episode of Monarch Park. Transmedia is a
story told over multiple platforms. This is what I’m exploring in my project,
finding what other platforms will work for my ideas.
The cultural context of my question is contemporary New
Zealand culture. A recent New Zealand practise to inform my own is The Barefoot
Bandits animated TV show. A theorist to inform my transmedia is Henry Jenkins
with his participatory culture theory – TEDx Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFCLKa0XRlw
My potential conclusion/findings of my practice based
research question are the experiments with installations and audience
engagement through participation. This includes making a finished game and
visual novel, but also physical forms of Monarch Park, a board game, colouring
pages and merchandise.
3 Key Ideas:
·
Pilot concept
o
Animatic
o
Script/story
o
Friendships
o
Rivalry
·
NZ context
o
Environment
o
Dialogue
o
Demographic
o
Miniature
·
Transmedia approach
o
Methodology
o
Platforms
o
Visual novel
o
Game
o
Installations/exhibitions
§
Overview
§
Lounge/future
o
Merchandise
§
Colouring pages
§
Board game
§
T-shirt
To be written in that order.
Pilot Concept
1.
My concept for the first episode is relevant to
my question to tell me and the audience what is happening. It’s an introduction
to Monarch Park and important to introduce each character and any key plots in
the future of the series. The pilot revolves around the friendships and rivalry
of the four main characters in the story.
2.
References
a.
The book Your Screenplay Sucks: 100 ways to make
it great by W.M. Ackers informed my pilot concept by showing how important
conflict is to drive a story and create interest. I created a new character to
play this role of conflict maker for the first episode. This book helped me
write my script. “If a scene has no conflict, reading it is worse than watching
paint dry. Every single scene has to have some form of conflict…” (Akers, p.91,
2008) Ackers, W. M. (2008). Your screenplay sucks!: 100 ways to make it great.
Studio City, CA: Michael Wise Productions.
b.
(something about friendships & rivalry in
tv)
3.
Practitioners
a.
The Barefoot Bandits has a friend triangle with
a rival character from their school. This dynamic is different from mine. Two
boys and one girl, and a nerdy boy rival.
b.
(another friendship rivalry example)
4.
Own work
a.
Kahu Ti Kouka, his bio and appearance.
b.
Treatment, step outline, script, thumbnails,
storyboards, animatic
New Zealand Context
1.
The New Zealand context of Monarch Park is
important for the target audience. The focus is on the environment through the
characters and backgrounds, and kiwi dialogue. This is to educate the demographic
about native flora and fauna.
a.
The Children’s
Media Use Study by the New Zealand Broadcasting Standards Authority has
informed why I have chosen the 8-12 aged demographic and why having some
education is important for parents.
b.
