Timeline and setting

Initial idea was to base this story on World War in history, however there are already too many novels and media based around this already and will lack originality.

Another plan was to design a world that is similar to the real world, maintaining similar features such as; religion, technology, geology, cultures and society.

However, the focus is mainly on the character so for this purpose, I will be mainly focused on the related context.

Many novels mimic the real world in their own respective ways. Many of the unusual representation are often the successful ones. The use of unusual representation and the use of realistic storyline backgrounds is what I’m aiming for.

Due to the theme of this project, with the visuals, I want to stay near to the real world as possible, because it is a dark and serious themed storyline, therefore it is important not to stray too far away with the visuals. With the short film having only around 4 locations, I would not need to go all out in designing a world, perhaps a few different representation of these area will do.

Visual Style

Software used will be mainly 3DS Max for creating characters and background scenes. The intended visual style I will be going for is quite a classical style to reflect the old times and a sense of past. Although I will be using a 3D model, I want a 2D cel-shaded style to it with a sketchy representation. From start to end, I want to show less color to start with then slowly show more color as the movie progresses.

Below is an example of the style I want to achieve. In my iteration, I would use more realistic looking characters as opposed from the anime style shown below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0kHjBhUmFg&list=FLzxps7EZluHPRFiFkkTEdrg&index=22

Plot

During the War era, the country of is on the verge of elimination. Their country are in desperate for soldiers, they ordered every young men to fight for their country. This was all over the news, spends his last day with his wife . The commander sent his troops to s house to take him away. wouldn’t let go and then he was beaten up and taken away from his wife.

He sits with 8 other men on the truck. When they arrive to the H.Q, sees long queues for collecting uniform and weaponry.

lost in thought, she takes out her photo album to reminiscence of her memories with her husband. puts on his helmet ready to battle, the troops are dispatched the red zone 20 miles away from H.Q. was frightened by the explosives, gun fires and cries. When they arrive, they got off and charges to the enemy. But was petrified, one of the enemy by his foot still alive, his comrade tells to finish him off. While too frightened, ’s comrade kills the enemy. Most men from the truck before are dead, runs and hide, his pendant drops out from his pocket with a picture of his wife. He realizes that must win so that he can come home. He grips hold of his gun and enters battle. He rushes into a forest, as he run passes the trees, the camera pans round in slow motion. A change of visual and aging can be seen here.

Few months have past, gives birth to their child. wakes up from a nightmare about his being killed in a bomb attack along with their child.

He looks outside into the moon, then slowly covered by smoke.

2 Years have passed since the day left his home.

Next day enters the final battle, the country’s fate are in their hands.

sees on the news that the army has won and the soldiers are returning home.

The is waiting at the train station with her 3 year old child. There are many other family members of the soldiers waiting for their arrival. Most of them are reunited, but for , never came back.

Here is the script for the animation

Daily Life of a Solider

Scene 1

Early in the morning, the man has breakfast with his pregnant wife for one last time. The truck arrives to picks the man up and takes him away.

Background noise - birds singing, wind breeze, plate dishes, truck

Notable objects – clock, calendar, photos, furnishing, baby cradle

Scene 2

The man is sat with the other people who are also taken, each looking depressed, some look excited.

BGN – truck, people talking, cries, laughing

Notable objects – clock/pendant and photos of his family

Scene 3

Man arrives to the H.Q, queuing up, trying to pop over to see what is ahead, then given his uniform, gears and gun.

BGN: people talking

Notable objects – Guns, uniforms, helmet

Scene 4

The wife looks at the window, waiting for something, walks over to the chair and gets out the photo album

BGN: steps, chair creeks, wardrobe

N.O : photo album, clock, calendar

Scene 5

Man puts on his helmet, pans to the gun looking frighten. Gets pushed out of the way and marches forward with the team. They go back to the truck with uniform on this time. The solider sees explosives from a distant. They get all get off and charges towards the enemy, except the man who looked shocked seeing dead bodies all over the place. One of the enemies still alive on the ground, his comrade tells him to finish him off from a distant, but he was too scared to shoot him. The comrade shoots it for him. The man then runs towards the trench looking shocked as each of his comrade are getting killed. His pendant drops out of his pocket and sees the photo of his wife, he realises that he must stay alive therefore he picks up his gun and fights.

He rushes towards the trees, the visual turns from black and white to colour as he passes the tree in slow motion, from looking shocked to heroic. This also shows the progression of character growth and timeline.

BGN: explosives, screams, gun shooting, cries, vehicles

N.O – guns, pendant

Scene 6

The wife gives birth to her son

Scene 7

I haven’t quite finished but at the end of the animation, the wife waits at the train station with her child, but her husband never came back.

The message I’m trying to bring across in this movie is really treasure your family, in which this case I used the father as an example, many people that I know take their parents for granted and doesn’t realise how hard they are working for them.