Post 1: Starting Animation Production

For my portfolio I want to work on my Animation Production project and a dialogue piece. I was fairly disappointed I didn't get to spend that much time polishing my production project from last year so this I want to make sure all goes well (especially since I'm the lead). I want to do a dialogue piece because I haven't done that many and I feel like every demo reel should have at least one if you want to focus on character animation. If I ever get stuck in a rut, I'd like to research video game animation that way I'm always being productive.

Animation Production

This week I finished the scripted got the rigs, we intended to buy, set up our Trello account, and created an Asset List for our modelers via Google Sheets. This week I'm going to start some animation tests with our other animator Lance so we can get used to the dragon rig while we wait for the Shot List and Storyboard to finish. I'll try to finish our shot list this week.

Script:

FADE IN:

EXT. ROCKY HILL - SUNSET

KAYLA is a young adventurer walking along a rocky hill to see a cave. She pulls out her treasure map. The camera does a close up of the map and she taps on it to point where the treasure is. She walks towards the cave confidently.

INT. CAVE

There are lit torches along the walls of the cave. KAYLA walks forward as KAYLA looks around. The walls near the cave entrance start showing a lot of webs and eventually ADULT KAYLA runs into a giant spider hanging by a web from the ceiling. KAYLA runs past it screaming then loses it.

She catches her breath next to a torch in the cave. She picks it up to help guide her through the rest of the cave. A bat starts attacking her and she tries to swipe at it with her torch. More bats come and she drops the torch on accident making the torch go out. Screen goes black. Again KAYLA gets scared and runs away. We hear her footsteps as she runs and the bat screeches start fading away. Then KAYLA start hearing low growls.

Light slowly begins to return due to the wall being covered with luminescent crystals. KAYLA then sees the source of the low growls: a sleeping DRAGON. KAYLA’s eyes go wide in fright then KAYLA spots the treasure wrapped around DRAGON’s tail. KAYLA looks back and is tempted to run away, but stirs up her courage and decides to face the dragon.

KAYLA tries to slowly sneak up on the dragon but immediately steps on a bone, snapping it in half. KAYLA looks up and DRAGON starts waking up. KAYLA looks like a deer caught in the headlights as the DRAGON starts to get up and growl at her. Panicked, KAYLA sees a sword on the floor, grabs it and dramatically points it at DRAGON, trying not to look the least bit scared. DRAGON stops glaring, it’s pupils grow, and tail starts wagging. KAYLA moves the sword and DRAGON’S head follows the the sword’s movement.

MOM

Kayla! It’s time for dinner sweetie!

EXT. BACKYARD - EVENING

KAYLA’s face quickly turns towards the camera as MOM calls out towards KAYLA. It is revealed that DRAGON was just a DOG and the treasure was only KAYLA’s stuff animal. KAYLA’S sword was simply a stick. KAYLA throws the stick for DOG then grabs her stuff animal. KAYLA then makes a dramatic pose with her hands on her hips, looking off into the distance.

MOM

Don’t forget to wash your hands!

KAYLA rolls her eyes then smiles.

Credits.

Asset List:

Here is what our asset list currently looks like.

Dialogue Piece: Body Like a Space Heater

*insert Lyrics*