Script Writing for Animation

Here are some of my rough notes that l took from a talk we had around the time we started this module. It was quite an entertaining talk by a man who wrote for Eastenders and various other programmes. l forgot to write his name down, but at least l got some helpful notes on what he had to say

General Principles

core concept
research and development i.e the imaginary world

Pre production

script design
character development
storyboard
layout
shooting script
performance
direction

Production

sequence development
continuity review

Post Production

sound effects
compositing

Review

critical evaluation

The Creativ Matrix: Philip Parker

style, plot, theme, story, form, genre

He also tallked about the animation matrix, l have a diagram in my note book and l will see if l can get a chance to scan it in.
but here are the core elements having a cyclical form with visualisation at the core. So around that you have core them idea → technique → material and technlogical needs → method/process → core theme idea (and so on). He said that visualisation was the core in animation. Knowing how to show, visualise and tell stories through images.

In relation to my project
core theme idea was the story of a young man who needed to be helped to understand his destiny
tecnique eventually turned out to be line based
materials and technological needs mainly was the computer, the packages being: after effects, final cut pro and logic.
method and process was to script it → storyboard → animatic → revise and do the first three stages again → draw illlustrations → prepare settings animate revise

The Language of Animation

Metamorphosis - the ability to fascilitate the change from one form to another without edit
Condensation - the maximum degree of suggesstion in the minimum of imagery achieved by thinking visually
Anthropomorphism - the imposition of human traits an animals, objects and environments
Fabrication - the physical and material creation of imaginary figures and spaces i.e create my own world
Penetration - the visualisation of unimaginable/pshycholigical/physical/ technical interiors
Symbolic Association - the use of abstracted visual signs and related meaning or connotations

Script Orthodoxy

Show don't tell dialogue should be written when pertinant to the scene
( this was something that really challenged me because of it origingally being a drama and the actors were not trained actors, there was concern about the authenticity of it. Then it had to be reviewed again when it was converted to an animated piece.
characters are important
what is the script about? what is the core concept? what do l want to deal with
three act structure = situation - complication - resolution
setting up more and more problems to be resolved
main plots and sub plots
riffs and rythmns : foreshadowing / repeating motifs/ blocking
teaser to treatment (not too sure what he meant by this)
draft and re draft

Riff Writing (yey)

small narrative incidents
associations - develop a narrative
conceptual transfer
combined concepts

Event Analysis

What happens in the phase images scene under observatio? how might its intrinsic action be described and how does it specifically relate to the methodology of process and visualisation in general
what is the key narrative development in thephase/images/scene.
how does the sequence in question essentially progress? whether abstract/dramatised
each scene must relate to that which has gone before or that follows after
what is the core punctum of the sequence and how does it advance its presence and effect. (Barthes term punctum refers to the key point of the attraction in the image and in this context might be a character who is gay
what does the writer devisor creator want to achieve in the phase/ images / scene.
what is the essential intention underpinning the sequence and for what purpose?what should the implies spectator take from the scenario
how should the audience react
is it about setting up a reaction
never forget the audience and who and why they watch it

Three levels of conflict (character)
inner conflict (jesse has an inner conflict going on. he knows he has to do something but doesn't really want to and is in denial)
personal conflict
Extra personal conflicts

Riff Writing (oooh)
types an stereotypes can be adjusted and modified
identify typical relationships and adjust
do something simple and the narrative will comlicate it
the biggest narrative could be changing the status ie how you think someone should be

Using Moral Dilema

this can sway the actions of a character

Actually l think his name was Barry Purves

animators should try to engage with other art forms i.e movement dance opera music

Art of Metaphor show different perspective