Group Project - Alcoholism - Feedback From Presentation

• Trapped in a bottle is a a strong image, how most people visualise the idea of being trapped by alcohol.
• Use of a ladder instead of a boat, NHS shows how to use the ladder but is up to the patient to climb it - patient hesitant to climb the ladder.
• Physical images too literal.
• Patient reaching out and being reached out to - expressing help is available but the effort comes from the patient themselves.
• Idea if being isolated but being brought back into groups through treatment - only if the patient is willing.
• Doing an activity other than drinking in a group.
• Difficult for a person to find help on alcoholism.
• High blood pressure - not necessary relates to alcohol but could include in the heart act - include blood pressure gauge.
• Will people recognise the liver? Might look different to different people.
• Perhaps more recognisable organs like the eyes.
• No audio.

Overall I think our presentation went very well and the client seemed very keen on taking our idea further. The main comments were on our solution, which we were happy to keep open to their input.

The client has given us very effective feedback to take the solution further and to improve on the ideas we already have.

Group Project - Alcoholism - Animation Bible

Research:

• Very limited resources for help and advice in pharmacies.
• Media focus is mainly on smoking and fitness awareness.
• Adverts about drinking are for drinking responsibly and for prevention, not for helping people already addicted.

Synopsis:
The animation displays the negative impacts of the over consumption of alcohol on the drinker, both physically and mentally.

Premise:

Act 1

This takes place at a party or social gathering. The main character is with a group of people having a drink. As time goes on the character is becoming more and more isolated from the group. Visually this will be represented by the character moving further away from the group, picking up drinks as they go. This will then lead to them becoming so over overwhelmed that they fall into the bottle.

This act will be repeated for each of the four videos. There will be a male and a female character to show that no one is excluded from alcoholism.

Act 2

1. Alcohol damaging the liver: This will be represented like it is being punched and expanded from the inside, leaving bruises on the outside.

2. Alcohol damaging the heart: This will be represented by the alcohol running over it, turning into chains, squeezing and tightening around it.

3. Alcohol damaging the brain: This will be represented by the brain shrivelling up till it is barely visible.

4. Alcohol damaging the mental and social wellbeing: This will be represented by the character landing at the bottom of a empty bottle and pacing in a circle, the character will look isolated and alone.

Act 3
The character begins to drink more alcohol and the bottle fills up with alcohol and it will look like the character is going to be lost in it. A life boat will come and pull the character out.
For the boat we thought we could put NHS or some other type of help advice on the side like a banner.  

Treatment:
There will be no sound so that it can be played on the screens in pharmacies, as most of these screens don't have the sound on. Also this meant that we could have dialogue, this will also make our video accessible to people who speak different languages or are hard of hearing.
We will be using simple, subtle detail, similar to the TSB adverts.
The style will be 2D but digitally drawn to keep the sizing and continuity in order.
The backgrounds will be white or light coloured so not to distract from the character.
Character Design:

Storyboard:

ACT 1


Alternate ACT 1

ACT 2 - Brain

ACT 2 - Heart

ACT 2 - Liver

    

ACT 2 - Mental

ACT 3

Alternate ACT 3

Animatics:

ACT 1 and ACT 2 - Brain

ACT 1 and ACT 2 - Heart

ACT 1 and ACT 2 - Liver

ACT 1 and ACT 2 - Mental

Colour Script:

Link to the group's presentation: http://prezi.com/nmir47cn5d-0/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Group Project - Alcoholism - Animation Bible Research

As our client is coming in to see how far we have gotten with the project, our group have divided up the work of getting a presentation together.

I am making the animation bible to be printed off and taken away by the client and then simplifying this document into a pitch for the client to see on the day.

Animation Bible Research

What To Include

Paper Wings podcast, episode 2, 5 steps to a winning animation pitch

Source: http://chrisoatley.com/audio/PW002_WinningPitch.mp3

Notes

• Make it visual.
• Break big bunches of text with pictures.
• Only 2 or 3 sentences.
• "Show don't tell", for example show the character doing what they've been made for, don't just have a head shot and explain in a paragraph that they're an alcoholic, have the image of the character drinking. 
• Don't include every detail you've ever had for the idea into the pitch, just give enough to show the best parts of the story, the backstory of the character can be discussed with the client at a later date.
• Show the relationships between characters.
• Give the idea room to grow, could this go any further? Put possible further ideas, to keep the client interested and to make them think that they're could be future projects with this idea.
• Understanding that a pitch is selling an idea and that the client will shape the idea further. So being prepared to give up control for the client to develop the idea.
• Character biography story based not a boring straight biography.

Glossary For The Pitch Bible

Source:  http://www.awn.com/animationworld/pitch-bible-just-essentials

Character Descriptions:

Written descriptions of each character, what are their characteristics and how they interact with the other characters in the story.

Concept Art:

Drawings, illustrations or images of the characters and the environments of the story.

Key Art:

A drawing, illustration or image of the cast of characters in significant action poses in their environment that best visualises the characterisations and story.

Premise:

A written foundation that explores the establishment, conflict and resolution of the story. The premise helps to support the story and the characters for the writer.

Story Treatment:

A compelling narrative about the story in a page or two for television, longer for feature; is used to sell the story.

Synopsis:

A one-paragraph overview of the story, plot and motivation of the characters.

Teaser:

Produced animation, either a sequence or animatic, which best illustrates the main characters, their actions and the premise.

Group Project - Alcoholism - Animatics

Creating the animatics from the still frames of the storyboard.

Only doing the first and second acts.

Liver Damage

Heart Damage

Brain Damage

Mental Damage

Group Project - Alcoholism - Storyboards

First Storyboard

We discussed this storyboard as a group and decided 

we could separate it into three different thirty second videos. 

We are going the use the first and last pages of story board 

and put a different effect on the body between the two.

We each took part of the storyboard to work on.

I have been working on the effects of alcohol on the liver.

When the liver suffers damage, it is often shown on the outside by the skin turning yellow.

I wanted to show this in our video by having the liver slowly turning yellow. 

I've read from statements of liver disease patients saying that it felt like their liver was a punch bag,

so I thought it would be a good idea to show the disease with boxing gloves.

On reflection of my storyboard after it had been turned into an animatic, I feel that the effects on the liver should be more literal. For example the liver being punched from the inside-out. As the liver swells when it is damaged, the punching could be happening on the inside and the camera could be showing this from the outside, the viewer would see the liver swelling and possibly start to be covered in bruises.

Group Project - Alcoholism - Tests

Bullet Time Test

For one of our 30 second videos, we wanted to show the emotions of the people around the alcoholic. 

We thought that having the drinker in the centre with his loved ones around him, 

then would have a matrix/bullet time effect of the camera panning around them.

Rotoscoping Test

Taking the bullet time effect video I then rotoscoped over the top.

This is just a very quickly done test. In the finished video we want to 

add more detail and facial expression or possibly some other 

way of adding the emotional effect of each person.

Group Project - Alcoholism - Research

Research

Physical Effects Of Alcohol

Drinking alcohol regularly can increase your risk of:

• liver cancer
• bowel cancer
• mouth cancer
• pharyngeal cancer (upper throat)
• oesophageal cancer (food pipe)
• laryngeal cancer (voice box)
• anxiety
• depression
• blood clots
• insomnia

Long-term effects include:
Chronic pancreatitisHeavy drinking can cause cirrhosis of the liver (where damage to the liver causes scar tissue to build up) which can then lead to cancer.

Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver as a result of continuous, long-term liver damage. Scar tissue replaces healthy tissue in the liver and prevents the liver from working properly.

The damage caused by cirrhosis can't be reversed and eventually can become so extensive your liver stops functioning. This is called liver failure.

Cirrhosis can be fatal if the liver fails. However, it usually takes years for the condition to reach this stage and treatment can help slow it progression.

How alcohol affects appearance?

Alcohol dehydrates the body generally, including the skin - the body's largest organ. Drinking too much is also thought to deprive the skin of vital vitamins and nutrients over time, drinking heavily can have other, more permanent, detrimental effects on your skin. Rosacea, a skin disorder that starts with a tendency to blush and flush easily and can eventually lead to facial disfigurement, is linked to alcohol.

Alcohol can also cause the face to look bloated and puffy. Sometimes it bloats the stomach too, and toxins contribute to cellulite.

The liver processes most of the alcohol, but some of it leaves the body straight through the persons breath, sweat and urine.

Alcohol Poisoning

It can:

• slow down your brain functions so you lose your sense of balance.
• irritate the stomach which causes vomiting and it stops your gag reflex from working properly - you can choke on, or inhale your own vomit into your lungs.
• affect the nerves that control your breathing and heartbeat, it can stop both.
• dehydrate you, which can cause permanent brain damage.
• lower your blood sugar levels, so you could suffer seizures.

Alcoholics Help Groups

AA - Alcoholics Anonymous

A group of people from all walks of life who share their experiences and 

try to help each other solve problems as a group.

"Like passengers of a great liner the moment after rescue from shipwreck."

Big Book, Chapter two, Page 17.

12 Steps Of AA

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol.
2. Came to believe that a  power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our short comings.
8. Made a list of all the persons we have harmed.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admit it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Addaction

• A support charity for people addicted to drugs and alcohol.
• Offering resources like a residential rehab centre.
• Helping with employment, housing, debt or family relationships.
• Building a relationship between the person and an Addaction worker, who can give cognitive therapy and prescribe drugs (should the person need it).
• Treatment could last for around six months but this depends on the person. Their aim is to get the person to stop using the substance altogether.

Supporting Family's

• One in five has a family member with a drug or alcohol problems.
• As well as causing concern, it can also have a negative effect on our family's health, wellbeing, finances, social lives and relationships with others.

Addaction run a number of specialist services aimed at families and carers that help them to understand and cope with a loved one's addiction. They also know that if families get support in their own right, it is more likely that the people they care about will beat their problems.

NACOA - National Association for Children Of Alcoholics

NACOA, founded in 1990 to address the needs of children growing up with families where one or both parents suffer from alcoholism or a similar addictive problem. This includes children of all ages, many of whose problems only become apparent in adulthood.

NACOA has four broad aims:

1. To offer information, advice and support to children of alcohol-dependent parents.

2. To reach professionals who work with these children.

3. To raise their profile in the public consciousness.

4. To promote research into:

                                 1. The particular problems faced by those who grow up with parental alcoholism.

                                 2. The prevention of alcoholism developing in this vulnerable group of children.

The 6 "C"s

I didn't cause it

I can't control it

I can't cure it

I can take care of myself

I can communicate my feelings

I can make my own choices

Group Presentation

Prezi

Bouncing Ball Timing Tests

In a lesson on timing I was asked to over exaggerate the movements of a bouncing ball.

I was also asked to draw an animation of different types of bouncing ball. 

Showing how the weight of the ball can effect the way it bounces.

I was then asked to use the bouncing ball sequence and have an object panning in the background.

Group Project - Washing Line

The task was to have a walk cycle of a grannie, and have her put washing on a line.

I reference sketches of the grannie and then made a simple walk cycle.

I was grouped with Mariella Branagan and we grouped our walk cycles together.

I took Mariella's grannie design and animated it using Toon Boom.

I also animated the washing moving in the wind.

Putting the grannie walk cycle over the washing line animation using the peg tool in Toon Boom.

Our finished washing line and grannie animation.

Group Project - The Last Lullaby

Synopsis

The story of a soldier who's mother sings his last lullaby on his death bed.

Treatment

As a group we looked at other animations that used a simple, greyscale treatment. We wanted to use this style to give our animation a dreamlike, reminiscent feel.

Father and Daughter Short

Dire Straits - Brother's In Arms

The Man Who Planted Trees

Storyboard

We together decided on a story and a member of our group made the storyboard.

Summery of the storyboard.

Backgrounds

After finalising a story, we each were assigned a background to create and a design of the mother.

For the audio we are going to use realistic war sound effects and as

it is a first person perspective animation, we are going to

add in a heartbeat and breathing.

Rest Tired Eyes Lullaby

First Animatic

Finished Animatic