CONCEPT- The First Thought...

Hi there my name is Mikayla Hotton and welcome to the very FIRST post! woo!

My bog posts for this year (2020) will mostly revolve around the process from script to screen to creating my graduate animation film.

Lets begin :) ....

THE STORY- Bound by Fear

Synopsis-

A bookbinder and his creation fights off a fearsome shadow that is consuming all the stories in the bookstore.

Below I have explored two slightly different stories just by changing the point of view between characters.

Treatment 1- From the Viewpoint of Hugh the bookbinder.

In a routinely fashion Hugh opens up his bookstore for the day. A little girl walks into the store and picks up a book sticking out of the shelf. She flicks through the pages which are richly decorated in images and illuminated manurscrpt. However, as she starts to read the ink starts to bleed pooling together to create a giant ink stain. The girl screams and drops the book. Hugh hurries over to inspect the situation. After inspecting the ruined book he apologises to the girl and closes up shop for the day. Hugh walks to the back of the building and through to his workshop. Candle lights flicker on and off as the room grows in light. Hugh puts the ink stained book to the side and starts the process of bookbinding from scratch. As Hugh is binding a small blob seeps from the ruined book. The blob clumsily walks across the workbench knocking everything over. Hugh turns around to see what is making all the racket. The blob falls into Hugh's cup of tea. The bookbinder fishes the being out of his cup to reveal a little lizard (Leo). The lizard is exhausted and shaking so Hugh gives it a sugar cube and stokes it back. After briefly studying the creature Hugh resumes work. Leo watches curiously and jumps into the book. Colour and shapes come to life around Leo as Hugh paints the book's pages. Leo excitedly explores this new land, however, not to his knowledge a shadow lurks in his footsteps. The inky shadow becomes bigger and more mischievous with every step tripping up Leo and crushing the world around him. Leo is overcome with fear as his world becomes black. Suddenly a flicker of light penetrates the pages as Leo is pulled back into the bookbinder's world. Hugh shakes his head as his little creature quivers in his hands. Hugh flips to the next page of the book. The shadow grins as he moves between the setting on the page. Leo hides behind Hugh's hand. Hugh points to the page and Leo looks up at him and shakes his head. Hugh points to an image of a knight and points at Leo. Leo jumps off of Hugh's hand and grabs his pen and gives it to Hugh. Hugh sighs and draws Leo some armour. Leo feels braver and jumps back into the book. The Shadow creeps up on Leo and destroys his armour. Leo becomes frightened and then has a flashback of the image of the Knight and the dragon. He breathes in and then spits fire into the shadow's face. The next morning Hugh opens the shop and sells the book to the little girl as she departs the store Leo jumps out of the book and waves to Hugh who waves back.

Treatment 2- Viewpoint of Leo the lizard.

A candle is lit and the hand seeps back into darkness. The title Bound by Fear is drawn by an invisible hand in the air in white ink. The last word Fear morphs into a inky black hand that snuffs out the candle (evil distant laughter echos). The candle is lit again. Another candle is lit and another. The workshop becomes more visible as the candles are being lit. Hugh, a middle aged man with brown curly locks, glasses and a waistcoat, begins binding a book from scratch. Hugh holds his pen above the page and lets a drop fall onto it. The blob morphs in the air and turns into Leo the lizard. Leo walks around the blank page until he comes across a little sprout in the ground. The sprout grows and becomes a flower. Leo walks on and the world around him comes to life as colours and shapes take form into a beautiful garden. Leo stops and watches a little caterpillar with concern as it struggles to crawl across a mushroom. Leo's shadow grows in size until it topples over Leo. Leo turns around and then sprints away to hide behind a rock. The shadow again appears behind leo and he runs away. The shadow turns into vines and starts tearing down the world around Leo. The lizard runs through a maze of hedges but the shadow traps him on all sides. The shadow engulfs Leo in darkness. A light begins to pierce the darkness and Leo holds his paw up to shield his eyes. Leo Cries out. A large hand reaches out for Leo. Two hands open up and reveal a quivering Leo inside. The room is warm and bright in colour. Leo opens his eyes and looks up at Hugh in wonder as Hugh smiles down at him. Hugh shows Leo his other books and how each character faces a similar situation. He shows leo the latest book he is working on and how he creates the creature inside and gives it a light that allows it to come to life. Leo understands and goes back into the book. He struggles for a while but the fire within him comes out as he creates fire at the shadows making them return to normal size. Leo smiles to himself. Hugh closes book and adds it to the shelf. Credits. Drawings of production.

#preproduction #concept #graduatefilm #story #firstpost