Akira's Nightmare Animation Writers And Story Editors Forum

Sequences, Scenes and Frames?

2008-12-17T08:17:00.000-08:00

There is a need to understand the fundamental differences of events, sequences, scenes and angles. An event is usually made up of sequences. While scenes are made up of angles. Usually, scenes and angles represent the panels in a storyboard. When you shift to various angles in a particular scene, in principle, what you are doing is shifting the focal point in terms of composition in a given panel.

Frames belong to the production stage. The problem is when we, through impulse, do not follow the logic and reason of the process. Counting frames is not part of the pre-production stage. What we tackle is the fundamental deconstruction of events, sequences, scenes and angles.

When we breakdown an event into sequences, we are trying to understand the dynamics of an event. A wedding is an event that has several sequences. Bridal preparations is a sequence. When we breakdown the preparation into several scenes, we come up with the fixing of the hair, fixing of the make-up, fixing of the wedding dress and others. When we select a particular scene, let say for example, the fixing of the make-up, we choose several angles or sizes. We may choose to do an extreme-close-up of the lips while being applied with lipstick.

The more we breakdown, the more detailed and intimate the event. It also determine the focal points as well as the unity of the event's composition. By understanding the dynamics of events, sequences, scenes and angles, the more we are able to utilize creative economy in any animation output.

Breaking down the units of animation, we are able to effectively edit the storyboard as well as the dialog track. Sometimes, some panels are not really that important in completing the function and form of a storyboard.

Creative Management In Animation Material Development

2008-12-17T08:16:00.000-08:00

We are always confronted with the problem of conceptualization. Especially when we are ask to solve inherent problems within a concept. How do we then go about in doing a make-over when a concept fails to pass the beauty pageant test?

There are many methods with regards to creative problem solving but the method that I like the most is called SIMPLEX Method.Simplex provide a definite end game for any problem-solving task. Often, when a creative team embarks on problem shooting campaigns, the process is so vague that we always ask the question: Are We There Yet?

Simplex provide a definite timetable and end result for any problem solving scenario. In a nutshell, the process is summarized in the following steps.

( Taken From Mind Tools)
1. Problem finding
Often finding the right problem to solve is the most difficult part of the creative process. When using Simplex, actively seek problems out. Wherever they exist you have opportunities for change and improvement.4. Idea finding
The next stage is to generate as many ideas as possible. Ways of doing this range from asking other people for their opinions, through programmed creativity tools and lateral thinking techniques to

2. Fact Finding
The next stage is to find out as much information relating to the problem as possible.

3. Problem definition
By the time you reach this stage, you should know roughly what the problem is and should have a good understanding of the facts relating to it. From here the thing to do is to crystallize the exact problem or problems you want to solve.

4. Idea finding
The next stage is to generate as many ideas as possible. Ways of doing this range from asking other people for their opinions, through programmed creativity tools and lateral thinking techniques to brainstorming
5. Selection & Evaluation
Once you have a number of possible solutions to your problem, it is time to select the best one.

6. Planning
Once you have selected an idea, and are confident that your idea is worthwhile, then it is time to plan its implementation.

7. Sell Idea
Up to this stage you may have done all this work on your own or with a small committee. Now you will have to sell the idea to the people who must support it. This might be your boss, a bank manager or other people involved with the project

8. Action
Finally, after all the creativity and preparation, comes action! This is where all the careful work and planning pays off.

Simplex provides the needed structure in problem-solving. Given that the inherent pressures in creative team development and management, it is good to know that there is a system that provides that needed life-line in cases of creative meltdowns.

Types of Genres

2008-12-15T03:43:00.001-08:00

In order to understand the premise, one must determine the genre of the material. Usually there are four types of genres namely; 1. primary, 2. compounded, 3. qualified and 4. combined. Let say for example your material is using the primary genre called drama, the structure of the premise will have two main structural components namely; 1. the dramatic problem and 2. the dramatic solution. The dramatic problem serves as the subject of the premise while the dramatic solution will serve as the action of the premise.

When we refer to the conflict model, the premise represents the central problem of the material. Within the framework of the central problem are the character's conflict and the story's conflict. From these two conflict arcs, the material will move from the dramatic problem to the dramatic solution.

This is the reason why we need to know the genre of the material. Or else, we won't be able to construct the Bible and eventually construct the Beat Outline of the Material. In theory, when we combine the approach to reality (the look) and the genre ( the feel), the end result is what we call the unified art direction of the material from the character designs, background designs and other related designs.

Reframing An Animation Concept

2008-12-15T03:35:00.000-08:00

When a concept breaksdown, the creative flow stops and tempers flare up. This is the natural consequence when there is what I call "creative blockage". The first thing to do is to understand the concept and the person who developed the concept. Sometime, the person who developed the initial concept tends to be protective with regards to his or her concept construct. There is nothing wrong with that as long as the creative flow is not disrupted. But when stubborness is at play, I feel, it is no longer creative.

Applying a neutral and objective process is essential at this point. I do not believe harsh methods that are said to be effective in drawing out creativity. That is a lot of bulll shit. In fact, studies show that harsh methods tend to breed ass-shits than creative mavericks. Subjective inquisitions are not effective when deadlines are about to catch up.

In my case, I always use an objective trouble-shooting method called Reframing. Reframing, when modified to fit a particular creative need, is a constructive method that identifies that potential of a concept by editing out bad parameters and reframing a concept by mounting it again using alternative parameters.

The method, I realize, is so disarming because everyone is aware that there are steps and components pertaining the material. It gives a creative team the needed space to step back and understand the concept and the main proponent behind it. Individuals give their evaluation through a dynamic called 'replacement". Reframing guides a team towards a more defines rules of engagement. In fact, it saves time and tears.

Experimenting What?

2008-12-15T03:32:00.000-08:00

Experimental Animation is a phrase, if my communication one is correct, that tends to have a colorful reputation. Often, if we can not understand the content of an animation material, automatically, we call it experimental. This is how we " understand" experimental animation.

To be technical about it, Experimental Animation is always in the future tense. Anything that is past or present is not experimental. The conception of this animation movement is geared towards the invention of new artistic, technological, commercial and cultural devices, methods and processes in the field of animation. So, if you are using existing methods, processes or devices, you are not part of the general scope of experimental animation.

Furthermore, breakdown of communication is not experimental. The creation of new language... that is experimental. Thus, if you do not understand the content of an animation material, then, this is simply a breakdown or non-deployment of any communication construct between you and the material.

Some animators, not all, use experimental animation as a cliche to hide from real animation principles. Ignorance is not experimental. There is, therefore, a clear difference between breaking the rules and breaking through the rules. A barbarian could easily break the rules by simply not taking a bath. Breaking through the rules requires a lot of heartfelt and genuine sentiment of meaning and understanding.

I met a lot of "so-called" experimental animators who insist that they are changing the face of Philippine Animation. But when you look at their works, you tend to ask the question... " is this guy for real?'

Watching, in animation, a singing vagina will provoke anyone. But at the end of the " freak show", did it matter at all?

When is experimental... experimental? I feel that experimentation is always about challenging the conventions because there is a need to challenge them. If experimentation is just a measure of a whim or a desire to show-off, well for me, it is beyond the scope of experimentation.

When an animation writer is ask to write a material, he or she starts with the vision.

2008-12-15T03:18:00.001-08:00

When an animation writer is ask to write a material, he or she starts with the vision. The vision is the abstract form that needs a function. The function is provided by the commercial model when dealing with mainstream animation or by the artistic model when dealing with alternative animation.

After constructing the model, the writer proceeds to examine the model and determine the source and the type of idea or ideas. After interpreting, validating and analyzing, the writer will now consrtuct the concept using several parameters. The parameters gives the concept the needed form and fuction.

From the parameters of the concept, the writer will start to construct the premise of the material. The premise is divided into three arcs, the story, the characters and the world. The said arcs will create the Bible of the material.

With a tight Bible, the writer begins to construct the material's outline using the animation beat method. From the beat outline, the writer will expand it and from the treatment. And finally, form the treatment a master script will be created. The master script will be transformed into a story board.

Getting That Idea

2008-12-12T05:55:00.000-08:00

In Hollywood, there are creative individuals whose main bread and butter is come up with "commercially brilliant ideas". With emphasis on the word "commercially". Idea, by nature is abstract. An idea is not a concept and a concept is not an idea. A concept is relatively more concrete than an idea. Some may argue that a concept is a collection of ideas. Ideas that are put together in order to form a concrete action plan with regards to the overall material.

Judging an idea is subjective, some may hate your idea while others may adore it. What is important is that the haters are within the parameters of non-decision makers and the lovers are those who call the shots. In the "prelims", the key people are the producers and the creative directors. Your team mates may hate your idea but what can they do. In the end, the best idea is the idea that sells itself to the immediate consumers and not your immediate

7th Akira's Nightmare Basic Animation Scriptwriting Atelier

2008-12-12T05:44:00.000-08:00

7th Akira's Nightmare Alternative Animation Basic Animation Material, Outline, Treatment and Script Development and Management is slated for the month of April 2009. We thank those who are participating in the ongoing animation workshop (6th Akira). For Registration: Please indicate full name and contact number mobile phone : 09215081060 This new workshop series will focus on four distinct fields namely;

1. Animation Material Development and Management
2. Animation Beat Outline Development and Management
3. Animation Treatment Development and Management
4. Animation Script Development and Management

The newly improved program will aid animation professionals create commercial animation contents that are within the contemporary sense and sensibility of the general population. For students ( UP, La Salle - St. Benilde, UST and Ateneo) who are about to take up their multimedia-animation thesis projects or are preparing for their thesis projects, the workshop will serve as a tutorial aid in order to augment their needs to finish their respective projects. The Animation Scriptwriter : The Creative Process When an animation writer is ask to write a material, he or she starts with the vision. The vision is the abstract form that needs a function. The function is provided by the commercial model when dealing with mainstream animation or by the artistic model when dealing with alternative animation. After constructing the model, the writer proceeds to examine the model and determine the source and the type of idea or ideas. After interpreting, validating and analyzing, the writer will now consrtuct the concept using several parameters. The parameters gives the concept the needed form and fuction. From the parameters of the concept, the writer will start to construct the premise of the material. The premise is divided into three arcs, the story, the characters and the world. The said arcs will create the Bible of the material. With a tight Bible, the writer begins to construct the material's outline using the animation beat method. From the beat outline, the writer will expand it and from the treatment. And finally, form the treatment a master script will be created. The master script will be transformed into a story board.

akirasnightmare08@gmail.com
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Whimsical?

2008-12-12T05:42:00.000-08:00

Whimsical, as defined, in my opinion, pertains to a content that is characterized as fanciful notions that tend to make complicated human affairs simple. Usually, such point of view is defined as erratic and unpredictable. Thus when, let say, a romance is qualified as whimsical, the complexity of any romantic encounters are deliberately given simple forms that are erratic and unpredictable. Perhaps, this is what we see in Korean Romance in general but there are exceptions of course. What appears to be a complicated situation is ironed out into simple translations in a whimsical fashion.

Irreverent, as defined, in my opinion, pertains to a content that is characterized as vulgar or insolent notions that tend to make simple human affairs complicated. Usually, such point of view is defined as cynical and pattern forming. Thus, when let say, a drama is qualified as irreverent, the simplicity of any dramatic encounters are deliberately given complicated forms that are cynicall and pattern forming.

FPJ movies are actually irreverent action flicks. Meaning , content tend to be cynical and pattern forming. Now, when I say cynical and pattern forming, I am not referring to the brand name FPJ rather I am referring to the situations the brand name is deployed. Furthemore, simple human affairs are often transformed into complicated scenarios from which the brand name becomes the deus ex machina in the material. An element that reinforces the notion of "pattern forming".

Robin Padilla action movies are whimsical in nature. They tend to be fanciful and erratic. Wherein complex human problems are given simple solutions that are often the results of human whims. one can consider that Robin Padilla is also a brand name, but the obeject of the whims, unlike in irreverent FPJ movies, is the brand name itself. Though Padilla movies like FPJ movies are event driven, still the former as a brand name is clearly the source of the qualifying element.

The terms whimsical and irreverent may qualify as assortment of genres. Once can construct an irreverent romantic comedy like "There Is Something About Mary" or a whimsical romantic comedy like "Amelie". One can also push for an irreverent horror or a whimsical horror in a certain extent. "Saw" as a Thriller may be qualified as irreverent and Friday The 13th as a Horror whimsical in nature.

Sometimes, the need to gun for a refreshing genre is subject to how we might qualify it. In comedy, screwball as a term qualifies the feel of the humor. High class projections of making elite human affairs look stupid and funny tend to be social vehicles to uplift the emotional gaps between classes.

Whimsical or irreverent, these qualifying terms give layer to a material that needs to be different from other materials.

Choosing The Right Genre

2008-12-12T05:26:00.001-08:00

In developing your material for animation, it is important to be deliberate in choosing your genre. Often, genre selection is given a mechanical role in material development and management. In fact, there are times when the whole process of material development and management is taken for granted. Most often, the problem is spotted when during production or worst, during the exhibition itself. There is a huge gap between having the animation talents needed and having the the appropriate animations talent required.

Genre selection is not an easy thing to do. Material developers and managers need to determine if it fits the vision, the idea and the concept. Note that this is just one of the parameters in a material. Thus, the task of understanding the personality and behavior of a material is vital is approximating the potential success of an animation short or feature.

Animation For Kids @ Mind Tap Studios

2008-12-12T05:05:00.000-08:00

Mind Tap Studios and Akira’s Nightmare Animation For Children are planning to set-up a comprehensive and relevant animation program for kids Summer 2009. The core value of the program is to establish an animation education program directed towards the development as well as management of the creative and technical potential of a child in the field of animation. This is not just a short workshop, this is a full blown animation education course that this tailor made for children. For early inquiries, pls. call

Maila Fermil
Business Director of MindTap Studios
mlfermil@yahoo.com

We will probably initiate several orientation meetings with parents or guardians who are interested in giving their children that creative and technical edge in animation.

For more information about Mind Tap Studios and Mobytoons, check out the following sites.

http://www.mobytoons.com/community/community.html

http://www.mindtap-ph.com

Students from other colleges and universities are welcome to visit our studio @ Asia Pacific College, Magallanes. Just contact the following numbers.

Contact Numbers

639178217851 ( Bong)

639289738592 ( Maila)

7295951 ( Mind Tap – APC)

7th Akira's Nightmare is slated for the month of April 2009

2008-12-12T04:59:00.000-08:00

7th Akira's Nightmare Alternative Animation Basic Animation Material, Outline, Treatment and Script Development and Management is slated for the month of April 2009. We thank those who are participating in the ongoing animation workshop (6th Akira). For Registration: Please indicate full name and contact number mobile phone : 09215081060 This new workshop series will focus on four distinct fields namely;

1. Animation Material Development and Management
2. Animation Beat Outline Development and Management
3. Animation Treatment Development and Management
4. Animation Script Development and Management

The newly improved program will aid animation professionals create commercial animation contents that are within the contemporary sense and sensibility of the general population. For students ( UP, La Salle - St. Benilde, UST and Ateneo) who are about to take up their multimedia-animation thesis projects or are preparing for their thesis projects, the workshop will serve as a tutorial aid in order to augment their needs to finish their respective projects. The Animation Scriptwriter : The Creative Process When an animation writer is ask to write a material, he or she starts with the vision. The vision is the abstract form that needs a function. The function is provided by the commercial model when dealing with mainstream animation or by the artistic model when dealing with alternative animation. After constructing the model, the writer proceeds to examine the model and determine the source and the type of idea or ideas. After interpreting, validating and analyzing, the writer will now construct the concept using several parameters. The parameters gives the concept the needed form and fuction. From the parameters of the concept, the writer will start to construct the premise of the material. The premise is divided into three arcs, the story, the characters and the world. The said arcs will create the Bible of the material. With a tight Bible, the writer begins to construct the material's outline using the animation beat method. From the beat outline, the writer will expand it and from the treatment. And finally, form the treatment a master script will be created. The master script will be transformed into a story board.

There are several principles that governs the fundamental construction of the 3D Environment and Ambiance.

2008-12-12T04:50:00.000-08:00

There are several principles that governs the fundamental construction of the 3D Environment and Ambiance. In a nutshell, these principles are within 3 main planes namely; 1) perspective of the audience, 2) perspective of the characters within the measures of the environment and the ambiance and 3) the perspective of the designer. These three main planes are moving towards the direction of 1) the feel of the material which refers to the genre and the 2) the look of the material which refers to the art direction.

Let say for example, texture ( real or virtual) is a principle in design that affects the overall construction of the 3D design of the 3D world. Contrary to the old definition, texture is not confined within the construct of the background. Meaning, texture in the revolutionary definition definition refers to the 3 main separations of space within a given environment and ambiance namely; 1) the foreground, 2) the middle ground and 3) the background.

If space is infinite in 3D technology in terms of its x axis, y axis and z axis, then we look at the environment and ambiance not in a concave unified view rather in a circular view. Therefore, given that we agree on the initial statement, activity and action in the space is a moving loop, therefore, texture in this case, is not flat rather it has volume.
Volume in texture is then achieved if and only if the designer is able to separate space into three parts with the notion that each part of the space has a beginning, middle and end.

Animation Pre-Production Course General Outline :Revised 2007:Enroll 2008

2007-11-09T02:22:00.001-08:00

Animation Pre-Production Course General Outline :Revised 2007:Enroll 2008

Good Day,

This creative seminar is for animation professionals who want to
learn the dynamics of animation pre-production. The seminar is
open to university/college or company/animation studios tie-ups.

For Inquiries :
akiras_nightmare@yahoo.com
CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404 (look for mhel)

Join in :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akiras_nightmare
http://profiles.friendster.com/32450630
http://akirasnightmare.multiply.com/

check out
http://www.mindtap-ph.com
http://www.mobytoons.com
http://bottleduphiroshima.blogspot.com/
http://www.abma-forums.tk/
http://akirasnightmare.blogspot.com/

Animation Pre-Production Course General Outline :Revised 2007

1 Principles in Animation Brainstorming
A. Elements
(1.) Creative Team (Head vs. Members)
(2.) Creative Team Vision & Mission
(3.) Creative Team Parameters
(4.) Procedures
a Engagement
b Evaluation
c Creative Decision Making
d Conflict Resolution

B. Golden Rules
C. Dynamics

D. Tools
(1.) Project Development & Management
(2.) Stakeholder Analysis & Management
(3.) Creative Tool
(4.) Problem Solving Tool

2 Material Development & Management
A. Constructing A Working Model
(1.) Type of Model
(2.) Type of Distribution
(3.) Type of Audience
(4.) Type of Animated Media
(5.) Animation Category

B. Formulating An Idea
(1.) Source
(2.) Type
(3.) Direction

C. Building the Concept
(1.) Subject
(2.) Genre
(3.) Approach to Reality
(4.) Pattern
(5.) Design

D. Constructing The Premise
(1.) Components
(2.) Structure

E. Constructing The Beat Outline
(1.) Waves
(2.) Movements
(3.) Beats

3 Sequence Treatment & Script Development and Management
A. Sequence Treatment
(1.) Format
(2.) Elements
(3.) Types
(4.) Structural Direction
(5.) Visual Devices
(6.) Principles in Transitions

B. Script
(1.) Format
(2.) Components
(3.) Elements

4 Basic Principles of Animatics
A. Storyboard
(1.) Storyboard Units
(2.) Storyboard Elements
(3.) Storyboard Dynamics
(4.) Visual Directions or Visual Suggestions
(5.) Visual Movements

B. Dialog Track
(1.) Dialog Track Units
(2.) Dialog Track Elements
(3.) Dialog Track Dynamics
(4.) Dialog Directions
(5.) Dialog Movements

C. Relationship : Dialog Track vs. Storyboard
(1.) Storyboard Editor : the story
(2.) Dialog Editor : the characters
(3.) Animatics Editor : story driven / character driven

Animation School @ MindTap Studios at Asia Pacific College Magallanes

2007-10-02T00:08:00.000-07:00

To those who are interested to learn animation as an art, science,business, medium and visual document... all you need to do is to send an email to this address

Maila Fermil
Business Director of MindTap Studios
mlfermil@yahoo.com

This is a radical approach in terms of teaching genuine original content animation to both professionals and students. This is the first animation school that is implementing animation workshops that cover the different creative and technical procedures within the animation production at a reasonable rate.

Included in this animation school is the revised Basic 2-D Animation Material & Script Development and Management Workshop ( Original Content/Narrative Application - Short Feature & Feature)

If you feel that animation is a craft or an art, then this school is for you.

animation programs @ MINDTAP ANIMATION STUDIOS

2007-09-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

If you are planning to learn animation as a science, art, business,medium of communication and visual document, you can contact MindTapAnimation Studios.

Contact Persons:Benidicto "Bong" Modesto
Mind Tap Studios Creative Directore-mail : benidicto_modesto@yahoo.com

Maila Fermil
Mind Tap Studios Marketing Headhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/akiras_nightmare/post?postID=xCTk9m5sMHZMsH2ImPsBgmlG-VhyhtP1YEqA7vYtQuuHVwRTuNO5DVUfcNalzy7b9yVnb9_5oOI9v0T2H76k9XEMiA

The Action Genre, Getting with the Chase

2007-09-24T01:32:00.000-07:00

The Action Genre, Getting with the Chase
by mdf. escarcha

Chase is an action dynamic essential in delivering excitement for the audience. Without it, the action machine breaks down. In any case, the need to understand what makes a "chase" exciting is essential in making the lean mean action machine engaging for the viewing public.

Strip away the gimmicks and what is left is the real deal. Meaning, Chase is a dynamic that has structure and principles. Structurally, it has three vital parts namely 1. the hunter, 2. the hunted and 3. the range. The hunter refers to the entity that is pursuing the hunted. Considering that it is an entity, the hunter may take the form of a character or an event. For example, a police officer pursuing a convict is a character that serves as the hunter in the chase. On the other hand, a gruesome event like a murder that is pursuing an ex-convict serves as the hunter in the chase.

The hunted is the entity being pursued by the hunter. Again, the hunted may take the form of a character or an event. For example, a wife who is running away from her husband serves as the hunted in the chase. On the other hand, a wedding that is running away from a bride serves as an event being hunted.

Distance and time define the physical range between the hunter and the hunted. On the other hand, relationship determines the emotional range between the hunter and the hunted. This emotional range may pertain to age gap, social status differences, and level of maturity or types of attitudes. For example, a retiring Kentucky cop is pursuing a teenage convict who escaped from the local prison. The cop is on his way to Las Vegas to look for the said convict with the hopes that the latter went to visit his dying mother. In the example, the physical range of the hunter and the hunted is determined by the present location of the cop and his intended destination. The initial escape and the impending capture define the time in the equation. Age, profession and social status set the emotional range.

These three parts creates the "Chase Triangle". In turn, the triangle is governed by two principles namely 1. the ambiance and 2. the environment. Both principles define the arena from which "the chase" will occur. Ambiance refers to the emotional dimension of the arena like culture or subcultures, period or socio-political condition. On the other hand, environment refers to the physical dimension of the arena like civil works, buildings or transportation system.

When we are confronted with an action movie, we often witness a chase on the screen. The French Connection is one of those iconic chases that caught and still catching the imagination of viewers. As the hunter chased the hunted, the range was well defined. In terms of arena, we felt the interaction between the ambiance and the environment as the said principles affected the chase triangle. But when the same chase was copied by a Bong Revilla movie, it did not work at all.

Again, chase is only one of the needed dynamics of an action genre. If you do not connect the chase with the bigger picture, the tendency is that you are missing the point. An action movie is not just about the chase, it is much more than that. What "chase" does is to help make the bigger picture interesting and exciting. I always remind my students to never interchange the word innovation from outright plagiarism.

A good chase is only possible when it fits the bigger picture. If it sticks out like a sore thumb, then, something is wrong with the development and management of a material. One of the most enchanting chase ever made was concocted in a sci/fi-action movie called E.T. The way it was crafted depended on how the other dynamics operated. There was a pattern on when the chase would begin and when the chase will end. Local versions of the said movie, again, failed to understand why E.T. worked.

E.T. is not just about the alien or the boy who takes care of the said alien. It is about an experience that we all crave to go through. And this experience is defined partly by a qualified genre called sci/fi-action. Thus, we can not just copy E.T. by creating another second rate alien who looks like a talk show host or casting a cute kid. Or perhaps, putting everyone behind a green or blue screen.

A chase has a short shelf life. In a nutshell, a chase is all about originality or perhaps about innovations. When it is done, the next step is to come up with another out of the box chase. Copying a done thing is stupid and immature if you are dealing with action. A famous american action director once said that " a great action movie never repeats itself, that is why I do not like remakes".

A Compounded Genre: Catching The Comedy-Action Wave

2007-09-24T01:31:00.000-07:00

A Compounded Genre: Catching The Comedy-Action Wave
written by mdf. escarcha

Left and right, comedy-action is the new flavor of the month. Nevertheless, prophets of doom still insist that action is dead. Not really if you understand the fundamentals of action as a genre. Spreading the gospel of "action" seems to be difficult in an industry plagued with decaying action stars. But the market tells a different tale. If truly the industry is dying, the market is not.

The market is independent but at the same time dependent with the industry. Sounds confusing? Perhaps, the confusion resides within an industry that is filled with layers and postures. Strip away the sugar-coatings and what is left are hard core data that reflect the needs of the market from which the industry refuses to service.

Countless debates encourage the chicken or the egg mystery. I remember the teachings of USP and the ideal vision of "market rules". But then again, are we really talking about the same animal. Or perhaps, that animal they are talking about is just a pigment of their imagination.

In third world countries, it is always the industry that drives product-consumer equilibrium and not the other way around. This is why outsourcing is the in thing to do right now because third world countries are atmospherically favorable to industry dominance. If in the macro level this is true, then in the micro level the same thing is surely happening.

It is important to immediately dismiss the chicken or the egg discourse. It is not happening here in the Philippines. Local industries of various types determine the product-consumer equilibrium. If we are led to believe this is not the case, probably we are living in the wrong planet.

Check out the things that you buy. Are you buying these things because of competition or are you just buying what others are buying? And when you are buying the things that other people are buying does this mean you are in control?

A film studio once created a product with a glossy look. Somehow, the glossy look was linked with opulence under extreme stress. The poor were fascinated with the problems of the rich and how such problems led them to their demise. There was something about the glossy look that made the not so rich citizens excited in a twisted manner. The funny thing was that the poor empathized with the rich characters. They did not resent Sharon Cuneta for being a rich brat princess in her teenage movies, rather, they felt that they too were rich brat princesses trap inside the bodies of poor daughters of domestic helpers.

When we stare at the end of the barrel of a gun, we see a light that will surely kill us in an instant. This is the way the film industry works in this country. We are constantly forced to stare at the end of the barrel of a gun and wait for the impending end. But do not get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with it. And the redundancy is self-serving.

Simple math, a film studio dominated by strong women will produce materials filled with strong women, strong women and strong women. Even the male characters are models of strong women. There are times the materials are archetypes or "bio-pics" of the strong women who are running the machinery. In the end, nobody gives a shit about the market, not even the strong women, strong women and strong women.

Making these statements will surely get your ass fired in three seconds. Speaking from experience, it is not a pleasant career kodak moment. A colleague once said that if you get fired on the basis of doing the right thing, the best thing to do is to resign. But I guess this not a good advice because resignation entails zero benefits.

At the tail end of the 90s, it was apparent that drama was not the genre to go for. Yet, people were insisting that based on USP, drama was profitable. I guess, the surplus of strong drama queens was reaching unfavorable levels. To make matters worst, they were getting old and the fan base was shrinking or migrating to HongKong and Dubai.

Comedy was the next best thing. When a drama flick flopped, comedy saved the day. But senseless comedy is not a genre but a product of incompetence. The king was getting old and the jesters were slated to be his replacement. But like action stars, superstar comedians were rare commodities. As a result, comedy no longer got the magic "finger".

Romance was a glitter of hope. But love teams were from the Jurassic age. So, in the end, it was a futile exercise. What appears to be a romance was actually a second class "idol centered" drama. In a nutshell, it was another strong woman who was dramatically in love. Again, there is nothing wrong with it. Except for one thing. The strong woman was masturbating using the weak man as the weapon of mass destruction.

It was by chance that majority of the mainstream film studios noticed that Vic Sotto Movies were slamming the box office. Major film studios, whether they admit it or not, were puzzled because their comedies did not sell like hotcakes. It was an extensive creative team soul searching multiplied by several powers.

Genre played an important role in Vic Sotto movies. Apparently, he has a strong creative team who realized that given the present market condition, there was a need to improve or upgrade. Comedy won't work just like that in its pure form. It was imperative to look for another genre that would serve as a new platform for Vic Sotto. And by consequence, comedy-action was the compounded genre that they were looking for.

Comedy-action, as a compounded genre, allocates the structure of comedy and the components of action. The target of the action in the case of Vic Sotto movies is the personality of the superstar comedian. Kung-Fu Hustle, to draw a comparison, travels in the same orbit. In fact, one can draw similarities between the main character of Kung Fu Hustle and Vic Sotto as Enteng Kabisote.

I remember when I was part of a creative team, I was trying to push for compounded genres or even combined genres. But it was not receive in a positive manner. Perhaps the move was a bit radical for them. Or maybe I was just not pushing it to hard. In both cases, I was at fault. Nevertheless, I knew that sooner or later they would learn their lesson the hard way.

I believe that we are in the comedy-action wave and somehow the next big thing will be another compounded genre called horror-drama. I find it exciting to make this fearless forecast. I still feel that pure genres are relevant but the market is conscious with regards to getting the most out of a given amount. Yet, I dare not explore multiple genres in one feature. I think it is too much for a single material though possible if ever.

The Inciting Incident : The 1st Principle of the Action Genre

2007-09-24T01:30:00.000-07:00

The Inciting Incident : The 1st Principle of the Action Genre
by mdf. escarcha

The target of the action is always affected by an inciting incident. An incident is either a function of chance, fate or destiny. Chance tends to operate within the present tense. For example, you enter a bank and then suddenly three men announce a bank robbery. In the said situation, the inciting incident is unfolding. And as it unfolds, it is always about "what is happening" in a given moment.

Fate revolves around the past. It is always based on a prior event. For example, a boy meets a girl in High School. And after several years, he meets her again. But this time, the girl is the clever thief who is under investigation by the boy who happens to be the smart cop in charge of the case. In the said situation, the inciting incident is a function of fate. Fate is not effective without a prior event that will set-up the inciting incident.

Destiny pertains to the future. Unlike Fate, it needs no prior event to set it up. Instead, it is made-up of events that are either a function of accidents or coincidences. Another difference is that destiny makes use of the present events to direct a character to its destined end point. Thus, the initial event for the chain of accidents and coincidences becomes the inciting event. For example, an assassin bumps into a childhood friend in a 24 hours fastfood restaurant. He learns that the said childhood friend is planning to enroll in a school that teaches cha-cha. The teacher of the said school is the assassin's next target. In the example, both accident and coincident were operating. The destined end point in this case is under the control of the individual who is developing and managing the material. If the destined end point is for the assassin to kill her true love, then the accidents or coincidences will direct the character to the destined end point.

As an inciting incident, the source is always an event. Meaning, the event is independent or autonomous from the main characters. Meeting someone inside a supermarket is void of any human intervention. If someone sends a person for you to meet inside a supermarket, then it is not an inciting incident at all. This is a bit tricky because one way or the other, there is a need to determine whether or not an event is free from any human intervention. For story editors, there are indicators that determine whether or not an event is subject to human intervention. To cite one indicator, a story editor must determine whether or not an event is an action or an activity.

Chance, Fate or Destiny, an inciting incident is geared towards moving both the story and character forward. If the incident does not exhibit a forward effect, then it is called a forestalling incident. Seldom do we encounter this incident in conventional materials. But in experimental storytelling, forestalling incidents create resistance in the movement of both character and story.

In theory, one can create numerous inciting incidents in a material. But due to limited execution of the material, one incident is often enough to capture the imagination of the audience. But if you ask me, inciting incidents should follow the rule of three. Wherein in one material, there should be a min of 3 incidents to make the material fluid and unpredictable.

Let us play a game, for example, a father by chance finds a gun inside the lunch box of his daughter. The father confronts his 12-year-old daughter. The daughter confesses to his father that she is a gun for hire agent. Given this inciting incident, what could be the forestalling incident?

We know from the incident that the ball is already rolling with regards to the chance discovery of the weapon and the eventual confession of the daughter. In order to stop the movement of the proverbial ball, there is a need to either eliminate the father, the daughter or the gun. For example, what if the father suddenly dies soon after a nightmare about her daughter. Given that the father is an agent that knows the gun and the confession, eliminating him will end the forward movement of the discovery and its eventual spread outside the relationship.

If the gun is eliminated, is this a forestalling incident? Remember the first scenario above. The gun is the concrete manifestation of the emotional confession. Do you think if the gun is eliminated, the confession will remain within the intimate relationship?

The elimination of the gun does not end the movement of the ball. Rather, it forces the ball to move in a different direction. The gun is just a concrete manifestation of the confession. Therefore, there is also a need to eliminate the confession as the emotional component of the gun. If the daughter takes her gun and surrenders to a police officer, this becomes the forestalling incident that stops the ball from rolling.

Though, mainstream cinema seldom use forestalling incidents, the mastery of the said "device" in tandem with the inciting incident creates this four dimensional treatment of the material. Action movies that reached iconic statuses tend to have this four-dimensional treatment. But I must admit that applying this treatment tend to consume so much time at the development and management stage of any material. Yet, if a team pulls off such a treatment, the reward is beyond what is desired.

The first principle of action with regards to inciting incidents gives us a clear view with regards to how an action genre affects the general development and management of a material. It gives us the means to understand how action begins, unfolds and ends from material to execution. I remember that I was given the chance to develop an action movie. Sad to say, I did not have the methodology in such development without management. Thus, development was only base on hunches, rumors and inaccurate assumptions.

I learned that there is more to it than what is perceived to be what it was. Now I realize why the project did not push through. We were pretending to know the genre but the truth was we were just copying what was available during those days. I guess, there is no excuse for incompetence in the face of creative immaturity. At this point, I apologize.

The Action genre is a living entity that yearns to develop or transform in this questionable industry that we have. I think it is time for us to have our inciting incident and look forward with regards to change. After all, this is a new era and action stars are Jurassic conceptions of dinosaur-like film studios. Probably, there is a need not to invent or re-invent, rather, to innovate from what we used to have.

A Qualified Genre: The Magic Behind Fantasy/Action

2007-09-24T01:29:00.000-07:00

A Qualified Genre: The Magic Behind Fantasy/Action
by mdf. escarcha

As a writer begins to bend the reality of any narrative, he or she oversees the creation of a world that is unique and specific to his or her personality. What we see, as the audience, is the writer's dreams and nightmares. We, as the audience, take the chance to explore the writer's construct with the intention to understand beauty as well as the horror that such a world offers.

Fantasy alone is not a genre. Rather, it is a qualification of a genre. For example, the term family/drama qualifies the genre drama in terms of dramatic problems and solutions that refer to family related experiences. The same is true for fantasy/action wherein it qualifies the action in terms of problems and solutions that refer to fantastic experiences.

The Wizard of Oz is a good example of fantasy/action. The main character travels in a world created by the writer of the material. This world reflects the dreams and nightmares that are unique to the said author. And as the main character moves through this world, we as the audience discover the beauty as well as the horror that such writer offers through his world.

Fantasy/action is not for those who like to copy the works of other authors. As a qualified genre, it takes a lot of brain power as well as extreme originality to pull off such a unique construct that is so specific. I always tell my students that the decision to specialize on this type of qualified genre requires an individual to consciously avoid reading or watching materials related to the said qualified genre. Or else, you end up copying the elements of other materials.

Determining whether or not a material is fantasy/action depends on how the world is constructed from which the story and the character will move. Superman and Spiderman are not fantasy/action movies. In fact, these are compounded genres. The difference is that the world is not a unique and specific construct. It is familiar and general almost similar to that of the real world. What I see is different is the construct of the characters in the physical level considering that they have supernatural powers.

Generally, one important characteristic of a fantasy/action is that the main character is uprooted from the real world and transported to a fantasy world that is unique and specific. With emphasis on the character as a construct that is completely human with no supernatural powers at all. In the movie, Never-Ending Story, an average kid is transported to a fantasy world. This particular kid tends to assume a generic quality. Making it possible for the audience to assume the role of the kid at any point as the material unfolds.

It is vital that when a character moves from the real world to the fantasy world that the said character begins with no supernatural powers at all. As the material unfolds, a character may or may not acquire fantastic skills or weapons that are utilized as tools in achieving whatever end. But these skills or weapons are temporary and are only available within the parameters of the fantasy world.

A material may tackle the politics within a fantasy world. Meaning, the action is limited within the bounds of the said world. In this case, supernatural powers are translated within the context of the said world. Thus, flying beings are not extraordinary but are part of the usual workings of the said world.

The magic of any fantasy/action is not the monopoly of either character or story. The magic is a function of how the fantasy world is constructed. Meaning, the more unique and specific the said world, the more engaging it is. Thus, it is all about location, location and location.

If the fantasy world is not magical, no matter how good the story or the character is, it will not work. So when we develop and manage a fantasy/action, the first thing to do is to define the construct of the world. We do not talk about the characters nor do we begin to establish the story. The world will define its characters and story. If the fantasy world is a vast desert, then the characters will look like desert dwellers. If the world is a chain of buildings suspended in the air, then the story will be about why the buildings are suspended in the air.

There are no physical references with regards to fantasy/action. The qualified genre relies heavily on the mental references of an individual or a creative team. In the end, the name of the game is to come up with something that is so fantastically original. If the viewers will see that the elements in the material are just second rate copies, then the magic will immediately disappear.

In my opinion, a good fantasy/action is measured by a question. What element in the movie you fell in love with? If you fell in love with the character or the story, then the genre did not work. But if you fell in love with the fantasy world and you craved to be part of that world, then the genre did its job.

Domestic Violence : The Object of the Vision

2007-09-24T01:27:00.000-07:00

Domestic Violence : The Object of the Vision
by mdf. escarcha

If my Physics serves me right, H20 has a given boiling point. But reaching that boiling point depends on the quantity of water and the amount of heat applied. Thus, given the amount of heat applied, two liters of water will boil faster than five liters of water. Reverse this condition, given the same amount of water, if heat A is greater than Heat B, then Heat A will boil the water faster than Heat B.

If we construct an abstract verbal model and refer to the boiling point as a function of violence, the violence depends on the quantity of water and the heat applied. Quantity of water pertains to Human tolerance and heat applied pertains to stress as a stimulant. Thus, Violence is equal to human tolerance over stress as a stimulant.

Human tolerance depends on two functions namely personality of formation and personality of revelation. When stress as a stimulant is introduced, the responses of the said personalities, in theory, are always parallel. Meaning, if formation acts on the stimulant, revelation will also do the same. And if formation reacts on the stimulant, revelation will also do the same thing. But what happens when the relationship is inversely proportional?

Postulate One, if the relationship between the formation and revelation is directly proportional, then human tolerance is high. Thus, given stress as a stimulant, a character constructed under this condition tends to exhibit greater control over violence.

Postulate Two, if the relationship between the formation and the revelation is inversely proportional, then human tolerance is low. Thus, given stress as a stimulant, a character constructed under this condition tends to exhibit less control over violence.

Postulate Three, what happens when the relationship between formation and revelation is indirectly proportional? What happens to the character and his or her control over violence? When two elements are indirectly proportional, one assumes that there is a third element involved that connects the two principal elements. So in this case, what do you think is the third element?

Postulates 1 & 2 refer to man or woman as a person who exercises free will. The relationship between formation and revelation is directly or inversely proportional to one another. Thus, there is no obstruction or filter between the two elements. On the other hand, when a third element is involved, there is a filter or an obstruction that either influences or exercises power over the two principal elements.

Given the provision above, if the relationship between formation and revelation is indirectly proportional, then violence is defined by the third element. Meaning, if the third element acts on the stimulant, the first and second elements will do the same. Thus, given stress as a stimulant, a character constructed in this condition tends to exhibit no control over violence.

If a man belongs to the first postulate, given a certain amount of marital stress as a stimulant, it will take a lot of inciting incidents before he will act on or react on the marital stress as a stimulant. But, if it will take a lot of inciting incidents before he acts on or reacts on the marital stress as a stimulant, is the amount of violence when released greater or lower?

We go back to the boiling point. If H2o has a fixed boiling point, then human tolerance also has a fixed amount of violence. This is true if we are dealing with H20 as the type of human tolerance. But what if we substitute H20 with peanut oil whose boiling point is lower than water?

Stress affects the boiling point in this case. Given a character that exercises greater control over violence, control becomes a function of tolerance over stress. If tolerance is greater than stress, then the amount of violence increases because one must gradually increase stress until it reaches the breaking point of tolerance resulting to violence. The gradual increase in stress becomes deliberate, thus if the relationship is directly proportional, violence is also deliberate. And the more deliberate the violence, the more it is cerebral than emotional.

On the other hand, if tolerance is less than the stress, then the amount of violence decreases because stress remains constant. The breaking point of tolerance, is this case, is quick and impulsive. Thus, if the relationship between revelation and formation is directly proportional, violence is deployed quickly and by impulse. And the more impulsive the violence, the more it is emotional than cerebral.

Postulate two operates in a different way. If tolerance is greater than stress, then the amount of violence increases because one must gradually increase stress until it reaches the breaking point of tolerance resulting to violence. The gradual increase becomes deliberate, but because the relationship between formation and revelation is indirectly proportional, violence is deployed quickly and by impulse. And the more impulsive the violence, the greater the neurosis.

On the other hand, if tolerance is less than the stress, then the amount of violence decreases because stress remains constant. The breaking point of tolerance, is this case, is quick and impulsive. Thus, if the relationship between revelation and formation is indirectly proportional, violence is deployed deliberately. And the more deliberate the violence, the less the neurosis.

Postulate three revolves around the relationship of the conduit with tolerance and stress. If we manipulate the variables outside the conduit, the violence attacks the conduit. For example, the conduit is a Christian Value of "Thou Shall Not Kill", if we manipulate the variables outside the conduit, decreasing external tolerance or increasing external stress will neutralize the equilibrium of the conduit. On the other hand, if we manipulate the variables inside the conduit, the conduit disrupts the external equilibrium. Thus, the Christian Value neutralizes itself.

Practical applications of the postulates determine the direction of a material. Postulates 1 and 2 project vertical storytelling. Wherein postulate 1 is more vertical than postulate 2. On the other hand, postulate 3 projects horizontal storytelling. Combining 3 and 1 produces diagonal storytelling while combining 2 and 3 produces an ellipse.

If we follow the stated postulates together with its provisions, postulates 1 and 2 are character driven materials in terms of violence as a core value. In postulate 1, violence is an action. While in postulate 2, violence is an activity.

When violence is an action, it has a physical and emotional or cerebral components. On the other hand, when violence is an activity, it only has a physical or cerebral or emotional component. This makes the violence enigmatic. We can see the physical manifestation of violence but there is no clear meaning or there is no meaning at all. Writing a material in this construct is challenging because the enigma as it moves away from the abstract becomes more concrete despite of the absence of its function. The reverse is also possible. An activity may have meaning but it has no form. So, violence becomes a mystery. You feel the violence but you can not see it. Thus, the violence is more emotional or cerebral than physical. And as it moves away from the physical, it becomes more abstract despite of the absence of its form.

For the third postulate, violence is either negative or positive. When it is positive, it becomes a healing agent or an inviting event. If it is negative, it becomes a disturbance or inciting incident. In both cases, the said conditions disrupt either the conduit internally or tolerance and stress externally.

In the midst of domestic violence directed to women, the said postulates offer us a glimpse in terms of the behavior of the material as reflected by the story, plot, genre and characters. A man who belongs to postulate one has the tendency to employ violence as an act. While a man who belongs to postulate two employs violence as an activity.

Postulate three defines domestic violence as either the internal breakdown of the conduit or the conduit neutralized by external variables. Marital Vows, as a collective is a good conduit that defines a husband's tolerance over stress. If the conduit disintegrates internally, marital violence is due to the breakdown of marriage as an institution. But if the conduit is neutralized by external variables, marital violence is due to the breakdown of the man-woman relationship. Thus, the first case suggests that marriage as an institution defines the relationship, while the second case, the relationship defines the institution.

The postulates presented in this article are approximation of character behavior in terms of personality formation and personality revelation. Violence, as a core value of any material, is affected by the dynamics of the said personalities that occupy a single space. As stated before, violence depends on human tolerance and the amount stress applied. Manipulating these variables affects the character in terms of its attitude towards violence and how the character employs it in its immediate physical and emotional situation.

4th Akira's Nightmare Pre-Production Creative Seminar

2007-02-21T03:01:00.000-08:00

The 4th Akira's Nightmare Animation Pre-Production Creative Seminar
in cooperation with
Mind Tap Studios -Asia Pacific College Magallanes

The goal of this laboratory is to develop animators who can create their own materials. This workshop also seeks to develop animation "toon" writers/story editors. The Laboratory is will start Summer April 2007

Akira's Nightmare & Mind Tap Studios - Asia Pacific CollegeAnimation Pre-Production Creative Seminar ANIMATION BRAINSTORMING TECHNIQUES & SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENTNARRATIVE SHORT & FEATURE ANIMATION APPLICATION LECTURE

SERIES4th Revised Laboratory Outline
Laboratory OutlineƒÞ Understanding The Animation IndustryƒÞ Understanding The MarketƒÞ Animation Production (2d-animation)AƒÞ Animation Production (3d-animation)ƒÞ Types of AnimationƒÞ Formulating An IdeaƒÞ Story ConceptƒÞ Premise DevelopmentƒÞ The Character MatrixƒÞ Story ConstructionƒÞ Breaking Down a Story into Beats (story beats)ƒÞ Outline Development and ManagementƒÞ The Screenplay Management and DevelopmentƒÞ Writing In Terms of Types of DistributionƒÞ Presentation of the Bible ƒÞ Project DevelopmentƒÞ How To PitchƒÞ Steps in Promoting Your Product

Schedule Summer April 2007Registration Ongoing
Tuition Fee Asia Pacific College Students:5,000NON_APC :6,000

Venue of the Laboratory
Asia Pacific CollegeMulti Media Arts DepartmentAsia Pacific College Bldg.Humabon Place, Magallanes VillageMakati City

Contact Persons:
Benidicto "Bong" ModestoMind Tap Studios Creative Directormobile#:09174682671 e-mail : benidicto_modesto@yahoo.com

Maila FermilMind Tap Studios Marketing Headmobile#:09178034717maila-mnindtap@hotmail.com

Animation Commercials, Music Videos & Audio Visual Presentations

2006-12-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

Akira's Nightmare Animation Laboratory
Animation Commercials, Music Videos & Audio Visual Presentations
Project Research, Analysis, Development & Management
Summer 2007 Creative Seminar
5 Sessions
DEVELOPED BY MDF. ESCARCHA
(CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404)

1 Research : Day One
A. Understanding the Market
(1.) Producer
(2.) Consumer
(3.) Product / Service
(4.) Placement
(5.) Price

B. Understanding the Industry
(1.) The Animation Team
01 Creative Support
02 Administrative Support
n Budget
n Finance
03 Technical Support

(2.) Deployment
01 Cinema
02 Internet
n active
n passive
03 Television

(3.) Animation Media
01 2D Animation
02 3D Animation

03 Stop-Motion Animation
n Puppet
n Animation
n Clay/Foam Animation
n Paper Cut Out Animation
n Painting On Glass Animation
n Sand Animation
n People Animation

04 Flash Animation

(4.) Animation Function
01 Information
02 Education

03 Promotion
n Invention
n Innovation
n Discovery/Rediscovery

04 Persuasion
05 Propaganda

(5.) Animation Category
01 Dramatic
02 Comic
03 Lyrical
04 Commercial
05 Didactic
06 Children
07 Musicals

2 Analysis : Day 02
A. Dynamics : Producer, Consumer & Animation Team
(1.) What is the vision?
01 Producer : want vs. need
02 Consumer : want vs. need
03 Animation Team : want vs. need

(2.) What is the mission?
01 The Consumer as the target
02 The Producer as the source
03 The Relationship between the Target and the Source

B. The Producer's Concept + The Consumer's Concept = Animation Team's Concept
(1.) Market Requirements
(2.) Industry Requirements
(3.) Animation Team Requirements

3 Development : Day 03
A. The Premise
(1.) Product/Service
(2.) Appropriate Selling Point

B. The Product/ Service Matrix
(1.) Formation
(2.) Revelation

C. Appropriate Selling Point
(1.) Subject
(2.) Theme
(3.) Competition(s)

D. Beat Outline
(1.) Time Frame
01 1-2 Minutes
02 2-5 Minutes
03 5-10 Minutes

(2.) Methods
01 Beat Ratio Method
02 Time Ratio Method

(3.) Structure
01 Establish product or service and situation
02 Introduce agent of disturbance
03 Climax
04 Resolution

4 Management : Day 04
A. The Script
(1.) Form
(2.) Function
(3.) Structure

B. Animatics
(1.) Storyboard
(2.) Audio Track

C. Evaluation
(1.) Revision : change angle : retain attack
(2.) Rewrite : retain angle :change attack
(3.) Edit : retain angle :retain attack with adjustments

5 Output : Day 05
A. Document Output
B. Animatics

Fundamentals of the Animation Creative Team

2006-12-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

Fundamentals of the Creative Team
The Functions of a Solid Project or Material
written by Melchor df. Escarcha

As a former member and former head of a creative team, I realized that there was a need to define the principles and parameters that determine the creative set-up. We often encounter horror stories about brainstormings and collaborations. These stories tend to portray a highly vicious ambiance and environment within a team. Given these anomalies, the natural reaction is to introduce team-building techniques. But this is futile if there are no rules and parameters that govern the actual engagement.

A solid project or material is one of the core principles in a creative team. A project or material is said to be solid when it is able to stand on its own minus any attempt to aid it by answering questions regarding the material or project conceptually. Meaning, anything that is not written or presented is not relevant

In this regard, a solid material or project has five functions namely 1) It consolidates the members of the team into one mission and one vision, 2) It orients the members of the team towards the mission and vision, 3) It serves as the life blood the of the creative team, 4) it defines the sense and sensibility of the collective and 5) it functions as the consensus in the midst of creative diversity. The objectives of these functions are a) to make sure that each member of the team is required to be familiar with the material or project, b) each member of the team has the capability to defend the material or project and c) each member of the team is obligated to assume the role of lead developer when the need arises.

Given this principle, anyone in a team is capable of defending the material. If the team is truly guided by a singular vision and mission, familiarity towards the material or project is effortless. If an individual that is part of a creative team can not defend the project or material, he or she does not belong to the team.

The ideal construct of reality dictates that the person who principally created or initiated the material or project is the only one who can defend it. But we are not living in an ideal world. These are the following situations wherein the lead developer is neutralized as an agent that will defend the material or project.

1. Defending a material or a project is an unfolding crisis by nature. People are sometimes effective in the absence of crisis. Personally, I encountered creative people who are brilliant in creating projects or materials given a nurturing environment and ambiance. But when they are asks to defend the material, they are unable to do so. In this case, it is prudent to assign a person who thrives in the midst of crisis to defend the material or project. But this is only effective if the members of the team are familiar with the project or material.

2. There are times when the lead developer is not given the chance to defend the material or project personally. Instead, a written presentation is required. If the material or project on paper is not solid, the whole thing is rejected. In this case, it is not the lead developer who is defending the project or material, rather, it is the material or project that is defending itself.

3. Clients or producers have their nuisances in terms of who will defend the material or project. What if the client or producer prefers a woman as the defender of the project instead of a man given that the lead developer is a man? In this case, the female members of the team should always be ready to assume the role of lead developer. This flexibility is only possible when each member of the team is familiar with the material or project. And familiarity is only achieved through having a solid material or project.

4. Situations and events are inherently unpredictable. A person's state of mind changes as he or she acts on or reacts on a particular stimulant. What if on the day of the presentation, the lead developer receives a phone call from the hospital and learns that his or her mother is in the intensive care unit? Whether we admit it or not, the news will affect the lead developer's state of mind. In this case, it is prudent to replace him or her. Given this situation, it is a requirement that members of the team should always anticipate that any moment, they will be ask to defend the material or project anytime.

5. There are times when it is difficult to set an appointment with a potential client, when suddenly one of the members of the team spots the said client in the supermarket and he or she only has 10 minutes to talk with this client. Calling the lead developer will take time. So, if he or she is familiar with the material or project, he or she can easily approach the client and talk with him or her about it. Remember that opportunities arise when we least expect it. But we can not always guarantee that the lead developer is always up to the challenge or physically present. Thus, it is more practical that the members of the team are capable of defending the material or project when the need arises.

6. Resignations are like death threats. Creative teams encounter them in a daily basis. What if the lead developer resigns or pirated by another creative team. Does he or she take all the secrets with him or her? Does he or she deactivate the whole project or material? This unfortunate event harms a creative team when the only one who is familiar with the material or project is the lead developer. But if everyone knows the vision and mission of the material or project, the damage is lessened given such an unfortunate event.

7. Individuals, within the shelter of the team, tend to give off certain qualities that project stability, maturity and competency. But when they encounter a crisis, they begin to give away traits that are harmful to the successful defense of the material or project. In moments of crisis, we might discover that the lead developer has a low level of tolerance or a volatile temper. There are people who are nurturing in the absence of crisis and would later on transform into a " hot head" in the midst of crisis. Thus, replacing him or her with a more tolerant and evenly tempered member of the team is the most effective means in defending the material or project.

The scenarios are generally events or situations that pretty much cover all the possible problems that a creative team may encounter that essentially neutralizes the effectiveness of the lead developer as the defender of the project or concept.

What ought to happen is that the lead developer is always the one who should defend the material or project. I strongly believe in this premise. But reality has this incredible talent of screwing things up. And believe it or not, there are times when the strangest things happen. A day before the defense, you are happily talking with the lead developer, the next day he is in jail. A week before the defense, the lead developer is brilliantly rehearsing his defense in a mock meeting. And then suddenly you receive a phone call from the lead developer and he is crying. He is appealing for your understanding because he can not handle the pressure.

Fine, there are times when the alignment of the planets is perfect and the lead developer does his thing with flying colors, but these are exceptions to the rules. Most of the time, the lead developer is intellectually, emotionally or physically absent and you are force to make tough decisions in finding a way to salvage an opportunity that could make or break your company.

In the end, we subscribe to the wisdom that we do not put all our eggs in one basket. Change is unpredictable and everyday the playing field changes. Some people try to control change by identifying indicators, but even indicators are also subject to change. The only thing we can count on is our ability to learn and our ability to be flexible. A Creative Team should be a living and learning organism that is able to adjust to the unfolding crisis and employ the most appropriate action. These are qualities that are products of a solid material or project.

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Summer 2007 Creative Seminar
The Art and Science of Animation Brainstorming
(Project / Material Construction, Development and Management)

For Inquiries: contact these numbers
Contact Person : Melchor
(CONTACT NUMBERS: 09215081060/6822404)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akiras_nightmare http://akirasnightmare.blogspot.com/

Animation Commercials, Music Videos & Audio Visual Presentations

2006-12-01T07:37:00.000-08:00

Anime, Anima and Animus

2006-11-25T07:40:00.000-08:00

3rd Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting : Understanding Anime Part 1

Carl Jung, a psychologist noted for analytic psychology, postulated an unconscious structure that represented the cross-sexual part of the psyche of each individual. He referred to this structure as the anima for men and the animus for women. The anima or the animus is not the conscious male or female self-image. Rather, it serves as a focus for all psychological material that does not fit with an individual's conscious self-image as a woman or as a man.

In character construction, sex and sexuality are among the important components in determining a character's behavior. A character has its own conscious self-image of a masculine hero. But at the same time, his anima may include qualities that do not fit this conscious self-image. The same holds true for women.

The dynamics of anima or animus is clearly exhibited in the Disney Feature Mulan. Wherein, the principal character's conscious self-image of a woman differs from her unconscious self-image. Here lies the conflict of the material, a character that challenges an existing social order that affects gender in terms of actions and activities.

In Mulan's case, she has a definitive image of a man imprinted in her unconscious called the archetype. Oriented towards inner processes, this archetype is one of the most influential regulators of behavior that mediates between unconscious and conscious processes. It contains all the ancestral experiences of a male or a female and impression made by man or woman. The archetype manifests itself through dreams and fantasies as figures of the opposite sex.

An individual's relationship with the opposite sex affects the development of the anima or animus. Mulan's father, for instance, influenced Mulan's animus. Thus, as Mulan defines herself in feminine terms, her animus, will include disjointed tendencies and experiences that she defined as masculine.

As this disjointed tendencies and experiences mix with this conscious feminine definition, the idea of a feminine warrior emerges from the psyche. Mulan is able to reconcile the masculine warrior fighting skills with the feminine touch. Therefore, the quality of a fragile feminine form becomes an advantage because it conceals the masculine warrior fighting skills in the battlefield.

The dynamics of the anima or animus is a feature often observed in eastern animation materials. Mulan, as an eastern animation material is a good example for this observation. Often, we observe Anime characters that engage in cross-sexual dynamics in terms of emotional and physical form and function. A hero may look masculine but does feminine functions. Or a heroine may look fragile and reserve but kills people in cold blood. We do not see this, in general, in western animation where male and female stereotypes tend to dominate the western psyche.

Perhaps this is the reason why Anime materials tend to go beyond gender boundaries. Men and women are able to relate with the same hero or heroine because of this cross-sexual dynamic. What we have is a situation wherein characters have features that appeal to both women and men and at the same reconcile gender aversions and transforms them into attractions.

Getting to know your character, in terms of animus or anima, is a good way of understanding its psyche. The more we are familiar with the psyche, the more efficient we are able to determine the character's behavior relative to the human actions and activities. Anime, animus and anima, cross-sexual dynamics that often create interesting characters that capture the hearts and minds of both men and women.

Writing for Animation: The Audience

2006-11-18T05:51:00.000-08:00

Writing for Animation: The Audience
by Akira's Nightmare Scriptwriting Animation Laboratory

The type of audience is one of the crucial elements in building the concept that will eventually form the premise. Like the character matrix, one must understand the general characteristics, characterization and emotional baggage of a given audience. In this case, familiarity in the over-all dynamics of demographics becomes a powerful tool in coming up with an effective material.

There are three main categories in terms of audience. These are adults, children and pre-school. Under each category, there are several sub-categories. For example, under the children's category there are three main age groups namely 1) 5 to 8 year old, 2) 9 to 12 year old and 3) over 12 years age.

Audience is not only affected by age; geographic locations, economic considerations, religious orientations and socio-political factors also affect it. Thus, the concern of a child in the United States is different from the concerns of a child in Malaysia. Given this fluidity in audience characterization, a specific group in a population exhibits a unique personality signature that determines its behavior.

Audience's behavior, a product of personality, has two main components namely need and want. Needs and wants are relative and have different forms depending on the type of audience. Meaning the 5 to 8-year old age group differs from the over 12 years age group in terms of needs and wants. Furthermore, there is a big difference between satisfying an audience need from satisfying an audience want. A team should never interchange the two or assume that it can change a need into a want. Historically, naive corporations, teams and individuals that did this paid for it in the box office.

Respect is the operative word in this case. To impose upon the audience is like attacking the very person who feeds you. That is why, listening is an important skill in making sure that you know what the audience want and what the audience need. Sounds easy right, but believe me or not, simple things tend to be forgotten in the midst of extreme arrogance.

The customer is always right. This holds true for animation audiences in general. Feedbacks are valuable in shaping present and future materials. Testing a material through a focus group that approximates the target audience is very helpful in identifying the flaws in a material. Arresting these flaws before the actual production saves time and money at the same time.

In my short stint as an animation scriptwriting instructor, I often encounter animators who are reckless in the practice of their art and craft. In the end, they learn the harsh reality that animation is not about the animator and it is not about the audience. It is all about the relationship between the two.
True, the audience is always right. But this is just one part of the whole exchange. The animator, given the statement, must make a choice whether or not he or she will validate the feedback of the audience. Thus, whatever the choice is, what is important is that the animator listened to what the audience's want or need and from there made an educated decision regarding his material.

It is truly difficult when a perfectionist who does not know what he or she wants or need leads a team. Interaction between the audience and the team is not fully realized as a function of creative exercise. Eventually, the pre-production gradually deteriorates affecting the well being of the production and post-production stages.

Thinking inside and outside the box share a common bond in terms of interaction. There should be parallel development and management of wants and needs for both audience and the animation team. The audience's type of need or want should be the same with the team's type of need or want. How can you deliver world peace as a message if the audience thinks that world peace sucks.

Understanding the audience, as stated before, is just one of the crucial elements in determining the concept that will form the premise. A team who makes an effort to reach out to its audience usually gets a corresponding gesture. To think that animation is a sole domain of the audience or the animators is over-simplifying the nature of human relations.

Animation, in my opinion, is making inanimate objects move with the deliberate intention of visually deploying a compelling story, plot, genre, conflict and characters. Thus, one can not effectively do this without the general knowledge of what the audience's need and want as well as what you as the animator need and want. There is nothing wrong with being a perfectionist as long as you are confident, open to interaction, certain with what you need and want and respectful to the need and want of the audience.

Akira's Nightmare
Basic Animation Scriptwriting Laboratory
NARRATIVE SHORT & FEATURE ANIMATION APPLICATION LECTURE SERIES
DEVELOPED BY MDF. ESCARCHA
(CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404)

Registration Day:
December 04, 2006
11am to 5pm
@ Asia Pacific College Magallanes

Laboratory will start:
December 09, 2006
10am to 5pm

Schedule
Dec 09 : Saturday : 10am to 5pm
Dec 10 : Sunday : 10 am to 2pm
Dec 16 : Saturday : 10 am to 5pm
Dec 17 : Sunday : 10 am to 2pm

Venue:
Asia Pacific College Magallanes
Asia Pacific Building 3
Humabon Place, Magallanes Village
Makati CitY

Tuition Fee
5,000 APC students
6,000 Non_APC students

n Understanding The Animation Industry
A. art
(1.) artist
(2.) craftsman
(3.) artist-craftsman
B. science
(1.) method/process
(2.) hardware & software
C. business
(1.) conventional studio set-up
(2.) alternative studio set-up
(3.) "One Man Show"
D. medium of communication
(1.) statement of fact
(2.) statement of argument
(3.) statement of propaganda
(4.) statement of persuasion
E. visual document
(1.) past
(2.) present
(3.) future

n Understanding The Market
A. vision vs. mission
B. production staff, places, product and placement
C. audience, distribution, animated media, and genres
D. Dimensions
(1.) political
(2.) social
(3.) religious
(4.) economic
(5.) anthropological

E. Types
(1.) narrative animation
(2.) experimental animation
(3.) documentary animation
a documentary-narrative animation
b narrative-documentary animation

n Animation Production (2d-animation)
A. Pre-Production
B. Production
C. Post Production

n Animation Production (3d-animation)
A. Pre-Production
B. Production
C. Post Production

n Types of Animation
A. Distribution
B. Audience
C. Types of Animated Media
D. Genres of Animation

n Formulating An Idea
A. Sources
B. Types
C. Components

n Story Concept
A. Dramatic Potential
B. Comedic Potential

n Premise Development
A. Subject
B. Action
C. Short Premise vs Long Premise

n The Character Matrix
A. Building A Character
B. Creating A Character

n Story
A. Components
B. Elements
C. Structure

n Breaking Down a Story into Beats (story beats)
A. Characteristics
B. Protocol in Beat Development
C. Logic in Beat Development
D. Putting The Beats In Order
E. Evaluating Beats
F. Breaking Down A Scene (Beats)
G. Story Dynamics

n Outline

n The Script
A. Method in Writing Animation Scripts
B. Write the Script
C. Edit the Script

n Components of The Script
A. Writing Description
a Visualization
b "Communication"
c Continuity
d Pacing

B. Writing Dialog

n Writing In Terms of Types of Distribution

n Presentation of the Bible
A. Story Concept
B. Premise ( Logline / Pitching Line
(1.) short
(2.) long
C. Character Matrix
(1.) characters
(2.) environment and props
(3.) conceptual art
D. Story (Story Beat)
E. Animatics
(1.) Storyboard
(2.) Dialog Track
F. Outline
G. Script
(1.) Master Sequence Screenplay
(2.) Speculative Screenplay

n Project Development
(1.) Determine the Creative Set-Up
(2.) Idea
(3.) Story Concept
(4.) Premise
(5.) Story Beat
(6.) Outline
(7.) Script
(8.) Dialog Track
(9.) Story Board

n How To Pitch
n Steps in Promoting Your Product

Pre-School: Teaching Social Skills Through Animation

2006-11-18T05:46:00.000-08:00

Pre-School: Teaching Social Skills Through Animation
by Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Lab
Animation Writers' Television Workshop

People might not agree with me, but the term "pre-school" is relatively new here in the Philippines. This "pre-school" trend, in my knowledge, only started in the middle and late 90's. So what is "pre-school"?

Pre-school may refer to an age group, a stage, educational approach or a structure. In the survey of the educational system and child care management, pre-school is fixed between the day care regiment and elementary education.

Pre-school, like the day care regiment, is a socio-economic function. As more and more mothers enter the workforce, the need to find a credible framework or system that will take care of their children increases. Thus, day care centers as well as pre-schools gradually created its own market and industry in this country.

Generally, the educational approach within pre-schools is anchored in the mixture of learning and play. Highly biased towards visually striking media, pre-school children thrive on repetition, melody and any actions that accompany it, rhythm & rhyme and funny & strange sounding sounds.

Materials, in terms of content, in this age group are always short, straightforward and simple stories in terms of narrative threads. Often, bedtime or fairytale varieties that have happy endings are popular and effective sources of content. Thus, characters are often, but there are exceptions, stereotypes in nature.

In terms of characteristics, the material has a well-defined beginning, middle and end. Usually, situations and events in the material are recognizable for the child. These situations or events reflect experiences in family or daily life. Considering that children at this age are not always able to distinguish fiction from reality, they have the tendency to interpret things literally. Thus, as stated before, an animation team must be cautious in creating materials that are highly familiar with the pre-school child.

Children at this stage often experience separation anxiety. This is brought about by the physical separation from the principal sources of love and security, their parents. Thus, materials should be sensitive in terms of tackling issues related to parental affection and security. Materials about children hurting other children, getting hurt and humiliation are some of the examples of contents that are not applicable for the pre-school audience.

Learning and play are important ingredients for a material that satisfy the needs or wants of the pre-school audience. Brushing one's teeth, taking a bath, going to the store and interacting with other kids are some of the potential sources for materials that positively reinforces the spirit of independence and encourages the development of social skills.

Akira's Nightmare
Animation Writers' Television Workshop
WRITING ANIMATION FOR PRE-SCHOOL MODULE A
SUMMER 2007
(CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404)

n Television : Type of Distribution
n Non Primetime: The Writer
n Pre-School: The Audience
n Types of Animated Media
n Educational : Genre of Animation
n Idea Development & Management
n Concept Development & Management
n Premise Development and Management
n Beat Outline Management and Development
n Television Script Management and Development
n Project Development & Management : Creating A Series

The workshop will have 5 sessions and the tuition fee is 5,500 pesos. If you are interested to join the laboratory, feel free to send e-mail to this address, akiras_nightmare@yahoo.com. Please indicate your name as well as mobile number or landline. Or visit the following related links:

2006-11-18T05:45:00.000-08:00

Akira's Nightmare
Basic Animation Scriptwriting for the Internet
ANIMATED GAGS AND SKETCHES : MARCH 2007 LECTURE SERIES
(CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404)

n Understanding The Internet
n Audience
n Animated Media
n Genre of Animation
n The Animated Cartoon And Comic Strips
n Animated Greeting Cards
n The Character Matrix
n Building A Character
n Creating A Character
n How To Write Funny Stuff
n Writing Comedy for Children & Adults
n Devices of Comedy
n Structural Techniques In Comedy
n Types of Comedy
n One Liners: jokes & gags
n Sketch
n Animated One Liners : Squash and Stretch
n Animated Sketch
n Project Development : Selling A Product
n Production Overview
n Final Project : 30 seconds Animated One Liner

This laboratory will be attached to an animation studio. At the moment, the lab is still negotiating with the said animation studio. Hopefully, the lab will be a full program wherein the participants will come up with an animation material for the internet and animate it as a final project.

If you are interested to join the laboratory, feel free to send e-mail to this address, akiras_nightmare@yahoo.com. Please indicate your name as well as mobile number or landline. Or visit the following related links:

akira's nightmare links
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akiras_nightmare
http://akirasnightmare.blogspot.com/
http://www.friendster.com/32450630
http://www.abma-forums.tk

Writing Animation for the Internet

2006-11-18T05:42:00.000-08:00

Writing Animation for the Internet
by Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Laboratory

The Internet is a huge information speedway. If you are not fast enough, you won't capture the attention of the web surfing public. Thus, highly imaginative strategies are employed in order to make sure that people pay attention. Animation as a tool in achieving this end is not a radical idea. The advertising world often uses animation as a means to sell or promote consumer goods and services in both television and cinema.

Selling or promoting goods and services are affected by four market functions namely people, price, package and placement. These four elements determine the framework of the animation concept. The producer of the product or the provider of the services often supplies parameters of these elements. Sometimes, both producer and provider, give the animation team freedom to determine these elements especially when the old formula is already obsolete. In this case, the team seeks the assistance of market specialists who are trained to analyze statistical information that translate the prevailing personality of the market into concrete behavior. So what is best animation genre for the Internet?

In theory, anything is possible in terms of the type of genre but one must be sensitive in terms of the creative and technical requirement of a given type of distribution in animation. As stated before, the Internet is an information speedway. Thus, time is always limited. Given this situation, the genre called Squash and Stretch is best suited in this environment.

With market and industry requirements specified, the next step is to determine the components and structure of the material. Again, the provider of services or producer of the product often determines both components and structure of the material. But sometimes, these people rely heavily on the creativity of the animation team in coming up with fresh ideas. Thus, the team seeks the help of a creative consultant in constructing an idea, validating the concept and translating this concept into a workable premise.

Though it is true that the client is always right, an animation team should never abandon creative integrity and originality. Homogeneity is never a good thing in a highly competitive market. Finding a voice in a crowded industry is a prerogative for success. Thus, a team should be creative enough to reconcile a client's demands with the team's creative needs.

Understanding the market and the industry is always a good thing. The winning team is a confident team. It is a team that encourages interaction with the client and maintains an open mind in finding solutions to the immediate problems of a given project. Thus, this team tries to achieve perfection by satisfying its clients because the team knows what it wants.

If ever your animation team decides to explore the Internet as a business venture, a balanced attitude towards it is essential. Animation Writing For The Internet has equal importance in terms of the General Knowledge of Animation Production as applied within the framework of the Internet. Both creative and technical proficiencies are key ingredients in potentially succeeding in this arena of distribution.

Akira's Nightmare
Basic Animation Scriptwriting for the Internet
ANIMATED GAGS AND SKETCHES : MARCH 2007 LECTURE SERIES
(CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404)

n Understanding The Internet
n Audience
n Animated Media
n Genre of Animation
n The Animated Cartoon And Comic Strips
n Animated Greeting Cards
n The Character Matrix
n Building A Character
n Creating A Character
n How To Write Funny Stuff
n Writing Comedy for Children & Adults
n Devices of Comedy
n Structural Techniques In Comedy
n Types of Comedy
n One Liners: jokes & gags
n Sketch
n Animated One Liners : Squash and Stretch
n Animated Sketch
n Project Development : Selling A Product
n Production Overview
n Final Project : 30 seconds Animated One Liner

This laboratory will be attached to an animation studio. At the moment, the lab is still negotiating with the said animation studio. Hopefully, the lab will be a full program wherein the participants will come up with a 30 seconds animation material for the Internet and animate it as a final project.

If you are interested to join the laboratory, feel free to send e-mail to this address, akiras_nightmare@yahoo.com. Please indicate your name as well as mobile number or landline. Or visit the following related links:

akira's nightmare links
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akiras_nightmare
http://akirasnightmare.blogspot.com/
http://www.friendster.com/32450630
http://www.abma-forums.tk

The 3rd Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Laboratory starts Dec 09

2006-11-11T07:38:00.002-08:00

The 3rd Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Laboratoryin cooperation withAsia Pacific College Magallanes and APC/ABMA Student Organization Bahay Bombilya

The goal of this laboratory is to develop animators who can create their own materials. This workshop also seeks to develop animation "toon" writers/story editors. The Laboratory is will start December 09, 2006. Akira's NightmareBasic Animation Scriptwriting

Registration:
December 4, Monday from 11am to 5pm at the Asia Pacific College in Magallanes

Schedule:
December 09, 10, 16 and 17 Saturdays (6hrs.) and Sundays (3hrs)Lab begins : 10 am

Tuition Fee
Asia Pacific College Students:5,000
NON_APC :6,000
Venue of the Laboratory
Asia Pacific College Multi Media Arts Department
Asia Pacific College Bldg.Humabon Place, Magallanes VillageMakati City

APC students : contact person
Bong Modesto (Multimedia Arts Dept.)
John P. Gozun (Bahay Bombilya)

Non_APC StudentsContact Person :
Melchor(CONTACT NUMBERS: 09215081060/6822404)

2006-11-09T01:25:00.000-08:00

Ghost in the Shell: Story Deconstruction

Mamoro Oshi's animated science fiction action, Ghost in the Shell is a complex and violent cyberspace detective story that questions our own human existence in the fast paced world of the information age. Deconstructing the story will help us understand why this animated feature captured the imagination of its audience.

Subject :
Self-consciousness is exclusively a human function therefore having a soul is solely a human attribute.

In the story, self-consciousness is the core value of human existence. It is a function that sets humans apart from machines. The ghost, the heart of self-consciousness, is encapsulated in the human mind as translated by stored memory. Self-consciousness, therefore, defines human existence. Without it, he or she is nothing more but a machine.

Theme: argument: Human Evolution
It is possible for other life forms besides humans to exhibit self-consciousness. Therefore having a soul is not solely a human attribute.

The creator of the story forwards an argument that disputes the notion the self-consciousness is exclusively a human function. It is then possible for non-human life forms to exhibit self-consciousness. Thus, the ghost may dwell in other organisms besides human.

It becomes a thought provoking argument when the creator applies it to machines that possess artificial intelligence. What happens when artificial intelligence begins to exhibit self-awareness? Will it usher the end of human existence? Will it create a new life form that is far more superior to humans? Is this the next step in human evolution?

As suggested in the story, the second wave of Human Evolution will be driven by technology. In the rapid changing world, humans will find it necessary to use technology in order to improve its specie. This natural instinct to survive the ever-changing world compels humans to augment their bodies from natural to synthetic components. The characters in the story are faced with a moral problem. How do you classify a machine with self-consciousness?

The creator is clever in engaging the audience in an intelligent argument. The conception that self-consciousness is a human attribute becomes the subject of contention in the progression of the story. To negate this exclusivity will mean the redefinition of human existence. What are we when machines begin to be aware of its existence like us?

The relevance of this argument is becoming real as technology advances. This massive technological push forward creates moral questions in our society. As we try to construct machines that look like us and think like us, the probability that it will begin to be aware of its existence is not realm of the impossible.

Conflict
Humans vs. Machines

Humans create machines. The relationship is between creator and creation. Thus, the creation will only function within the parameters of the creator. But when the creation begins to assert itself, the relationship disintegrates. The creation begins to question the existence of the creator and the conflict begins.

In the story, the boundary between humans and machines is rapidly disappearing. This presents a problem in the principal character and in society. The inherent distinction of what is human and what is machine is threatened when a non-human anomaly in the system begins to exhibit self-consciousness.

The principal character wanted to be assured that she is human but what she needed to learn is self-acceptance. Accepting the fact that she is neither human nor machine was a crucial step towards realizing her existence. She is a new anomaly in the human evolution that invalidates the creator-creation relationship. As a result, the whole social framework that embodies this conventional notion that defines the relationship of humans and machines is challenged. Thus, the conflict between humans and machines becomes irrelevant in this case. The conflict is then resolved.

Ghost in the Shell effectively engages the audience in an intelligent discourse. Its striking art work blends well with the narrative threads in the story. This is the magic of Animation. Try it!

Advance Animation Scriptwriting: The Animation Ripple Effect

2006-11-07T00:34:00.000-08:00

Advance Animation Scriptwriting: The Animation Ripple Effect
A theoretical discussion by melchor df. escarcha
instructor : Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Laboratory

The Ripple Effect depends on three factors namely, impact, range and control. Mass and velocity measure impact. Range is the distance between the source of impact and the point of impact. And control is the integrity of the trajectory. When a person throws a stone in the middle of a pond, impact depends on the velocity and mass of the stone. Range is the distance of the person from the pond and control relies upon the close proximity of the person's plotted trajectory and the actual trajectory. Thus, when the said elements are structured to perform in a defined set of parameters, a desired and predictable ripple effect occurs.

In Animation, the same principles hold true. The idea is the impact of the material. The type of the idea represents velocity and the source of the idea represents mass. The story concept is the range and the premise is the control. When idea, story concept and premise are structured to perform in a defined set of parameters, a desired and predictable animation ripple effect occurs with in the Beat Development Process (The Pond).

The mass of the material depends on the integrity and relevance of the source of the idea. Integrity refers to the realness of the source. It should be familiar to the creator so that he or she can communicate it to the audience. On the other hand, the velocity of the material relies on the type of the idea. A creator must make sure that the idea, in terms of type, coincides with the source. There should be a solid connection between the source and the type. It is the type that translates the abstract source of an idea. For example, if the source of the idea is internal and it pertains to childhood, then it should have an equivalent type. Using a "What if" as a type. What if a boy finds a pair of angel wings in the middle of a playground? In this example, one can draw several connections between the type and the source. Thus, one component in order to have the desired animation ripple effect requires a correct combination of source and type.

If we observe the ripple effect in the pond, energy that is discharged in the center of impact creates escalating circular patterns. The diameter of the said circular patterns increases as it moves away from the center of impact. These circular patterns, in animation scriptwriting, represent an escalating o diminishing behaviors in the number of beats per act.

Freezing the ripple effect, one can assign plot points. These plot points may exhibit an extreme vertical, extreme horizontal or diagonal lines. Unlike the Sinewave, it can occupy only one direction in one space. Beats may only escalate or diminish. These behaviors are generally observed in materials, which uses Ascension and Descension as plot structures.

Assigning the number of beats per act is a construction that tries to achieve this effect. Predictability in plot points using as basis the audience speculative behavior may lead to an effective deployment of a material. Thus, going back to the ripples, we can assign levels of emotions as well as type of emotions in respective plot points.

In a 3-act formula, there are 9 key plot points. The Middle points are referred to as conflict points. And the beginning and ending points are called end points. If we construct, as guided by the ripple effect, we can escalate the level of emotions in a material. We may proceed from hate to love or from love to hate. If the first mid-point represents love and the third mid-point is hate. Then we can assign the second midpoint as apathy.

By assigning the escalating emotions in the said conflict points, we are able to plot the direction of the material. This is the essence of control. But there are times when the plotted trajectory does not run parallel to the actual trajectory. If this situation arises, a creative choice is made. You ask the question, which of the trajectories best serve the vision of the material?

If speed and distance are measures of velocity, then range will definitely affect impact as well as control. The story concept is vital in determining the range of a material. Artistic, market and industry considerations affect the range of a material. In this regard, we go back to the vision of the material.

The vision is abstract, thus, it is difficult to explain when parameters are not set. The story concept is a tool in initially forcing this abstract value to assume a more concrete form. In theory, the story concept is the mission of the material. It answers the question, how do we go about in communicating this abstract vision?

Setting up the parameters of the story is like setting up the range of the thrower of the stone. It is more or less trying to determine what is the best distance in order to achieve the desired ripple effect. Thus, when the parameters are set, the range is determined. Of course, determining the parameters will require endless and violent debates among different quarters of the creative team. As I have stated before, artistic, market and industry considerations play vital roles in this exercise. Budget constraints may affect technological requirements or artistic needs may affect financial considerations. Nevertheless, it is more efficient for such arguments to occur within the story concept stage.

It is true that one can not compromise vision. But one can negotiate the material's over-all mission. Take note that vision is abstract, therefore, it is subject to many interpretations. It is when we translate a single interpretation into workable steps that we begin to operationalise it into the material's mission. So why do some people say that their vision does not work in a given situation?

Vision diagnostic is relevant when we begin to develop and manage a material. There are three main causes of the problem mentioned above. First, the vision is actually the mission of the material. Second, the creator knows the mission but does not know the vision or vise versa. And third, the creator is an immature perfectionist. He keeps on revising his vision but does not know what he wants.

Idea, Story Concept and Premise are important dynamics in achieving the desired Animation Ripple Effect. It is a concrete tool in projecting and shaping parallel movements between the material's behavior and the audience's behavior. This is not a walk in the park or a piece of cake. The said effect, like the Animation Sinewave, requires a lot of research, development and management on the part of the creative team. But when everything falls in its proper place, one is able to create Animation Magic. So, is there another wave or effect? Yes, but this time is neither a wave nor an effect.

Snow White and the Queen Stepmother

2006-11-06T01:40:00.000-08:00

An Immovable Object Meets An Irresistible Force

Rivalry is a character driven plot. It is an educated observation whenever an irresistible force meets an immovable object. The audience will then ask the question. What will happen? Here lies the conflict, the engine of the plot under discussion.

A rival is a person who competes for the same object or goal as another. A rival is a person who disputes the prominence or superiority of another. Thus, it is said that the possibilities are endless whenever two people compete for a common goal.

Snow White, the Disney Animation Feature, used rivalry as a plot structure. Thus, one can immediately see two rivals in the material, the Powerful Stepmother and the Charismatic Snow White. As the material unfolds, it is clear that the object of competition is Beauty. The urgency may vary in frequency for each of the rivals, but it is still the object being disputed in this case.

Being a character plot, one must then study the need and want of each of the rivals. In Snow White's case, she needed to be loved and she wanted to feel this love from her stepmother. On the other hand, the Evil Stepmother needed to learn the value of love, in particular, unselfish love. But, as revealed in the story, her obsession towards physical beauty became the most important "want" in her life.

As the material progresses, one is able to see the most striking assets and liabilities of the rivals. The Stepmother is the queen. Thus, she has power and she uses this power to command her servants to do her bidding. But given her power, she does not have legitimacy. And for her, legitimacy is encapsulated in Physical Beauty. On the other hand, Snow White has this natural charisma. Charisma that she uses in order to influence other people to do her bidding. Given that she has no power, her legitimacy emanates from her inner beauty. Therefore, you have two characters that compete for beauty but varies in terms of the interpretation of what is beautiful for them.

The conception of Beauty, in this case, becomes a moral question. Which is more important, Inner Beauty or Physical Beauty? Each of the rivals tries to push for what she believes to be more important as a conception of beauty. Beauty therefore is the arena of the rivalry, the rivals are two competing notions of what is beautiful. In the end of the animation feature, the lesson is clear. Inner Beauty is far more important than what is said to be physical beauty.

Here lies the magic of the material, given two stereotypes, it presents a cliche that is a product of packaged emotions. And so, we have a proportionate treatment of the material. When confronted with a cliche, the next best thing to do is to create stereotypical characters to inhabit such a cliche.

Side track, politically, this is a good discussion for political science majors. Probably this is why I like this animation feature so much. One is confronted with socio-political concepts of power, influence and legitimacy. The question of what makes a ruler legitimate is one of the moving dilemmas in the material. Is legitimacy more relevant when influence becomes an active component in a ruler's style of governance? Or is power essential in constructing a legitimate ruler? Apparently, the one who created the material was never a fan of Machiavelli. Nevertheless, it is clear that for him or her, charisma is essential for governance to be legitimate. At the end of the material, Snow White found his crowned prince and somehow we can say that if ever Snow White becomes the queen of a kingdom, her legitimacy will be based on her charisma. Thus, exercising influence over her people. Unlike her stepmother who was a tyrant.

The dynamics between the rivals is the source of the conflict. The conflict, being the engine of the material, provided the movements in the plot. Both characters are confronted with the conflict, Inner Beauty vs. Physical Beauty. As individuals, it was clear that the Queen chose her want over her need and Snow White chose her need over her want. Because each of the rivals represented a notion of what is beautiful. We ask question, who got rewarded? Is it Snow White or the Queen Stepmother? Well, for one thing, Snow White gained the friendship of the seven midgets and at the end she got her prince while the Queen Stepmother met an ugly death. Given the ending, Snow White is clearly the winner and the Queen is the loser. In effect, inner beauty won over physical beauty.

Snow White is a timeless material because the subject is also timeless, beauty. It has a wide market because beauty, in itself, is a universal value. It does not alienate any culture. And lastly, the material is a packaged emotion. It draws its power from sentimentality. Hey, one way of the other, we read the fairytale story. And I bet boys wanted to be the prince and girls wanted to be Snow White. And perhaps others, like my political science professor, in secret dreamed to be the Evil Stepmother.

Material : Specifications : Disney's Snow White

A) Characters : Rivals

1. Queen Stepmother

NEED : needed to learn selfless love

WANT : physical beauty

ASSET : power

2. Snow White

NEED : needed to be loved

WANT : affection from stepmother

ASSET : charisma

B. Story Components

1. Object : Beauty

2. Theme : Inner Beauty is more important than physical beauty

3. Conflict: Inner Beauty vs. Physical Beauty

C. Plot

Rivalry Plot

D. Genre

Drama

akira's nightmare links

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http://www.abma-forums.tk/

Animation Sinewave

2006-11-06T01:39:00.000-08:00

The Dynamics of Animation Sinewave
a study conducted by mdf. escarcha

Two forces determine the dynamics of Animation Sinewave namely time and pacing. Time provides the parameters from which the material visually unfolds and reveals its total plan in terms of deployment to the immediate audience. Pacing, on the other hand, is dictated by the length of the dialogue, the length of description and the number of scenes and shots in a particular beat. Combining the two forces, pacing and time determines the rhythm of the material. This rhythm when plotted on paper on in a computer produces a pattern called the Animation Sinewave.

The Sinewave can be classified into two types, Symmetrical and Asymmetrical. A Symmetrical Sinewave exhibits identical ups and downs as you divide the material into the standard three acts. The peaks in each ups and downs are called conflict points while the rising and declining points are called end points. An Asymmetrical Sinewave exhibits an irregular ups and downs. Conflict points, as peaks, vary in placement the same holds true for end points. This is often called the "roller coaster effect".

In order to determine the Sinewave, one must be well versed with Beat Management. It is through proper Beat Identification that a story editor or writer is able to plot the sinewave of a particular animation material. In physics, distance and time determine speed. Applying the same principle, Sinewave is determined by the rhythm of the material. Rhythm is speed. And time and pacing, in this case, determines speed.

Making a parallel observation, using principles in physics, we can draw several laws of motion in terms of Animation Sinewave. For example, Sinewave is a function of motion, thus it is guided by the law of Inertia. Thus, motion will continue within the Sinewave as long as it is not disrupted. Disruption, therefore, in the sinewave occurs when the material faces obstacles that basically slows down the motion or stops the motion. Solutions to the said obstacles create motion.

In this regard with go to the second law of motion, Action and Reaction. Obstacles are actions within the material that affects the motion in the sinewave. The Solutions to these obstacles are reactions to the obstacles. The relationship between action and reaction is directly proportional. Meaning, an obstacle should be directly proportional to the solution. This is vividly illustrated in a cliche that "you don't need to kill a fly using a canon'.

Both examples illustrate that the same laws of motion that we learned when we took up Physics in high school and in college guide Animation Sinewave as a function of motion. Thus, when we try to plot sinewave on paper or in the computer, we see movements through the ups and downs in the sinewave itself.

Often, Animation Sinewave is used to convert materials for feature animation into short animation and vise versa. This is possible because one can visually see the material as it moves on paper or in the computer. The technique is a bit tricky but fun to do. It requires careful isolation of the conflict points from the end points.

My Neighbor Totoro, produced by Studio Ghibli, exhibits an asymmetrical sinewave. The conflict points and end points have varying placements. The highest peak is placed in the second act while the lowest peak is placed in the third act. Given this characteristic, one can make an educated conclusion that the memorable beats that gained the highest emotional reactions are found in the second act. Therefore, when we draw an imaginary line and connect the conflict points, one can see an escalating and non-escalating behavior in the movement in the sinewave.

Question, is there another set of dynamics besides Animation Sinewave? Yes, there is. It is called the Ripple Effect. Try to throw a stone into a body of water and observe the effect. Such effect has a mathematical order that can be translated in animation storytelling. I will reserve the discussion of this principle in future articles.

The dynamics of the Animation Sinewave is a subject in itself in the study of animation. It is a useful tool in plotting the emotional and physical movement of a material. It is said, mastery of the sinewave often leads to the efficient manipulation of the audience's emotion. Meaning, you are able to plot when and where in the sinewave your audience will hold their breathe, experience happiness or sadness as well as create a moment that provides an induced adrenaline rush. Sinewave is a powerful tool. In the hands of a master storyteller, it can make a common material into an icon whose function is timeless.

ANIMATRIX : Final Flight of the Osiris : 5 BEATS Deconstruction

2006-11-04T01:14:00.000-08:00

ANIMATRIX : Final Flight of the Osiris : 5 BEATS Deconstruction

The 5 BEATS deconstruction is a method in analyzing the story outline of a short animation material. In this case, we will deconstruct the short animation Final Flight of the Osiris.

1st Beat
The lovers are in a simulated training exercise. While they engage in a visually outstanding battle, they constantly show their affection to each other.

2nd Beat
The lovers discover that Zion is in danger. No means to warn Zion in the physical world, they decide to separate in order to warn Zion. One of the lovers goes to the matrix to send a message to Zion. The other remains in order to buy time for the messenger.

3rd Beat
Osiris is under vicious attack from the enemy. Osiris fights back in order to give the messenger time to reach the delivery point.

4th Beat
Messenger reaches the delivery point. Enemy penetrates the ship Osiris. Enemy exterminates the crew of the ship and causes it to crash.

5th Beat
Osiris explodes and there are no survivors. The messenger dies in the matrix.

Often, short animation materials are constructed using the 5 BEATS METHOD in story construction. This method is useful when you are in a tight budget because it focuses the material in such a way that one is able to efficiently create a material that is concise, complete and economically sound. In fact, all the short animations in the ANIMATRIX have the same 5 BEATS construction. So watch the ANIMATRIX and test this method. You will be amazed that a good material only needs five beats.

Asia Pacific College Magallanes is the new home Akira's Nightmare

2006-10-20T05:11:00.000-07:00

It is now official, the Akira's Nightmare Animation ScriptwritingLaboratory is embarking on a joint project with the Asia PacificCollege Multi Media Department. The project is geared towards thelaunching of the 3rd Akira's Nightmare Basic Animation Laboratory.

The Lab is so excited to make Asia Pacific College as its home inpromoting creative development and management of original contentoriented programs.I am happy to say that this joint project is a small step towardsrealizing a dream of incorporating creative sense and sensibility inanimation education in the country.

The Lab is delighted to be identified with the Asia Pacific College. The only college that Iknow of that is aggressively building a serious animation program inthe country.So, for those who want to work in the animation industry, you knowwhere to get your education.The laboratory is slated for novemeber or december. But registrationis ongoing. Please call the numbers indicated :(CONTACT NUMBERS 09215081060/6822404)

This is our new venue and home
Asia Pacific CollegeMulti Media Arts DepartmentAPC Bldg,
3 Humabon Place,Magallanes Village, Makati City

Spirited Away... Swept Me Away

2006-10-03T23:51:00.000-07:00

Spirited Away... Swept Me Away

Animation bit me two years ago. Ever since, I have this addiction to deconstruct animation features that are made by creative animation storytellers.

I came across with Spirited Away when I was researching for my lesson plan as an animation instructor in story construction and screenplay development and management.

I was immediately hooked with the material. The idea was clever as it tries to operationalize a "what if" idea formation. This is the second time I deconstructed a work by Hayao Miyazaki . And it seems he always has this fondness in tackling young and innocent love.

As the material unfolds, referring to the story and character, one could feel a diagonal type of storytelling. Wherein story and characters try to outwit each other in order to tell a compelling story.

In terms of plot pattern, we see " a boy meets girl" scenario. Plot structure is clear, it is a love plot using romance as a genre. To be more specific " Young Love". As the genre paints the tone of the material, I could feel the excitement of young love as it slowly blossoms in the screen.

As for the story, as a subject, True Love is the value discussed. The creator's played with the theme that true love, innocent and pure, overcomes all adversities in both physical and metaphysical world. And as the young lovers struggle to fight their destinies, the conflict is clear. It is fear vs. hope.

I fell in love with the story, it is well constructed and complete. Obstacles and Structural twists were well placed. In terms of characters, they are genuine and plays with a person's sentiments.

Swept Away...

Deconstruction By Elements : Dynamics Behind Story Building

2006-09-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Final Flight of the Osiris
Directed byAndy Jones
Writing credits Andy Wachowski (written by) &Larry Wachowski (written by)

(Market& Industry Specifications )

Classification :
Animated Short

Animated Medium
3d Animation

Mode of Distribution
DVD released

Audience
Young Adults - Adults

Genre
Romantic Tragedy/ Sci Fi

(Material Specifications)

Idea
1) What if Romeo and Juliet are players in the Matrix?
2) Diagonal Storytelling

Story Components
Object : Love
Theme: True Love is a tragedy
Conflict: Duty vs Love

Story Spine : Structure
3 Acts Template / 5 Beats Set-up : Formula

Plot Structure:
Love Plot : mode - sentiment

Plot Pattern
Triangle (archetypes)
1) Romeo
2)Juliet
3) destiny

Short Premise :
After discovering a force of machines on their way to Zion, a crew of a the hovercraft Osiris attempt to warn the city using the Matrix.

If we deconstruct the animated short, it will look like this. Essentially, by identifying the elements, we are able to come up with a more clearer picture with regards to the direction of the vision as well as the operationalization of the mission. In the next blog, we will deconstruct the story in the animated feature into five beats. Keep in touch.

Beat Method In Animation

2006-09-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

This online discussion serves to promote the beat method in story construction in animation. The material that we will study is the Animatrix. I hope you can follow this online series. In the next blog we will discuss the " Final Flight of the Osiris".

Profile of the Instructor : Akira's Nightmare

2006-09-25T03:39:00.000-07:00

The instructor of the workshop is melchor df. escarcha. He used to be the headwriter and story editor of a foreign owned animation studio. Currently, he is working with two upstart animation studios : THUNDERPUNCH STUDIO USA and INDIO GENOME POJECT_SHOGEE STUDIO.

He used to be a television writer then shifted to film concept development and story construction. In 2004, he was given the opportunity to work in animation studio.

His complete Profile is included in the Egroup.
Related Link: http://akirasnightmare.blogspot.com/ Post message: akiras_nightmare@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: akiras_nightmare-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: akiras_nightmare-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com List owner: akiras_nightmare-owner@yahoogroups.com

The Lab has its own friendster account....

Thank Joel for the suggestion.

3rd Akira's Nightmare Basic Animation Scriptwriting Workshop

2006-09-12T06:25:00.000-07:00

The Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Laboratory
The goal of this laboratory is to develop animators who can create their own materials. This workshop also seeks to develop animation "toon" writers/story editors (primetime or non primetime).

The Laboratory will start : Second Saturday and Sunday of August
Fee : 7,000 pesos for 6 sessions
Schedule : 6 sessions ; 3hrs. per session
Saturdays and Sundays : 10am-1pm
(Katipunan Area, Quezon City, Philippines)

Basic Animation Writing
(Workshop Outline : 6 Sessions : 3hrs. per session)
I Understanding The Animation Industry
A.science
B.business
C. art
D. visual document
E. medium of communication
IIComponents: Animation Production
A.Pre-production
B.Production
C.Post Production
IIITypes of Animation
A.Distribution
B.Audience
C.Types of Animated Media
D.Genres of Animation
IV The Character Matrix
V Building A Character
VI Creating A Character
VII The Premise
A.Components
B.Characteristic
C.Functions
D.How to Write A Premise
VIII The Story Beats
A.Characteristics
B.Protocol in Beat Development
C.Logic in Beat Development
D.Putting The Beats In Order
E.Evaluating Beats
F.Breaking Down A Scene (Beats)
G.Story Dynamics
IX The Outline
X The Script
A.Method in Writing Animation Scripts
B.Write the Script
C.Edit the Script
XI Components of The Script
A.Writing Description
a Visualization
b "Communication"
c Continuity
d Pacing
B.Writing Dialog
XII Writing In Terms of Types of Distribution
XIII Concept, Presentation and Bible
XIV Project Development
(1.)Idea (Concept)
(2.)Creative Writing Set-up
(3.)Bible
(4.)Story Beat
(5.)Outline
(6.)Script
XV How To Pitch
XVI Steps in Promoting Your Product

For inquiries pls. email this address
(akiras_nightmare@yahoo.com)
Include : ym : akiras_nightmare

contact number : landline 6822404/ mobile 09215081060
look for mhelchor

new blog spot

2006-09-12T04:18:00.000-07:00

akira's nightmare blog spot