With the visuals approved and the characters chosen, we can get started on the storyboard. This is our favourite time as all the creative juices get squeezed together to create a compelling narrative without worrying ( yet ) about the perfectionism.
Here below the first pages. the full storyboard comprises of 12 pages and around 336 sketches
The screenwriter Jonathan Carr will be writing our script for Twyford Waterworks.
He recently graduated from the NFTS and he was the co-writer of ‘The End of an Era’ an animation that won the BBC/Open University climate change competition
After many sketches and scratches on the head we came out with two Designs for Mr Latham and Mr Stone: which one do you prefer?
We run a small competition at St Mary to draw a mascot for Twyford Waterworks Trust. The winning design will appear in the animation
Here below the wonderful shortlisted Design; and in two weeks we will announce the winner.
We have created a little compilation of the work done at St Mary CE School in Twyford, and here is the delightful result.
The animation will then be included on the final animated film
And sadly this was our last day at Twyford St Mary’s CE School. In the morning Year 4/5 completed their animation and in the afternoon we worked with Key Stage 1 and Reception to bring to life the charming drawings create yesterday You can see the fabulous result below.
We have animated an edwardian car, a barn owl, a robin, a centipede, a butterfly and a wiggly worm. We have also taken a time-lapse of the full day of work and compressed it in a swirling fast “behind the scene” showing the animation process.
Later on, these animated loops will be integrated in the final animation.
We would like to take the chance to thanks all the students of St Mary for their enthusiasm and hard work, they have been wonderful! And all the staff, we have received a warm welcome and an incomparable enthusiasm towards the project!
Another delightful day running the second session at St Mary’s CE School.
Today Reception and Key Stage 1 sketched animals, insects and plants living within Twyford wildlife. They drew using charcoal pencils and the results are stunning! You can view a collage of the pictures – click for a larger view.
In the meantime Year 4/5 started to work on their animation where we explored the transportation during the time of the construction of Twyford Waterworks (circa 1900). So far we animated a Packard thirty runabout car and a Penny Farthing. Below you can view the animation and the making of.
To create a short animated loop we need around 10 to 20 similar drawing with small variation. In the case of the Penny Farthing we rotated the wheels and we changed the position of the leg. In car we rotated the wheels. The names flickering at the bottom will give you an idea of this collective effort to create just a fragment of a second of animation
Ps.Students asked for some animation softwares or apps, so i have compiled a small list for you below here. Some are free, some not, some are for beginners and other a little more complex
FrameByFrame (mac only – free)
Monkey Jam (win only -free)
Pivot (free – not sure if it works on mac)
Pencil (mac- win free )
I can animate (win -mac -apps ££)
I stop motion (Mac – app ££)
What a wonderful day!
This morning we started the first session of a three days workshop at St Mary’s CE School. Students are participating in the production of the animation.
Today year 5 & 6 went up to the Waterworks to explore the site on a Nature Walk, and to sketch elements from the Steam Engine Room. Then from the sketches we created short moving animated loops.
Here below you can view the animated loops, all the students drawings and details of the site we found fascinating.
(Click on the picture for a larger view)
Here an example of the style for the animation. We tried two versions: one with warm colours and the other with cold colours.
All the first sketches for Mr Latham and Mr Stone
We are working on few preliminary sketches to to create the character design for Mr Stone and Mr Baldwin Latham, the two main protagonist of our story.
(Click the picture to view full size)
