A day behind but that's okay and a small self Q and A...

Hello!

Today is Sunday and I am a day behind as per usual, but that's okay! This has been a busy week and I have an even busier one coming up. Having been in lock down not knowing what day it was or what to do next, having busy days scheduled is a lovely change! I'm trying to get organised to go back to Edinburgh for my second year which is really exciting, helping mum with some DIY around the house and seeing people.

As I've been unable to stay at my desk amongst all the bustling about I've been attempting to do work on the go. I've been writing down episode ideas for Fisherman Dee, trying to plan for dissertation and get some interviews lined up, planning ideas for 5x5 and also I have been trying to spend a lot of time thinking about the current film I'm making, and if I want to continue making it.

5x5 hasn't been updated unfortunately and I don't think I'll manage to make 5 films. But, that doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. The point was more to try and get myself motivated again, and back enjoying animating and that has happened! It's a slow burn, but I feel like I'm in the eye of the storm at the moment, and that when I get back to uni and in a creative environment the storm will hit full force and I'll have the energy to work twice as hard as before.

My current thoughts for the main film I'm just going to put here in bullet points, and that way I can come back to these thoughts in the future. Growing up, you have a lot of people giving you answers to things (teachers, parents, older siblings etc) and I'm hoping future me can do that. Going through the school system is such an interesting process to look back on, because you always know what will happen next, when you're in primary school you know you get to go to secondary, then to sixth form, then onto university. But after uni, a lot of people are unsure of what to do next because it's the first time there's not been a pre-made plan. I don't want to regret the things I made at Edinburgh because I want to make the most of being a student here, and I want to leave with a film (or films?) that I'm really proud of.

Being able to study animation at Edinburgh is so wonderful, and such a long held dream that I don't want to waste it. So, here are my list of questions and my current answers to look back on.

-Do I like the characters?

I do and I don't, I like that they have opposite personalities, but I'm struggling to express that through the animation. I think that maybe I should look back into the characters individually and try to get to know them again, experiment with them in different situations. I feel a bit disconnected from them right now. Maybe instead of 5x5 I should get to know Him and Her again? I like that they don't have names as an interesting concept, but I do think it adds to the feeling of disconnection, however no names feel right. I'll work on that.

-Do I like this film, and if not, why not?

I like the film as a concept, and I think if someone else had made it I would think it was interesting, but I can't decide if it would be a positive reaction or a neutral one. However, I've been in an art block so when I sit down to animate it I feel like it's the worst thing I've ever seen, meaning I'm biased right now. Maybe I should leave this answer for future me to cover.

-Do I feel connected to the film as a whole?

Not currently.

-Will it be in colour?

I like the thought of it being in colour because I think it makes it look more professional, and hides messy linework, but I also like the thought of it being a bit 'Wizard of OZ' in the sense that some of it will be coloured for emphasis of fantasy. Still undecided.

-Do I have a sound designer?

Right now my friend Jim and his girlfriend have agreed to do the sound, hopefully that stays the same!

-What is my favourite part of the plot?

I like the surreal parts the most. I'd say right now my favourite part is when he falls through the forest floor and ends up in bean world. It's fun to animate, and I can be more free with the body movements instead of the stiff movements I've been using in an attempt to show anxiety.

-What is my least favourite part of the plot?

I'm still not happy with her morning routine, it doesn't feel authentic. It feels rushed (which it was) and unnatural.

-Do I like the design of the whole thing? If not, how should it be changed?

I like the simplicity of the character design, but am considering adding mouths to allow more expression to be shown. I'm terrible at backgrounds, so would like to rework those too. Maybe I'll go back to the idea of painting the backgrounds in acrylic and animating on top digitally.