Hand-In Showreel

This is the collection of work we have so far, compiled together for our hand-in...

Final Showreel from James D on Vimeo.

Update On production

The production has advanced well since our last post on this main blog, if you look at our individual team blogs you will be able to see more up to date posts concerning modelling, rigging animation etc.

Ben Coulbrook
James Daly
Antony Manley

Pre-Production has been completed for some time now, as has asset creation and texturing, we have 5 fully working character rigs, a fully rigged mechanical prop (the train) and our main environment all complete and being used in our pipeline in the animation stage now.

But as a team was have come to the unanimous decision that the film will not be completed for our May 14th Unit hand in. So instead we have elected to hand in a collaborative 3 person showreel, showcasing the skills and work throughout our year working on the locomotive show. But the film will be finished in its entirety for the June 11th degree show at Lincoln Odeon cinema.

Below is a production render we have been using for promotional images etc, it gives the most accurate example of the what the final renders will look like, with some tweaking of course in Post.

Animatic

Our final animatic:

The Locomotive Show - Animatic from Antony Manley on Vimeo.

Story development

Our rough storyboard after 3 revisions based on tutor and student crit. Combined artwork of Antony Manley, Ben Coulbrook and James Daly.

After a crit session from our tutor Paul Sinclair and our fellow Third year members, we took into account each comment we received, which led us to re-organise the ending to our film. Student opinion was invaluable as well as tutor opinion in our storyboarding phase. After the changes
were made, they were now addressed in our Final storyboard:





















Before we produced the storyboards we made several screenplays, each one a revision on the last. Here is the final version.

The locomotive show (Working Title)

Screenplay by Antony Manly, Ben Coulbrook and James Daly

Introduction “Possible”

A small introductory scene involving the gentleman’s journey from old London town to the Americas using various means of transport, mainly trains. Highly stylised silhouetted graphics with simple coloured backgrounds.

Main Screenplay

1 .EXT – Establishing Wide shot

A distant shot of a western train station. All around is barren, rocky desert which dominates the landscape, framing the station as the only bastion of civilization. Smoke rises from the train yards, and it is a golden clear, sunny morning. A train enters mid shot, thundering past the camera towards the train yard.

2. EXT - Medium Wide Pan In

A slow pan through the workings of the train yard towards our main protagonist, situated on a bench in the distance. This shot begins with the previous train entering the station, which then pulls away as the camera pans in further, its main focus always on the protagonist. The camera gently stops with the gent framed in the shot. He is sat with an air of dignified contemplation, a fish out of water.

The gent sits quietly on his bench, a small suitcase at his side. He is aware of his surroundings, but defiantly dignified. The gent is roused by the cowboy situated on the same bench, who glares aggressively at him. This burly man discharges spit at the gentleman’s feet, before leaving shot. The gentleman then produces a letter from his jacket pocket.

3. EXT – Close-up

A very detailed shot of the letter, which he pulls from the envelope. The letter explains his meaning for being here.

The letters content – “I shall look too our meeting at the Clearwater station, this Monday morn, with much anticipation. For now the boundaries of our two cultures cannot keep us apart. Yours truly and forever, Evelyn. X.

4. EXT Close-up

A subtle reaction shot of the gentleman’s face. A warm expression of contentment.

5. EXT – Close-up - Hands

He produces a picture of his sweetheart from the same envelope, sliding it out with great care. She is a remarkably beautiful woman. Camera emphasis on the picture.

6. EXT – Medium Close-up. (Gent positioned in bottom right, train enters from distant middle.)

A reaction shot of the gent, he sighs, obviously a happy man. His contemplation is interrupted by a distant whistle, the calling of a train. He looks to his side, towards the sound. The camera focus transfers from the gent to the train, as it enters closer into his vicinity. The train should just be entering the shot as the focus changes.

7. EXT – Long Shot

The gentleman jumps up in excitement, unsure of what to do next, his body swinging between different tasks. He franticly decides on stuffing the letter back into his jacket pocket. He begins to organise his possessions. Lead in of train whistle, the gentleman turns around.

8. EXT – POV Wide Shot

The train is closer now.

9. EXT – Medium Shot

He watches the train for a second, and then flinches as he remembers the flowers nestled in his bag.

10. EXT – Close Up - Bag

The gentleman’s hand grabs the flowers from his bag.

11. EXT – Wide shot to Medium shot, FE

The camera points down the platform and track, the train approaching from the background. The gentleman moves into the shot (change focus to gentleman) with urgency and adjusts his tie in preparation.

12. EXT – Wide Shot

The shot is initially silent, with the gentleman waiting patiently at the platform. From the right the train bellows in dominating the scene and kicking up a huge black cloud, which obscures the gentleman.

13. EXT – Medium Shot – From Behind

The smoke clears, revealing the gentleman. The train has left the shot but we can still hear it leaving. He is covered in black soot and the flowers he was wielding are now dead stalks.

14. EXT – Wide Shot – Over the Shoulder

A view from behind him, we see the train moving away into the distance.

15. EXT – Wide Shot (voyeur shot from up high)

He stands on the platform alone. Tumbleweed... The gentleman drops the flower stalks, and proceeds to dust himself of.

16. EXT - Long shot

The gentleman walks in from the lower right hand corner and stares up at the departures board. He produces his pocket watch and checks it.

17. EXT – Close up shot

The camera pans down the board. Across the board the words “CANCELLED” clap down, replacing the train times. Go all the way down to the bottom until “Last train at 11:30 pm”.

18. EXT – POV Close-up

The gents pocket watch nestled into his hand. The watch shows that it is a very long time until the next train.

19. EXT – Wide Shot

He is silhouetted against the sun, looking very small next to the departures board. He lowers his pocket watch. Filled with disbelief he reacts. The scene changes from day to night and he transitions to having his head in his hands, asleep on the bench.

20. EXT – Long Shot – Towards the bench

The camera pans out from a close up of the gentleman's face. He sits asleep on the bench, leaning on the arm rest. A strong breeze wakes him up, and the gentleman looks heartbroken and defeated as he embarks from the bench. But as he's leaving the scene a distant whistle comes crying through the night and picks up the gentleman's interest.

22. EXT – Wide Shot - Held

The train lights approach from the distance. He heads slowly towards the platform, taking tentative steps. As he comes nearer to the edge of the platform the train comes into the station, meeting him in the middle of the shot. He realises that the woman he's been waiting for could be on this train and he bounds towards it, clearly excited.

23. EXT – Long shot

From the left the gentleman runs into shot, giddy with excitement as he leaps up to the train in search of his lady. Jets of hot steam burst from the inner-workings scalding him periodically as he runs down the carriages, but he goes on, oblivious.

24. EXT – Close up

The gentleman's feet being blasted with steam. We see them dance about in an attempt to free themselves from the burning air.

25. – Long shot to close up

The gentleman is still searching for his sweetheart, peering through windows and bearing the brunt of the steam. He makes his way towards camera and at the final moment is blasted with the heaviest burst of air yet. So heavy that it covers the screen and obscures everything else.

29. EXT – Medium Shot

Close to the ground with the smoke still covering the screen, he falls out of the air towards the camera and onto the floor. Clasped in his hand is the picture.

30. EXT – Close-up Wide Shot POV

Still looking at the picture (POV), he lowers it and looks on (Focus exchange) and through his hazy eyes and through clouds of smoke he sees a beautiful hourglass figure, standing in front of the light of a train door. He recognizes from her shape the figure of his beloved.

31. EXT – Close Up

His eyes fill up with happiness. He leaps up out of shot...

33. EXT – Medium to Medium, Close up

Still silhouetted by the smoke he run towards the lady, embraces and kisses her. Camera pans slowly towards the couple before being abruptly stopped by the sound of the train door slamming, causing him to open his eyes and blowing the smoke away that is hiding the ladies true form. Within a moment he realises he is kissing an old hag and the gent becomes petrified on the spot. Though he has stopped kissing out of shock she is still kissing him passionately.

She finally retracts her lips from his face and stares into his eyes lovingly. He stares back at her, not wanting to offend, but unable to hide his sheer horror. He gives a little smile in an attempt to rectify the situation but can’t hold it for long before almost gagging. Eyes squinted, he slowly moves backwards.

34. EXT – Over the Shoulder to long shot.

Slowly moving backwards camera panning towards the gent, (hag comes out of shot) still looking at the hag, he walks back into an object (insert name here) startled he frenziedly runs away from the hag; the hag gives chase, knocking the camera out of focus as she pursues the gent across the platform. The train is leaving at this point, and he follows in a desperate attempt to catch it.

35. EXT –Side Long Shot

The gent chases frantically after the back of the train, and quickly grabs onto the back balcony of the carriage, timidly holding on he looks back.

36. EXT Over the Shoulder medium shot

The Gent looking, we see the old woman still giving chase, her pace un-faltered, but un-able to keep pace she shrinks into the distance of the landscape. He turns back to face the camera.

The train carriage jolts violently causing the gents grip to be lost, he starts to fall backwards frantically grabbing for the balcony.

37. EXT Close up of hands

The gent’s arms flailing, a yellow beam of light splashes on his hand and feminine fingers burst into shot and firmly grips the gents palm. The hand reels him in.

38. EXT Medium shot

The gent climbs over the balcony and onto the back carriage with the help of the mystery woman, still in silhouette.

39. EXT Medium Shot

The gent stands fully up, brushes down his clothes and tidies himself up. His gaze turns to his mystery helper and as it does the camera pans over to reveal a beautiful young maid in modest clothes stood smiling on the other side of the balcony.

40. EXT Medium shot on Gent

The gent gives a grateful look to the lady, then looks back at in the direction of the station, reminding himself of his past hardships. He pulls the photo from his jacket and looks longingly into it.

41. EXT Medium Shot on Lady

Her smile turns into a sympathetic look and so she pulls a neckerchief from her pocket.

42. EXT Medium Shot of Gent

Still looking back, the lady walks up to him and starts to tie the neckerchief.

43. EXT Close up of Lady POV from the gent

The lady ties the neckerchief and smiles at the gents new look.

44. EXT Medium Shot of Gent

She moves back, admiring her handiwork. He touches his new scarf and smiles warmly, yet even now he still tries to keep his gentlemanly composure. However, he is clearly moved by the gesture.

45. EXT Medium shot on Lady

Still smiling she motions the gent to come into the carriage out of the cold. The gentleman agrees, and with one last look at the photo discards it into the wind.

Camera Pan Out as they head towards the door.

46. EXT Wide Shot

The train leaves in the distance, we can just see the gent close the train door behind him.

FADE TO CREDITS

47. EXT Wide Shot (Same as 48)(OPTIONAL)

The old lady runs slowly into the shot, still chasing after the gentleman.

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THE END