Story Proposal (Sorry if TLDR)

After Jenna told me her rough concept and showed me some thumbnails I felt that it was something definitely in line with the type of film I would love to be a part of. After letting her concept stew in my brain for a few days I jumped out of bed early one morning, like I so often do with creative inspiration, and jotted down some story notes. I don't have any sketches but I will try my best to paint the imagery and link some films/artwork that capture the mood in my head.

The short begins with a large tree falling in the forest. As it cracks and splinters small spirits emerge from the bark and severed trunk. These spirits begin to walk through the forest towards a strong light in the distance.

As they walk more spirits float down from surrounding trees, that are also falling, and join those already walking towards the light. Leaves, rocks and other forest debris lift off the ground and are pulled towards the light, floating in the same directions as the spirits as if magnetized. As the spirits come to where the light meets the shadow at the edge of the forest we find that the powerful light is due to a large clearing in the woods where all the trees have been cut down and those left are dying. The spirits continue to walk towards the center of the clearing were all have congregated. They stand together and begin to shake increasingly fast and illuminate. A deep humming noise shakes the ground and echos through the trees. The rocks and forest debris floats upwards into the sky as the spirits emit a large burst of light that is as overpowering and bright as an atomic bomb. The explosion of energy sends light and wind through the forest and ruffles the trees as the spirits collapse and die. The debris has materialized into dark, rich soil falling slowly covering the spirits bodies like a soft snowfall. From their covered bodies sprout seedlings. End.

So yes not fully thought out but that's the gist.  The power of the film is in the journey as the plot is delicately revealed. It would be slowly paced and captivates the viewer using romantic landscapes and intimate cinematography of the spirits as they trek. Below is a film and a game that capture this mood and both are built around walking towards an epiphany.
 
Between Bears from Eran Hilleli on Vimeo.



Lastly an example of an amazing explosion. I suppose this is also just a dinosaur running towards something instead of walking. The beauty of this kind of film is that it can be brought to a high level of polish because of its use of simple walk cycles to tell the story. But it will also strengthen things we have yet to do in class i.e. effects animation with the explosion, lighting, wind, leave, etc.

LOOSAUR from Nadya Mira on Vimeo.