Shot-By-Shot Schedule

Hello again!  A quick update:  Presenting my shot-by-shot schedule for "Thrill of the Hunt."

(Shot Type indicates the level of difficulty--a green S for Simple/Still, a yellow M for Moderate, and a red F for Full Animation.)

Praying for the diligence to STAY ON-SCHEDULE, and for the success of my classmates!

All the best,

Emily

Another Animatic

Bonsoir!

Below you'll find the link to my second pass at an animatic for "Thrill of the Hunt".  In this version I strove for more humor, better character acting, and clearer staging.  It's still not perfect, but ten weeks makes it tight--please share any comments or suggestions before animation begins!

LINK:  http://vimeo.com/62558907

Thanks again! 

Emily

P.S. Behold--Edible Inspiration!

Rough Animatic - Link

Good morning!

Here's the URL to my rough animatic:

http://vimeo.com/62228572

After some class discussion and infinitely helpful feedback, there are some changes to be made in story flow/progression and shot clarity, but it will be set in stone before the week is up.  Timing is rough in this animatic, too--but that's why it's called "rough", I suppose.  What a redundant post!

Emily

P.S.: Thanks to Cam (The 3Den) for his convicting ultimatum to actually update our blogs!

(c) 2013 ED4G

"Extreme Worm Hunter" - Second Draft

Hello, everyone!

Coming up soon are my storyboards!  For now, I present the second draft of my script.  It's my final idea (still birds, OF COURSE), but this draft of the script is carried by an annoying voice-over that WON'T exist in the final draft.  Feedback from some of my fellow film majors helped me determine what I already knew: that voice-overs/parodies are usually cop-outs, and mine had both, as you will see.  In the final draft, the same action will speak for itself--hopefully without dialogue to boot.

The short follows a group of male birds on the hunt for a worm.  They aren't messing around--they've got orange vests, camouflage, ammunition, decoys, the whole nine yards.  But when they finally lure in a monster earthworm, a female swoops down and yanks the worm out of the dirt without batting an eyelid.  The hunters, accordingly, claim to have let 'im go.

Again, please excuse the formatting issue.  Thanks!

Extreme Worm Hunter
written by Emily DeVault

FADE IN:

ext. backyard - day

A few trees stand enclosed by a white fence.  Flower pots rest at their bases.  A bird feeder sways from one limb.

narrator (v.o.)

It’s that time of year again.

close - grass

A worm lies behind a flower.

narrator (v.o.)

Time to leave the nest in search of big game.

extreme closeup - worm

It faces the CAMERA.

ext. backyard - day

Four robins -- DAVE, CHUCK, ANDY, and ROD -- load up with hunting gear.

rod (narrator) (v.o.)

Dave, Chuck, Andy and I are headed to Mrs. Jones’ backyard, known for its big --

close - worm

Writhing.

rod (v.o.)

Fat --

close - worms

Crawl past the CAMERA.

rod (V.o.)

Juicy earthworms.

close - dirt patch

Four pairs of bird feet tromp over the mud.

rod (v.o.)

With our mates waitin’ for us back at our nests, we bring home the meat that’ll feed our families.

 ext. backyard - day

Rod and Andy trudge INTO FRAME.

rod (v.o.)

It’s almost night when we get there.  Right away we set up roost.

Andy struggles with a makeshift tent.  Rod surveys camp through binoculars.

ext. campsite - night

The four hunters encircle a crackling flame.  Chuck cleans his rifle.

rod (v.o.)

Around the campfire Dave tells some of his legendary stories of the hunt.

Andy and Rod lean in.

dave (o.s.)

He came up outta the dirt -- musta been nine inches long.  I lined ‘eem up in my sights...

Chuck looks on as Dave pantomimes the action.

dave

He wasn’t gonna give me a good shot.  But I waited ‘eem out.

ext. backyard - day

Dripping maple leaves catch the sunlight.

rod (v.o.)

It rains that night.  Next morning there’s mud and puddles

everywhere -- ideal conditions.

Andy lugs a stuffed worm across the grass.

rod (v.o.)

Andy knows there’s a worm nearby.  He brings out our decoy.

Andy crams the worm into a hole in the mud.  He gives a thumbs-up to the CAMERA.

Andy joins the others behind a brush patch.

rod (v.o.)

It’s only a matter of time.

The hunters peer over the brush.

hunters’ pov

The dirt behind the decoy breaks.  Out crawls a beefy earthworm.

andy (o.s.)

(hushed)

Right there --

rod (o.s.)

I see him.

The worm drags itself through the muck.

rod (v.o.)

He’s a monster!

back to scene

Rod raises his rifle.  Takes aim.

rod (v.o.)

I wait for the perfect shot.

The worm crawls on, oblivious.  Rod tenses.  Angling toward the decoy, the worm exposes its side.

close -rod

Rod’s alula squeezes the trigger.

hunters’ pov

A female robin swoops down INTO FRAME.  She snags the worm by the throat, yanks it from the dirt, and flies OUT OF FRAME, all business.

back to scene

Rod and crew gape in her wake.

rod (v.o.)

(beat)

I decided to let him go.

fade out.

THE END

(c) 2013 Emily DeVault

"Nest Egg" - First Draft

Today I put together the first draft of the script for "Nest Egg" (still a working title, but I like it).  Here's a copy--please read and review! (I apologize for the whack formatting--I'll figure out how to attach an actual document eventually, cut and paste for now.)

Enjoy the springlike weather,
Emily D.

NEST EGG (WORKING TITLE)

Written by

Emily DeVault

FADE IN:

ext. forest clearing – day

Early spring.  Budding flowers and tress dance in the breeze.  One sun-streaked, majestic maple dominates the frame.

ext. maple tree - day

The CAMERA TILTS DOWN FROM the top of the tree.  Nestled in piles of new leaves and twigs are several expecting mothers.  Each bird nurses at least two plump, healthy eggs.

Below them all, a ROBIN RED BREAST peers up the twisted trunk.  She looks down at her own nest.

robin’s pov

Her rather scraggly nest sits wedged between two roots.  Barren.

back to scene

She sighs.

ext. forest floor - day

Robin hops through the dirt, pecks here and there.  She lifts her head and freezes, wide-eyed.  A worm dangles from her mouth.

Before her lies a massive blue egg.

Worm abandoned, Robin approaches the egg.  It shines in the sunlight.  With great care she lays her head against its side and rubs it with one wing.  Perfectly intact.

Robin rolls the egg across the clearing. 

ext. robin’s nest - day

She rolls it right into her nest.  Thrilled, she zooms OUT OF FRAME and returns in an instant, clutching a vine.  She drapes it over her egg and flies OUT OF FRAME again.

Robin soars IN and OUT OF FRAME, tossing flowers and decorations.  She pauses to arrange a strand of tiny white clovers in the shape of a heart.

Robin surveys her handiwork.  Satisfied, she ruffles her feathers and settles herself upon her egg.  She pays no mind to its awkward girth -- she is content.

ext. robin’s nest - some time later

A bored Robin gazes into space.  The flowers have wilted.  The grass has grown taller.

Robin shifts to one side and stretches a stiff wing. 

CRACK.

She tumbles backward.  Scrambles to her feet.  Stares at her egg.

robin’s pov

The egg sits motionless.

robin

leans in, anxious.  Gives her egg a nudge.  Still nothing.  Another nudge.  And then --

robin's pov

A small POP.  Robin’s egg splits clean in half. 

Three pieces of penny candy slide out.

robin

doesn’t know what to think.

EXT. forest clearing - day

Robin, silhouetted against a patch of sky beyond the trees, lowers her head.  Slow ZOOM OUT.

ext. maple tree - CREDITS

The seasons change -- autumn, winter, back to early spring.  Robin in her nest silhouetted at the base of the maple tree.

Last credit rolls.  Suddenly Robin pops out a real egg.  Gapes at it, incredulous, then smiles.

fade out.

THE END

(c) 2013 Emily DeVault

THE ONE-QUARTER

Good evening!  Welcome to my very first blog, through which I will be posting progress updates on my very first short animation project (referred to as "THE ONE-QUARTER" until I find a proper title--yes, all caps is necessary) here at the Rochester Institute of Technology.  Make yourself at home!

So far my project is just a rough set of storyboards.  It's about birds--if you ever get to know me, you'll find this is no surprise.  Most of my creativity manifests itself in winged form, regardless of how hard I try to veer away from my feathered friends.

By this Wednesday (13 Mar.) I will post the first draft of the script, as well as any character designs or sets of clean boards I have come up with.  I'll do my best to update at least once per week.  Please share as much feedback as you can with me; collaboration is key, and I want to produce a story that will move and entertain more people than just my mom (God bless her).  Even if all I've got is junk--I gotta know!

I'm blessed to be working alongside a talented group of classmates on THE ONE-QUARTER, and I'm eager to watch all our ideas blossom into what will hopefully be a reel-worthy set of little films.  Prepare for lift-off, guys--it's time to animate!

Emily D.

P.S. - Look out for bird puns.