Summary
A young girl in the Bronx finds escape from an unhappy family life through her graffiti art.
7 Steps
Once upon a time there was a girl named Adija who lived in a broken home
And every day her parents fought while she hid outside and drew
Until one day her sketchbook was lost in the midst of a heated dispute between her parents
And because of this she fled to the roof to escape the turmoil of her family
And because of that she took a moment of reflection
And because of this she decided she needed to find a way to control the chaos surrounding her
And because of that she picked up her spray paint cans and lost herself in the creation of a mural
Until finally the painting was finished as the sun rose, and her fear and hurt were replaced by calm and comfort
And ever since then no matter how hopeless things seemed, she knew she could find safety in her art
And every day her parents fought while she hid outside and drew
Until one day her sketchbook was lost in the midst of a heated dispute between her parents
And because of this she fled to the roof to escape the turmoil of her family
And because of that she took a moment of reflection
And because of this she decided she needed to find a way to control the chaos surrounding her
And because of that she picked up her spray paint cans and lost herself in the creation of a mural
Until finally the painting was finished as the sun rose, and her fear and hurt were replaced by calm and comfort
And ever since then no matter how hopeless things seemed, she knew she could find safety in her art
Armature
Strength and peace is found in the things that bring you joy
Runtime
45-60 seconds of 3D animation
15-30 seconds of 2D animation
[More detailed specs to come after completion of animatic and first-pass choreography of 2D sequence]
15-30 seconds of 2D animation
[More detailed specs to come after completion of animatic and first-pass choreography of 2D sequence]
Character
Written Description
- Adija is a young black girl, 10 years old. She has an athletic build, insomuch as a child can have, leaning towards the thin rather than muscular. She has no piercings, tattoos, or jewelry. She wears her hair in cornrows, with the braids (between 3 and 5 by the time they reach the back of her head) pulled back into a short ponytail. Her ethnicity should be emphasized; no hat or head covering, to avoid hiding her hair.
- Her clothing is secondhand and worn, and though she herself is clean and cared for, the time she spends on the fire escape and back alleys of her neighborhood means her clothes are often less-than-pristine. She wears a baggy top with long sleeves, form-fitting pants, and skate-style shoes; exaggerate the shape contrast. Avoid detailed logos or patterns, for the sake of the 2D animators.
- Her only significant props are her paint cans, and the backpack she carries them in. The backpack was bought new by her parents for school; when she pretended to lose it, they found her a used backpack instead. The higher-quality bag is the one she keeps on the roof, and uses for her paint.
Development
Exploration
Environment
Written Description
- The apartment building is located in the Bronx, specifically in a low-income area. Adija's apartment is partway up the building, with a pair of windows accessible by a fire escape on the wall facing an alley.
- The fire escape is aged, as is the rest of the neighborhood. At the top is a ladder bolted to the wall and leading to the roof; her windows are no more than two flights of stairs from that ladder.
- The roof is bordered on two sides by walls of taller buildings, and on a third by a street-facing billboard. The goal is to keep the space enclosed and manageable from a modeling standpoint, but it should not feel overly confined. The empty wall on which Adija paints faces east; the billboard must be staged in a way that allows the light from the rising sun to illuminate the wall.
- Adija is not the only person who goes onto the roof; it should be populated with props that show the personalities of the other apartment-dwellers who spend time there.
Development
Exploration
Story
Written Description
- Keep the focus on Adija and her art. Use her art as a driving factor in the transition between 3D and 2D.
- Incorporate her ethnicity and culture wherever possible.
- The transition from sad/fearful to calm/hopeful is key: pinpoint that change and make it obvious.
- The ending is bittersweet: keep it uplifting and satisfying for the viewer, but don't hide the fact that her family's healing is something she's only created within her own personal world.