Scene 3: Storyboard & Animatic

In the first scene I introduced the audience to the witch and her interior environment. In the second scene I also revealed the narrative of the story and the film score. In this scene I aim to introduce the audience to the character of the Familiar while simultaneously showing the viewers the outside environment that surrounds both of my characters.

This is quite a big scene as this will be where most of the striking visual elements will be. I want the colours and settings to be beautiful for the audience to look at and I also need to reveal the shape-shifting powers of the Familiar in an understated and stylish way. I also want to use this scene to continue with show-casing the witch's powers to the audience. She is the epitome of growth and life, everywhere she goes nature flourishes.

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I want to use this show in order to contextualise her environment. The audience has been shown the inside of the house with its interesting architecture and 'otherness' but by using a wide shot to show the exterior of the home it really puts into perspective the oddity of it. It also gives the audience some scale of her world and her immediate surroundings. I want to use lots of green in this shot, make it look lush and healthy and full of life.

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This next shot is very important as it reminds the audience once again that she's a magical being - all is not what it seems. It will also make the viewer question what sort of being she is. I still don't have a name for the film, and I call her the 'witch', but the audience don't know that. She could be a forest nymph or fairy for all they know. I'm going to use small magical elements such as these throughout the film to remind the viewers of her powers. Also, after such a wide shot of the witch, this close up one really serves to put her powers into perspective - everything she touches grows and thrives so it is easy to suggest that these once small plants have grown and thrived and transformed into the world around her.

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This shot is from one of my very early storyboards. I really like the symmetry of it and curvature of the trees opposed to the strong and straight tree trunks. For this shot and the one outside of her house, I need to create a walk cycle for both her and the Familiar. It will take a lot of time and effort but once I do it I'll be able to recycle it throughout the film just like the steam animation in the previous scene. I already have a walk cycle for the Familiar in deer form so I need one for the witch, the Familiar in cat form, and the Familiar in fox form. I'm going to recycle this scene as well - it will be really nice to see it at different times of day by using different colour schemes.

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This next shot reveals to the audience that the cat they saw curled up on the bed in the first scene and the cat following her around in the last shot isn't just a normal pet. By changing form it serves to introduce the viewer to yet more magical elements of this film. I think that they way the Familiar changes form here is very stylish and understated, just like the rest of the film. It will be quite complicated to pull off but I think that it's a necessity - it needs to be included.

This is the animatic for the 3rd scene. I like the structure of it but I so also think that it's a little bit short. I think that there should be more shots of the outside scenery. The witch and her Familiar live in this amazing world but I don't think it really comes across within this scene. I may think differently when it's all finished and coloured but I'll definitely be keeping my options open to adding more shots in the future. For example, the fish pond may fit in well here - as well as the winter forest scene. Obviously I would change the colour scheme so it wouldn't be winter but I think that it could be quite striking, especially with the shadows moving across the screen.