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          james allen higgins  •  VSFX 406-01: Concept Development  •  winter '08


 
  3 concepts  
 

 

concept I: BAND SOUND CHECK w/ CAGE DANCING ROBOT

background:

A world-famous band on tour do their sound check at a large nightclub. Part of their stage show is a beautiful cage-dancing robot, and they are fond of pyrotechnic displays using the physics of highly amplified sound.

scene:

A famous band setting up a soundcheck at a mid-size club. Their dancing robot - gorgeous, highly sophisticated, very sexy and incredibly expensive - is unveiled and set up. The band starts a song but halfway through destroys some property with an errant sonic/ pyro stage effect.   In the next song a showcase of the robot's dance moves & features, then onto a sequence of the band's high-tech backdrop display.

effects:

CG robot and backdrop graphics, matchmoving, practical and CG pyrotechnics

 

 
 
concept II: EVIL STORM

background:

The Army Corps of engineers sets up one of the last top-secret above-ground nuclear tests on a remote island in the South Pacific. They are unaware that though this island was obviously inhabited by a death-god oriented culture long ago, it is still possessed by the evil spirit worshipped by the islanders. The bomb planted on the atoll is actually a fulfillment of a predestined cataclysmic event planned for long ago by the natives.

The atomic bomb detonates, and is possessed by the evil spirit of the island. It does not dissipate but remains a cohesive entity, a combination of a big nasty death-god (Cthulhu) and the most intense destructive power human science can generate. It is angry and very dangerous. This terrible force becomes more so when in turn it possesses a nearby tropical thunderhead, thus creating the Gothic Horror Storm, a 3-fold synthesis of man made, natural and demonic destructive powers. This supernatural disaster-to-be starts moving towards the west coast of the United States.

scene:

An atomic bomb detonates and is possessed by the evil spirit of an island, then combines with/ absorbs a nearby thunderhead, turns into the Gothic Horror Storm.   It then destroys an army viewing station & turns the army guys into monsters, then heads east towards the US.

effects:

CG environments, effects and explosion; practical and CG monsters

 

 

c3. CHESS GAME

overview:

Two guys sit down for an afternoon game of chess. As they move their pieces the scene is transposed with the same moves of 2 armies on a medieval plain. There is much drama and bloodshed. Sometimes the action in one realm affects the other.

effects:

green screen shooting, CG weapons and mayhem, matchmoving, animated graphics

scene:

1. ESTABLISHING INT. - a study-like room with nostalgic decorations & museum-quality objects around; a smoking & gaming room (Tinderbox) with a board set up in center between 2 comfy chairs.   The chess pieces are the Bauhaus set by Josef Hartwig.

2. Board-level - PLAYER 1 and PLAYER 2 entering, sit down & chat a bit, then settle in to focus on the pieces & game.

3. down-shot of board & pieces, PLAYER 1 pondering first move. Quick graphic of several classic opening moves.

4. Board-level - tracking horizontally. PLAYER 1's hand moves a pawn 2 spaces to board center (pawn to king 4). Shot travels around close-up on board periphery to battle-line shot of P1's pieces; pawn to center board very dramatic from low angle. PULL IN close to pawn isolated out from others.

5. ESTABLISHING EXT. - medieval battlefield; low smoky fog on verdant yet desolate field bounded by forest.

6. RED PAWN 1 - a 15th-century Welsh infantryman marching hesitantly out from line of similar soldiers (red uniform details) into the field of battle in knee-high grass & scrub. He walks 20 paces, stops in place, looks around fearful yet resigned & determined. Looks back at the line of soldiers behind him then forward peering into the mist.

7. INT. - semi-aerial shot of board. PLAYER 1 making comment about bold move; PLAYER 2 responds the piece will die soon. They both laugh.

8. EXT. - PAWN 1 hears laughter from distant enemy lines, reacts and hoists his sword.

9. INT. - PLAYER 2 leaning forward into game space, pauses 2 or 3 beats, moves his knight (QN to QB3).

10. EXT. - BLACK KNIGHT 1 - a fearsome dark horse & rider canter out from behind line of BLACK PAWNS, stops 10 paces in front of battle line, aligns towards exposed RED PAWN & readies for confrontation.

Etc. Etc. etc.