“The Musician” A young boy is forced into adulthood when he is given the ultimate moral decision- whether his kidnapper

should live or die.

“Jarvis”Jarvis is a socially shy thirteen-year-old boy. An only child he is not only isolated at home but at school. However he is content being solitary- surrounding himself with graphic novels, com-puter games and sci-fi fantasy. Having led a very secure shel-tered life Jarvis has never contemplated anything much, lacking values or an ideology beyond popular culture. This gives him a naivety that is classic of that point of life where the events and choices you make can effect who you become in the future. He represents all of us, at that awkward stage of life where we are not sure quite who we are.

Collage Turnaround

Daytime costume

This casual outfit will be used in the first major scene of the film, where we introduce Jarvis’ character and the world he lives in. A green carky hoodie and blue jeans with red converse train-ers, combine to create a average, unas-suming figure, easily overlooked.

Night-time costume

This costume will be worn throughout the majority of the film, as it will be what Jarvis is wearing when he gets kidnapped. Although it is Jarvis’ sleeping attire, I romoved it from conven-tional pjama’s, and went for a more mish- mash feel, combining his favourite comfy T-shirt and socks.He was given a white long sleeve undershirt for the practical reason of covering up the models elbow joints.

Finale Costume

The last costume will be use for the final scene, where Jarvis is playing the violin on stage at a classical music concert. In order to distinguish this moment as a special occassion he has been put in a tail suit and tie.

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Graphic T-shirts

As a young boy who surrounds himself with comic books, graphic novels and sci-fi fan-tasy, i would like his personaltiy to permeate his possessions and clothing. Graphic T-shirts are popular with Jarvis’ age group and way he can express is interests while add-ing an area of heightened detail akin with the overall aesthetic.Samples of nineties inspired t-shirts full of colour and pop-culture references have been researched in order to establish which design suits the character, yet doesn not distract too much attention from Jarvis’ face.

Two of the best t-shirt designs where hand painted on a jersey material to scale, inorder to establish the difficulty and suitability for the character. It was decided that the blue “Raccoons” design was too bright and complicated, detracting attention from the face. The “Yoda” design was adapted from the red t-shirt onto a grey background, so that the green highlights will compliment Jarvis’ ginger hair.

Prototype Model

The protptype model was made inorder to test the relavent techniques that are needed for the final puppet, to address any problems and find solutions to unforseen compliactions. The prototype had a aluminium wire and balsa wood armature, with hardened sponge providing bulk. The head had a aluminium foil core with a polymer clay shell, which was then painted. The hands were made from coloured latex and provided the skin for the bare feet. The puppet used a screw on tie down method using M4 nuts and bolts. This orginianl construction of of the puppet through up lots of problem, therefore contributing to the redesign of the armature on the next page. The Knees and ankles of the puppet were not strong enough tp properly support the puppets weight, which meeans the aluminium wire components are going to be replaced by metal rods and ball and socket joints.

Technical Armature Design

TechniqueOne of the key design elements which will effect the look and tone of the piece, is the use of a relatively new tech-nique which was pioneered by Chris Lavis and can be seen in Madame Tutli Putli.

The process involves separating and analyzing the previously shot stop-motion puppet moves, choreographing, rehearsing and shooting a human actor’s “eye performance” to match each puppet move. At the same time the lighta nd shadows have to be recreated as closely as possible to the original stop motion. Once the human eyes are shot, each eye will be individually positioned, scaled, re-timed and digitally compos-ited onto the puppet scenes.

It is probable that different actors will be cast for each of the characters, therefore not only will we have to integrate the human eyes onto each puppet, but on a frame by frame basis, match the subtle movement of the puppets and the camera.

I believe this innovative method will greatly increase the sub-tlety in the expression of my characters and therefore bet-ter convey to the audience the conflicting emotions and inner turmoil, that they go through throughout the story.

JarvisFacial Expressions

Appalled

Content Smile Neutral Neutral Suprised Shocked

Stunned Forlorn Nervous Smile Perplexed Confused Amazed

Unsure Angry Defiant

“Nursie”Nursie is an old crone, indefinable in age but obvi-ously weather beaten and hardened by life. Although a periphery character he is vital to the story as he not only plans and performs Jarvis’s kidnapping, he also isolates the musician from the rest of the medical community. Nursie controls his treatment and whole heartedly believing he is the only one who could save Krzysztof.

Nursie represents the older generation who, despite the wisdom of his years, are morally questionable, have a fixed cynical view of life, and do not believe in right and wrong. In his opinion ethics are for the naive and he knows better.

Nursie is a fundamentally calculating and malicious personality, however he has one chink in his armour.Krzysztof’s music touches him deeply, taping into true human emotion and vulnerability that he thought he had lost. His passion for music has gone beyond a healthy enthusiasm. It has developed into and obsessive infatuation bordering physical love for the man who creates its. Nursie would sacrifice anything in order to cure his beloved, and has little to no compassion for anyone else.

“The Musician”

“The Musician” was christened Krzysz-tof, born into a penniless family he fled his own repressive bleak country to pursue music and beauty in the “brave new world”. He found fame and success quickly, with talent akin to Beethoven and was dubbed a genius of the age. His fame sits uncomfortably on him, as a burden and something to endure rather than enjoy.

A very private and thoughtful man, he is one of those souls who feels deeply, and takes the weight of the world on his shoulders. A gentle giant in stature, he has a great capacity for compassion and understanding which has lead him to write profoundly moving scores which can touch even the bitterest of crea-ture. His health having always been frag-ile started to decline rapidly while on a sold out tour, until he become virtually mute. Although in a great deal of pain he always conducts himself with grace and authority, but as the fatal disease takes hold he finally agrees to give up control to the possessive nurse assigned to take care of him.

Idea for Abandoned Hospital Room

Set Design: Street Shops

Posters of the Muscians upcoming and cancelled con-cert will be pasted on the brick street wall, and scattered about on the pavement, so that jarvis treds on them.

In the opening sequence of the film jarvis walks down his local high street on his way home from school. The shot is a simple panning shot, of javris’ profile walking past the run down shops.

Some 3 dimensional props will be added into the scene in order to bring in some form of dynamism. This will include the miniture bin bags dumped on the side of the street and the awning over the top of the kebab shop.

As there is no set time period or era that the film is taking part in- I didn’t want to have the shops imlpy a particular decade of technology, which is why i wanted to con-trast the old television and radio set with the newer colouriful exterior. Throwing the old in with the new, will be a regular occurance throught the film.

The set will be constructed as on long flat plane using coloured paper and old photographs in a collage effect, to get the detail of the shops and bricks. Different textures are key to the aesthetic and repeatition of themes/ patterns will be used to create a storybook effect.

The reflection of jravis walking past the shop front window will have to be put in in post production

As there is no set time period or era that the film is taking part in- I didn’t want to have the shops imlpy a particular decade of technology, which is why i wanted to con-trast the old television and radio set with the newer colouriful exterior. Throwing the old in with the new, will be a regular occurance throught the film.

As a hint to the future i thought I would include a funeral directors shopfront into the more tacky run down highstreet.

Jarvis’ Bedroom

When designing Jarvis’ bedroom we took into account that we need to establish a backstory and personality within a very limited space of time. The panning shot of his bedroom is so the audience may see a preview of his life before his kidnap. As a young boy he’s insular and self involved, spending lots of time alone in his room and therefore the bedroom needs to symbolise his life, therefore we filled it up with his interests and memorabilia. Although the film has no set time period we do hark back to the graphic and tacky style of the 90s

Hospital Props

The Storyboard: The Process

Concept Art

Mock up interior set

Mock up exterior set