1- Athleticism
In order to create a positive response to ballet, I created a short story board that demonstrates the 'superhuman' power of the dancers. Relating this to a sport renowned for its athleticism, speed and power such as the 100m sprint will show how ballet can be compared to popular sport and the dancers are in fact athletes, not men prancing around in tights.
The explosive movement when the athlete bursts out of the blocks can be related to the expressive movements created by the dancers when they jump. Once the athlete leaves the blocks, the background can change to put the subject on stage.
2 - Perception
In order to change the misconception that ballet is boring, this short scene will introduce the use of binoculars which theatres provide and are traditionally used so the audience can see the stage clearly. Once the subject in the film looks through the binoculars, the visual style will change to become more abstract and expressive, showcasing the contemporary art form using exciting visuals and music.
3 - Muscle
Zoom in and crop a section of muscle from a dancer performing a strenuous movement, capturing the light and shadow created by the spotlight. The scene can look ambiguous to create a lot of texture which can intrigue the audience whilst adding aesthetic value.
4 - Environment
Show a dancer practicing or repeating a movement and have the background changing showing ballet in a variety of environments, not just in the theatre.
Group concepts:
Tom introduced the group to some story boards which allowed me to experience how animators plan and structure their story board concepts:
- Practice/Dedication
Showing a dancer growing up from a young age on their journey to becoming a professional dancer:
- Production
Focusing on the dancers and then panning out will introduce the audience to all of the different production methods required for the ballet. Set design, lighting, orchestra, makeup, stage direction, costumes, etc
After articulating our concepts, we created three solid themes that we could develop into formalised scenes for the animation:
- Athleticism
- Production
- Training/Dedication
This provides a focus for the video which will inevitably be changed and manipulated as our concepts progress, however this is a solid platform to work from.
Animation Style:
Hand rendered and very simple illustration compliments the natural animation style which suggests movement and expression. The use of simple materials such as crayon and pencil evokes natural artform which is honest and friendly - Appropriate for children.
Concept Development
In order to educate and increase the target audiences understanding of ballet, Annie suggested using ballet terminology to label specific movements. This can be used in the video, but it was also suggested that it can be used in a print campaign:
- Cards
- Posters
Ballet terminology is made up of latin adjectives which can be transferred into typographic or visual styles, eg:
- Allongé - In classical ballet, allongé is an adjective that describes a position that is stretched or made longer. Allongé is usually used with arabesque, such as extending your arm and leg further before closing into another position.
- Avant - To the front or Forward. A direction for the execution of a step. Used to indicate that a given step is executed moving forward, toward the audience.
- Plié - Means “Bent, bending”. One of the most famous moves in Ballet. It refers to the bending of the knee or knees with strong turn out from feet, knees and hips.
Scheduled next meeting for Monday 20th, 2pm
Assigned job roles to be completed by Monday:
Me and Sammy - Story boards based on the 3 themes
Annie - Preliminary sketches and drawings
Tom - Sourcing images
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