Final Project: Introduction Animation

Download the actual game here: http://www.mediafire.com/?xu4g2ynyjd5

For my final I created the introductory cinematic for a small game I was working on in another class. It revolves around a super-powered canine called upon to save his Roman Army. I included the game and the still panels. The panels are simply JPEG stills I made in Illustrator. I then imported them into Flash and added animation on top of them. Run DogGame.swf to view the animation and game. The end panel comes last after you beat the game. There is an accompanying audio track as well. The text and additional animation for each panel is as follows:

Panel 0: 53 BC: The Roman Army is advancing into Gaul, pacifying and civilizing the heathen barbarians
(Animation: overlay arrow thrusting into Gaul from Italy)

Panel 1: But an evil druid, Vercingetorix, in his twisted tower, has rallied the Gauls and empowered them with his wicked spells
(Animation: None)

Panel 2: Unfortunately, the well-intentioned Romans, kindly spreading their civilization and gods and asking only subjugation in return, were swiftly routed by this new force
(Animation: A tattered flag on the flagpole waving in the wind)

Panel 3: Being the gods-fearing folk they were, the Romans did the only thing that made sense: Collected all the cats in Gaul and made a temple out of their bones as a tribute to the gods. They even roasted the meat and left it with the temple.
(Animation: Fire flaring up and down slightly. Smoke from the fire waving slightly in the breeze. Soldiers tossing cats to each other and then in the fire to cook them)

Panel 4: Their efforts were not in vain. Impressed by the bizarre display, Zeus chooses the most zealous of the Romans to imbue with heroic powers
(Animation: A comet comes blazing down from the mountain, hitting the ground. Added in still arms in Flash for the soldiers)

Panel 5: Pickles the Dog of War (start screen)
(Animation: Waving exuberant soldiers, dust/smoke rolling along the bottom of the screen)

End Panel: Victory (end panel)
(Animation: None)

Final Project Synopsis

For another class, I am making a simple Flash-based game about a dog doing battle with barbarians. But, I need a story and an introduction movie. For my Graphic Storytelling Final Module, I will be creating introduction slides for my game. I will likely make these in Illustrator and import them to Flash and time them out, adding text. They will introduce the setting (Gaul, during the advance of the Roman Empire), the problem ( rowdy Gauls, Romans build a temple to appease the dog/god), and the character/hero (the Dog of War)

Elias' Death Scene

For my scene, I chose Elias' death scene from Platoon. Shot earlier by Barnes, Elias turns out to still be alive, trying to catch up to the rest of the troops.
This is my shot list:

Shot	Placement/Camera	Actions/Description
1	Camera is looking at helicopter, far enough away to show troops around but close enough to show troops loading onto it	Chris and King carry Harold onto the helicopter and climb aboard. Wolfe, Barnes, and Ace also board SFX: Helicopter rotors and distant soldiers shouting
2	Camera inside of helicopter, able to see Chris and King against the wall, with Harold on the floor. The back of Wolfe and Barnes’ heads are seen, and a side view of the gunner	King and Harold have dialog about Harold going to Japan due to his wound. His right leg is missing. Chris spots distant movement on the ground and shoves King and points. All men inside the helicopter are now staring at the sight SFX: Deafening helicopter rotors
3	Camera is slightly above ground, with a view of Elias and the jungle with some NVA in the background	Elias, bloody and worn, running from the jungle waving weakly with NVA coming out of the background SFX: helicopters
4	Back inside the helicopter	Chris grabs Wolfe and points down towards Elias, shouting something indistinguishable SFX: Deafening helicopter rotors
5	Outside with a close view of the helicopter with jungle and Elias in the background. We can the helicopter pilots	The helicopter dips down as the co-pilot points out Elias. NVA are converging on Elias as he weakly tried to reach toward the helicopter SFX: Deafening helicopter rotors, distant chattering of gunfire
6	Back inside the helicopter, this time helicopter position has changed in relation to the ground/jungle/Elias	Chris, King, Harold with worried expressions, Barnes expressionless. Door gunner firing maniacally down at the NVA. NVA firing at the helicopter and Elias, Elias starting to crumple SFX: deafening rotors, chatter of M60, NVA fire, bullets hitting helicopter
7	Straight shot at helicopter, can see inside cockpit and into the back	Helicopter pilot turns back and shakes his head at Wolfe SFX: deafening rotors, chatter of M60, NVA fire, bullets hitting helicopter
8	View of helicopter, jungle, Elias, NVA	Helicopter dives in one last time, door gunner blasting away. Elias is taking hits and crumpling, NVA forces are firing and falling SFX: deafening rotors, chatter of M60, NVA fire, bullets hitting helicopter
9	Close front view of Elias with jungle and NVA in background	Elias, reaching up to the helicopter and heavens on his knees, bloody and dying. NVA firing and dying behind him SFX: muted gunfire and rotors
10	View of helicopter flying over jungle, camera tracking helicopter	Chris glares at Barnes knowingly with horror. Barnes looks away. The men are silent SFX: helicopter rotors

Here is the actual script:

INT/EXT. CHOPPER - JUNGLE - DAY

Chris and King hustling Big Harold's 250 pounds into the chopper.

Climbing in with him. Wolfe, Barnes, Ace running in with them.

The perimeter is bare.

Chris' eyes flitting over Barnes as he jumps in. The chopper

lifting off as another explosion rocks the area. The Door Gunner

sees something, opens up.

Big Harold, cursing, looks chalky but hog happy as he manages a

glance down at the jungle. His right leg is gone. Tears are

rolling out of his eyes.

KING

Man, you gonna be in Japan this time tomorrow, Big

Harold.

BIG HAROLD

Yeah, I'se lucky dis time, what's a leg to get the

fuck outta here ...

(at the NVA)

Eat ma shit, you motherfuckers!

He sinks back, sick. Chris' eyes sudenly fix on something. He

can't believe it. He shoves King, points. King sees it. Both

stunned.

Barnes is looking. So's Lt.Wolfe, so's Ace. So's the Door

Gunner.

Elias is coming out of the jungle. Staggering, blood disfiguring

his face and chest, hanging on with all his dimming strength,

looking up at them - trying to reach them.

Chris shakes Wolfe, his words drowned out by the roar.

The Chopper Captain looking down, dips. His co-pilot pointing.

The NVA are coming out of the jungle, closing on the spot where

Elias is.

Incoming rounds are hitting the chopper. The Door Gunner

maniacally firing.

Barnes looking down at the man, can't believe it.

Elias is on his last legs now, obviously being hit by the

incoming fire of the NVA. He falls to his knees, still

stretching upwards for life.

The Chopper Captain shakes his head at Wolfe.

The Chopper dips one more time firing at the NVA, low and fierce

over the jungle.

Chris looking back in horror.

Elias crucified. The NVA coming out now by the dozens from the

treeline.

Elias crumbling to the ground. Obviously dead or dying.

HELICAPTAIN ON RADIO

... we still got one on the deck. Bring the gunships

in.

Barnes drawing in.

Chris looking at him in revulsion. He knows. Barnes sees his

look, ignores it, all of them sitting there silent, living with

that final horrifying image of Elias.

Police Comic Page

INT. POLICE AREA – NIGHT

A sea of BLUE UNIFORMS swamp metal desks. The EXPLOSION of typewriters fire off from several areas as suspects are being questioned.

Detective Frank makes his way to a utilitarian desk piled high with police reports. He pulls up two metal chairs and motions for the girls to sit down. Detective Frank pushes aside a box of chocolate donuts and coffee mug. He sits on the edge of the desk close to the girls.


FRANK
Sergeant Roscoe tells me you two have a murder to report.

LILY
We’re not exactly sure if he’s dead.

FRANK
And who is this possible dead person?

LILY
The Mayor.

FRANK
Mayor Beasley?

LILY
That’s the one.

FRANK
Why do you think the Mayor’s dead?
Did you see something?

LILY
Well, not exactly.

FRANK
How then?

Lily scowls at Jessie whose gaze is transfixed on the box of donuts. Lily looks back at Detective Frank.

LILY
I dreamt it.

a. Donkey belongs to a nice farm family, a couple with two young children. They live by the ocean, and donkey helps them plough their fields or haul in the catch during fishing season. Donkey’s master had been down at the shore of the ocean lamenting the loss of his wife, beloved to all. She had disappeared into the ocean two weeks ago, and her body was never recovered. While he was enjoying some oats, Donkey witnessed the sea monster that had taken the wife and would take his master come surging out of the waves and devour his kind master whole, and then slip back into the ocean. The monster had taken the children’s parents and half of his family. Donkey straps on his iron working shoes and pushes the small craft out into the ocean and climbs aboard as it drifts into the mist.

b. Donkey waits unmoving and unwavering with his ears cocked listening carefully, feeling every movement of the waves. Waiting for any disturbance. The water is calm and the fog is thick, and it is likely the monster will strike again under this type of cover. Donkey’s leg muscles tense, he knows he will only have one chance to deliver a blow to the sea beast.

c. The monster will come at the raft like a silent torpedo. But Donkey is prepared, fuelled with fury, and prepared to exact vengeance. As the monster approaches, Donkey leaps out of the boat towards it, as if to jump on the monster bottom first. Feet above the water and monster, Donkey fires his powerful back leg muscles. His iron-clad hooves slice through the water and impact with the sea beast’s head. The monster’s body slips into the dark depths, releasing dark blood from its head as it goes. Donkey swims back to shore, cold and tired but victorious. As he makes his way to the house, he figures if a bunch of wimpy wolves could raise Romulus and Remus, he could do a much better job with these children.

Comics and Poetry

I used my experience with games to create the 12 panel "I used to believe/but now I know" picture.

Elements of a Story

My three words were: Midget, Refrigerator, Hideout

This comic needed to include:
Three-member family
Water
Funny
Fence or wall
Hidden
Problem: A sunken wall sends a family flying out of their boat!
Solution: Giant monsters!

I recently watched the sci-fi thriller Moon, about a man working alone on a moon-based harvesting installation for a three-year contract. The movie takes place at the end of this contract where the character, Sam, has become comfortable in his situation but looks forward to going home soon. Since there is only two characters (including the robot), much of the films scenes that are shot show well the isolation on the lonely moon base. Outside there is nothing but craters and automatic harvesters while inside there is only Sam and his projects and personal accents to the sterile moon station. The first screen shot illustrates what the outside looks like and what Sam feels when he ventures out in a rover; barrenness. In the second shot it shows Sam’s bunk, and how it has become covered in little pictures and knick-knacks over the years he has been there. Throughout the movie are shots like these depicting Sam living and working by himself on the isolated moon base.

Wolfman trailer

For this assignment I watched a trail for a movie I'd never seen (the recent movie Wolfman), and tried to piece the trailer together to form a coherent story. Numbers indicate appearance of that frame.

Pig Flu

A visual story I made out of the Netherlandish Proverbs painting

Lecture Incarnation

This is a visualization of a paper from Writing 1110 - born as a robot instead of a paper. Your paper/robot is based off of your topics, you connect to the readers via common ground and tone. your thesis is your driving force, your supporting arguments give your paper strength, and your sources and credibility uphold your work.

Instructions for a Gentleman's Duel

I made these instructions for a duel using Garry's Mod with Team Fortress 2 models and props.

Comic Format used as Informational Tool

In the 2007 graphic novel Crecy (written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Raulo Caceres), an English longbowman named William of Stonham narrates to the reader the Battle of Crecy as he prepares and fights it. He tells the reader historical details and facts surrounding the battle, as if the reader were there with him. William explains political and military history surrounding the Hundred Years' War as the reader follows him from his marches across French lands to the final showdown at Crecy. He assumes that the reader has little knowledge of the time period and explains the situation so anyone can read the graphic novel. It is an excellent history lesson wrapped up in an entertaining comic book format. This is an excerpt as William checks his arrows the day before the battle, explaining their different purposes.

Good Informational Graphics - CZ75 Cut-Away

This cut-away diagram of a CZ75 handgun is an excellent example of good informational graphics. The purpose of the diagram is simply to explore and show the internal mechanisms of the machine. It uses a simplified picture with bold colors to differentiate between different parts, while cutting away parts without making the item unrecognizable. Parts are clearly labeled, and there is not so many lines that the diagram becomes cluttered. The viewer can easily isolate lines and parts.