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Animation Story PDF

This document provides guidance on writing for animation, including elements of story structure, character development, and conflict. It discusses the basics of narrative structure, with an emphasis on the three-act structure. Tips are provided for crafting interesting conflict and satisfying resolutions. The writing process is outlined, including developing ideas, outlining the structure, and revising. Short story examples are also included.

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Hasan Maruf
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849 views

Animation Story PDF

This document provides guidance on writing for animation, including elements of story structure, character development, and conflict. It discusses the basics of narrative structure, with an emphasis on the three-act structure. Tips are provided for crafting interesting conflict and satisfying resolutions. The writing process is outlined, including developing ideas, outlining the structure, and revising. Short story examples are also included.

Uploaded by

Hasan Maruf
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Animation: The Story

Character and Narrative Structure


Ideas for Writing
Basics of the Script
Elements of a good story.
• Goal: To evoke a strong emotional
response from the audience.

• Necessary basics: Setting, character,


conflict, and satisfying resolution.

• Interesting characters: The viewer should


care for or be challenged by the characters.

• Conflict: The audience should relate in


some fashion to the conflict.
Narrative structure.
• The most applied and well-known story structure dates back to
Poetics by Aristotle; it is still one of the best written works about
story.

• Consider the three-act structure:

ACT I: Setup the story; introduce setting, characters, status quo,


and then the catalyst.
ACT II: The conflict rises, and the crisis or turning-point occurs.
ACT III: Climax and resolution (denouement).
Characters and conflict.
• Good character development creates and
reveals motivation.

• The catlalyst and other obstacles to a


character’s motivation create the conflict.

• Conflict in turn changes the character.


(epiphany -- point of realization)

• The audience should relate emotionally to


the conflict and change in the characters.
(catharsis -- emotional release)
Tips for interesting conflict.
• Build the characters as much as possible and lock the
conflict early in the story. Each scene should also advance
the plot and increase the conflict.

• Types of conflict: man versus man (society or others), man


versus himself, man versus nature. (”Man” can be male,
female, or even other creature or object, particularly in
animation.)

• Conflict may be physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional, or


a combination of these.
The resolution.
• Some type of resolution needs to occur to
satisfy the audience.

• Happy endings are most popular, of course,


but a sad or tragic ending will still satisfy the
need for resolution and may better fit the
goal of the story.

• Denouement -- falling action, “wrapping


up” any subplots or loose strings.
Writing for animation.

• Animation is mainly a visual medium, so


“show don’t tell.”

• Shoot for storytelling through action.

• Dialogue and sound are still important but


should be considered carefully with the
visual aspect in mind.
Writing process.
• Pre-writing: free exposition of ideas to
brainstorm about the following:
• Character background, setting, conflict, resolution.

• Outline for structure.


• Form three act structure and devise plot points.

• Actual writing.
• Treatment, scene breakdown, then script.

• Revision.
Developing ideas.
• Research: Consider personal experiences; novels, magazines,
comics, short stories; movies, plays, television; history, dreams, myths.

• Brainstorming: Create a list for several ideas including


characters, setting, motivation, and a couple obstacles for each.

• Story premise (concept sentence):


• Literal: It is a story about a little girl on a subway late at night who
murders a frustrated, solitary man who ignores her.

• Deeper, figurative: Adults should pay more attention to needy


children.

• Typical Hollywood premise: You may be beautiful and popular if you


only take off your glasses.
Checklist and pitfalls.
• Does the story seem to work? Does it have
good structure? (Beginning/middle/end?)

• Is it a good visual story? (Good for 3-D


animation?)

• Is it clever or original?

• Is the motivation of the characters clear to


the audience?

• Does the audience relate emotionally?


Other things to be careful:
• Obvious linear progression.

• Stereotypical, contrived, or 2-D characters.

• Non-human characters in a human world.

• Characters and conflict appropriate for 3-D animation.

• Dream sequences and flashbacks.

• Dialogue.

• Cramming too much.

• Superficial action (murders, weapons, etc.)


Short Story Examples: The 55 Fiction Contest

Bedtime Story
“Careful, honey, it’s loaded,” he said,
re-entering the bedroom.
“This for your wife?”
“No. Too chancy. I’m hiring a professional.”
“How about me?”
He smirked. “Cute. But who would be dumb enough to
hire a lady hit man.”
She wet her lips, sighting along the barrel.
“Your wife.”
- Jeffrey Whitmore
Short Story Examples: The 55 Fiction Contest

Grandma Meets the Ax Murderer


The crazed ax-murderer approached the house.
Having ravaged the entire neighborhood, his sack
of booty was almost full.

Alone inside, the old woman sat knitting.


The murderer raised his blood-stained ax and
rang the porch doorbell.
Slowly, she opened the door and
peered into his face.

“Trick or treat!” the little boy shouted.

- Diane Elliot
Basic scripting.
• Format: plain-type (courier) on 8 1/2 x 11 paper.

• Composed of scenes, master scene described (specific shots not


usually included).

• Slug line: INT/EXT, LOCATION, TIME

• Brief but vivid descriptions of scene to the full width of the


margins.

• Dialogue blocked with each character’s name above. (CAPS


when introduced.)

• Focus on presenting the story through character development,


action, careful dialogue, and avoid “directing” the film in the
script.
Sources and additional material.
• Aristotle, Poetics, 350 B.C.

• Blacker, Irwin R., The Elements of Screenwriting, Macmillan,


1986.

• Trotter, David, The Screenwriter’s Bible, Silman James Press,


1994.

• Maestri, George, Character Animation 2: Advanced Techniques,


New Riders, 2002.

• Coleman, T., Sheridan, S., and Vogel, N., Maya 2: Character


Animation, New Riders, 2000.

• Moss, S., The World’s Shortest Stories, Running Press, 1995.

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