Disney Character Design

My tutors arn't keen on this Disney brief as they feel its out of our depth and animation students who have been on 3year courses will be gunning for this one, but I can't help but have a dabble in it as this brief sums up my dream job. Create a Disney character with Heart, Courage and optimism for a narrative driven Comedy Cartoon. Amazing. I have ideas floating about in my head for this one so i'm still going to give it some thought and make some storyboards and create a character with some heart. I can't help it.

Big Issue 'Business Man' Idea

For the 'Business Man' idea I wanted to make a film that would be a complete role reversal showing a business man in a suit holding a stack of big issues selling them to people. The customers wouldn't react any differently to this man (or should they? I haven't decided) If they didn't react differently because he was in a suit would there be a point to the film? They need to react differently, The man in the suit need to be getting approached more by customers because of the way he is dressed, he is dressed smarter and therefor customers are more likely to buy off him, meaning he will sell more. I would in some way have to contrast this man with a regular Big Issue Seller to gain the full effect. I'll get my thinking cap on.

I like this idea for what it can show and the message it will bring across, because of stereotypes and the way somebody looks can determine alot. This idea needs more time and research.

Big Issue 'Stereotype' Idea

My idea 'Stereotype' is to take peoples Stereotypes of a Big Issue Salesperson to an extreme height and make it look pathetic that people would ever think that of these magazine selling folk.

Picture an addict sat on the floor much like the pictures above (the "You homeless crackhead" isn't my writing but she represents the person i wanted to portray so i've included the picture, maybe a little bit funny though) Shooting needles, filthy, unwashed, bad fashion, unhealthy, underweight, no teeth, pale, messy hair, withdrawn, aged. I want this fiend on the floor to then be holding a stack of big issues trying to sell them to people, being rude and slightly aggressive as they say "Buy One!" to passers by. Then I'm wondering what to finish with, maybe a shot of an actual Big Issue Seller, at work on a normal street trading with customers, and a catchy tagline which I can't currently think of as its getting late.

Big Issue Brief

The Big Issue Brief was appealing to me, the information given in the brief itself opened my eyes to these people and the work they do. The briefs aim is to change peoples perspective of Big Issue Sales People and abolish popular misconceptions on them. Big Issue Sales People are often thought of as tramps, homeless, drug users and abusers when really one of the main reasons is coming from a broken home and things just spiraled beyond control from there. These salespeople should be thought of as business people as its a small business they are running, it involves, spending, saving, profit, loss etc. In my eyes this brief wants me to change the negative stereotypes surrounding The Big Issue whilst trying to motivate more people to buy this magazine. Next come my ideas.

Sonic 'Hair Salon' Brief

I thought about this idea from looking at my research of Sonic and his funky hair style. I was thinking of a typical hair salon/barbershop and how they have hair magazines for you to browse through to find a hair style you think you might want for yourself, but instead of a hair magazine being picked up, a gaming magazine featuring sonic is picked up instead and Sonics hair style is chosen, we then see a hair stylist going crazy with the scissors, hair dye, blue hair flying everywhere. Then a typical shot of the stylist holding a mirror behind the head of the customer (to show that the hair cut is finished) Big blue Sonic like spikes are revealed by good camera angles and a happy face on the customer. The customer then walks out of the Barbers with people seeing this guys radical Sonic cut and crowds rush into the Barbers to get the same Hair Style. A tagline something like 'Sonic Fever', '20 YEARS AND SONICS STILL IN STYLE'... (Needs work).

I love this idea as its quirky, new, fresh, unobvious and completely Sonic. Sonics Hair is iconic and an instant relation to him, Its taking Sonic down to his sympolist form. (Idea: when the hairs being cut with scissors i could have the ring sounds with each snip)

I like this idea but how to do it??

Sonic 'Alex Kidd Fight' Idea

I've always been a fan of Alex Kidd which was a game that came built in to old SEGA consoles. My idea was like a street fighter type fight of the console mascots, SONIC VS ALEX KIDD, the scene would be set like the street fighter picture above ^^^. "Round One, Fight" True Street Fighter style to appeal to the gamer lovers that will be watching, Sonic and Alex Kidd will then have a fight, punching, kicking, power bombing, shooting rockets etc with the health bars going down accordingly until its neck and neck and Sonic can win in a climax ending and saying something like "I'M SEGAS MASCOT BITCH!" or "NEVER SEND A KIDD TO DO A HEDGEHOGS JOB!"

A fun idea appealing to gamers and SEGA fans, as well as an entertaining fight scene this could turn out to be a nice piece of work if done properly, again i will draw up some storyboards to see how it will run. Might not see the true look of this until the animatic if I take this idea that far.

Sonic 'Hedgehog' Idea

This was an idea to have an animation of normal hedgehog sniffing around the SEGA logo, Ill set the scene, '20 Years Ago' appears onscreen, fades out to a white background with the Blue SEGA logo, a real animation hedgehog comes sniffing around the sign and attempting to climb it, when suddenly .... BANG! The hedgehog gets sucked rapidly into the SEGA logo, there are a few noises and blue lightning blots flashing before the SEGA sign explodes with flying rings in every direction followed by Sonic landing on his arse in front of the camera, close up, cheeky wink and a 'Happy 20th Anniversary' banner appears onscreen.

I'm happy with this idea as it gives the impression of how the idea was created, SEGA took the hedgehog and turned him into Sonic and 20years later he is still around on our gaming consoles having survived console changes, technology development and graphic improvements.

I'll draw up some story boards for this idea and run it past my tutors to see what they think.

Sonic 'Generation' Idea

This idea I had was one of my earlier ones, I thought of Sonic the Hedgehog in his 1st ever graphics stood on top of the year 1991 (The year in which he was 1st created) With a 2-D layout there would be the year 1992 then 1993 and so on. Sonic would begin running left to right along these years jumping to the next and as he jumps onto the year when his graphics upgrade he would change, until he got to the year 2011, he would look at his most perfect graphically and to end I was thinking a freeze frame, Sonic winking at the camera before zooming off and rings exploding.

The numbers of the years could be represented by different fonts to emphasise the years sonic is running along even more so, I would have to do my research on when Sonics graphics improved and in which year this was. Making it move wouldn't be the hardest task in the world as I've already downloaded every sonic movement in existance from this site I found which was useful.

I like this idea but I can't help thinking everybody else will have a similar one.

Sonic Brief

One of the briefs on YCNs Student website that strangled my attention was Celebrating SEGAs Sonic The Hedgehog Characters 20th Anniversary. I grew up on Sonic on the SEGA Master System along with Alex Kidd, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. These games and their 8 - 16 bit graphics wern't realistic or amazing like nowerdays but, my god they were addictive. I think a lot of the entries into this catorgory will contain the old sonic graphic character and that cheesey music and game sounds. I want an idea that runs with this concept but shatters it into pieces in its execution and delivery.

I want an idea that captures Sonic through the ages and also celebrates 20 years of him but an idea that is just a bit, wtf?? I am debating humour in my message to reflect myself and this fun loving character.

To the Sketchbook...

Sonic History 15 Years (2006)

http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/sonicthehedgehog/video/6153169/the-history-of-sonic-the-hedgehog?nonRedirectElement=1

This is a link to a website displaying a video for Sonics 15th Anniversary 5 years ago. Its very interesting and informative. 5years later sonic has appeared on a few more platforms and established his name as video gamers most popular character. He will continue I am sure to develop on gaming systems and always appeal to kids, adults, gamers and retro lovers alike.

I need to think of the best way to celebrate this Hedgehogs 20th Anniversary, I need a solid idea that i'snt obvious or already been done. I want a Unique competition winning idea. Hmmmm...