This has been quite a slow week,  I've thought about possibilities for my major project countless times and I'm always in a different place by the end of the day. I've now weighed things up and think I have a proposal which will allow me to achieve what I want to in the coming weeks.

My proposal is to portray an alternative history in which Britain wins the space-race, propelling the 'British Empire' to claim the moon. As I stated in my initial post, I wanted to create something largely historical but still wanted the  aspect of creativity and being able to imagine something. Researching alternate histories throughout fiction and reading of the possibilities, it seemed a good angle to take a short animation. The main idea of the 'Ministry of Space' is derived from a small three-issue comic series by Warren Ellis, a well-known comic book writer, author of 'Red' and 'Transmetropolitan'. This comic was a brief look at a world where Britain stealthily captured the German scientists, famed for creating the 'V2' rocket during the occupation of Europe, thus preventing America and Russia from constructing their space programmes. This paved way for the 'Ministry of Space', known as the pioneers in space flight, sanctioned by Winston Churchill.



As for my project, I would like to use the themes of the time period featured in Ellis' writing, but it would not be a straight transcription , rather an imagining of the same history. As it originates as a comic, it tends to be quite 'pulp-fiction' and action-orientated. I would rather portray a more realistic and technical world, mixing fact and fantasy.

As of now, I have a rough plan of three acts, bearing in mind that my emphasis this project will be a refined piece focusing on compositing. These are:

- Act One: An explanation of the past, revealing to the viewer the events which differ from history and the effect they had on the period after. In this case, the introduction will explain, with the use of 3D shots, the British claiming the German research and preventing the USA and Russia from a quick technological advancement.

-Act Two: How the technology was used, here I'd expect a small montage of construction and blueprints, most likely in After Effects will some help from Maya. This part will introduce 'The Ministry of Space' and show the unique British take on space-flight.

-Act Three: The dramatic result of the alternate history, preferably this will be the British space rocket launching or perhaps a glance at it constructed and almost ready for launch. This could feature it reaching the moon or perhaps end with the flag planted.

This is quite rough as of now, as with anyone's idea, it makes sense in a cinematic way in my head, but to others, im sure it seems quite jumbled. It needs a good storyboard stage for refinement and I'm sure a tutorial will do this idea some good early next week.