As the storyboards show, everything in the animation will be in black and white, except the female suitcase, who will be coloured (Pinkish) I thinnk this would make her really stand out and considering she is the aim and objective, it will make things really clear. It reminded me a bit of Schlinders List, with everything desaturated apart from the one red-coat. I wanted to build on the love-story part, I've got a copy of 'Brief Encounter' (Thanks again Alan!) and I'll try and replicated some of the shots and try and put across the genre.
I'm about half-way through the storyboards, I need to quicken up really. I've also got half the animatic (with very rough-music, all needs to be changed)
Hey Sam,
A couple of suggestions; firstly, it's absolutely essential that you establish the relationship between the 2 suitcases in the first sequence; if you're going to establish the narrative around their separation and ultimate reconciliation, they should be happily on the trolley together from the outset, and then the male suitcase gets bounced off; also, I suggest that if you made them 'honeymoon' luggage - i.e. with 'just married' on them somehow, the romance element would be further underlined, while also giving a whole logic to them travelling together and going on an exciting train journey; as is always the case with these kind of narratives, there must also be an escalation of activity, as the male suitcase's efforts to board the train grow in their elaborateness; thing about using other staples from different genres to help - for instance, the old horse and lasso chase scene; while I think Alan is right to get you to look at Brief Encounter for some visual 'homage' references, remember you're dealing with a Western more typically, so look to those conventions too.
The basic thing is make sure you're referencing period detail throughout - and that includes for the designs for the trolly, the suitcases etc... make sure you keep within your own chronological rules; attention to detail is everything!
Great to see you getting to the animatic stage, but if this is really a 'dance' to music, you need to follow every nuance of it - use the soundtrack to build high points and low points and moments of action; don't let it be aural wallpaper - listen for visual instructions...
Hi Sam,
A nice 'in between' to your colour problem could be Sepia toning. Remenisant of old Wild West photograpy perhaps?
Regarding Brief Encounter - I meant for you to look at the key train / love scene only as a way to frame the camera and pose/animate your characters.
Please check out these links to see what I get up to during the summer...
http://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.com/2010/07/well-here-i-am-back-in-old-sunny.html
http://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.com/2010/07/alans-usa-trip-part-2-comic-con-2010.html
http://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.com/2010/07/alans-usa-trip-part-2-hollywood.html
http://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.com/2010/07/alans-usa-trip-part-4-siggraph.html
http://ucarochester-cgartsandanimation.blogspot.com/2010/07/alans-usa-trip-part-5-gnomon-tour.html
Thanks
Alan