Fantastic Voyage Pre-vis Build-up to scene

This is the build-up to creating this interior of the body, intended to simulate paper unfolding itself, as the cell structure forms together to create interior tissue. The petals start small and then are shown to form one singular piece that unravels itself.

As the small pieces are all rigged, I'd still like to add more movements and ripple effects in the scene. With the textures, I can add a bump map to accent more of the paper design, as it doesn't look clear enough with the current textures.

Pitch reflective statement

I think my pitch to the client Doctor Klappa went well, in terms of what he wanted from a scientific perspective. I don't think I chose a design style that was too metaphorical or hard to understand in correlation to cancer. The main thing I was worried about was how open the audience and the client would be to idea of using a paper craft style, whether they would question if it would be appropriate of using an aesthetic that can be quite whimsical and use it to describe cancer, but I think I managed to convey why it could work with the context of my chosen audience, and to be a source of information and design being used to peak interest for an off-putting subject matter. I think it's very important for people of a young age to gain a clear understanding of what cancer is and how it develops because of how many people it affects. I was able to gauge that from the client, the audience and my tutors that they really appreciated this sort of mixed media animation style, so I believe I have the full go-ahead for the idea and concept.

What didn't work well in the presentation of my animatic was a clear negative reaction to my colour choices and font, which juxtaposed with the idea I was pitching, and made it appear to have a moodier tone. Though I explained beforehand that the text was in the place of a narration that should be added in the final piece, the font was too jarring for this context. What I wanted for my animatic was to quickly convey the movement and texture style I wanted to use for the final piece, to show how I'd like the paper to unfold and create the environment, in a stop motion kind of style. These were just basic textures I had to hand, but it didn't fill my client with confidence as it created some confusion of what the final product would look like from the animatic. Going forward, I think I should take time to clean up and present on my blog environment designs that are more focused for an audience and in particular, really pinpoint on correct colour as I realise now it can really impact tone and it may of created some unnecessary worry for the client.

Another thing I think should be updated are the designs of my cells, being mean to be just simple but I was told be careful of shape as they look to similar to eyeballs and the cancer cell too much like a fish. It may be best to go even simpler and maybe not worry about getting the designs too similar to actual cells. There could be a tighter correlation between both cells as they look too different and there needs to be some sort of relationship between them, as cancer cells come from regular cells that have just mutated and become much bigger than they should be.

I think if I work quickly on re-tweaking these designs, there will be less cause for my tutors to worry because of their wondering if  I could get this done in time and get it translated into a 3D animated film in the weeks I have left. I believe since I am trying to go for a simpler designed world, I know what I will realistically be able to get done in that time.

Fantastic Voyage Pitch

Fantastic Voyage Pitch 2 by Zoe Thornton on Scribd

What is Cancer: Script

What is Cancer? by Zoe Thornton on Scribd

Fantastic Voyage: Initial idea thumbnails

Starting with a simple cave tunnel aesthetic, with making distance easier to see, it gave me a few ideas to later work it into a 2D cut-out design.

Research into Fantastic Voyage subjects

Fantastic Voyage Ideas by Zoe Thornton on Scribd

Fantastic Voyage Art Of book (WIP)

The Zika Virus Art Off (So far)

Fantastic Voyage: scene models

Experiments in early stage Zika virus cell textures

First scene model

Fantastic Voyage: Development for Cell Cityscape

Concept drawing for the different building in the cell-city.
They are purposefully DNA-like in design.

Working out the orthographs of the buildings.

Fantastic Voyage scene progress

After my first attempt at the scene (see below), I decided to simplify the modelling to cut down on time, but I'll still be adding 3D elements to the scene in the background and foreground. 

Fantastic Voyage: The Pin board and the map

This concept art for the detective's pin board is what I'll be using as a framing device in my animation project. Each branch represents a different area of topic about the zika virus, which are: how the virus spreads through Human cells, symptoms of the virus (including the topic of birth defects), the spread of the virus worldwide and how the body fights the virus.

This is a quick, early stage animation I made for the pitch, as part of a showcase of which countries are now affected. A narrator will explain where the virus had been tracked to and where the different strands and mutations of it are located, wondering where it will next be located.

Fantastic Voyage: Further Concept Art

Fantastic Voyage: Character Design

This is character design work for the Zika virus. I was primarily testing out a prohibition-era Gangster design for the cell. Its RNA strand produces more Zika Gangsters which combine to take down the city. Following some advice from Jordan, I also tried a more ambiguous design route, to convey the idea that the Zika Virus is still being researched and parts are still unknown.

@Phil Fantastic Voyage Pitch Presentation

The Zika Virus Pitch

My Animatic (work in progress)

Fantastic Voyage: Environment Development

Taken from my sketchbook work, I've been experimenting with the cell designs and mixing it in with my cityscape idea.

Fastastic Voyage: Environment Design 1

After some OGR feedback, I had to rethink some aspects of the design. To accentuate the ongoing mystery of the Zike Virus, the most exciting idea to me was to use it in a film noire detective setting where scientists search for clues. Instead of carrying on with complicated design, I'm trying to make the concept work by mixing the designs of a film noire type setting like a cityscape into a setting in the human body. The look of the cells mixing with city is complicated as it is hard to find the balance between organic shapes and clear structures. Please tell me whether this is a good start.

Fantastic Voyage: Abstract Thumbnail page

This is just about getting design concepts down on paper. The easiest way for me to start before settling on a specific style was to start with simple mark making with ink and a watercolour paint. Based on my design influences, I'm trying to go for a minimalistic environment and character design. 

Fantastic Voyage: Online Greenlight Review

Fantastic Voyage OGR

Fantastic Voyage: Ideas and Sketches

I'm trying to explore a mixture of bird and mosquito designs, as well as strands and bacteria, so it is at least somewhat clear these are virus cells

Fantastic Voyage: Zika Virus sketches

Sketches of mosquitoes relating to mosquito virus. I want the infection to have mosquito like design so I played around with a quick sketch.