Toolkit 2: Character Design - Week 4: Body Language

Project Collaboration: Character design sketches - trying to find the art style

Project Collaboration: Script

Toolkit 2: Autodesk Maya - 5 Weight Lifting Animation III.

Film Review: Character - Spider-Man: Homecoming

Fig 1: Poster.

Character 1: Peter Parker / Spider-Man

• Personal History: Peter is a high school students, and doesn't really have friends. He is a geek and is a very intelligent and good student.
• Personal World View: He is amazed by the world of being a superhero, with high technology, but he is also 
• Inherited World: He lives in the average world, goes to an average high school, but gets involved with the high technological world of the Avengers.
• Wants (Goals): He wants to help people and fight crime, but he also wants to become a member of the Avengers and take on bigger missions; he says he wants to be like Tony Stark (Iron Man). 
• Internal vs. External Traits: He is an average looking high school boy, with big ambitions and a quite innocent view of the world.
• Flaws: He sometimes takes on crime that are too much for him and he is very young and innocent to handle the harsh cruelty of the real world.
• Overall Story Arc: He starts out as a very enthusiastic person who wants to do bigger things, but by the end of the film he becomes more mature and cautious about everything.
• Conflict: He is bullied by another kid in school and he fights against Vulture; but he is conflicted by things such as revealing he is Spider-Man (even to Aunt May) or later on becoming an official member of the Avengers team.
• Value Change in a Scene: When the Spider-Man suit is taken away from him he is told to stop acting like a superhero, just go back to being an average kid.

Character 2: Adrian Toomes / Vulture

• Personal History: He is an average salvage worker and former owner of Toomes Salvage Company, who later turns to the criminal life stealing/creating weapons and selling them on the black market.
• Personal World View: He sees the world in its harsh and cruel reality and does not care about what people will use his weapons for.
• Inherited World: He starts out in the average world and a worker man, but takes his life to crime, thus seeing that world and lifestyle.
• Wants (Goals): He wants to provide money for his family, but also wants to stay hidden and sell the weapons he and his team stole/created.
• Internal vs. External Traits: He is an average man with a daughter and wife, but when he puts on the exo-suit he becomes very intimidating and frightening. He loves his family, but otherwise does not care for others.
• Flaws: He is ignorant towards others and does not care in whose hands the dangerous weapons end up in, he cares a lot about money.
• Overall Story Arc: He starts out as an average company owner, Adrian Toomes and when his company is shut down, he becomes a criminal and 'villain' known as Vulture.
• Conflict: He has a conflict with the Department of Damage Control, and later he fights with Spider-Man.
• Value Change in a Scene: He turns into a criminal after his company was forced to step down. Furthermore, he has the opportunity to kill Peter when he realises he is Spider-Man, but does not do it because of Liz (his daughter). 

List of Illustration

Figure 1: Poster. [online] At: https://www.cineman.ch/en/movie/2017/SpiderManHomecoming/ (Accessed on 19/10/2017)

Toolkit 2: Autodesk Maya - 5 Weight Lifting Animation II.

Film Review: Structure - Avatar

3 Act Structure

5 Act Structure

3 Act Structure:
Act 1: Exposition: Introduction to main character(s), premise and situation.
Act 1: Inciting Incident: An incident or a problem that sets events in motion.
Act 1: Plot Points 1: The main character faces and takes on the problem.
Act 2: Rising Action / Obstacles: The character is faced with more intense and complicated problem(s).
Act 2: First Culmination: The character is halfway through in achieving their goal, when everything seems to fall apart.
Act 2: Mid point: The character is faced with more intense and complicated problem(s).
Act 2: Plot Point 2: Reversed plot one; it is a change of direction.
Act 2: Climax: Highest point and most intense part of the story, where the characters confronts the major problem.
Act 3: Twist: An unexpected turn of events, that changes the outcome or something minor / major in the story and characters.
Act 3: Denouement / Resolution: The resolution to all the plot strands, this is the calmer part of the story.

Ending Types:
• Open: Open ending is when none of the problems is solved or all conflicts are unresolved.
• Partial: All or most problems are solved, but there is possibility to another adventure ahead.
• Closed: There is resolution to everything in the story or there is no possibility for continuation.

Plot vs Story:
• Arc Plot: Most commonly used plot, there is a linear rise and fall in the story.
• Anti Plot: Non-linear or non-plot, challenging  and going against arc plot methods.
• Mini Plot: Focuses on more smaller stories, have multiple stories overlapping, with multiple protagonist and one antagonist.

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Fig 1: Poster

Act 1: Exposition: The audience is introduced to the protagonist, Jake Sully, a paraplegic war veteran and former Marine. We learn that he is offered to have his legs fixed, if he takes his dead twin brother's place on a mission. They travel to Pandora, a far away planet inhabited by Na'vi, a humanoid native race. The viewers are also introduced the dangers the planet hold during a briefing and we are introduced to some other significant characters (Grace, Norm and Trudy) and why the Na'vi avatars are important in the program.

Act 1: Inciting Incident: Jake connects with his Avatar for the first time, which enables him to breath Pandora's air, but most importantly for him, he is able to walk again. When he wakes up in his usual body again, he is unable to move his legs and later he has a conversation with Colonel Miles Quaritch, who warns him again about the planet's dangers and the Na'vi people, but reassures him if they succeed with the mission, his expensive operation will be funded.

Act 1: Plot Points 1: Jake re-links with his avatar and is taken to Pandora's forest with a small group, who are there to collect samples and take measurement. He wanders around and faces with a heavily-armoured dinosaur-like creature, then a far more deadly predator, a thanator. While Jake runs from the creature, he loses his gun and gets lost, resulting in the team having no choice but to leave him behind. At night Jake is attached by a pack of viperwolves, but is saved by a native archer. He follows her and asks for help and teaching, but she refuses, telling him to go back and 'sky people' are unable to learn. Her opinion about him leaving quickly changes when Jake is covered with the small flying spirits (the seeds of a tree called Eywa, the Na'vis all-powerful god). He is brought to the natives by his rescuer, Neytiri and he is met with the king and queen of the Na'vis (father and mother of Neytiri). He is approved to stay and learn.Jake wakes up in his normal body and tells everything that happened and that he is approved to stay with the natives and learn. He is told by the military and corporate reps that he has 3 months to convince the Na'vis to move from the Hometree (since the tree sits atop of massive deposit of unobtainium) or they use force.

Act 2: Rising Action / Obstacles: Jake starts his training and learning with Neytiri in his Na'vi form, and starts his detailed reports about the Planet and its people in his normal form. He first learns how to mount a horse-like creature and connect with it in order to control it. Grace moves the operation and a small group of people away from the military environment, which influences Jake. In his next videolog Jake talks about the Na'vi language and what Neytiri told him about the native beliefs, the planet and its spirits / energies. Impressed with his progress Neytiri takes Jake to complete the most dangerous lesson, taming and bonding with a banshee. When he succeed, he earns respect from the natives present, even the one who despised him from the start, Tsu'Tey. In his human form he is told by Colonel that the mission is successful and he has arranged the operation fro Jake's legs. But Jake asks to delay the retreat to Earth, claiming that he is almost earned the complete trust of the natives and that he can convince them to move. When he returns to his avatar form, he takes part in a ceremony, where he learns that Na'vis believe that someone can reborn twice. Neytiri tells Jake that he can make a bow from the tree and choose a woman. Jake confesses he has already chosen Neytiri and she chose him, they become mates for life. The next morning despite Jake's try a bulldozer wipes out the sacred place. At the Hometree the Na'vis want a war, but both Jake and Grace argue against it, resulting in Jake confessing in knowing this was going to happen.

Act 2: Plot Point 2: Both Grace and Jake are un-linked from their avatar, but they are allowed back for an hour. They are however not welcomed and wake in their Na'vi avatars tied-up and left behind. They are freed by the queen who asks them to save the tribe. They however run out of time and are disconnected again, only to get help from some other characters and the small team of humans move to a remote lab to continue; but Grace was shot and injured. She sadly dies, but Eywa takes her. Following her death, Jake gathers other tribes to rais the number of warriors, and he prays to Eywa to help them, only to Neytiri telling him, Eywa does not take sides.

Act 2: Climax: A battle between the Na'vis and the humans begin, majorly killing the natives, as they possess less deadlier weapons, such as bows and arrows, while humans are heavily armoured, with guns. When it seems like the humans have the upper hand and they will destroy everything, animals emerge from the leftover forest, and attach humans alongside with the natives, which means Eywa heard Jake's prayer and she is helping them.

Act 3: Twist: While the AMP suited Colonel finds the hidden place, where Jake's body is connected to his avatar. A battle takes place between Colonel and Neytiri then Jake's avatar joins in. Colonel is killed by two arrows, but , due to damage to the lab, it leaks oxygen and human Jake is awaken. He has difficulty breathing and due to his legs, he is unable to reach a mask, but Neytiri comes to aid, thus seeing each other in their natural forms for the first time. Jake also decides to permanently become a Na'vi, and stay with the tribe.

Act 3: Denouement / Resolution: The military base is  under the control of natives, and they lead the remaining humans to the ship and sending them back to Earth. Some of them however are welcomed to stay. A ceremony takes place, where Jake passes through the eye of Eywa and he wakes up in his Na'vi avatar, permanently staying in it.

Type of plot: The film has a common arc plot, which means there is a 'ticking bomb' factor, where if Jake does not get the Na'vis to move the humans will use force and kill them.

Ending type: It is arguably a closed ending, since although there could be another film about what happens after Jake joins the natives, but all initial problems were resolved at the end.

List of Illustration:

Figure 1: Poster. [online image] At: https://www.fandango.com/movie-news/fox-dates-avatar-sequels-a-dark-phoenix-movie-the-predator-new-mutants-and-more-752199 (Accessed on 12/10/2017)

Toolkit 2: Life Drawing #4

Toolkit 2: Autodesk Maya - 5 Weight Lifting Poses I.

Film Review: Archetypes - Harry Potter

The main acrhetypes on a story are: Hero, Shadow/Villain, Herald, Threshold Guardians, Trickster, Mentor, Allies, Shape-shifter; Father, Mother, Child, Maiden.

The Hero: The hero is the main character, from who's perspective the audience sees the story from. Often the whole story revolves around this particular character. The hero is a character the audience easily connects to  and empathises with, wishing their success in whatever journey and adventure they are on.

The Shadow/Villain: This character is the villain of the story or enemy of the hero. Their motives are often to revenge or destroy; often produced because of anger, hate, frustration, grief or simply madness.

The Herald: The herald can be potentially anything; a character; an event; an object. The herald can appear during the journey or is the one who announces or calls the hero for the journey.

The Threshold Guardian: This character's or characters' aim is to stop the hero in their journey.

The Trickster: The role of a trickster character is to provide comic relief, they are the clown of the story or they are mischievous, causing small or big trouble. These characters might not mean to cause trouble, but normally they accept their mischief-making tendencies.

The Mentor: The role of the mentor is to help, teach and guide the main character through the journey. The mentor is usually an older character, possessing lots of experience and wisdom.

The Allies: Allies are characters who join and/or help the hero through their journey. They often are friends and sidekicks.

The Shape-shifter: The shape shifter character changes roles through the story, these changes in the characters behaviour or motives could be either from 'bad-to-good' or the other way around.



The Father: The 'father' character could be either an actual father or someone who represent power and authority; or plays a father type figure in the hero's journey/life. These characters are often serious and judgmental, but that does not apply all the time.

The Mother: The 'mother' character could be either an actual mother or someone who represent nurture and care; or plays a mother type figure in the hero's journey/life. These characters are often female, but can be a male too, for instance the mentor who cares for the hero.

The Child: The 'child' character could be an actual child or someone who is childish, innocence and has an innocent view of things. These characters often posses a pure mind and development through the story.

The Maiden: The 'maiden' character represent purity and sexuality, this character could change a role in the story, for instance become the 'mother' archetype. These characters could also be potential love interests.

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Fig 1: Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort.

Hero: Harry is the hero of this movie series, as we follow his journey to defeat Lord Voldemort, the dark wizard. He is introduced to the audience as a young orphan child, when he starts his studies at Hogwarts. The audience can empathise and connect with his character and care for him, as he grows up and finally faces Voldemort in a final battle.

Shadow: Lord Voldemort is the main villain in the film series, as other harmful and evil characters come and go in different movies. He was weakened when Harry was an infant, and his goal is to gain his full power back and take over the world, becoming the most powerful wizard of all time. He tries to kill Harry multiple times and is clearly an evil character, causing fear everywhere.

Herald: In this film series's case, the herald is not only a character, but there is an object as well. Harry receives his invitation letter to join Hogwarts, which is his call for adventure. But Hagrid also encourages and eventually takes him to the school.

Threshold Guardian: There were multiple characters and creatures that were trying to stop Harry from both succeeding in defeating Voldemort and join the wizard school. But the first characters, who tried to stop Harry from going to Hogwarts in the first place were the Dursley family, his Aunt, Uncle and his cousin.

Trickster: Draco Malfoy  could be described as a trickster, as he ticks on Harry any time he has a chance, but that is more of a bully type of character. However the Weasley twins, Fred and George are clearly tricksters. They provide the audience with comic relief, as they always up to no good, tricking people and causing trouble.

Mentor: Dumbledore, Hogwarts's headteacher is Harry's mentor. He is an elderly wise man, who guides and teacher Harry on his journey, always looking out for the young wizard.

Allies: Ron and  Hermione are Harry's friends and allies since the first film. And while Harry plays the main character, his friends / sidekicks aid him in succeeding. As the three students are faced with easy and hard challenges, they often solve the problem as a team, and both Ron and Hermione are with Harry every step of the way.

Shape-shifter: Snape is the shape-shifter character in the film series. He comes across as a unlikable and unfriendly character, and he is shown to be part of Voldemort's army. But later on it is discovered that he is not against Harry, but was deceiving Voldemort the whole time, fighting for Harry.

Mother: McGonagall can be seen as a mother archetype as, she is the caring female character in Hogwarts, but Molly Weasley, Ron's mother is the one who acts like a mother towards Harry and treats him like his own son.

Father: Dumbledore can be seen as a father archetype as he cares for Harry, while he stays fairly serious; but Sirius Black, Harry's godfather is the one who clearly shows how much he loves and cares for the young boy.

Child: Hagrid, can be seen as the child archetype, since he comes across as a slightly goofy and innocent character; he has childish traits, but he is an adult. Furthermore, Luna Lovegood is a child archetype, as she is a very pure and innocent student.

Maiden: From the beginning the young Hermione was a potential love interest for Harry, but she ended up with Ron, so Ginny (who also fits the archetype) is the one who ends up with the hero.

List of Illustration:

Figure 1: Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. [online image] At: http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/flint/index.ssf/2011/07/farewell_harry_potter_final_mo.html (Accessed on 05/10/2017)

Perspectives: Lecture 3 - The Apple, Auschwitz & The Incredulous Frenchman

• Meta-narrative: Meta-narrative (or grand narrative) is a theory or interpretation of things and situations that provides a pattern or structure for people’s beliefs and gives meaning and context and purpose to experiences and life.

• Essentialism: It is a belief that everything has a set of certain characteristics or feature, which make them what they are, they are essential and necessary for their identity or function.

• Utopian: A place, state or society, where everything is perfect and/or ideal.

• Axiomatic: Is self-evident, explains itself and is unquestionable.

• Dystopian: A place, state or society, where things are unsuitable for normal living conditions, cannot rise up to healthy or pleasant standards; unpleasant, dreadful and cannot be escaped.

• Scepticism: Doubtful of the truth of something and the information provided; questions the certain concept or knowledge.

• Relativism: A theory that suggest that nothing is absolute, and people are entitled to their own interpretations and views about right or wrong / moral or immoral.

• Pluralism: A society where two or more collective groups (authorities, religion, classes, races, etc.) coexist.

Toolkit 2: Life Drawing #3

Toolkit 2: Character Design - Week 2: Design Conceits

Project Collaboration: First Acting Class & Developing Ideas