::V1Z D3V - 07H3R P0551B1L17135::

I thought to myself, what if this took place in 180 degree temperature difference?  What if it was in an African jungle?  With tigers instead?  Hey, it's possible, right Bengal mother?

Based on the reference pictures below:

This was an email my father sent me on o9.26.2o1o:

The law of the wild says kill only when you are hungry!!!

Michel Denis-Huot took these photos in Masai Mara, a Kenyan safari:  "These three cheetah brothers libing together since they left their mother at about 18 months old.  One morning we saw them, they seemed not to be hungry, walking quickly but stopping sometimes to play together.  At one point, they met a group of impala who ran away.  But one youngster was not quick enough and the brothers caught it easily."

Then I thought maybe I should make them an eskimo family?  The Husky breed came from Inuits for transportation, mating dogs and wolves.  Interesting, but they wouldn't kill wolves...  This doesn't work because I don't want the film to pertain to any specific culture.  Back to sub-degrees again:

::V1Z D3V - 5H075 + 53771N65::

These are some location shots and background designs with characters for conceptual scale, lighting, and effects.

This was one of the first pieces of concept art--trying a thicker inky outline and brush stroke.  It's nice, but not for this film.  It takes away from the magical feel from the exploration of LUMI.

This was done today, 26 days after the previous image.  I've been working out the story, and the layouts of the shots--now the REAL fun begins!

Colors and mood are ok, but still not exactly what I want?  Going to experiment more with styles later...

::CH4R4C73R R3ND3R5::

Getting ready for my Preliminary Review for early next semester [Spring 2o11].  These are the final [or extremely close to] character designs, colors, and style of LUMI, EDMUND, and LYALL.  I'm still experimenting with the coloring technique, and if I want to keep the outline.  For this film, I'm leaning towards keep it because it's a harsher type of story.

LUMI's coat is based off a holiday jacket that my mother gave to me and my younger sister.  I treasured it and wore it every Christmas; I still have it for it's seasonal spirit.  I looked at Elmer Fudd for EDMUND's gun, and Colonel Mustard for the clothing colors  [my favorite male Clue character!]  I like LYALL without an outline, but he looks like a ghost against the snow without it.  :]

::C0L0R 5CR1P7 + K3Y5::

This is a color progression of the story, and the intensity graphed by event that happens chronologically in the film:

Using the storyboards, I made the story beats of the film put into perspective of values and color based on the script above.

::R3-B04RD3D::

This section is a re-working of the part when the wolves are fighting.  Jim had an idea that maybe the wolf is seen since the beginning, and watches the girl try to experience nature, but learns her father is controlling.  I had considered this option before writing the whole story, but I felt that the first third of the story should be focused on the relationship between the two humans.  The second part should be spontaneous in a meeting of a human and animal; a raw and real experience.

I don't think I'll go with this version because it goes against LUMI's character to absorb, touch, and explore nature by killing an animal.  Even if she knocks a malicious-looking rat out and offers it to a wolf, it's still violent, and I want to keep her innocent until the very end.

73MP P057

::R0U6H B04RD5::

A nicer version of the first draft:  Thanks to Jim Hull and Robert Lence, my story is progressing well.  Both said that the story is well on it's way.  Robert suggested having more interactions and reactions, but I think I have to be careful of the time.  Jim thought about cutting the action down to one day, and have LUMI's father find her after she encounter's the wolf...  I think I'll have to do an animatic next to figure out if I need to cut down.  It's looking like a 6 minute film at this point--hopefully not longer.  >o<