The Plot

Here's a graph that charts the plot of the storybook, dividing it between the journey of the monkey through the entire timeline, interspersed with the accounts of the other characters.

Seminar 3 : Presentation and Feedback

23rd August, 2013

Thethird seminar presentation gives an overview of the storybook, the stories, themes and the character sketches. It also exhibits some initial character design explorations. The presentation can be viewed here:



The feedback for this seminar was:

PRESENTATION :

- When describing the plot of the story, talk about the larger scenario and how individual accounts are interlinked.
- The energy dips when the audience is asked to read excerpts from the story, instead they should be read-aloud when presenting.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT :

- The characters seem to be at a point of death and resurrection, which gives the story potential to turn the course of events.
- Push the satire and naivety in the tone to create interest.
- Write all the accounts in first person to make the inanimate characters easier to relate to and to give them a personality beyond their basic function.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT : 
- The project demands a strong hand in illustration which is not demonstrated. Need to draw every day and develop a style suitable for the project.
- Draw the animals from life to get a better judgment of what can be exaggerated and to capture nuances.

CONCERNS :
- Highlight the themes and tighten the connections for the reader. - Meet the writing team before creating newer drafts.

NEXT STEPS:- Create newer drafts of the written content to make it direct and make the message clear.
- Draw every day to develop an illustration style.
- Begin working on layouts.

Concept Development - Meet The Characters

Here are the characters, the witnesses and marginalized species who reside in and around urban environments and are affected by the way cities distance themselves from biodiversity and move towards monocultures. Along with the personality and significance of the characters, the excerpts from the stories illustrates their role and perspective in this scenario :

Concept Development - The Stories

"Stop digging your nose in research. Start writing. Be silly"

That was some much needed advice that I received in the last seminar. Even though research and reading can go on forever, it needs to take a backseat now and the process of concept development has to begin.

Here are the ABC's of what the stories require:

The concept 
The storybook weaves together a narrative made up of the accounts of various species that have been witness to or marginalized by the depletion of biodiversity in and around urban environments.

The setting
The stories are set in a landscape that spans across a peri-urban landfill, the farms that produce food for the city and the city itself. 

The Tone
The tales are from the perspective of the various animate and inanimate witnesses. They will try to evoke empathy and curiosity in subjects that are complex yet relevant to the lives of an urban audience. The tone will be casual, satirical and descriptive.