Week Three : Idea Generation

 Understanding Fantasy and Illusion : My short film

                                        Fantasy                                    Illusion

Some people may not be able to differentiate Fantasy and Illusion since to them it may generally mean imagination, however, there is a noticeable line between them that people sometimes overlook.

 In a deeper look according to Robson (2003),'illusions usually occur in the sphere of perception and conceptualisation, whereas fantasies operate in the domain of an alternative reality: reveries, day-dreaming, sudden tides of vivid imaginations.' There we can distinguish a difference between the two, since fantasy is also mostly seen in a positive light in contrast to Illusion being frowned upon as a form of trickery/deception. 

I took this understanding and used it to let myself see clearly the inspiration three VFx artists gave me. 

Alexander Adell

First is the works of Alexander Adell, specifically his work on WALL-E. As he was able to create scenes that most people have not seen before be seemingly real, and mind you, this was accomplished back in 2008.

Jim Rygiel

Next would be about the works of Jim Rygiel especially on his work on the Lord of the Rings. Same as my explanation for Adell, Jim Rygiel "made" imagination into reality focusing on the realism of objects in each scene and how minute details can affect such realism.

Simon Otto

Lastly, would be my inspiration for this short film that came from Simon Otto. The depth of thinking and the way it is executed, he relived the fantasy he had imagined in the film he had made them for. I want to attain such skill and make the same feeling he gives to children whenever they watch and relate to the characters.

When he was asked about the creation of the characters and the dragons he answered, "So, while we were working on creating believable and appealing teen kids on the one side, we also needed to expand our cast of dragon characters on the other. One of my personal goals was to make the dragons more creature like without sacrificing the fun aspect of their designs... Instead we focused much more on developing truly unique and entertaining dragon ideas and behaviours. All of our dragons’ character designs and behaviours were essentially constructed through mixing and matching of interesting characteristics we found in the animal world or in objects with character surrounding us." This made me focus more on wanting to create scenes that would be the same as the inspiration Otto had for the scenes he had made.

So with that, I want to be able to create a scene for my short film about fantasical objects seeping into a simple man's life that presents an object that's seen to be there but in reality it isn't ; The process will require a lot of patience, critical thinking, perception, and general skill in art and editing since having the responsibility of having to create these effects in a real life setting can be a long and tiresome journey. 

References:

Bielik-Robson , A. (no date) Mohamed Kheir the magic of transferring meanings, sometimes bodies, The future of a Fantasy. Available at: https://iwp.uiowa.edu/sites/iwp/files/ICPL%20Panel%20Mohamed.pdf (Accessed: October 22, 2022).

Dora (2012) What does it difference between fantasy and illusion what does it difference between fantasy and illusion, italki. Available at: https://www.italki.com/en/post/question-164526 (Accessed: October 22, 2022).

Frei, V. (2014) How to train your dragon 2: Simon Otto – head of character animation – dreamworks, The Art of VFX. Available at: https://www.artofvfx.com/how-to-train-your-dragon-2-simon-otto-head-of-character-animation-dreamworks/#:~:text=Interviews-,HOW%20TO%20TRAIN%20YOUR%20DRAGON%202%3A%20Simon%20Otto,Head%20of%20Character%20Animation%20–%20Dreamworks&text=In%202010%2C%20Simon%20Otto%20had,HOW%20TO%20TRAIN%20YOUR%20DRAGON. (Accessed: October 23, 2022).