This week, I focused my research on the design of the robot character. After receiving feedback from Professor Ault, I decided to look into how I could portray the personality of my robot character through its design. At first, I was thinking it should have a sleek, iPhone-like appearance, with a screen for a face. The robot would act like a rambunctious child, where his curiosity would get him into trouble. After considering how I would like the character to act, I realized that the design I was picturing wouldn’t exactly work. If I decide that the robot is child-like, it should therefore have a more chaotic design. This could include household objects slapped together and dangly wires.
I first looked into what makes a good character design. I found some useful character design tips that will come in handy when designing my character. These include developing its back story and researching other characters, but also stepping away from reference material. I researched other short films that feature a robot character in a live action environment.
https://www.creativebloq.com/character-design/tips-5132643
I also started to look into different homemade robots that people have built. Some of these incorporate household objects into their designs, such as CDs, bottlecaps, straws, popsicle sticks, and toothpicks. I also found an article about a man who creates DIY robots to perform functions around the house, such as a robotic footstool that follows you around and rests where you need it.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/robots/a3955/4285232/
When prototyping, I will begin to map out the story and work on the character design. I will define the personality and incorporate the character traits into the design of the robot character. I must also determine the function of the robot and take that into account when creating the design.