For my first prototype, I wrote a character breakdown and story outline for my short film. I also sketched a couple designs for my robot character as well as key moments in the story. When designing my prototype, I wanted to map out the story of my film as well as the look of the robot character. Developing the look of the robot character is crucial because it informs the story. The feedback I received on which design to go with was helpful in establishing the visual language of the film. I also made sketches depicting key moments in a pivotal scene in the film where the robot awakens for the first time. These sketches are useful in depicting the beats of the sequence as well as informing the storyboard. I presented my prototype to the groups with the intention of learning if my story is cohesive and interesting as well as which robot design worked better for the character. One bit of feedback that I received regarding the story was “show don’t tell.” I will take this into consideration when developing my script and storyboard. I plan to have very little dialogue in the film, so this piece of advice is crucial for my visual storytelling. I also learned that I should try to incorporate the robot’s personality into its character design. Since the robot will only be able to communicate through beeps, the design will inform a lot about the character. The design and movement of the robot will add personality to the character. This feedback will be useful as I create my storyboards for my next prototype.
Characters:
Nat – A lonely inventor who loves designing and building things to stay occupied. She dreams of creating a robot companion.
BZ-9E – A confused yet curious robot that serves as a companion for Nat. It appears gentle at first, but over time begins to show its true colors.
Story:
An inventor, Nat, loves designing and building different things to keep herself occupied. Her dream invention is to create an A.I. robot companion to keep her company. Nat completes work on her eighth robot prototype. When she powers it on, the robot begins to slowly move towards her before it malfunctions. Nat slams her fists on the table in anger before tossing the failed prototype into a junk pile with the other failed prototypes.
After yet another failed robot prototype, Nat seems to give up finding a companion. She is then inspired to create one final prototype before she gives up for good. After finishing her latest prototype, it appears to be another failure.
Then one day, her latest prototype, BZ-9E, powers on and unplugs itself before searching around the apartment. This annoys Nat at first, but she quickly realizes that her prototype is actually a success. Over time, Nat becomes more attached to the robot, interacting with it more than actual people. Unbeknownst to Nat, the robot that she has become so attached to has begun to influence her behavior. Maybe this robot companion is not as harmless after all.
