A Cape for my Mother
Hi, my name is Alexix Pratt, I will be creating an animated website with a story that is colorful, challenging, heartwarming, and fun. The story is about a coding genius struggling to find the symbol of the season of giving during the most stressful time of the year the holidays. My goal is to inspire teenagers and young adults’ to personally connect with the characters through their own experiences and relationships formed throughout their lives to discover who they are. Experience “A Cape for My Mother” interactive character Meet and Greet May 2021.
Each character will be represented in their own online profile explaining their personality traits and personal experiences that shape their role in the story.
The first character is Max, a 22-year-old coding genius who has been working for a LIFE company for 5 years, he is very smart but is smart-mouthed, a slacker, often the target of bullying at his job. The second character is Rosie, she is a shopkeeper with a side hustle for the ages, a godmother to Max, and a friend to his grandmother best known for being relatable, wise, outgoing, has a good sense of community, and helps Max on his journey.
As a first draft, I am writing the story as a children’s book, which will help lay the groundwork for me to write it as a novel for the intended audience.
After having the opportunity to meet and share my project idea with Alice Cahn, listening to her feedback here are the two changes she suggested.
- The main plot of the story should revolve around the holidays and not just Christmas as I originally intended.
- The intended audience should be from ages 12-17 rather than 9-17 because the topics the characters will depicting in the story this age group will understand.
An honest account of the progress of my project is depending on a story. I have a very good idea of the visual components that are a part of my project. I think in order to best convey my ideas visually I need to just start drawing see what works and what doesn’t work and understand the kind of people the characters will be and how their stories work together. I believe what holds me back is fear of failure and the lack of confidence to successfully convey my idea in both words and actions. While writing this I am becoming more excited about this project coming to life. Knowing that putting in the work to do so will be tough, I am excited to see it through. Storyboard coming in a few hours.
Part 2: Timeline of plans and progress
Brainstorm: Animation 1 Semester: Fall 2019
Practice proposal writing: Animation 1 Feb 1st – Feb 23rd, 2019
Story Writing
Start Date: December 19th, 2019, Jan 27th, 2020, Feb 1st, 3rd, 17th, and 18th 2020, May 24th, 2020 October 15th, 2020 – Current
Finish Date: TBA
Things that need to be done
Writing
- 1-2 revisions of story and send to 2 Professors and Alice Cahn
- Character Descriptions, Personality Profiles, and Role in the Story
Trad-Digital Art
- Finalize storyboard, character designs, and 3 scenes for each character
- Establish color schemes for website and Digital Art backgrounds.
Coding
- HTML and CSS
- Have a full understanding of Javascript that is used for the project
- Learn to embedded rigged and animated 3D models to the web
3D Modelling
- 3D modeling of characters
- Character walk cycle
- Interactive Movement: Wave “Hello” and point to select page titles on the screen. *Subject to change*
Thanksgiving Break: Nov 23rd – 29th
Storyboard and Floor Plans ideas revised
Week of Nov 30th and Dec 4th
Storyboards for website layout and digital art backgrounds.
Winter Break: December 15th – December 31st
Writing
- Completed and spell-checked at least 1-2 revisions of the story to be sent to 2 Professors and Alice Cahn.
- Character Descriptions, Personality Profiles, and Role in the Story
Trad-Digital Art
- Finalize storyboard, character designs, and 3 scenes for each character
- Establish color schemes for the website and digital art backgrounds.
December 31st
Send for Feedback on finalized sketches for the storyboard, website layout, 3D modeled characters, and digital art backgrounds.
Spring 2021 Semester Plans *much of this will be worked on simultaneously and subject to change*.
January 1st – January 22th
Work on digital art backgrounds, coding website, start 3D modeling characters
January 29th
Send for Feedback from professors on coded website layout, started 3D modeled characters, and digital art backgrounds.
Jan 31st, Feb 1st to 22nd
Work on 3D modeled walk cycle, and digital art backgrounds, and coded website
Feb 26th Send for feedback on 3D modeled character walk cycle, and digital art backgrounds.
Feb 28th, March 1st – 19th
Work on interactive 3D modeled character, digital art backgrounds, and adding assets to coded website
Week of March 22nd to 26st
Finish interactive 3D modeled character, digital art backgrounds, and adding assets to coded website
March 26 – April 5th
Test the website to see if it works the way intended.
April 12th
Finalize Portfolio and Promotional Accounts
- Finalize work on Senior Thesis
- Prep Portfolio and Promotional Accounts
- Prep for Senior Showcase