Some thoughts on how "The Thoughts" could be developed

I've been thinking about how this interactive product could be developed or taken further at a later stage. One idea I've been looking into and experiencing on the net is the idea of an interactive community. Where different users across the world wide web could communicate and interact in various ways. Three examples I have viewed and evaluated to some extent are listed below with my thoughts.

1. 7 Years Later - interactive film advertisement which as a community area where users/creators can upload and exchange their own versions of the film to others, which I find interesting and useful on various levels in terms of communication and interaction.

2. Orange Talking Point site where you can vote for a word and voice your oppinions and try to interact with Orange and shape their views etc. This like above is a commercial idea to get people involved and to get email addresses and new customers eventually. Maybe a bit of a marketing gimmick to some extent. However the technology and simplicity of the idea is great and again its something that gets the user involved and interacting/communicating in an interesting innovative way.





3. Coke Creator site which allows you to create your own Coke poster. From a creative and educational viewpoint this is a great way again to get people involved and to develop skills etc. Like above it is about this Generation Content marketing idea - getting consumers to produce content for the Brand, therefore developing a relationship with the Brand etc etc. It contains great working, usable, dynamic, intuitive and fluid interaction. You have the option to upload and send your poster, which could be interesting in terms of evaluating work etc as well.







The sites are bookmarked on my Del.icio.us.

In terms of "The Thoughts". It could be developed with options for the users/viewers to upload their own thoughts to the narrative/animations and therefore changing the sequences or advancing the narrative etc, or more simply adding evaluative comments about the film etc. This is food for thought, but I would have to develop my php/database skills a lot more or employ someone to do this.

Development of Interface Design

I have now developed the Interface in Flash keeping to and adding to my initial sketches in my sketchbook. I now have a working interactive Interface for "The Thoughts". I have been exploring actionscript and buttons/links to different scenes and building the Interface in a modular fashion within Flash so to keep down download times and to improve usability etc.
I am very happy with this so far and feel I have produced something visually stunning but also works well in terms of usability, however I will continue to refine and then test when complete in the next two weeks.

Roughs/ideas from sketchbook:





Designs so far:






I have been looking at several sites with interesting interfaces, including the "Pepsi" example below, which is visually great but is slow and not very usable. I need to develop the balance between content and functionality so that the interface and product as a wow factor visually but also as immediate and intuitive interaction and navigation. Please see my Del.icio.us bookmarks for examples of sites I've been viewing/evaluating.




This week I will explore more actionscript and develop the placeholders for the animations using the load movie function.
I am aiming to have a fully working prototype to bring into Bath Spa on May 2nd to show Martin and Graham and to test.

The animations are really only at a starting point /initial level so far (It is very time consuming). However I plan to add to them and develop over the next 6-8 weeks, so that by the hand-in they will be rich and fully developed, bearing in mind one of my influences "A Scanner Darkly" which uses the Rotoscoping technique I am exploring took a year to make with about 50 animators. So I have to be realistic with what I can achieve on my own within the timescale. I am enjoying making them though. It is very rewarding seeing things come to life.

Development of structure/planning.

I have now put in lots of work in the past two weeks on this project. Therefore I have made a few important decisions and advances with the structure of the interactive, animation and design experience that is "The Thoughts".

First: The interface design and most of the animations will be in greyscale so that it is in keeping with "The Conversation" footage which was shot in black and white. This will help keep consistency within the appearence which I feel is important. However within parts of the animation there will be flashes of colour to add meaning, tension and intrigue etc.

Second: I have now been reviewing my past work in Flash and developing my skills and techniques. After exploring other software I have decided to adapt my deliverables somewhat and produce the Interface and Animations in Flash, although there will be some work produced in Final-Cut and Soundtrack Pro. The main SWF file (Interface) will be 800x600 pixels and 12fps, so primarily aimed at the web but also other interactive platforms as well. The animations will be separate Flash movie files which will load into place holders in the main SWF file.

I will keep with the idea of the 3 animations for this scene 4 prototype as so:
1. 5 second clip, 200x100 pixels (initial, dark, nightmarish thoughts).
2. 8 second clip, 300x200 pixels (growing, over the top, fantasy, dreamlike thoughts).
3. 13 second clip, 400x300 pixels (more developed, rational thoughts-mixed with live footage etc).
this is all keeping with earlier ideas, but more developed. Getting across the idea that thoughts develop and become more rational as they grow.

So I will hand in:
1. A complete Flash prototype concentrating on Scene 4. Handed in on CD.
2. Back-up work including my sketchbook/log and this reflective, critical blog.
3. Ideas/visuals on how this project could be taken further in terms of Interactive Design/Media.

Third: I have now completely sorted out the narrative structure of the film/animations and how everything works together (based around the shell/Golen Ratio concept). I will continue to develop this as I progress with the project keeping in mind the viewer's/user's experience. I will also use the sound from "The Conversation" plus added atmospheric soundscapes. However I will only use some of the real footage in clip 3(as above).

Here are some ideas from my sketchbook:

Development of project - progress so far

I am now progressing with this project in several ways. Firstly I have now refined and decided on the approach and content. Secondly I have started to refine the script and created mood boards and image researching for the animations. Thirdly I have started to produce the animations exploring the use of various software and ideas.

1. Approach and Content: following on from previous comments I'm going to produce a prototype which shows three options on the spiral narrative structure using scene 4 of 'The Conversation' for 'The Thoughts' as shown in sketchbook. I will design an Interface based on the animations where the screens for 'The Conversation' and 'The Thoughts' are situated and various screens come to life or in view dependent on users choices and options chosen. I've decided on some sort of colour coded slider bar for interaction. So dependent on slider bar position the appropriate animation choice and colours etc will show and play. I'm hoping for a seemless, fluid interaction and visual asethic. The size of the screens and length of the footage/animations will be determined by the Fibbonaci numbers ratio and related to a. Dark, hidden, negative, nightmarish thoughts - 13 seconds. b. In-different, unsure, maybe more real/developed thoughts similar to script for 'The Conversation' - 21 seconds. c. Positive, over the top, larger than life, fantasy, dreamlike, irrational thoughts - 34 seconds. This is to give the idea of how thoughts could grow in different ways and the user/viewer as an option to progress the narrative dependent on choices made so that the thoughts could be dark/twisted, normal rational or dreamlike and fantasist. Also suggesting that thoughts grow in this natural spiral shape and evolve as a person becomes more concious of what they are going to say, but there are still sub-concious thoughts etc and as they keep growing they become maybe more rational or more irrational. So playing with hidden feelings and thoughts and the idea of 'what you say is maybe not what you think'. I will explore this further and refine more. I want to explore syncronising both 'The Conversation' and 'The Thoughts' together so that the interaction effects both.

2. The script is now written and I have produced a couple of mood boards as shown and in sketchbook - creating a feel for the animations. I have started to collect images and ideas as so: a. slutty, ugly, dark, red, envy, vampire kiss/bite etc. b. kiss, dress, question marks, more real feel etc. c. togetherness, love hearts, erotic silohettes, dreamlike fantasy. lips, butterflies etc. I'm also going to play around with motion typography and sound design to add to the atmosphere of the animations.

3. I have explored using various software including: QuickTime, Flash, Fireworks and Motion so that the animations contains some film footage, type, rich colourful animations using a similar technique to 'Rotoshoping' (Waking Life, A Scanner Darkly etc) based on 'Rotoscoping'. I'm exploring how to build the prototype - combination of software etc. however I plan to complete the animations and interfaces over the next two weeks and then get them working in Flash for the interaction and completion.

The visuals for the animations will be a mix of techniques and experimental image making. Creating an extreme from 'The Conversation', a difference. Yet I want to create a style for them and the Interface so there is consistency in look and feel.
I want the content to evolve as thoughts do. Thoughts are about problem solving, thinking, engaging so I want the viewer to engage with the interface and animations in this way. Exploring imagination, a sense of magic. maybe the absurd, irrational, dysfunctional behaviour. Exploring dreams and reality, inner thoughts and make believe. I've read and explored Linklater's and Sabiston's techniques (direction and Rotoshoping) related to the above ideas. Also exploring and watching some Michael Gondry's films including 'The Science of Sleep' as I want to play around with scales, proportions, shapes and surreal, non real imagery. I've found and read a couple of articles in 'Sight and Sound', BFI, August 2006 related to the above.

I've also explored animated narrative structures and will explore and I have read about: Abstract and Interpretive forms which will be what I will use to suggest an imagined world an incoherent thought. The use of illogical, irrational continuities and maybe the audience will make their own interpretations of what they see. Like visions exploring dreamlike individuality. I think it should be challenging. I will also explore: synecdoche, metonymy, metamorphosis, condensation, symbolism and metaphors within the animations visuals and structure. I have read 'Understanding Animation' by Paul Wells, published by 'Routledge' to help me understand the above.

I've also looked at some animations from 'RESFEST 2006' to help me with influences and inspiration including a Nada Surf video 'Blankest Year' by Kristian Davidek and Verena Soltiz which explores the use of silohettes which I found interesting and others to do with layering imagery which is related to maybe layers of thoughts, the darkest being well hidden.