Animated Narratives: Wiki Premise Week #1

Wiki Premise Week #1

Character/Location/Action- Exercise 

A man with skill tester claws for hands / in his house alone / trying to make toast

The themes of this story explore a sense of dark comedy, yes the situation is humorous and ridiculous, but it also plays on our insecurities and fears as human beings. (the trauma of being “thrown into the deep end” dealing with problems that you feel ill-equipped to handle)

I imagine this story as an animated short, as I feel that the lack of limitations when it comes to animation would be key in expressing these ideas in the narrative.

For example, I would use a camera shot from inside the toaster, looking up at our character, as his expression and body language (exaggerated in animation) would convey his fear of the task ahead. The character is also designed with animation in mind, his bag head and face having drawn on expressions which magically change and animate depending on his expression.

This Work is similar to the themes found in michel gondry’s film clip for the Radiohead song “Knives Out” In which serious fears and the everyday anxiety of life is contrasted with surreal imagery and dark comedic themes.

YouTube. (2001). Radiohead - Knives out. [Online Video]. 23 January 2015. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lpw3yMCWro. [Accessed: 11 March 2021].

Upon Reflection of this of my related work and further rumination on the concept, I think of idea as more of a short film, with the toast making being just one example of this charcter's day to day life. I think their is both comedic and dramatic potential in expanding the idea so that the narrative ultimately creates a sympothic and somber tone.