Overdue Update

I know it's been a while since I posted anything.

Situations have come up. Production's been slowed.
We may have to push the release date back to 2016.

Still I'm hoping...

_________________________________

- UPDATED -
We're Back in the Saddle!

Things are back to normal. In fact things are better than ever.
Expect some major updates soon.

THE PATIENT

MY COMPUTER IS SICK :(

I'm writing this from a netbook at work because my computer has died.

Well not quite. Not yet anyway, but doctors say it doesn't look good.

The diagnosis is that it needs a motherboard transplant.
We're on the waiting list.

Please pray for my computer.

Until it's fixed, I won't be able to give you any cool amazing stuff.
_______________________________________
*EDIT*

Ok so I finally got my computer to a specialist.
They're working on it right now.

Cross your fingers everyone.

_______________________________________
*EDIT*

HOORAY! =D

My computer lives!

2 weeks (and almost $200 later), the old GIB-2000 is up and running.
I'm Back in Business!

Now it's time to get booking because as they say: "The Show Must Go On"

Stay TOONED!

THE SETTING

Brookshire Island

I wanted to give you guys a tour of Brookshire Island.
The main setting for the movie (most of it).

I've created a computer generated model for us to travel through, to see how things work. 

NOTE: this was created for reference in the creative process. It is not meant to be of superior quality or detail. There are a great many instances of forestry, geology, and other natural surroundings that will not be visible. 

This is Brookshire. It's not actually an island - at least not most of it - but as you can see it jets out into the river, creating a lagoon and bar upon which the village is built.

These are the docks.
Yeah ok, I guess you could tell that already. But you know what you probably didn't know smarty pants?
The docks are where the "BOATS COME IN" MIND = BLOWN!
One of the things Brookshire thrives on is it's fishing industry.

The hills to the South (I guess, who know's which was is north or south or what-not), with some limestone cliffs in the background.
The point jutting out there is "Spring Ridge".
An underground spring funnels water up to the overhang lite where it feeds into a light flowing waterfall.
Bountiful "Spring Fruit" grow throughout the woods leading up to the falls.  

I've just got to do a musical number there.

The main village is composed of several small huts.
This is not an exceedingly wealthy village but the surrounding area is paradise.

Behind the village is the market.
It's hard to see here with all the white but this is the general idea of what it will look like.

You can imagine the setting.

There is a small brook that separates the island. into two main areas.
A stone bridge connects the gap between the village...

... and the clergy. This building is the major icon of the movie, for the most part.
The "Saint Altos Abby" is probably the oldest building on the island.
It houses a Monastery, a Convent, and an Orphanage.
We do have some color images of it.

Stay TOONED!

THE MUSIC

Animated Musicals

OK so here’s the thing:

When I watch most official Musicals, whether a Movie or a Broadway Play, I generally find there is an emphasis on the word MUSIC.

Well DUH!

No what I mean is there is about 80% effort placed on the music and only about 20% on the story. As a result there is a lot of show to sit through but the story suffers. The resolution in the end usually comes down to something like:

“We just sung a big song and dance number, now I think I’ve figured out how to solve our dispute.” The end.

Not much depth as far as the plot goes, very little character development, and rarely any  intricacies, action scenes, romance, mystery, or final confrontations. The work simply serves as an excuse to sing songs.

Now if that’s what you like that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with sitting down to a night of singing.

But if that’s the case then what’s the point of even having a story?

Ever heard of a piece called “Songs for a New World?” 

If the fictional part is going to take a back seat, you might as well just watch a concert. Am I right?

BUT IN AN ANIMATED FILM…

… there isn’t enough time for that.

You see there’s this sick notion in the film industry: “ANIMATION = SHORT”.

Trivia Fact: "Dumbo is the shortest Disney Feature of all time."

This is something that has always annoyed me as someone who sees animation as just as legitimate a form of art as anything else. Why is it that an animated movie always has to be shorter than a live action?

“…because kids have shorter attention spans, GIB, they HAVE to be shorter…”

OK, first of all, don’t get me started on the legitimacy of cartoons and who they should be marketed to. But regardless; in an age where nearly ALL movies are blooming to 2 ½ to 3 hours long, can we not at least have a full length animated movie?

Seriously.

HOWEVER!

In the case of a musical this is sort of a good thing.

Because an animated musical is the length it is, it is not 4 hours long with a 10 minute overture that makes you wanna pull your hair out and an intermission that is ironically too short to get a snack. It is an hour and a 30, maybe 45 minutes. The producers don’t have time to include 16 songs about everything under the cardboard sun hanging overhead. They must prioritize.

The average animated feature film has classically had about 4 to 6 songs within the time frame and all are generally a slight bit shorter than your average radio track, so the emphasis is placed roughly 50/50, on the music vs. the story. 

Maybe 60/40 depending upon how many songs there are.

What’s more is that the songs are written so as to move the plot along. 

You’ll almost never see a song like this…

F.Y.I. - Contrary to what the title sounds like,

"White Christmas" has nothing to do with snow.

When your time is crunched you don’t have time to simply sit and sing about some random idea: The concept of snow, A pair of dancing shoes, why there will never be a musical staring Justin Bieber. Every song has to be an important part of the script. 

Good musicals do this in several ways.

- They exist as rhythmic extensions of dialogue.

- They introduce characters and plot devices quickly.

- They serve to teach personal lessons or help a character feel a certain way.

- Montague scenes can move time along for a sequence of events.
- The're funny. (This one doesn't really save time but it makes the time more enjoyable.)

The best type of animated song is one that can serve several purposes. For instance:

Opens the movie, introduces a main character, a village, the villain and his minion, explains Bells disposition in the village, and gives a feel for the French countryside, all in one. 
It can’t be boring because no one character holds a line for more than about 8 seconds. The visuals are everywhere and the song has at least 4 sections of melody. 
It also has hilarious parts sung by Gaston and the Bimbettes, and wonderful melodic choreography among the townspeople. 
AND it sets the stage for the movie’s sound track with 2 unforgettable themes that repeat throughout the movie.

NOW THAT IS HOW YOU MULTI-TASK.

I would give the song: “Bell” from Beauty and the Beast, the award for greatest animated musical piece. 
Of course you may disagree.

What are YOUR favorite Animated Songs?

Stay TOONED!