Character Design Brief
Writing a story...
For the next stage of the project, I need to start developing a story. First, I took these random prompts out of the hat: 'pirate ship' (setting) and 'human nature' (theme for the story).
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Here's my moodboard for the pirate ship setting.
The challenge now is to bring all the following elements together for a plot: my character, 'Chancer', another select object from the Fitzwilliam museum sketches, a pirate ship and human nature.
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I got to work jotting down ideas both mind-mapping and whenever inspiration hit me, I wrote in my sketchbook. Sometimes I have been out walking and made notes on my phone; I find being outside for a walk is a sure way to crystalise my thoughts and make connections between ideas.
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The new setting of the pirate ship took me down a path of thinking that the museum object should be some kind of treasure, sought after by pirates. My character, Chancer, is someone I imagine fooling the rich and naive in Victorian London, however the experienced criminals aboard a pirate ship could provide a fitting antagonistic obstacle to his usual tricks.
Here's the mind map: a useful springboard to bring together different elements.
Additionally, I filled out a character questionnaire, to further familiarise myself with my character. Knowing more about the characters themselves can also spark off plot ideas.
I get to work on figuring out the plot.
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Though I love drawing, I have come to recognise how much writing may be my favourite part of the creative process. As long as I can remember, I have written story ideas in sketchbooks, usually for my original comics. It's always a combination of doodles, notes in sketchbooks and random thoughts jotted down on my phone.
Here are some sketchbook pages showing how I came to some of the story. I only had a few days to write the pirate plot. Usually I would have filled many more pages with different options but I needed to go with what was immediately working within the limited time.
Much of this was transcribed as soon as I got back from a walk. I remember being really unsure of how the plot could work, then popping out to collect a Subway for my girlfriend and returning twenty minutes later with the whole story in my head, desperate to get it on paper before losing it.
I thought it would be interesting to have Chancer's usual trick of disguising himself to be thrown back at him. He boards a naval ship and is surprised to find himself on a ship of pirates, disguised as a legitimate battleship as to go undetected in the docks of London. The captain of the ship, as an experienced trickster himself, can see right through Chancer's disguise.
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In class we looked at the fundamentals of storytelling such as the three act structure. The pirates presented me with a compelling antagonistic force, and the capture of Chancer would be my inciting incident. A most heinous hippopotamus, Captain Belch, made for a physical and mental match to our lovable criminal.
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It was a challenge to weave the intricacies of a plot in which Chancer could outsmart an experienced pirate. I put Chancer in a situation difficult to escape from- a guarded prison cell on a ship full of pirates in the middle of a cold sea - far from the relative comfort of Chancer's home turf. I began to think the best way was to appeal to the heart of his guard; a conversation which would also reveal more of Chancer's motivations in life.
Using my early museum sketch of a clay flask depicting a fictional creature, I had found my MacGuffin (a mysterious object of value which the characters are pursuing). On the theme of human nature, the greed of the pirates could be their undoing, blinding their judgement in obsessively searching for the golden object.
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In my sketchbook notes, I looked for a playful name for this mythical creature. I ended up with 'pufferoo', combining pufferfish and kangaroo. 'The Flying Pufferoo' added the winged aspect, and made a name that felt closer to what I was after. In the mould of 'The Maltese Falcon', the object drives the plot yet remains mysterious.
My 500 word synopsis for the story is as follows...
The Flying Pufferoo
Logline: An infamous London trickster meets his match on a ship full of dastardly pirates.
It is a foggy night in Victorian London, and a new exhibition of ancient treasures is being unveiled to the upper crust socialites. The infamous ‘Chancer’, a cocky little reindeer and master of disguise, is about to pull off his latest heist. Disguised as a wealthy collector, he pretends to examine a priceless antique pot: ‘The Flying Pufferoo’, a golden clay pot depicting a mythical tubby, winged creature. He cunningly pilfers the pot and flees the scene. A chase ensues, with countless coppers following him across the rooftops of London. Chancer sheds his disguise as he runs, outpacing the police as he starts to sprint on all four hooves.
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Desperate to lose the tail, Chancer buries the antique on the bank of the Thames and boards a naval ship leaving the docks, dressing himself as a sailor. However, as the ship pulls away from the land, the crew cackle and unmask, revealing a ship full of pirates! Led by the odious hippo, Captain Belch, the crew tell tales of shore leave and prospects of fresh treasure. Chancer believes he’s blending in, having quickly changed into a buccaneer costume. And yet, the captain rumbles him, holding up Chancer’s wanted posters and excited to claim the bounty on his head.
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Chancer is locked in the brig.
“You can’t con a con man, son”, Belch tells his prisoner. Chancer is mocked as the pirates go through his bag of disguises in front of him. Belch further lectures Chancer, and the crew massage their captain’s ego as he vainly reads the vicious crimes from his own wanted poster. Chancer remains defiant, unintimidated despite the mounting danger.
Back out on the deck, a newsboy seagull drops a fresh newspaper to the captain. Belch learns of the recent exhibition heist, for which Chancer is the prime suspect.
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Chancer pulls out a scrunched-up London map and tries to burn it but is stopped before it is destroyed. Belch identifies it as leading to The Flying Pufferoo, which is nowhere to be found on board.
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Belch and the crew happily return to London to claim the reward for Chancer and find the elusive artefact. Meanwhile, Chancer gains the confidence of his downtrodden guard, a pig named Sausage Roll, who is always abused and belittled by the captain. The two share a heart-to-heart talk on their lack of lucky breaks in life, both yearning for true freedom.
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The crew are led by the map to the genuine Pufferoo buried on a bank of the Thames. Belch and all climb down a rope ladder from the ship, forgetting their naval disguises in the excitement. The pirates dig and soon discover the Pufferoo, glinting gold in the dirty sand. They celebrate but look up to find Chancer in an admiral’s costume, assuming command of the ship. Assisted by his new first mate, Sausage Roll, Chancer pulls up the ladder. The tide has come in quickly and the stranded pirates are caught red-handed by the police. Chancer sails off in his ‘naval’ ship to new horizons, gleefully calling out to his captor, “YOU CAN’T CON A CON MAN, SON!”
Writing a script...
Following the synopsis, we were asked to write three pages of script. Although I have a lot of experience writing ideas for stories, I never translate those ideas into the format for a screenplay, so this was a challenge.
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I chose what I thought would be a meaty scene of dialogue: the first truly open confrontation with Chancer and Captain Belch. This would take place immediately after Chancer has been rumbled and seized by the pirates.
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In addition to the dialogue, we were asked to consider camera moves in anticipation of storyboarding and ultimately animatic (and then shooting, which I won't be doing for this project). I feel like I have a sense of where the camera should be, but I am learning the specific terminology for each shot so it is understood clearly on the page. I hope these script pages show a good combination of visual and spoken elements.
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EXT. PIRATE SHIP IN MIDDLE OF SEA – FOGGY NIGHT
Single seagull flies over the ship.
PIRATES CACKLE
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INT. SHIP CORRIDOR - NIGHT
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P.O.V. DOWN THE CORRIDOR, HEAVY BOOTS THUNDERING, SOUND OF SCRAPING HOOVES.
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Open door glowing at end of dimly lit corridor. Porthole to outside.
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INT. THE BRIG - NIGHT
A dingy candlelit space in the belly of the ship.
CHANCER is being held at each arm by large pirates: BLACKTOOTH, a crocodile, and SAUSAGE ROLL, a large pig.
DOLLY BACK with the pace of their walk into the room, Chancer forced INTO CAMERA.
BLACKTOOTH
(EXCITED CACKLE)
CHANCER
Get off me, you scaly git!
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A single prison cell awaits, with a pirate holding the rusty door open, ready for Chancer.
FULL SHOT of Chancer as he is thrown into the empty cell. The door is SLAMMED on him and LOCKED. BELCH enters.
BELCH
Do you think we were born yesterday?
UP SHOT of Belch as he is handed Chancer’s pirate costume, which he tears in two with a strong RIP.
BELCH
We’ve seen it all! You can’t con a con man, son.
Belch pulls Chancer’s main wanted poster from his outer coat pocket.
CLOSE UP of the poster being NAILED to the wall by Belch with a heavy dagger.
Belch pulls out a handful of posters, each showing Chancer in different guises and listing his various crimes.
BELCH
Thieving, looting, breaking and entering, fraud, resisting arrest, escaping custody... You have been a busy boy, haven’t you?
Chancer defiantly stands facing Belch in his cell. He takes a step towards his captor, displaying a rebellious smile.
BELCH (CONT’D)
Impersonating a police officer, impersonating a clergyman, impersonating a member of parliament... I’m appalled.
BLACKTOOTH comes forward with Chancer’s shoulder bag. He first pulls out the sailor costume.
BLACKTOOTH
Look, Captain, we found his bag of tricks!
The pirates CHEER and LAUGH.
CAMERA PANS along the crew as they pull various costumes out of the bag and dance around. They mock Chancer, laying the costumes on their chests.
FACEACHE, the baboon pirate, pulls out a costume of Queen Victoria, puts on the crown and parades around, holding the dress on his front.
FACEACHE
(HIGH-PITCHED) Ooh, look at me! I’m the Queen of all England!
BELCH
Better add treason to your list.
Belch reaches into the inside of his coat to find his own rolled-up wanted poster, which he unrolls in front of Chancer. It is twice the size of Chancer’s poster; Belch is proud to read from it.
BELCH
You want to see something majestic? “Potamus Belch. Extremely dangerous. Do not approach. Wanted for murder, kidnapping, arson, pillaging...” I could go on. What do you make of the picture, fellas? I reckon it makes me look quite dashing.
Pirates overtly nod and make APPROVING, SYCOPHANTIC SOUNDS.
CHANCER
(WHEEZING GIGGLE)
BELCH
Finally got something to say for yourself, then, ‘Chancer’?
CLOSE TWO SHOT of the two facing off either side of the cell door.
CHANCER
... When was the last time you brushed your teeth?
Belch hesitates then grabs Chancer aggressively through the grate of the door, pulling him close to his face.
BELCH
(ALMIGHTY, LENGTHY BURP)
Pirates CHUCKLE along with Belch’s smug, gassy eruption. Chancer is left with viscous spit on his face.
CHANCER
... Charming.
BELCH
Keep an eye on our guest, Sausage Roll, he’s a slippery one.
Belch leads the pirates to the exit, preparing to close the door on Chancer and his guard, Sausage Roll, who folds his arms ready to keep watch.
BELCH
Too bad we’re hauling you in... You’d have made a great pirate.
FULL SHOT of the emptied room.
CAMERA GOES TO BLACK as Belch SLAMS THE DOOR on the scene.
