Term3 - SVL - Short - Three Concepts

Third term in SVL (story visual language) class was directed towards developing a story for a short that would be our final project in term four.

Our first assignment was to come up with three potential ideas that would be narrowed down to our final selection for the short.

Sooo Here they are (just so you know, the last of the three was just to take up space - the teacher agreed)


Short Story 1 (Lurking Shadow)

Story Information
A) Setting: Modern Cityscape
B) Time: Evening
C) Characters: Young child (elementary school), Swamp-style monster, two young children

Story Pitch
A) The story opens with a child fleeing from the pursuit of a creature through a city/ suburb.
B) Until the child takes up a hiding place in hopes of being passed by.
C) And then the creature discovers the child. The child takes flight.
D) And then the creature sprays water at the child, engulfing and submerging the child and surrounding area.
E) Until the screen cuts to two children playing with toys in a little lego landscape. The girl; now soaked with water, is greatly irritated, and runs off to tell on the boy.

Observation
The most entertaining point of the story would likely be either the discovery of the child, or the revelation that the entirety of the scene is essentially within the minds of two children at play - as well as the consequent reaction of the now water-logged girl. However, the latter depends on the audience's experience of such things. As such, those without siblings may lose some of the impact.


Short Story 2 (Learning to Read)

Story Information
A) Setting: A child's room, Medieval landscape (field/ cave)
B) Time: Evening- just before bed (child's room), Progressive dawn-afternoon for the medieval segment
C) Characters: A young (early elementary school) child, a knight

Story Pitch
A) The story opens with a child in his room reading a stereotypical story involving a knight setting out to slay a dragon.
B) Until it cuts to the child's imagination - the realm of the knight on his quest, it proceeds along smoothly for the knight.
C) And then the child mispronounces a word -The knight climbs upon his (house/ horse) - thus the horse changes form as the knight is climbing upon it, causing him to fall off. He shrugs it off and continues on - to humour the child telling the story.
D) He passes by (tree/ three) knights as he continues on. As the child gets more excited, he errs on more words, causing more frequent mishaps.
E) And then multiple other mispronunciations cause similar occurrences (fire breathing wagon/dragon) causing great irritation on the knight's part, whom is becoming frustrated with the child's inability to tell his story properly.
F) Until the now irate knight enters the child's room from the book and chastises him for ruining his story. He slams the book shut and vacates the room, leaving the child sitting in bewilderment.

Observation
Though some of the potential gags yield more interest in terms of action and movement - as well as the knight's subsequent reactions to the mishaps, it is likely that the confrontation and conflict between the child and knight at the end will be of the most interest, since it provides the best opportunity for internal forces at play. It depends on whether the focus will be internal or external in nature.


Short Story 3 (Gleipnir)

Story Information
A) Setting: Icy landscape
B) Time: Day
C) Characters: Tyr, Thor (humanoid gods), Fenrir (wolf)

Story Pitch
A) The story opens with a group of norse gods trying to confine the gigantic wolf Fenrir. Nothing can constrain him however.
B) Until the fates foretell of a material that will succeed, consisting of '...the sound of a cat's footfall and the woman's beard and the mountain's roots and the bear's sinews and the fish's breath and bird's spittle.'
C) And then Some unnamed god offers his assistance, but is rejected.
D) And then the two attempt to claim these metaphysical components. Only a selection of them would be animated; such as Thor trying to use a bottle to catch the noise of a cats steps. Choking a fish to get a breath etc.
F) Until they return; in ragged form and utterly exhausted, with the needed items. The unnamed god is also present, and the others' frustration is let loose on him. The unnamed one goes on to procure the same items that were needed, mentioning that they were present in his collection for some time.

Observation
The focus of this story would definitely be the gods' attempts at obtaining the required materials. Though there is good potential for humour given the strange requirements for the fetter, this story would not likely have very strong appeal as it stands to those whom have no knowledge of the norse mythologies on which this is based.

As you can see, the third idea was included just for completions sake.