Adaptation A: A Beginner's Guide to Failure - Final Submission

A Beginner's Guide to Failure - Info-Graphic

I decided not to include music in the end, as when I did include one, it was very confusing on the ears. When certain sound effects took place and while the Narrator was speaking, it was quite strange and makes more sense without it.

A Beginner's Guide to Failure - Art Of

Adaptation A : Final Info-Graphic (No Music/Sound Effects)

Now that the "2 Weeks Later" shot has been added, the only things that need doing to it are including the music and sound effects. The final info-graphic will be posted in the submission post.

Adaptation A: Revised Script

A Beginners Guide to Failure - REVISED Script

As I have needed to make a few adjustments here and there while animating, I have edited the script so that it matches the final info-graphic.

Adaptation A: All the Scenes put together

I have put all the scenes together into this one video file, so now all I need to do is add music/sound effects and add the "2  weeks later" sign in between the 5th and final scene. Overall, it's looking pretty good, although I think it needs to be a bit clearer when it progresses to the next step.

Adaptation A: Final Scene

 

This is the final scene of the info-graphic and as you can probably tell, it didn't take as long as the others. It's a relatively straight forward scene, but because of the "confusion" is still quite comical.

Adaptation A: Scene 5

This is the 5th scene of the info-graphic, and so now I only have one scene left to do. Originally, it was just going to be him running around the screen continuously, but that felt a little long, so I added the part where he catches his breath to fix that problem, I think it looks quite funny as well. One slight criticism is that I don't think it's entirely clear he's sticking his middle fingers up, and instead looks like he's just scored a goal or something along those lines. I'm quite proud of the running animation though as it's nice and fast and looks reasonably "realistic".

Adaptation A: Removing Scene 6

As I have currently done 4 of the 7 scenes, I have realised it is looking a bit too long and will be well over 2 minutes long. Looking at the script and listening to the voice over file, Scene 6 would have lasted for around 45 seconds, which would have taken up quite a lot of the final info-graphic. Currently, the first 4 scenes last for 1 minute and 44 seconds, so although scene 5 and scene 7 will take the total length to over 2 minutes, the info-graphic won't be quite as long.

Adaptation A: Scene 4

This is the 4th scene of the info-graphic and as you can see, I have changed it a little compared to what it says in the script, as originally he would be slowly falling into the bath, but that would be quite dull, so I changed it to him dreaming of a girl, this is a much better choice, I think. I had to extend the length of some shots, but overall this has worked out quite well. I like the timing of the Bath's arrival as it matches the voice over perfectly.

Adaptation A: The First 3 Scenes

As it's just under half way through, I have put the first three scenes into on video file to see how they look together. I think they all combine quite well, despite each scene having their own individual issues. Like I have said in previous posts, once the music has been chosen/added, it will make it a bit more enjoyable.

Adaptation A: Scene 3

Like the other 2 scenes, this scene feels a bit simple and there isn't much going on. I think the dialogue is a bit too long, so I'm having to drag out sections to make it fit. I have cut out a line from the script, when he's playing the game as that shot of him went on for too long. Although I think it's still a bit too long, it's a bit better.

Adaptation A: Scene 2

I have now made the second scene of the info-graphic, as you can see above. I think it's a little better in terms of the frames not being quite as jumpy, but it still feels a little flat in places especially after he has thrown everything off the desk. Hopefully, when I add background music it won't be quite as bad.

Adaptation A: Initial Scene 1

I have done the first scene of the info-graphic, which can be seen above. I haven't yet found suitable music and so it is just the voice over with the flash animation at the moment. I think it looks a little fast, so I think it would work a bit better on a lower frame rate as it's very jumpy at the moment. Although I want it to look a little stuttery, it looks a bit too rapid at the moment. Also, there are moments/frames that are too different to the rest ans so stand out a lot i.e. his body goes a lot smaller for a split second. Regardless of these little issues, it gives a vague idea about how it will look. The scene is quite basic with not much happening, so that's why it looks a bit flat at the moment.

Adaptation A: Title Design

This is a frame from the animation showing the title design. When designing it, it was always my intention to have the "F" in "FAILURE" to look like a grade on a test, which I think is quite clear. I quite like this design as it's relatively simple, but also quite fun.

This image also gives a rough idea of the info-graphic style itself. It will be set on the whiteboard throughout, with the Flash animations taking place within it, making it look like it's being drawn on the whiteboard. A couple of years ago, I did an animation on my whiteboard, which didn't work very well, which is why I'm doing it in Flash. Flash will also be a lot smoother and neater than if I were to do it using a stop-motion whiteboard animation method.

On another note, I have contacted the voice artist that will play the voice of "The Narrator" and so I should have the recording within the next couple of days, at the most.

Adapatation A: A Beginner's Guide to Failure - Script

A Beginners Guide to Failure - Script

I have written the script for the info-graphic. While doing it I realised that some of the scenarios would last for about 20 seconds each and I felt that by having about 8-10, which I originally imagined, would make it feel a little repetitive, so I have only done 5. I wanted to make it as funny as possible. I think it's a little confusing at the moment, and so the storyboard and animatic should make it clear what's happening.

I will need to get a voice over actor to play the Narrator. I intend to have a very excited Narrator, who kind of sounds like a commercial narrator and game show host at the same time, if that makes sense.

I do go over it to make sure that there wasn't any spelling/grammar mistakes, but if you can see any please let me know. Thank you.

Adaptation A: Initial Character Designs

I have done these drawings of the character that will be in the info-graphic. As I will be doing it in Flash and will be drawing it out quite often, I want something simple, and a design that works with the idea that it will be on a whiteboard (Although drawn/animated in Flash). I tried to do them as fast as possible, and so it only took about 10 seconds to do each one. I wanted to do as many expressions as possible to demonstrate what he'll look like in many situations. Some of them work better than others, of course. I think the ones that work best are where he's running,as the standing still ones don't have as much emotion in them.

The character, himself, will be very fast and crazy, all the while being quite stupid. I think these drawings work quite well, as a result.

Adaptation A: A Beginner's Guide to Failure - "Tips/Guidlines" Ideas

Although I have already listed some of ideas for the info-graphic before, but below I have listed the ones that I think would work quite well. I have tried to think of as many as possible, so that I can narrow them down to the best ones later on:

• Don't have a Plan B
• Keep doing the same thing.
• If at first you don't succeed, give up.
• Be/Appear sloppy.
• Don't search for assistance.
• Don't respond/listen to feedback.
• Become a Procrastination addict.
• Show little respect to others/co-workers.
• Don't try too hard - It will just cause stress.
• Try to think of as many excuses as possible.
• Don't interact with others - Stick to yourself.
• Never plan anything.
• Don't push for higher positions i.e. a promotion or higher grade.
• Don't attend things if you don't think they're necessary.
• Make the other members of your group do all the work, and try to take credit for some of it.
• Don't take responsibility for things.

As I imagine the jokes being quite fast and to the point, I imagine that I'll need roughly 8-10 steps.

Adaptation A: Influences

Influence Map

During the feedback, it was recommended that I look at the work of David Shrigley, which is what I have done. I can see a clear similarity between his style and my own, through the line art style and bold black lines. It is also quite minimal and so can make for an interesting infographic. As well as illustrations, David Shrigley has produced many different animations using his style. They are quite simple, but have quite grotesque humor. As the guide is about failure, I could make it quite fun and have it share a similar sense of humor - which I believe I could do.

Phil also recommended that I look at Modern Toss. Modern Toss is a comic by both Jon Link and Mike Bunnage. They show specific situations, which are mocked by it's characters. Like Shrigley's work, they are quite simple and have a line art style.

Both of these influences can lead to a fun Beginner's guide to failure and should be very funny, and somewhat controversial due to it's messages and style of humor. I will try to create some characters of my own, using a similar style, but is obviously still my own.

An example of one of David Shrigley's animations is below. It takes a very awkward situation, and through the way it has been created, the animation makes it weird, but fun, to watch.

       

Adaptation A: Crit Feedback

Going into yesterday's feedback I thought that "A Beginner's guide to Cookery" was my favourte idea, but upon telling everyone my idea and getting the feedback, I realised it wasn't plausible. It was agreed that "A Beginner's guide to Failure" was the best of the 10 final ideas.

Once the crit finished, I was thinking about ways as to how I could make it quite funny and entertaining to watch. My initial idea is to have it where it actually encourages you to fail and acts as if that's the right thing to do. I thought of possible pieces of dialogue, such as: "Are you tired of success? You, are? Good!" and " You learn more from failing than you do from success, so what's the point in succeeding?". This will make infographic very strange and unusual, which would lead to the humor.

I have done some bits of research on the internet, and have looked at things that are recommended if you want to succeed. I could, as a result, reverse these suggestions so that they fit into the guide to failure. The reversed steps are below:

1. Don't have a Plan B.

2. Keep doing the same thing.

3. If at first you don't succeed, give up.

4. Be/Appear sloppy.

5. Don't search for assistance.

6. Don't respond/listen to feedback.

There are many more, but these are simple and basic things that could be referred to in the guide. The challenge, with this, however, is to avoid it from sounding like step after step and not like a guide.

Adaption: Info-graphic - Initial Ideas

In today's briefing, when we had to pick out a starting statement at random, I got "A Beginner's guide to....". Anything can be converted into a guide so there are many possible directions in which this can take me. I have made this diagram below, with as many ideas as I could think of:

Some of these ideas are very relevant to me and my interests, i.e. Breaking Bad and House of Cards. Some of them are just there for a little laugh and some are there as they can make quite funny/strange guides due to how simple/basic/weird it is.

Below are, what I consider to be, my favourite 10 ideas (In no particular order):

1. Binge Watching
2. Procrastinating
3. Wasting Money
4. Failure
5. Not being in a Relationship
6. Getting Drunk
7. Marvel vs DC
8. Comedies
9. Crap 21st Century Pop Music
10. Cooking