Exercise 1: Outline
In this exercise you will create an outline for a short story. This outline is the first step you will take to begin envisioning the general idea and a direction for your final project on this course. In this outline you will flesh out your initial ideas by defining all the main elements of your story, as discussed in Lesson 1.
Guidelines
Write a 1 page outline for a short story with the theme “journey”. A journey is a series of situations (beginning, middle and end), that generally depict growth or change to the main character, be it a complex story about a hero on an epic adventure, or a simpler one about a square shape that transforms into a circle. Keep your outline as detailed and informative as possible as you describe the main traits of your character(s), the location(s) where the action is happening, and the story you want to tell. All these details will come in handy when you start detailing your animation in Lesson 2.
Steps to Completion
Think about the story you want to tell. What is the main message you want to convey? Who are your characters and what action will they undertake to convey that message?
Summarize your plot in one paragraph or a series of bullet points (as many as needed, minimum 5). Remember that your story should answer these three main questions (as outlined in Lesson 1):
- Who is the main character and what are its objectives and motivations?
- What is the character's initial condition, and how does that change over the course of the story?
- What are the obstacles and conflicts the main character faces?
Think about your main character(s). Who are they? What are their main traits?
Describe details about your character(s) in one paragraph or a series of bullet points (as many as needed, minimum 5). Be as specific as possible. Knowing the characters of your story will be crucial in creating a compelling and interesting animation. You can start by listing:
- Your character's name
- Age and/or date of birth
- Favorite food/color/type of music
- Personality traits/general mood
Catchphrases
But don’t stop there. What are other characteristics from your character that are essential to the story you want to tell (past traumas, goals in life, etc.)? List them as well!
Think about the place or places where your story is taking place. What are the main characteristics of that place (vegetation, animal life, culture)? Is it a cold place in the Arctic, a hot desert, a peaceful meadow, or a busy city? Describe your story’s location(s) in one paragraph or a series of bullet points (as many as needed, minimum 5). Make sure you specify:
- Where and when does your story happen;
- Describe each landscape and scenery in detail. Here you can also use pictures/illustrations as reference;
- Overall mood of the place;
- Time of day, climate/season, weather;
Specific elements of the space your character might interact with (vegetation, animals, buildings, other characters).
Feel free to describe additional elements about your location that will help you to create the background for your story.
Carefully read your outline. Is anything missing? Are there any details you would like to add to make your ideas clearer?
Post your final outline as a PDF file to the course page following this naming convention:
art204_exercise1_lastname_firstname.pdf