Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
The other thing that makes a unique story is character
desire
. In the section on theme, we
discussed basic character needs. Often what we want or desire is not what we need. There-
fore, confl ict in story can be about desire vs. need. Desire is often unrealistic. It is complicated
by greed, pride, ambition, fear, laziness, apathy, and so forth. To be successful, characters
must overcome desire and learn what they need.
Example: Shrek wants (desire) to be left alone, but what he needs to learn is that he
needs others, and he deserves others. Manfred just wants to be left alone, but he fi nds
he needs a herd. Howl wants to be left alone, but fi nds he needs his heart (and thus
others).
What makes a story interesting for an audience is the ability to engage with a character
and either vicariously, voyeuristically, or viscerally, watch the unique ways that that character
reacts to the problems and obstacles he or she confronts.
Making the Long Story Short: The Difference between
Features and Shorts
Beyond the obvious differences in running time, scope, complexity, budget and resources,
the animated short requires a directness, clarity, simplicity, and economy of structure, plot,
and assets not found in feature fi lms.
Initial ideas for a short are often too big, too complicated, and cover too much territory. It's
not hard to see why. Most of our references are based on the hero's journey.
In the hero's journey, the characters (many of them) meet with confl ict (several events
in several locations), until they reach a crisis (of monumental spiritual or physical proportions)
where they learn a lesson (the many themes and subtexts converge), make a decision
(which calls for more action), and succeed (usually in celebration with the many other
characters).
So how many characters, confl icts, themes, locations, and props should a short have?
For the individual fi lmmaker, the short should have one theme or concept that the piece
communicates and one confl ict that intensifi es or gets worse. It should have one or two
characters, one or two locations, and only props necessary to populate the scene appropri-
ately or drive the story forward.
The inciting moment, the moment when something unexpected happens for the character,
usually occurs within the fi rst 10-15 seconds of the fi lm. An example is found in Eric Drobile's
The
Animator
and
the
Seat
when the chair begins to massage the animator's shoulders.
Sometimes the inciting moment happens before the fi lm even starts. In
A
Great
Big
Robot
from
Outer
Space
Ate
My
Homework
, we enter the fi lm after the alien has eaten the home-
work and when the boy is rushing to relate this event to his teacher.
