Major Project 1 - Task 1 : Proposal Development

03/02/2025-16/02/2025 ( Week 1 - Week 3 )

Wang Yifan/0368363

Major Project -Proposal Development / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

Task 1-Proposal Development

INTRODUCTION

TASK 1: Proposal Development

Requirements:

For Animation Projects

Animation Title – A finalized name for our project.

Logline (50 words) – A short, compelling summary of our story.

Synopsis (500 words) – A detailed description of our story’s plot.

Story Theme – Identify the central theme 

Character Description with Moodboard

Provide visual references and a written description of our characters.
Include:

External Features (appearance, clothing, unique traits).
Internal Features (fears, strengths, weaknesses, motivations).
Want vs. Need (What does the character think they want vs. what they truly need to grow?).

World Description with Moodboard – Describe the environment and setting of our project, supported by concept art.

Summary of Story Arcs – Break down the major story beats, including:

Inciting Incident – What event pushes the story forward?
Three-Act Structure – How does the story develop from beginning, middle, to climax?
Character Development – How do the characters evolve throughout the story?

Script (2-3 minutes) – Write a script for an introductory sequence or key scene.

Process

Week 1

Team Formation and Discussion Topics

In the first week of Major Project 1, Mr. Kamal Bahrin provided us with a project briefing, outlining the module’s objectives, deliverables, and expectations. Unlike traditional lecture-based courses, this module adopts a consultation-based approach, emphasizing weekly progress updates and one-on-one feedback to help refine our project direction. This method encourages self-directed research, teamwork, and continuous adjustments to improve our final proposal.

For team formation, we were required to create a four-member group within the same specialization to facilitate effective collaboration and skill integration.

My role in the team is：

Wang Yi Fan (Me) (Environment Designer) – Responsible for concept design, fire disaster environments, and final background illustrations.

Our assigned supervisor is Mr. Kamal Bahrin, who provides guidance during our weekly consultation sessions, ensuring our project aligns with the module’s expectations.

During our initial discussions, we decided to create an animation short film centered around psychological trauma and courage, exploring how a firefighter overcomes his past trauma to fulfill his duty. Our supervisor approved this idea and suggested further research on how to visually represent emotional intensity in animation to enhance storytelling impact.

This is the draft document provided by us.

Week 2

Defining the Theme and Conducting Research

1. Theme Selection

Our project, "Embers of Hope," tells the story of Miles, a firefighter struggling to overcome his trauma while carrying out his responsibilities. The core themes of the story include:

Trauma and Courage – How do we find the strength to move forward after experiencing deep emotional pain?
Responsibility – How does a firefighter uphold his duty despite personal fears?
Hope and Growth – How does one achieve psychological breakthroughs by facing their fears head-on?

2. My Environment Design

(1) Research and Visual Reference

Before starting the environment design, I conducted extensive research to ensure that the setting accurately conveyed the atmosphere of the story. My research focused on the following areas:

The visual characteristics of real fire disaster scenes, studying how buildings are damaged in fires, the impact of flames on surrounding areas, and dynamic elements such as smoke and falling debris.

The working environment of firefighters, examining the layout of fire stations, equipment placement, training areas, and real fire rescue scenes.

I also added the burning scenes of the forests around the city. Let the imagination of the source of the fire be more rich.

Figure 2.1 Environmental reference, week 2

(2) Initial Concept Development

After gathering references, I began sketching environment concept art, including:

Fire Disaster Scene

A burning apartment building with blackened walls, shattered windows, and glowing interior flames.

Smoke, floating ashes, and charred debris to enhance realism.

Figure 2.2 Apartment fire scene sketch, week 2

Fire Station

Depicted as a symbol of safety and professionalism, reflecting Miles’ journey.

Figure 2.3 Fire Station sketch, week 2

Forest scene

Design the burning forest around the city and the animals running around to make the background more immersive

Figure 2.4 Forest scene sketch 1, week 2

Figure 2.5 Forest scene sketch 2, week 2

Figure 2.6 Forest scene sketch 3, week 2

During this process, I communicated with the art directors (Isabel and Yan Ling) and adjusted the environment details based on their feedback.

Week 3

For Major Project 1 - Task 1: Proposal Development, our team created a detailed PPT (Embers of Hope Proposal) to present our animation short film concept. This PPT was structured to showcase the story, characters, environment design, artistic style, and production timeline, aiming to effectively communicate our vision to our supervisor and evaluators.

As the environment designer, my main responsibilities in the PPT creation included compiling and presenting the environment design content, creating visual materials, and assisting in the overall layout and design to ensure a professional and visually appealing presentation.

Assisting in PPT Layout & Visual Presentation

My Improvements:

Consistent Fonts & Colors: Ensured the presentation's aesthetic matched our animation's art direction, using warm tones (fire effects) and cool tones (contrast for depth) for layout.
Better Information Hierarchy: Adjusted text size, image placement, and visual flow for the Environment Design section, making it easier for viewers to grasp key points.

Fig3.1 adjustment process,Week 3

Submission :

Google Drive Link :https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hB9ZpQjFmJ0006486YGx368PwVnVXsFc?usp=drive_link

FEEDBACK

Week 1

Mr. Kamal suggested that our storyline was too simple, and encouraged us to add more interesting or emotional elements to make it more appealing. This motivated us to rethink the core conflict and look for ways to make the environment also reflect the mood of the story.

Week 2

While the main feedback was on character design, I continued working on environment drafts, exploring locations that could enhance the story atmosphere. I began experimenting with how architecture and lighting could help visualize the emotional journey of the characters.

Week 3

We were advised to make our presentation slides more visually appealing, adding patterns and visuals. This made me pay more attention to how I presented environment designs, ensuring they were not only functional but also visually engaging for proposal slides.

REFLECTION

Experiences

Working on Embers of Hope was a valuable experience that required team collaboration, creative planning, and technical execution. The consultation-based approach helped refine our story, artistic direction, and workflow. As an environment designer, I focused on researching, concept art development, and visual consistency, ensuring the backgrounds supported the story’s emotional tone.

Observations

Storytelling is key – A strong logline, synopsis, and character arc made our proposal more compelling.
Visual cohesion matters – Environment design enhances storytelling by reinforcing emotions and mood.
Feedback improves quality – Supervisor critiques helped us refine ideas and simplify complex elements.
Teamwork drives efficiency – Clear task delegation and constant communication kept us on track.

Findings

Well-structured proposals strengthen presentations – A clear narrative improves impact.
Environment design is a storytelling tool – Lighting, color, and destruction levels shape the atmosphere.
Time management is crucial – Weekly milestones ensured steady progress.
Collaboration enhances creativity – Working with different specializations improved the final outcome.

搜索此博客

Wang Yifan (0368363)