Pre-Production Stages

References and Original Designs

After the script was written, I got into the next stage by producing designs and images for the setting of the scene. First, I designed the background, which for this I decided to set the scene in a local pub. So I researched on several photos for reference and so I produced several images of the interior of a fictional bar. When I finished them, they were scanned in and I proceeded to colour and texturize them using Photoshop.

Then I began drawing rough sketches of the main characters that will be involved in the scene. I simply drew them in a few poses, then scanned them in grayscale format and later used them for a rough animatic.

A series of images of bar interiors (above), which inspired me on the design of the background.

Design of behind the counter in the local pub, before colorization and texturing in Photoshop.

Same image as above, but complete with colour, texture and lighting effects.

Original design for unnamed Man No.2.

Original design for unnamed Man No.1. With several lip shapes shown.

Rough sketches of how the characters should pose throughout the animation, based on their emotions.

Another original design of the bar interior where the scene takes place, completed with colour and texture.

Images below show a few examples of the dope sheets I used to keep track of what frames to use certain lip shapes for the dialogue as well as record how long a character changes from one pose to the next. Notice the lip shape symbols I drew in the FX column to determine when the character moves his mouth for the next sound of dialogue.