Commission: 'The Cell Cycle' Step Outlines

I've made a few attempts at putting a step outline for my animation together, but I've found myself reaching points where the idea just falls apart or becomes way too convoluted to be used. Here are the first three versions of my step outline, with the reasons why I gave up on the idea and moved on. They all have parts I love, but they are fairly ambitious and given the time frame we've been provided, I think it would be sensible to restrain some of this ambition and really tighten up and polish the key aspects of the ideas.

The Cell Cycle Version One

Red Blood Cells 

Scene One

Opening titles appear on screen, they brush out of shot to reveal a flashing alert sign. The sign reads “Trauma Detected at Index”. A close up of a hand is shown briefly, blood is seen oozing from a small cut on the index finger.

Scene Two

A hovercar with a cross emblazoned on the side pulls into a corridor resembling a car assembly line. The hovercar is revealed to be a Red Blood Cell and the assembly line is the Interphase. The Red Blood Cell passes through the assembly line, reaching the individual checkpoints, G1, S and G2. The G0 area is seen, filled with wreckages of unsuitable Red Blood Cells that didn’t make it through. The Red Blood Cell passes successfully through the Interphase, pulling out onto a busy highway, full of bustling Blood Cells and other things. A futuristic, 50’s sci-fi inspired cityscape is seen surrounding the highway.

Scene Three

The Red Blood Cell begins to speed down the highway, weaving in and out of the other Cells. The camera pulls up and over the Red Blood Cell, moving inside the glass dome and revealing the genetic material within the cell.

Scene Four

The cell division process begins. The steps are presented in a two dimensional style, much like that of a textbook. When Cytokinesis occurs, the camera pulls back out of the dome, revealing the Red Blood Cell dividing into two.

Scene Five

The Red Blood Cells repeatedly duplicate at a faster rate, still accelerating down the highway, as the camera pulls up above them. The Red Blood Cells are seen approaching a gaping void, which is revealed to be the cut.

Scene Six

(I got to this point and realized the healing process is less to do with Red Blood Cells and more to do with Platelets and coagulation, so this trail of thought came to a grinding halt. I may be able to use this later, but at the moment, it’s being put to one side.)

The Cell Cycle Version Two

White Blood Cells

Scene One

Opening titles appear on screen, they brush out of shot to reveal a flashing alert sign. The sign reads “Pathogen Detected”. The invading pathogen is seen, as havoc occurs at its presence.

Scene Two

A hovercar with a cross emblazoned on the side pulls into a corridor resembling a car assembly line. The hovercar is revealed to be a White Blood Cell and the assembly line is the Interphase. The White Blood Cell passes through the assembly line, reaching the individual checkpoints, G1, S and G2. The G0 area is seen, filled with wreckages of unsuitable White Blood Cells that didn’t make it through. The White Blood Cell passes successfully through the Interphase, pulling out onto a busy highway, full of bustling White Blood Cells and other things. A futuristic, 50’s sci-fi inspired cityscape is seen surrounding the highway.

Scene Three

The White Blood Cell begins to speed down the highway, weaving in and out of Red Blood Cells. The camera pulls up and over the White Blood Cell, moving inside the glass dome and revealing the genetic material within the cell.

Scene Four

The cell division process begins. The steps are presented in a two dimensional style, much like that of a textbook. When Cytokinesis occurs, the camera pulls back out of the dome, revealing the White Blood Cell dividing into two.

Scene Five

(I got to this point and realized that White Blood Cells duplicate considerably less than Red Blood Cells, and that the whole idea of Cell Cycle would be a lot less…. impressive. Also, whilst White Blood Cells represent the ‘Ambulance’ idea a bit better, I feel that the way in which they use antibodies to restrain pathogens of which they then engulf would also have to be explored, which would only add to my workload. Of course, I could go back to this and just make sure that the Cell Cycle was specifically put in the limelight, but I don’t think I can merit using White Blood Cells to explain the Cell Cycle without defining and demonstrating their purpose.)

The Cell Cycle Version Three

Red Blood Cells- Simplified

Scene One

Opening titles appear on screen.

Scene Two

A hovercar pulls into a corridor resembling a car assembly line. The hovercar is revealed to be a Red Blood Cell and the assembly line is the Interphase. The Red Blood Cell passes through the assembly line, reaching the individual checkpoints, G1, S and G2. The G0 area is seen, filled with wreckages of unsuitable Red Blood Cells that didn’t make it through. The Red Blood Cell passes successfully through the Interphase, pulling out onto a busy highway, full of bustling Blood Cells and other things. A futuristic, 50’s sci-fi inspired cityscape is seen surrounding the highway.

Scene Three

The Red Blood Cell begins to speed down the highway, weaving in and out of the other Cells. The camera pulls up and over the Red Blood Cell, moving inside the glass dome and revealing the genetic material within the cell.

Scene Four

The cell division process begins. The steps are presented in a two dimensional style, much like that of a textbook. When Cytokinesis occurs, the camera pulls back out of the dome, revealing the Red Blood Cell dividing into two.

Scene Five

The Red Blood Cells repeatedly duplicate at a faster rate, still accelerating down the highway, as the camera pulls up above them.

Scene Six

The Red Blood Cells are seen to be part of a greater number of Cells, all moving down the highway. The end titles appear on screen as the animation closes.

(This is a much simpler interpretation of my original idea. The Red Blood Cells are used simply as an example of a Cell in which the Cycle occurs, and unlike the first idea, they have no definitive role, they're just there to demonstrate the process. Whilst its watered down considerably, it is probably a much more sensible approach, even if it does disappoint me a little in terms of ambition.)

Edit: Argh! Biggest. Screw up. Ever. Red Blood Cells don't have any chromosomes and do not divide. This makes all of my ideas completely redundant, and I have to start from scratch. Nuts!

The Conceited Fountain Pen Version Two: Step Outline

The basic story has changed considerably since I had a conversation with Phil yesterday. Its changed to something radically different from what I first had in mind, but that makes it all the more exciting! The story feels a lot more quirky and charming than it previously did, and these qualities should hopefully make the final animation that little bit more appealing.

Act One

Scene One

A Fountain Pen is seen standing in shot, looking off into the distance. A small, stubby Crayon hops into shot and looks up at the Fountain Pen.

Scene Two

Shot from above, displaying the two writing instruments as simple dots, defined primarily by the trails they leave. The Crayon introduces itself, through way of a poorly scrawled smiley face. The Fountain Pen is unimpressed by this introduction, and proceeds to move away from the Crayon, leaving a calligraphic trail behind it.

Act Two

Scene Three

The Crayon pursues the Fountain Pen, leaving a broken, messy trail behind it, directly contrasting the highly refined and calligraphic trail of the Fountain Pen. The pursuit intensifies, with the Fountain Pen’s strokes becoming more flourished and elaborate, both as an attempt to out-write the Crayon and as a way of displaying its superiority. The Crayon follows closely behind, persevering, completely oblivious to the Fountain Pen’s conceited distaste for the Crayon.

Scene Four

The Crayon, still desperately trying to keep up, eventually wears its tip down to a stub, causing it to stumble and fall. The Fountain Pen turns around, noticing the fallen Crayon, and walks towards it. Leaning over as if to help the Crayon up, the Fountain Pen bursts out laughing, gloating and prancing around.

Act Three

Scene Five

The Fountain Pen, still gloating, turns suddenly in reaction to a hefty clicking noise behind it. Looking upwards, it reels back in horror and faints at the sight of something out of shot.

Scene Six

The horrifying sight is revealed to be a word processor, technology that has superseded the Fountain Pen considerably. The words “The End” are typed across the screen as the scene closes.