Head Orthographics

Definitive Storyboard

Definitive Narrative Storyboard

Miss Andry Front & Back

Miss Andry

Front & Back

2D Freak Walks

Here is my first hand drawn attempt at the walk cycles of the freaks- I will now refine them and improve them digitally.

Exploring Colour

I created these colour charts using dark circus colours and the idea of a deep and bruised mind.

I then looked at photos of dark circuses and black widow spiders, and drew colours from them.

Spider Ornament Prop Design

Miss Andry head design

This was influenced by the Actress Lauren Bacall, to give face structure. To the left is how the headpiece will fit on the character, hiding the the hair and following the shape of the face.

Draft Storyboard (02)

Draft Storyboard (02)

Second Half of Storyboard

Storyboard Part One

Redrafted Script

Hello Darlings, Welcome to my circus.
I know you'll like it in here. This is my workshop and this is my home.
Should our actions really play on your conscious if they're done to bad people?
You can decide... Because frankly i find it THRILLING.
>snigger<

Forget what society told you >FLASH<  Forget what you've been taught >FLASH<  Forget everything the MEN told you to.
>giggle<

Oh, don't worry. you ARE safe in here. They're very tame.
Men are different in here, I've changed them. Men won't HURT you, Men won't JUDGE and men will NOT TOUCH YOU.

*reassuring herself*
There Is only one other species that understands our struggles, understands how we are so much more....deadly.
My black widow sisters!
I study them them, I idolise them, and do as THEY do!

They say, "to call a man an animal is to flatter him; he is a machine", And I've collected all the spare parts. I've tried to fix their urges but it's NO GOOD. I can't mend them.... But they're my freaks. And their loyal to me. Loyal to us.

Oh isn't it marvellous!- This unstoppable, unshakable madness?
Come on darlings, embrace the new order! Embrace the... Darkness
I... am one woman. So allow me to show you what WE all can do!

>Manic Laughter<

*whisper*
Don't be a stranger...

Quick Misandry Thumbnails & Tent Thumbnail

Quick Miss Andry Thumbnails

Trying to express some thought into what Miss Andry's appearance would be. Left it quite open for further ideas and changes. Taking Sam's headpiece initial sketches as reference.

The Freaks are here!

I've been thinking further into how the men in Miss Andry's world, can be portrayed as freaks. From watching Tod Browning's controversial 1930s film freaks, I began to realise how the closer to reality, and the more relatable the "freaks", the more disturbing they become. A warped version of reality is more disturbing than something totally new.

Shlitzie the "pinhead freak" from Tod Brownings Freaks (1932)

Miss Andry is trying to "fix" men, she has a love hate relationship with them. She hates them with a passion, but the passion in her hatred fuels her, and she spends all her time trying to create new men, presumably who will love her. Her relentless hatred for men has caused her to not see them as humans. in whatever horrendous way she is treating this men, to her it is just a game. This made me think of the sort of mix-and-match characters we would build as children. I added the head of forgotten WW1 soldier, a generic face- she sees them as all the same.

 Another route I went down was that of diseases. Another reason she may hate men. I looked up female symptoms of STIs (and spared you all a influence map) and created these patterned men based on them. She wants men to experience the pain that women experience.

  

Concept idea for Interior with Character

Main character silhouettes 1-22_ Miss Andry

These are a few rough silhouettes for the main character, I was trying to incorporate the Black Widow aspect, as well as Circus attire. More will be uploaded showing further character development and discussions on how she will look.

Miss Andry Script Draft (02)

Ideas for Voice Over Draft (02)

"They... they think they're so... 'special'."

"Do they honestly think that I'm still haunted by that cruel, unforgiving memory? Ha!"
(Pause) "But you could say it's SO... thrilling!"

*Feminine laughter*

(Circus Music Starts)

"Forget what society told you; (Pause) in-fact, forget everything those... men told you."
"Because I've CHANGED them! They're different! Way, way...  'different'."

*Feminine giggles*

"There is only one other species like us that understands; - Understands how we are SO much more... (Pause) DEADLY!"

*Whispers*
"My Black-Widow sisters!"

"I study them... idolize them, you... could add; they are what 'I' truly... am!"
"They say, give a man a mask... and he will reveal his true SELF!"

<Silence>

"But don't worry... I've given them a mask of my own!"

*High pitched laughter*

"Ohhh isn't it marvelous! - This unstoppable, unshakeable madness they have stumbled into! Ha!"
"Come now darlings!(Monotone Voice) Embrace... the darkness."
"Let me show you... (Pause) What 'I' can do!"
"Welcome, to MY CIRCUS!"

*Evil Laughter*

(Circus Music Ends)

*Whispering*
"Don't stray too close now..."

*Feminine giggles*

Miss Andry Script Draft (01)

I came up with a script to use as a monolouge over the animation. It can be expanded on based on how long our animation will be. Having this over it will help the animation flow. I thought of calling her "Miss Andry", a play on the word 'Misandry' meaning hatred of men.

Hello Darlings, Welcome to my circus.

It's different in here. 

Forget all society told you to think. Forget everything the MAN told you, and accept the new order. 

Don't worry girls, you're safe in here. 

Men are different in here, I've changed them. Men won't HURT you, men won't TOUCH you, men won't TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, 

There Is only one other species that understands- My black widow sisters.

I study them, idolise them and do as they do.

They say, “To call a man an animal is to flatter him; he’s a machine, a walking dildo.”  

And I've collected all the spare parts. I've tried to fix them but it's NO GOOD. Nothing can help them.

So please, I beg of you, sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

Who is ''She''?

Who is this 'Psycho' Spider Woman?

Here are two of the strongest character back stories for the 'Spider Woman' that I have come up with. Describing who she is, how she came about this way and why is she even involved with a circus in the first place.

(Profile One)

• A young woman who is jealous of her past.
• Jet black hair. Very tall with long limbs. 
• Talented gymnast, but horribly nicknamed 'Spider Girl' because of her flexibility.

One day her school was holding a gymnastics competition. The young teenager had always had a flair for gymnastics and was incredibly flexible. She also fancied a young boy who was sitting in the audience, but there was another girl who was also incredibly talented and also interested in this boy. While on the beam, showing off to the boy, she fell off the equipment, and came last in the competition. And the other girl came first; And won the attention of the boy. The other girls and the boy teased her and tormented her about her looks and falling off the beam. Angry and upset, she ran home. The girl sat by her window and watched it rain outside. 

A circus leaflet hit against the window. It was an advertisement for a passing by circus searching for talented gymnasts to join them and become stars of the show. That night she packed her bags and left to join them. Filled with hatred of her past. Cursed and haunted by her memory. We could join her (years later) and at her worst mental state; entering her mind and her torment. She could be asking us questions to see if we, the audience, can relate to her. We are in 'her world'. A deadly, psychotic, jealous woman's mind who believes she is a spider living in a circus. A Black Widow. The master. A monster. A deadly woman.

(Profile Two)

• A girl who had been dominated by men in her past. 
• Lived and was brought up with her farther and four brothers. She is the youngest. 
• Always picked on by them and other boys at school. 

One day while she was walking home upset, she almost walked into a spiders web that crossed her path. She looked into the web and noticed a female Black Widow spider in he center. She watched a smaller spider crawl into the center to join her, with what seemed to be a fly to give her. The female spider took the offering, but then attacked the male spider and killed it. The girl was amazed, shocked. But this made her realize that woman can be more deadly than the male.

From that moment on, she was fascinated by spiders. She grew more confident every time she pictured the female Black Widow. She began to acted like one, wanted to *become* just like one. Having enough at home, she ran away and joined the passing circus. Only to be picked on by other circus acts for being a 'freak'. She later takes out vengeance on every male circus acts and puts them under her control.

Understanding The Character

Understanding the Psycho

Is this all in her head?

From the Batman: Arkham Origins game, I believe that the Jokers particular madness, psychotic, enriched design fulfills the female we are trying to create. I believe once we understand our main character, the rest will soon fall into place. Once she has become clear to why she is a spider, why is she even in a circus, understanding her mind will surely emerge.

Concept Art & In-game Screenshots

After discussing my idea with Sam and gaining an 'out-sider' point of view from Rhys, I think that making our animation an 'art piece' in a style that grabs the audiences attention from the beginning can make quite and engaging piece of work.

 I found that this particular Batman: Arkham Origins game scene (from 40 seconds) grabbed me from the very beginning and has given me loads of inspiration to create a character with a twisted background. We need her to be our focus, our main view point that will make ''The female of the Species is more deadly than the male'' our key 'selling point' for us.

Initial Thumbnails

Here are some thumbnails showing some of my initial thoughts on how our character could be portrayed, the colour scheme and the general vibe of our animated short.