PROJECT PROPOSAL

MINOR x MAJOR PROJECT

Type of project Animated Musical Number

Core concept 

In a both heartfelt and comedic fashion, an alien counterpart of Marilyn Monroe unravels her personal history through song, performing an original piece that pays a tribute to the great classics of musicals and sci-fi.

Research path

Rersearch into:

• Animation pipeline
• Rigging techniques that allow squash and stretch
• Dynamic song writing and in particular story/journey-centric song writing
• The Broadway 'sound'
• Hollywood culture and icons
• Parody and pastiche techniques
• Musical tropes
• Science-fiction B-movie culture

Goals

To create a cohesive, catchy and showy animated film that displays good skills in animation, staging and writing (and to have fun with it!) 

• Collaborative partnership with composer and singer
• Effective visual storytelling and character development
• Evocative character design
• Good quality of lip-syncing
• Engaging and fluid animation
• Emulous of Broadway tunes but hopefully noteworthy song

Outcomes

• An animated short with a duration of 2-3 minutes
• A main (singing) character animation-ready (possible second (supporting/dancing) character to be duplicated for ensemble)
• A collection of props and sets with a varying degree of complexity to them, relying on the art of matte painting
• A nicely-rounded, classic-sounding solo song
• An engaging and wacky Making Of book

References

• Norma Jeane Mortenson/Marilyn Monroe
• Classic MGM/20th Century Fox musicals
• Later musicals
• Popular sci-fi imagery