2012

2012 is a film which we thought was something that related to our area of interest. It is basically about the suns rays heating the earth up and making the particles in the magma core of the earth to start moving causing the earth to be unstable. The plates start moving and the earths crust begins to disintegrate and the ocean. The story follows the main actor from normality to this intense battle of survival.



However there is a huge issue with this film and that is the fact i turned it off halfway through then skipped to the end to see what happened, 2.3 hours long is too much to concentrate on. There is far too much "Hollywood" influence for my liking, too many sequential events which just happened and worked out well, the CGI is very impressive which is for me one of the the only parts of the film which deserves merit. I like the character Woody Harleson plays as he is crazy, this is something which could be incorporated into our idea.

Treatment – The Return of Nibiru

Set in modern times the story is devised from many ancient civilizations and there belief that men from outer-space played a part in mankind's development. In particular focusing on the Sumerian beliefs that Humans were created as a slave rise to mine gold and other minerals for a race of humanoid beings known as the Anunnaki.

These Anunnakians live on a planet called Nibiru which has a 3,600 year orbit through Earths Solar System. Due to the shear mass of Nibiru and it's close proximatey to Earth during orbit, it tends to cause widespread disruption to weather systems, magnetic poles causing an increase of violent Earthquakes and storms.

As Nibiru gets closer the inhabitants of the planet pay Earth a visit, claiming that they have come to retrieve the debt for the gift of life (every ounce of gold on Earth.) After receiving a hostile response from the Humans, the Anunnaki prepare to retaliate.

The 11th hour has dawned and time appears to have just about run out, when an unsuspecting troubled young man puts the pieces of the puzzle together, bringing his knowledge to the attention of the international community. Revealing the hierarchy installed by the Anunnaki when they were last on Earth has been hijacked and corrupt by the Anunnaki's arch enemy – a race of shape-shifting reptilians.

This film is viewed through the eyes of the troubled young man who at first questions his sanity after receiving visions of what has been and what is to come. After a series of unpredictable events reported to the young mans psychologist begin to materialize, the psychologist realizes that this lad is not your average nut job, he alerts the press and higher authorities.

It turns out the Illuminati, (the keepers of the ancient secret of mans true identity) has been controlled by shape-shifting reptilians for the best part of 2-millennia. The reptilians plan is to make it seem as though the humans want to keep the gold for themselves. The Anunnaki insist the human race will be inhillated unless they repay the debt.

This extermination of the Humans will benefit the reptilians in two main ways, partly because of the ongoing intergalactic war between humanoid and reptilian species and partly due to their ancient prophecy that the Anunnaki would create a race of beings that have the ability to develop infinite knowledge which potentially could threaten the existence of the reptilian race across the entire universe

Before the main plot unravels the audience is introduced to the main character, he is portrayed as your average young man, a little insecure and unsure of the world into which he was born. After this short introduction he finds himself in a club and he falls for a girl, shortly before the first of his visions occur. They both come from completely different backgrounds, brought together by fate. The main character happens to be the trillionth reproduction of the Human-Anunnaki hybrid, whilst the girls father is one of the front runners of the reptilian Illuminati. Neither character knows of each others true identity until the story fully unravels towards the end.

Statement of Intent

Final Major Project - OUDM302

Statement of Intent

Final Major Project - The Return of Nibiru

Haydn Robinson & Alex Moody

The objective of this brief is to develop a story which is grounded in ancient Sumerian history and mythology into a trailer for a modern day special effects masterpiece. This will be a well documented piece of work clearly outlining the development of the idea right through to the post production. This will be achieved by targeting getting people who are have the desired specialist skills to get the job done to a professional standard. Once this has been produced it will be marketed in an attempt to acquire funding for it to be produced as a full feature length film.

Resources Required

1 Mac Pro, 1 HD Video Camera, Green Screen, Full set of redheads, Track/dolly, Crane, Props, Maya, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Word processing software, Celtix - script writing software. Cast, additional help from individuals with further knowledge and skills in that particular specialism.

Mandatory Requirements

3-5 Minute Promotional Movie Trailer

Research & Development – Blog

Fully Scripted & Storyboarded Idea

Brand Identity – Film & Production Company

Self Identified Reading List

E.g. Books, Magazines, Periodicals, Case Studies

Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past; Erich von Däniken, 1968

The Complete Book of Scriptwriting (Hardcover) J.Michael Straczynski, 1997

Scriptwriting for the Screen (Media Skills) (Paperback) Charlie Moritz 2008

The After Effects Illusionist: All the Effects in One Complete Guide

(Paperback) Chad Perkins 2009

After Effects Apprentice (Paperback) Chris & Trish Meyer 2009

Bold Visions: A Digital Painting Bible: The Digital Painting Bible (Paperback) Gary Tonge

Creative review

Scene 360

BFI

CineFX

Additional Research Opportunities

Broadcast Video Expo & The Production Show‏

Studio's with 3D stereoscopic camera rigs set up.

Script writing course with Greame Davidson and friends.

Case study on whether there is a need/ place in the market for this film.

Films/TV;

2012
Avatar
Knowing
Angels & Demons
Paranormal Activity
Discovery Channel Ancient Astronauts
In Search of Ancient Astronauts

Considerations

Health & Safety, Budgets, Target Audience, Tone of Voice will very much depend on project.

Much of the live action will be shot in a studio so the main health & safety issues will revolve around making sure wires and equipment won't be in the way a full pre-evaluation of potential hazards will be drawn up. Health & Safety must also be considered for long hours of computer work.

Budget will be absolute minimum, around £100 probably for paying casts travel and refreshments and marketing the finished piece.

Sci-Fi geeks, younger audience, Age 15-30

ToV, sentence structure to be considered.

Deliverables

3-5 Minute Promotional Video, including live action footage and special effects, Script, Treatment, World Bible, Sketches of Initial Ideas, Fully Realized Storyboard.

Personal Tasks

Haydn Robinson

Story Developer
Script Writer
Director
Cast Locator
CGI – Planets, etc
Compositing
Editing


Alex Moody

Prop locator
Set design/builder
Main Cameraman
CGI – spaceships, etc
Compositing
Editing

Sound Production? LCM Students, relations
Storyboard Artist? Graphics students
Prosthetics and Make-up Jody Holiday
Costume Design? Source Fashion students

Quick Tutorial

Quick after effects tut i found and decided to do before i forgot about. Im unsure at this early stage how the titles or credits are going to look but this is a good example of some of the effects. The more tutorials i look at the more i notice that using the 3d plugins in after effects, applied to other techniques creates very unusual and good products.

Danny Boyle - Sunshine Interview

Some interesting theories

This is a bit of research aiming to see about the truth in theories of ancient astronauts came to aid in our evolution from cave painters into sophisticated pyramid builders. This is useful background knowledge to add to the story.

History Channel - Ancient Astronauts Documentary

In Search Of Ancient Astronauts (1973)

In Search of Ancient Astronauts is a documentary based on the book "Chariots of the Gods" by Erich von Däniken. It begs the question, what is the possibility God was a spacemen, looking at unexplained ancient mysteries and technology which we thought had only recently been created that our ancestors had thousands of years ago. It looks at how an indigenous population on a South Pacific Island reacted to Airplanes landing and light skinned people during WWII. This is clearly where the director of "Knowing" got his ideas for the aliens and spaceships,

Most interestingly this documentary looks at ancient texts and drawings and how in many accounts they suggest Earth has long been visited by ancient astronauts, one of many other interesting points raised by von Däniken.

Knowing - Review, thoughts on...

Knowing Trailer 2 - Watch more Movie Trailers

We were recommended to watch 'Knowing' in relation to this project. It is interesting ideas of how Nicholas Cage gains an understanding of the end of the world and disasters leading up to it. Some nice CG FX mainly in the end scenes, along with some effects which I think could have been produced slightly better. The spaceships were interestingly different to the stereotypical flying saucer shape which is generally opted for.

The story on the whole was fairly standard Hollywood, it seemed uncannily familiar to many other films, as though it has been constructed out of the ideas previously coined. Knowing attempts to tackle the tricky subject of whether or not our fate is predetermined, overall I feel this was tackled very poorly as the film leaves the viewer feeling quite helpless as the story suggests that significant disasters are predetermined and therefore so is our fate.

I don't feel this is an underlying message which should be portrayed in film, a somber tone of; "life's a bitch and then you die," and there's nothing you can do about it just deal with it. This coupled with the Adam and Eve style ending shot on a planet not to dissimilar from Earth, leaves the viewer feeling slightly robbed of the past two hours of their life.

Synopsis: Nicolas Cage stars in Knowing, a gripping action-thriller of global proportions about a professor who stumbles on terrifying predictions about the future—and sets out to prevent them from coming...
Nicolas Cage stars in Knowing, a gripping action-thriller of global proportions about a professor who stumbles on terrifying predictions about the future—and sets out to prevent them from coming true.

In 1958, as part of the dedication ceremony for a new elementary school, a group of students is asked to draw pictures to be stored in a time capsule. But one mysterious girl fills her sheet of paper with rows of apparently random numbers instead.

Fifty years later, a new generation of students examines the capsule’s contents and the girl’s cryptic message ends up in the hands of young CALEB KOESTLER. But it is Caleb’s father, professor JOHN KOESTLER (Nicolas Cage), who makes the startling discovery that the encoded message predicts with pinpoint accuracy the dates, death tolls and coordinates of every major disaster of the past 50 years. As John further unravels the document’s chilling secrets, he realizes the document foretells three additional events—the last of which hints at destruction on a global scale and seems to somehow involve John and his son. When John’s attempts to alert the authorities fall on deaf ears, he takes it upon himself to try to prevent more destruction from taking place.

With the reluctant help of DIANA WAYLAND (Rose Byrne) and ABBY WAYLAND, the daughter and granddaughter of the now-deceased author of the prophecies, John’s increasingly desperate efforts take him on a heart-pounding race against time until he finds himself facing the ultimate disaster—and the ultimate sacrifice. --© Summit Entertainment

http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/knowing/ 19/1/10

I have to say that i feel as though this another example of really good effects being deveolped but over use and emphasis upon these effects. AM

Initial Idea Development - 1st Tutorial - Notes, what's next?

Anunnaki – Focal point of the story, the return of the Anunnaki to Earth to collect the debt owed by mankind.

Planet X – Returns to close proximity of the Earth on it's 3600 year orbit, causing widespread disruption on Earth; Increased, comets, earthquakes, weather systems, etc

Sumerian – Mythology, historical; Research needed

Genetic Modification - Human Race 'Slaves' to the Anunnaki

Secret organisation – Illuminati, Committee of 300, free masons, etc gaurdians of knowledge of Mans true past.

Religions/ Mythology – Similarities, Research

Possible use of mysticism, ley lines, swastica stones, crop circles, ancient monuments etc

Next Steps...

1. Research;

   “Chariots of the Gods”

   “Knowing”

   Relevant media, not just Internet.

2. Research intro scriptwriting

3. Develop a World Bible with a detailed description of characters

4. Re-write rationale in Pro-forma

5. Produce a Synopsis for statement of intent.

Calender

Haydn's Timetable for Success - January/February

Alive in Joburg

Alive In Joburg, a stellar short film directed by Neill Blomkamp, is an unsettling and eerie tale of a close encounter of the third kind in Johannesburg, South Africa. The discrimination of visitors from another world makes for an interesting allusion to Apartheid. This is what War of the Worlds should have been like. This film is of great interest seen as the creator went on to have this short made into a feature length film.

"The reason why i feel like this works so well is due to how it is very emotive and has strong ties with issues already dealt with by the human race. The way the aliens are portrayed gives the feel of them being a poor, suffering race. I think the fact its shot in South Africa, and the style it is shot in means that there is an automatic link with the news reports we see in the real world created giving a deeper sense of meaning and reality." Alex Moody

"I agree with what you have to say on this Mr Moody, Blomkamp's idea for 'Alive in Joburg' is an allegory for the South African history of racism and the apartheid. It also picks up humanities unique ability to unite and pull together in times of disaster or desperation." Haydn Robinson

FMP Initial Rationale

Final Major Project - Rationale

For this third year final major project we plan to create a short visual effects film/movie trailer to promote an idea for a feature film we wish to develop. Aiming to follow in the footsteps of Neil Blomkamp's work 'Alive in Joburg' which was recently developed into the feature film 'District 9' with the help of Peter Jackson, which was released in early Autumn 2009. It seems that with the recent releases of such photo-realistic visual effects filled Sci-Fi thrillers as District 9, Terminator Salvation and James Cameron's; Avatar, a massive market has developed for this genre which has recently entered a new era thanks to the increased capabilities of computer-generated visual effects.

After researching into the world of conspiracy theories for a critical studies assignment last year, there was one particular theory that stood out from the rest. It tells of a civilization that existed over eight thousand years ago until the Babylonian/Assyrian period in what is now modern day Iraq. Most commonly known as the earliest detailed record of civilization on Earth, The Sumerian's give detailed accounts of Genesis from which many modern religions share distinct similarities. As this is can be a touchy area and as I do not intend to insight religious hatred through this short production, I have decided to stay clear of this area of subject matter. Instead I will be writing about the side of the Sumerian belief system which seems to be straight out of a Sci-Fi Hollywood Blockbuster.

The Sumerian's believed in Gods, this is not unusual for any early civilization, however the level of detail depicted in the 12,000 clay tablets they left behind is simply extraordinary. They tell of Gods of the Sky, 'The Anunnaki,' an advanced race of beings from the tenth planet in our solar system, they colonized Earth 432,000 years ago with the interest of obtaining large quantities of minerals, particularly gold. Around 250,000 years ago the miners rebelled against the conditions they were working in, so the chief scientist and medical officer of the Anunnaki were appointed to create a slave race of beings to replace these workers. After little success in splicing animal and homo erectus genes, the Anunnaki made a hybrid by crossing the DNA of the Anunnaki and early human like creatures. The new hybrid race grew in vast numbers, the Anunnaki City became over-crowded so many of the slave race began to be expelled from the city, eventually inhabiting the entire world. Around 8,000 years ago the Anunnaki decided that the humans had earned their independence, before they left the Anunnaki installed a hierarchy to insure the extraction of gold would continue whilst they were gone, with the promise that one-day they would return to claim the remaining gold.

Obviously trying to write and produce screenplay for the above idea would be practically impossible when taking into account; budget, resources and time. One route that is most likely to be followed, focuses on the return of the 10th Planet (Nibiru, Planet X) and the Anunnaki. Using fake News Reports, Interviews, MI6 meetings coupled with computer-generated visual effects of the 10th planet and its spaceships containing the inhabitants return to Earth. Possibly with a new storyline developed around the cover up of this story along with mans greed, which leads people to refuse giving the gold to the Anunnaki. Despite the Anunnaki explaining that the gold is payment for the gift of life, the gold is still withheld, leading to all out war between humans and the Anunnaki.
We intend to employ the skills of various students within different specialisms from the college to insure the success of clear communication of ideas for this short film/feature film trailer.