Pub Wars; Preproduction Presentation

Kathryn Davies, Fiona Ware-Heine, Lauren Linney, Georgia Wheeler

Initial Idea

The initial concept for Pub Wars was presented by Director Kathryn Davies who showed these character design sketches and described the flavour she wished the piece to exhibit.

Brainstorms

The scripts went through many drafts and much discussion was had over to what extent we showed the plan being executed and/or the aftermath. In fact the epilogue scene in the final film was not in the final script.

Scripting

Final Script
Pub Wars Final Script (A cartoon style 1920s fedora wearing scene except not) A man leans on a wall under a pub sign which reads The Fishs Lips. He is reading a newspaper. The newspaper headline boasts of the best pub in town competition. With a grimace he closes the newspaper and, pushing off the wall, heads forcefully inside the pub. FLM: Ive said it before and Ill say it again; Im fed up with those losers over at the Royal Cock always winning the best pub co mpetition! FLW: The Royal Cock think theyre the dogs bollocks. But fear not, I have a plan for securing the prize. Heres what we do. (Unrolls a blueprint scroll on the bar) The morning of the competition bruce and susan will leave to visit the upmarket butchers. This gives us a two hour window in which to strike. (Blueprint view) Youll throw a grappling hook connecting our roof to theirs and swing across first, landing in the front bedroom of the first floor. Ill follow straight behind you. Now Ive arranged for a sack of 300 live rats to be lowered down the chimney from a helicopter at 9 minu tes past exactly. Inside the back room we attach the bag of rats to a pulley system linked to the door handle. This means we will have to leave via the basement. In the basement well remove the bricks on the north wall and tunnel our way across, under the street, to our basement, ready to greet the judges an hour later. (laughing) And back in The Royal Cock During the judging the door to the back room shall be opened, the bag shall fly up, catching on a hook in the ceiling which will tear open the bag releasing a swarm of 300 rats onto the floor at the judges feet. (end blueprint view) Sound good to you?

FLM: I love it!

THE MORNING OF THE COMPETITION FLM and FLW stand on the roof of The Fishs Lips ready to throw the grappling hook, they are dressed entirely in black.

FLM: Ready!
FLW: (looking through binoculars) GO GO GO! FLM leaps onto the zip wire and swings down heading towards the open top window of The Royal Cock. The camera angle changes to show the window and FLM zooms into view. He hits the wall next to the window with an audible crunch. (this scene will use comic timing).

Final Character Designs

Building Designs
After much discussion over the look and feel of each of our star pubs, Lauren Linney produced these final designs so that the 2D and 3D departments could work separately and yet keep the continuity of the look of the buildings.

Storyboards

Final Designs; Pub Signs

Maya Experimentation
A great deal of thought went into the look of the 3D blueprint sequence. We wanted to convey the idea of hand drawn lines on a chalkboard. Fiona Ware-Heine did some tests in Maya to try and gather information about the practicality of making it in 3D and to settle on the idea of using transparent textures.
We took inspiration from CBBCs Prank Patrol which always included a blueprint representation of the plan.

Blueprint Sequence Tests

Top Right: Lighting test Bottom Right: Transparency test Bottom Left: Perspective render Top Left: Test Render

The 2D department had to decide on the look of the figures and their style of animation. Georgia Wheeler produced some test shots and animation of the characters focusing of colour and motion.

Test Shot

Production Diary; Division Of Labour

Kathryn Davies
Director 2D Animation (morning) Backgrounds

Fiona Ware-Heine
Scripting Voice Acting Audio Editing

Lauren Linney
3D Textures 2D line art (morning) Storyboard Pub designs

Georgia Wheeler
2D Animation (day, pub) 2D Animation (epilogue) Lip sync Colouring

Character Design/Concept 3D Animation

Animatic (2D)
Colouring Editing Audio Sourcing/Editing Credits

3D Texturing
Title Cards Editing Organisation and Admin

2D Colouring
Animatic (3D)