Final Animation: Black Swan Title Sequence

 

 

 

 

 

 

Production Filming:

We filmed the next scene outside, filling a basin, lined with a plastic bag, with water. We then dyed that water red using ink.

 

 

We placed black card at it's sibe and back and placed a mirror, slanted, in the corner. However we then decided to shoot the hand scene before the origami so we took the mirroe out again, puting it in at a later stage.

 

To create the skin effect we used the nail varnish technique which required nothing more than holding the brush in the water, as it spreads rapidly.

 

 

Once this was done we scattered the varnish with feathers and began filming the hand scene, from the angle as seen below. For the tearing shot I painted my hand white using face paints and glued long black finger nails to my fingers. We hoped to achieve a dramatic, but creepy effect which I think we did.

 

 

 Below is a Shot of an origami swan which we used in the following shot.

 

Shadow Effect:

To create the shadow we first had to make the wings. However, because they were going to be a gradually introduced a ductile material needed to be used. We tried first eith clay but that proved too difficult as it would not stay on the wood. Therefore we went with a very adjustable material- Plastic Bin Bags.

 

 

 

We cut them into the shapes we needed and then using double sided tape, stuck them to the mannequins upper arms. Then, as you can see in the pictures below, we gradually brought the wings out. It was a long process but well worth it.

 

 

Dancing- Moves

To ensure we were using the correct movement for out ballet choreography we filmed a fellow student, Neasa, who has knowledge of the dance, in a stop motion style, to use as guideance.

The following are some of the pictures:

Lighting

Because we wanted to create a spotlight effect, we had to accquire a strong wattage with a small beam. To do this we brought in a lamp, using paper and a toilet roll to tighten the beam. This gave us the spotlight we required.  

 

 

Then to shine the light we tied the altered lamp to the end of a micro-phone stand which allowed us to change its position when we wanted, while still appearing steady in the shots.

 

Mannequin-Stop Motion

 

Once we set the scene, we now needed to determine the flexibility of the mannequin. Firstly we covered it's stand with green paper in the hope of later editing it out. However we found this did not suit the ballet movement we needed it to do.

 

 

Therefore, we looked at other solutions. We decided to increase the length of the wire, again covering it in green paper, but the movement was stil too rigid.

 

 

Finally we decided to try string (which we later changed to fishing wire) which worked briliantly. It gave us the flexibility and movement which we needed.

 

We tied the strings to the bodice of the doll, attaching it to a wooden stick, very similar to that of a wooden puppet and placed it on two other wooden sticks to increase stability, while allowing smooth changes in position.

 

 

 

 



Production-Stop Motion

The first thing we did was set the stage for our stop motion. To do this we had to darken the room, blocking out any natural sunlight.

 

 

Then we found Four Drawing boards, Three of which we covered with black paper, and one with white. The white board formed the background of the shot and the black, the floor and sides. To hold these boards up we cut ridges in measured wood, which acted as support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above is the set for our first scene.