Planning an Animation (P3, P4, M2)

Planning an Animation (P3, P4, M2)

Learning Outcome 2: Be able to plan an animation for a client brief 

 

P3: Develop concept ideas and sequence for an animation to meet a client brief 

Mood Board

Sketches

The facial expressions and movements will remain roughly the same throughout my animation. Due to my animation being in stop-motion/claymation, it is rather difficult to have a wide range of detailed expressions, and the factor of simplicity is one of the most important details of my animation. My worm will stay in the same colour of grey throughout. Depending on his mood, he will either be smiling or not smiling, moving throughout by moving his body up and down.

Storyboard

Storyline

The animation starts with Clive, the worm, dancing through Central London while listening to his music. As he slides down the streets casually, he sways to the beat, unaware of the eerie atmosphere that engulfs him. The city is not well-lit, and the faint streetlights cast shadows. Clive suddenly bumps into an opponent as he walks through an alley leading to Leicester Square. Suspense builds as the familiar Pokémon battle music theme is heard. A chaotic and disorganised fight scene follows—Clive dodging, weaving, and throwing his tail at his opponent in a quick, almost over-the-top brawl. The animation itself grows more frantic, using kinetic camera angles and dramatic lighting to heighten the action. Clive emerges victorious but bloodied by the end of the fight, adopting a zombie-like look from his battle, stumbling out of the alleyway with a dazed, determined intensity. He just keeps on trucking and ends up smack in the middle of the Zombie Fest March. He joins in the march of dead creatures and other zombie-like people, blending in perfectly. The camera zooms slowly out as a narrator clears his throat, taking a while before cutting in to announce the proceedings officially. The cartoon fades to black in an iris shot with the final words: "London Falls to the Undead – Will You Join?!" followed by a 'Don't miss the ZombieFest march on January the 17th in Leicester square!'

P4: Create a pre-production plan for the animation 

Medium

I have opted to use the animation technique of claymation and stop motion for the creation of my product. The brief suggests that my animation should be suitable for display on mobile devices, as a .mov and .mp4, meaning the medium of my product will have to be digital. The display of my animation on a digital device will suit my intended target audience and aim to gain wider mass appeal due to its easy accessibility. My claymation animation will be distributed digitally via a mobile app by the company BrainGoo, which allows for my desired audience to be directly targeted through the distribution of the app. Furthermore, this medium of film provides a very effective means of communication, whereby the narrative can be presented in a visually stimulating and quick-to-consume manner, amplifying its impact and appeal.

Synopsis

In a city of anarchy and doubt, there is something which is unmistakably more terrifying — worms! Clive, the music-addicted, dead-like worm, shambles through Central London, lost in his own rhythm. But when he stumbles upon an alleyway shortcut to Leicester Square, his day takes a turn for the dramatic. An opposing contender arises out of nowhere, and an intense struggle takes place, full of over-the-top action and Pokémon-style fight music. Bruised but triumphant, Clive staggers out of the alley and into the middle of the BrainGoo ZombieFest March. Clive is surrounded by his fellow undead and discovers he's not as isolated in this world as he thought. As the march makes its way through the city to the frantic heart of Leicester Square, Clive discovers the strange joy of the undead existence. And then, as the camera widens, a narrator clears his throat to shatter the moment and issue a public invitation: London Falls to the Undead – Will You Join?.

Target Audience

The target audience for the BrainGoo ZombieFest March promotional animation is horror fans aged 18 and above. The animation will be aimed at an older audience because of the content's possible mature nature and dark, 'scary' theme of zombie characters. Since there is no gender, race, or background described in the brief, our aim will be to target an audience of diverse backgrounds from all walks of life. However, we expect the middle to upper class to be the most probable audience since they are financially better off investing in the food, merchandise, and signed memorabilia to be offered after the event in Leicester Square. Though horror is generally male-biased, we will attempt to attract varied audiences by incorporating both male and female tropes in the animation. The secondary market is 16-18-year-old teenagers who, despite regulatory limitations, engage with horror material regularly. 

Despite what might be controversial here, our presentation will be restrained and not gratuitous so that the event can be opened up while still being appealing to a youth audience. The march itself will be clear of profanity or gratuitous content, although the zombie theme and violence implied might not be particularly appropriate for very young children. To ensure that we have a safe and orderly event, we will also stress that the march is a peaceful gathering of all zombie lovers, with no harm or hostility involved.

Purpose

The animation I am developing is meant to serve both as a promotional and informational video for the much-awaited Zombie Fest scheduled for March. Through the use of a unique and differentiated animation style, this video will bring to life zombie characters and a host of horror elements that will be used to entice and interest the target audience. To ensure that it appeals well to an older audience, the animation will carefully include spooky and haunting imagery to ensure that there can be no mistaking it for any event that may be targeted towards children. Moreover, the animation has been specially crafted to be interesting and entertaining, effectively captivating the audience and significantly enhancing their interest in the event. Overall, this promotional video will not only motivate people to attend but will also play a significant role in raising the brand awareness of BrainGoo Promotions, making it stick in the minds of the community.

Script

SCENE 1

EXT. CENTRAL LONDON – DAY

The reverse iris shot fades in to reveal Clive, a worm, vibing through Central London with headphones on, listening to his upbeat boom-bap music. He slithers along, bobbing his head to the rhythm.

SCENE 2

EXT. ALLEYWAY – CONTINUOUS

Clive turns into an alleyway, still lost in the music. As he emerges on the other side, a shadow looms over him. He bumps into an unknown enemy.

ENEMY: (menacingly grunts)

The camera zooms in dramatically on both characters.

Pokémon battle music starts playing. 

SCENE 3

EXT. ALLEYWAY – MOMENTS LATER

An intense fight scene unfolds—fast cuts, exaggerated action, and horror-inspired effects. Clive slithers, dodges, and lands hits in a flurry of chaotic energy. The scene ends with Clive victorious but bloodied and bruised as he wobbles out of the alleyway.

SCENE 4

EXT. SIDE STREET – DAYTIME

Clive continues his journey, unknowingly slithering straight into the BrainGoo Zombie Fest March. He looks around at the undead crowd, slowly realising he’s surrounded by fellow zombies. Instead of fear, a spark of excitement grows. He blends in perfectly.

CLIVE: (confused, then intrigued) Low murmuring grunts.

SCENE 5

INT. UNDERGROUND STATION – DAYTIME

Clive follows the posters and the crowd, making his way toward Oxford Street station. He weaves through the barriers, hops onto the train, and rattles along through the carriages with other marching zombies.

ZOMBIES ON TRAIN: (collectively, excited) Various grunts and murmurs.

SCENE 6

INT. TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD STATION – CONTINUOUS

The train pulls into Tottenham Court Road station. Clive and the zombies pour out onto the platform, shuffling towards Leicester Square, guided by glowing event posters. The excitement builds.

ZOMBIE CROWD: (murmuring, anticipation growing)

SCENE 7

EXT. LEICESTER SQUARE – DAYIME

At the starting line of the march, the camera pulls back to reveal a massive gathering of zombies, all waiting for the signal. A loud whistle blows, and the crowd erupts in a cheer of monstrous grunts as they begin their march through the city.

Horror-themed rock music kicks in.

SCENE 8

EXT. MARCH ROUTE – DAYIME

The camera slowly zooms in on Clive’s face as he grins, fully embracing the chaos. The screen fades to black, and an iris shot closes in on Clive’s eye before transitioning into the final text shot:

London Falls to the Undead – Will You Join?.

Risk Assessment

Running Order

1. Brainstorming & Planning

   • Create a mind map for ideas
   • Develop mood boards for style, tone, and atmosphere
   • Sketch out character designs and facial expressions
   • Develop a storyline and script

2. Pre-Production

   • Create a storyboard for the animation
   • Research claymation techniques and industry conventions
   • Research audience trends and preferences
   • Analyse competitors and similar projects
   • Hire or assemble a production team (if needed)
   • Conduct a risk assessment for the production process
   • Gather all necessary equipment (cameras, lighting, rigs, etc.)
   • Collect materials (clay, armatures, sculpting tools, sets, props)
   • Acquire relevant software for editing and post-production

3. Production

   • Construct sets and props
   • Sculpt and refine clay models
   • Begin animating, capturing frame-by-frame motion
   • Record sound effects, voiceovers, and background music

4. Post-Production

   • Edit animation, refining movement and continuity
   • Add backplates, visual effects, and post-processing elements
   • Sync and edit audio (dialogue, sound effects, and music)

5. Marketing & Distribution

   • Conduct market research to refine promotional strategy
   • Measure audience engagement (social media following, previews, trailers)
   • Track distribution success (ticket sales, streaming views, festival entries)

Equipment and Personnel

2d/3d Backplates

I will shoot my animation on a green screen background and then edit my backplates in the animation afterwards in my animation software. I have sourced these images from Google to use as backplates in my final animation. By incorporating recognisable locations like Leicester Square, the audience can easily connect with the setting and identify the animation as a promotional rather than a fictional entertainment video. Additionally, these backplates provide context to the story, enhancing the narrative flow and ensuring a more immersive experience.

References:

https://mpgqs.com/projects/tottenhamcourtroadstation/:2025:MPGQS:ACCESSED2025

https://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3300913533:2025:FLICKR:ACCESSED2025

https://alondoninheritance.com/london-history/the-changing-face-of-leicester-square/:2025:ALI:ACCESSED2025

https://memoirsofametrogirl.com/2020/03/11/goodwins-court-history-diagon-alley/:2020:MOAMG:ACCESSED2025

Gantt Chart

 

M2: Complete a SWOT analysis for the intended animation for the client 

Strengths

The proposed animation possesses certain strategic strengths that will facilitate the engagement of audience interest. A prominent strength is the use of animation in our promo video, which is a distinguishing element. While the majority of event adverts use live-action footage to establish familiarity with and realism for the viewer, the use of animation, as here achieved through using claymation, will set our project apart from the rest and make it more interesting and memorable. The unorthodox production method will pique viewer interest and prompt further interaction with the advert. Also, as animation is normally coupled with a children's audience, it can potentially find a second market among teenagers and kids. Another major strength of the project is its accessibility. The animated video will be available through a mobile application, which will allow it to reach a broad audience because most people have access to mobile phones. The project's accessibility will be of immense benefit to Brain Goo's marketing campaign because it will guarantee maximum exposure to the Zombie Fest March and ensure that the event is seen by a widespread and diversified group of people.

Weaknesses

One major weakness of my animation is that the process of claymation is very time-consuming and difficult to create. In digital animation, simple edits and changes can be done quickly and efficiently, whereas claymation involves long frame-by-frame handling and detailing, which means it will take a lot longer to do and be a lot harder to create. This can slow down the overall production process of my animation, especially when complications can easily develop, like damaged models, lighting problems, or technical faults with the camera or rigging. As well as that, it's also less dynamic and accessible for changes and edits, which can impact the overall visual appeal of the product if elements aren't carefully managed. Another weakness is the vulnerability of the clay sets and models to damage or warping during production, which needs to be constantly repaired and touched up. Also, claymation, whilst having a unique and different look, may not attract or appeal to my target audience, as most animations in today's age are high-definition, high-quality animations, so the audience may not find the slightly lesser quality appealing. This could affect its ability to appeal to a wide-scale audience with digitally generated promotional material, which may affect the audience's response and the overall effect of the campaign and the animation itself.

Opportunities

The animated series has numerous potentialities for expansion and audience reach. If the animation finds a niche with audiences and becomes successful, it would potentially establish a faithful fan base to be leveraged for future work, like spin-offs or sequels. A successful campaign may even have the potential for creating a mobile phone game version of the animation where users navigate through zombie-themed hurdles and incentives. This would capitalise on the factors that contributed to the success of the original animation, including its horror genre and distinctive characters, and tap into the gaming market. This diversification would also allow the media company to access new markets. While the promotional animation is targeted primarily at adult horror enthusiasts, a game adaptation would be able to target a younger demographic, which would be the primary audience for future content. For the purposes of accessibility and appeal, the game would be made available to users with easy challenges appealing to a broad age group. Furthermore, moving into other forms of media would give Brain Goo additional marketing opportunities. A new mobile game would require a mass advertising campaign, with both traditional and online mediums utilised. For instance, an interactive billboard with a dedicated social media page could engage younger audiences very effectively, incorporating interactive elements to encourage participation and excitement for the project.

Threats

The greatest threat to promotional animation is competition from other businesses utilising the same method to promote their own events. Other film studios launching films might likewise use animation as a marketing technique, especially if they are also going after the youth market. If this catches on, then it would make our animation no longer unique and lose its effect as a differentiator. This would consequently influence our collaboration with Brain Goo since they have ordered the project with hopes of coming up with a unique and custom promotion to entice people to the Zombie Fest March. Another possible challenge is dealing with legal and ethical issues. Though the animation would attempt to appeal to a wide audience, the horror material might raise issues about content suitability, especially for a younger viewership. Media regulators can impose age restrictions if the animation is found to be too violent or intense for children. The music and sounds used throughout my animation may also encounter threats, as I may not have the right to use them, so will have to carefully select my soundtrack based off of this possible issue. If the content is given a high age rating, it can restrict its audience and reduce its impact, especially among the secondary target of children. This can be a threat to the overall success of the campaign, as a more limited audience can affect levels of engagement and reduce promotional success.