The first brief we've been given this semester is a group project based on a poem by Oliver Goldsmith called 'The Deserted Village'. The class has been split into groups of four and each group has been given two stanzas from the poem to animate. Our group has four members and we.ve been brainstorming as to how were going to animate our stanzas, 15 & 16. Being such an old poem, published in 1770, we all agreed that an old style of animation, paper cut-outs, would be suitable. The first deliverable was the Treatment File which I have inserted below. I'm also adding the verses that we're working on so it's easier to make sense of what I write here.

Stanza 15

But past is all his fame. The very spot

Where many a time he triumphed is forgot.

Near yonder thorn, that lifts its head on high,

Where once the signpost caught the passing eye,

Low lies that house where nut-brown draughts inspired,

Where grey-beard mirth and smiling toil retired,

Where village statesmen talked with looks profound,

And news much older than their ale went round.

Imagination fondly stoops to trace

The parlour splendours of that festive place:

The white-washed wall, the nicely sanded floor,

The varnished clock that clicked behind the door;

The chest contrived a double debt to pay, –

A bed by night, a chest of drawers by day;

The pictures placed for ornament and use,

The twelve good rules, the royal game of goose;

The hearth, except when winter chilled the day,

With aspen boughs, and flowers, and fennel gay;

While broken teacups, wisely kept for show,

Ranged o'er the chimney, glistened in a row.

Stanza 16

Vain transitory splendours! Could not all 

Reprieve the tottering mansion from its fall? 

Obscure it sinks, nor shall it more impart 

An hour’s importance to the poor man’s heart.        

Thither no more the peasant shall repair, 

To sweet oblivion of his daily care; 

No more the farmer’s news, the barber’s tale, 

No more the woodman’s ballad shall prevail; 

No more the smith his dusky brow shall clear,        

Relax his ponderous strength, and lean to hear; 

The host himself no longer shall be found 

Careful to see the mantling bliss go round; 

Nor the coy maid, half willing to be prest, 

Shall kiss the cup to pass it to the rest.

Treatment File

Concept

Taking stanzas 15 and 16 from the poem ‘The Lonely Village’ we will be creating an animation to reflect what the poem. Describes. The stanzas we have received deal with the local pub and how migration to the city has led to its downfall.

The main setting for the animation will be the interior of the pub. The pub would have been the hub of any 18th century Irish village, providing an escape for local people from the harsh realities of life. Ireland was going through a rough patch in time during the 18th century, poverty and famine were commonplace, and rural life would have been extremely difficult at the time. The pub would have been seen as a safe place, somewhere that a person could forget their troubles. The warmth and sense of community that is felt in a country pub, even to this day, will be evident in our piece. There will be an uplifting atmosphere, full of life and joy. This mood will be present in the depiction of the first stanza of the poem. For the second stanza all life will be stripped from the pub, leaving it dead and empty. A cold, claustrophobic mood will be present for the .second stanza.

The stark contrast in mood and atmosphere between the two stanzas will drive the visuals of the piece. The contrast will be created using lighting, sound and pacing. The sense of loss felt by the poet will be inflicted upon the viewer as they witness .the death of a community.

Technique and Approach

We are going to use these two sets of atmospheric moods to guide our stylistic approach. We are thinking of using light and dark colour schemes, possibly combined with different styles of animation to create a stark visual contrast.

The techniques we are thinking of exploring are stop-motion, prop making, and stage building. We are hoping to emulate a pop-up book aesthetic that will be contained in a 3d environment.

We have experimented with paper cut-outs and have been researching different techniques of animating with cut-outs. We have decided to create several layers which can be animated separately. Using specific lighting we should be able to generate interesting shadow effects and we are considering projecting separate images onto the background.

We plan to film in a 3D environment to create a layered 2D effect

Aesthetic

There is a strong contrast between Stanza 15 and Stanza 16

The first Stanza talks about the past and the happy forgotten atmosphere of the Ale house. Gold Smith describes the cheerful people of the village and the splendours of the well-kept interiors. This has given us the idea to use a warm colour .scheme and the use of a hand-made 3D set with a brightly lit atmosphere.

The mood changes in the second Stanza as the passing of time had brought decay upon the building which has fallen into ruin. To further enhance the contrast between the stanzas we intend to have the second paragraph animated in monochrome to give a dark, abandoned and gloomy feel. We are adjusting the lighting from bright to dim to further enhance the mood.

Our Intention is to use a paper cut-out technique to give it an old style look which will correspond with the setting of the poem.

Audio

Throughout the animation there will be a narrator reading the poem. We intend to record this ourselves and have ambient sound effects in the background. We have discussed using different voices for each Stanza to emphasize the change .between the Stanzas.

Having previously recorded four different voices for the narrative we are currently experimenting with mixing and layering .these tracks to create alternative versions.

We intend to use primary sources for the ambient background soundtrack.

Mood and Atmosphere

There will be two distinctive moods in this piece, one being warm and happy, the other cold and sombre. The portrayal of these moods will rely heavily on the atmosphere that we create for each one. We will be creating each atmosphere using audio, light, colour and pacing.

For the first stanza there will be a very busy ambient soundtrack, using recorded sound from pubs as a base. Clinking glasses, laughter and music will form the bones of the sound, creating a familiar pub atmosphere. The lighting will be bright, casting little shadow. The colours will also be bright, bringing life into the scene. The hustle bustle of the pub will be reflected.in the snappy pacing of the shots and cuts of the camera

The second stanza will contrast greatly with the first; the sound will be stripped almost completely bar the narrator. The lighting will be dimmed and set at a lower angle to cast long shadows across the lonely room. Colour will be lost in the darkness, consumed by the shadows. The pacing will change dramatically, allowing for lingering shots of the emptiness of the pub.