Hmm the basics of this idea is following what a child asks for christmas through the toy factory. In this case someone asks for a cat because it's typical to ask for a puppy and I didn't want to go for the usual stuff. I also thought a cat would be more amusing because they're a bit more stubborn and disobedient than dogs.
I love Simon's cat!!! It's really funny and expressive and what I love most is how simple it is and the quality of drawing!
Quick Draft Storyboard of idea
1. View a letter to santa asking for a kitty.
2. Santa gives the signal and an Elf fetches kitty in the 'Christmas Kitty Kennel'.
3. Kitty is scooped up and prepared for shipping off, grooming, red bow and bell on it's next etc. Kitty resists a bit.
4. All clean and pristine Elf tries placing cat into the box up it resists again. Eventually gets in the box.
5. Moves along on the assembly line belt till it gets to the slay.
6. Finally freed on Christmas morning bit worn out.
.....or something like that!
Concept behind my idea
I remember as I child I always asked for some kind of pet for Christmas because I have always loved animals. It's typical imagery to see children asking for puppies for Christmas and the child opens a box to find a puppy with a bow around it's neck etc.
Then I started thinking about what would that actually involve? Obviously the parents just go to the pet store, but thats boring! what I mean is, what would it involve for Santa and his Elves? I say it would be difficult for those little elves to handle a cranky cat or animals, only one of their daily troubles I imagine! So I wanted to animate an amusing struggle for the poor Elf as he tries preparing the cat as a gift. Cats being one of the most stubborn animals I know of, his task will not be easy!
I've decided to the animation in simple line drawings, no colour! Unusual for a Christmas animation but I like the simplicity of it. I'm using 'Simons Cat' animations as my main reference. Perhaps I will add small pieces of colour in vital areas of the animation to draw in the viewers eye e.g. 'Merry Christmas' title at the end.
My tutors said to develop my own style. So in this animation I have my own style of drawing with my usual scribbly lines and with an anime influence. It's simple which is something I love doing…I don't like complicated stuff, not because I'm lazy or anything, I'll make it complicated if I have to… I just prefer the simplicity and effectiveness of some animations and I want to imitate that in my own way. I wanted to draw in a sketchy manner but I know thats difficult to achieve in Flash because its vector based and corrects the strokes into clean precise ones. I'll still draw away like I usually do and see what happens.
.jpg)
