Storyboards for "Project Otto"

EDIT 11/7: I've added the flashback before and during the journal voice over, but I'm contemplating taking the voice over out... Need input.

We start on a MCU of test tubes bubbling...

...and move through them to a glowing/sparkling rock...

...past that and over stacked crates...

To Otto, who is writing. He grabs his cup and drinks.

Sets it down onto a locket. CLANK

Looks down to see the locket.

Picks it up. A moment of reminiscence. We dissolve to:

10 year old Otto's hand holding the locket (NOTE: It has changed to a moon locket).

He puts it around Diana's neck.

Then we see memories. They read an astronomy book under an oak tree.

They make a play rocket out of a crate

They star gaze. Then we dissolve back to...

Otto looking up at the moon.

He begins to write: it's been 70 years since my parents told me Diana got sick went to the moon to get better."

While he writes we dissolve again to Otto's parents giving him back the moon locket.

"...this is my last attempt to find her" (Otto studies the astronomy book alone under their favorite tree).

And crosses off Diana's name from their rocket.

"I'm headed for the dark side of the moon." (Otto moon gazes alone).

We dissolve back to Otto signing his name."Otto Albertovich Numerov, June 1918"

With effort, Otto gets up and starts walking

Goes through a hatch to his rocket.

Cut to a serene exterior view

And then into the rocket! Otto presses buttons, etc.

And off it goes!

And down the hill we go to a graveyard...

Where Diana's name is engraved.

Concept designs for" Project Otto"

Since my puppet's name is the only unchanging part of this stop-motion project, I decided it was fitting to start calling it "Project Otto." So anyway, I have made a few preliminary/rough designs for the set.

The exterior shot of the observatory. I like the idea of melding rural and industrial--metals and woods. The dome is metal, along with the vertical lines down the building. The doors and windows are wood. The rest is a stucco (or just cement-ish, white texture.).

On Otto's desk: a gold beaker, an ink bottle, a journal and a dip pen. His desk and chair will be basic wooden furniture. Again, I'm going for this metal/wood contrast (his telescope will be metal)

A rough idea of the interior of the observatory. I'm still working it out in terms of how much you will see and what is needed.

The left portion of the interior. This is more of a workshop area where he's been working on his rocket. The thing on the left is the bottom of the rocket, it won't actually show through, but the idea is that it is attached to the side of the observatory (so he can work on it without leaving!).

A rough idea of what the telescope will look like:

The rocket ship! Sort of an extension of his observatory. The control center where he sits is in the bottom tier. This is also for the exterior shot. It will be miniature and I'll make a separate interior set.

The interior of the rocket:

I am still playing with angles and how much of it we will see, but as far as what is inside of it and what materials, I am set on doing something along the lines of that steampunk picture of the gadgets and whistles on the wood wall.

Inspiration Photos for Astronomy Stop-Mo

Some 19th century Russian buildings. I'm going to borrow elements for the observatory:

I like the idea of it being made of mostly wood.

Inside, I want wooden elements mixed with mechanical/machine elements

I LOVE this coloring for the wood:

and these wooden panels for the wall:

I want the observatory to be cluttered and aging:

With inventions scattered around (maybe not this cluttered):

I'm loving the idea of basing the rocket ship's design off of the top of this building:

With the buttons looking type-writerish:

and the gears and whatnot looking like this:

And his cup will be golden goblet/beaker similar to this:

Next step is to start implementing these ideas in my designs! Stay tuned!