DYSTONESIA -a final thesis project

DYSTONESIA

PREFACE

Before we started i'd like to give props to some people that helped me through this project and made this happen.

1. my family, for the spiritual and financial support.
2. my lecturer, for the assist and guidance (and also for approving this project)

3. Arman Dhani and Silvy Rifani for the resources.

4. Sanditio Bayu Estuputro for the cool music

5. Johanes Djauhari for the 3d modelling and the 3d print

6. Aedel Fakhri, Deni Iqbal Teruna, Ngo Felix Hindrawan, Billy Christian, Ryan Jackson, Yunus Kusumo, for the input and advice.

7. Hellofest 2016, for giving me a chance and screening this project

8. all of you who wasted your time reading this

9. also to my ex, sorry i dumped you, but thanks for being there at my worst.

BACKSTORY

So it all started in the late 2015, I have an idea of making a works based off dystopian-themed storyline. At the time, i do not know what direction i would take, am i going with comics, animated, or just doodle. But that's do not stop me from start researching, and digging a lots and lots material. And i was pretty confident and sure that this would go big, somehow.

Fast forward to 2016, my last year in college. I have to propose project ideas for my final project/thesis. I was not sure to propose this project because at the time i wanted to take 100% creative control and direction with this project. But fuck, i need to graduate, eh?

So i propose this idea, and got accepted.

anyhow, this post will mainly focus on breaking down on the visual concept of the project and not much on the theoretical framework of the concept.

CONCEPT

Now, since it was proposed for final project/thesis. There are few requirements i need to follow, such:

1. Must have design problem

2. Must giving solution for the problem

So, you see, i can’t just do it the way i wanted. A lot of things need to be changed especially the direction we’re heading to.

After lots and lots researching, lecturer assists, sleepless night, japanese porn, and instant coffee, it was decided that i am gonna make it into educational purpose.

why education you may ask, well, based off my survey, most of the audience do not know what is dystopian or even aware of the name. But, good thing is, people mostly recognise it. By i mean recognise is, when i gave them example in pop culture, like movies, books, comics, and video games, they just clicked rightaway. -Thanks to glorification of the concept by capitalist this last decade.

But why this happen?

because:

Dystopia is such a geeky term and by hearing the name people already too lazy to listen more.

There’s no literature that normies friendly.

And, i came to a point the problem is, people do not understand so i need to introduce the concept.

anyway, after we know “what” we need to know “how”. How are we gonna deliver our message? and by how we’re gonna fix the problem? this is the point of the final project. What is the thing that we’re gonna make to deliver our message and how’s the thing fix the problem.

well, Books could be the easiest escape. But i found out, our country is the second least literate of 61 nations, sad i know. -and then again, i am gonna introduce such a heavy concept to lazy nation, sooooooo yep-

To understand this, i need to understand the audience first, who arm i gonna aim?

After few research (again) i come to conclusion to aim a really niche audience

male and female

18-25,

at least graduate high school,

living in a big city, esp Jakarta

individualist and kinda ignorant of current issue, and usually have them own safe space

but pretty understand and actively consume pop culture.

Actively consume pop culture is our main key. from here i decided

I SHOULD MAKE ANIMATED SHORT and tortured myself

why animated short?

it does not have long attention, perfectly fits the millennials audience

it’s awesome

close to the audience, as i mentioned above, they more familiar with it

it’s awesome

why not.

STORY

Now, i know what i am gonna make.

ANIMATED SHORT, FUCK YEAH

but what’s the story

WHAT’S THE STORY

yes that’s the real problem. Because we’re gonna educate people with animated, a short animated, off course we need a perfect storytelling.

HERE’S COME ANOTHER PROBLEM

dystopia is such a big concept. i mean you can implement the story anyway you want and still fit the criteria~wait. hold. by this time, i assumed you (yes you, the one who reading) understand, at least, what is dystopia, right?

no?

NO!

WHAT THE FU-basically dystopia is, an imaginary places which everything is unpleasant or bad. Note the word “everything” and “imaginary”. From here you know that we can make everything up and still holds up to this definition.

A future where everyone is robot bear zombie? it’s dystopia

a future where everyone is not allowed masturbate? it’s dystopia

a future where donald trump is president? it’s dys-ooooh wait.

maybe you asking

“if this is just like imaginary scenario, why we even bother to learn?”

good question, smartass.

if you ever read any pop literature from old days like “1984” and “brave new world” you know that they use the dystopian concept as a part of social commentary of the political situation. Which basically, you can call is like a parodying the real life situation into worst scenario you could ever imagine.

and as far as we’re not aware of, some of the scenarios could happen to be real. So, dystopia concept is no longer jokes and giggles.

back to our project, technically, i wanted only make less than a minute short. so i need a quick to learn storyline.

I implemented the theories with social event and issues that happened in Indonesia, and i come with a premise

“A DYSTOPIAN WHERE EVERYTHING IS CONTROLLED”

a simple and cliche as that but still good

from this i come with two alternative storyboard,

the first storyboard is about a guy clueless about stuff then at the last minute, he’s realize that everything’s wrong! we need to fight! but it’s too late, the end.

the second storyboard is: same as the first, but more semiotic and symbolic.

after long assist and discussion then it is decided i go with the symbolism way.

then i need to perfected the script. as you can see below.

summary of the story

the protagonist living in his comfort zone just like other people, until he’s witnessing something that bugging him, and he’s started asking question and persuade other people too, but nobody wants to join him, and he ended up realize everything’s too late.

CHARACTERS

we have the concept, we have the story, what we need next

CHARACTERS!

wohoo! we’re into the fun part!

i always love designing characters.

So, here’s the sketch, and digital sketch of the alternative characters.

and here are the final fixed characters with the meanings

PROTAGONIST:

- young

- innocent

- curious

- active

- flexible

STAND-IN CHARACTER:

- generic

- individualist

- lazy

- ignorant

- insensitive

STOCK CHARACTER

- obedient

- loyal

- systematic

- formal

- rules enforcer

ANTAGONIST

- control

- powerful

- authoritarian

- supervise

STORYBOARD

now after we have the characters and story time to perfected the storyboard.

here are the sketch, storyboard, and breakdown of the scene per scene

COMPLEMENTARY STUFF

I forgot to mention that in final project / thesis we must pick any corporation or institution as part of the gimmick.

so i choose Lembaga Pamflet, because they’re a foundation that doing a lot of youth movement and i think ithey’re perfectly fits my project.

Here are the promotional stuff i made for the project,

the booklet, because sometimes people are too dumb to understand stuff.

the animated poster and dvd box

as you can tell the design of the poster heavily influenced by Castlevania NES box art.

and there’s also the 3d print and diorama of the scene.

and stickers.

DISPLAY

here’s my booth display at my thesis defense day

THE MOVIE

HELL YEA

THIS IS WHAT U’RE WAITING FOR RIGHT!

ok enjoy

HELLOFEST 2016

so after the storm, i submit this movie to Hellofest 2016, and well, what do you know, i got in to semifinal.

it was awesome experience.

I KNOW IT'S DARK AS SHIT BUT TRUST ME THIS WAS IN JCC JAKARTA

FINAL STATEMENT

in conclusion, the result was not how i expected to be, but it is indeed one of my biggest and tiresome project of this year. and i really had a lot of great time working on it.

final word, i hope you guys who watched or read this till the end enjoyed this project and please do leave a comment what do you catch from the video because i would really appreciate that, anddd thanks for viewing!

cheers

DYSTONESIA -a final thesis project -

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DYSTONESIA -a final thesis project -

a breaking down of my final thesis project, DYSTONESIA

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