The Blue Passage

A proposed animation projectBy Kris Schnee

Running time: 2m42s

Camera: Above, looking downAction: A SAILBOAT (simple “catboat” or “sampan”) bobs gently on a tropical sea. A DIVER in scuba gear stands on a platform on the stern.Light: Bright overhead sunEffects: Fade in from whiteMaterials: WaterSound: Waves, seagullsMusic: Haunting but pleasant tuneTime: 4sTiming: |----|----|----|----|Fade in: |----|Boat bob: |----|----|----|----|

Camera: Close on diver from behind/to one side Action: Diver leans back to fall/hop off stern. Splashes into sea.Light: Bright overhead sunEffects: Water splash effectMaterials: WaterSound: Waves, seagulls, splash Music: Haunting but pleasant tuneTime: 5sTiming: |----|----|----|----|----|Fall: |----|----|----|----|Splash: |----|----|

Camera: Medium distance, sideAction: DIVER swims down/right. Emits bubbles. Fade to black.Light: Bright blue-tinted overheadEffects: Waving kelp (optional) Materials:Sound: Water burbling, bubblesMusic: Haunting but pleasant tuneTime: 5sTiming: |----|----|----|----|----|Swim: |----|----|----|----|----|Fade out: |----|

Image from Pixar's “Finding Nemo”...Found on TVTropes' page for “Humans Are Cthulhu”.

Camera: Overhead, behind/beside, distantAction: DIVER swims horizontally above a rocky seabed w/ a cliff to one side. Suddenly, earthquake! DIVER turns his head frantically.Light: Dim blue, overheadEffects: Cheesy screen-shakingMaterials: StoneSound: Water, bubbles, earthquake Music: Previous tune, suddenly switching to threatening tuneTime: 10sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|Swim: |--|--|--|--|Quake: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|Headshake: |--|--|

Photo: Anders Stengaard Sørensen, stengaard.net

Camera:Close on ROCKSAction: Natural pillar of ROCKS cracks, emitting dust. ROCKS fall slowly toward camera.Light: Dim blue, overheadEffects: Dust/smokeMaterials: StoneSound: Quake, rocks grindingMusic: Threatening tuneTime: 5sTiming: |--|--|--|--|Rockfall: |--|--|--|

Camera: Close beside DIVER, w/ROCKS above in backgroundAction: ROCKS falling. DIVER turns from upright to horizontal and swims quickly away.Light: Dim blue, overheadEffects: Smoke/dustMaterials: StoneSound: Water, rocks grinding Music: Threatening tuneTime: 5sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|Turn: |--|--|Swim: |--|--|--|--|

Camera: Close behind DIVERAction: DIVER swims horizontally around falling ROCKS. An action sequence as he dodges twice.Light: Dim blue, overheadEffects: Materials: StoneSound: Water, grinding stoneMusic: Threatening tuneTime: 10sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|Rocks: |--|--| |--|--|--|

Camera: Distant, beside DIVERAction: DIVER swims, but a CRACK in the seabed opens beneath him.Light: Dim blue, overheadEffects: Smoke/dustMaterials: StoneSound: Loud rumbleMusic: Threatening tuneTime: 5sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|Crack: |--|--|--|

Camera: Medium beside DIVERAction: DIVER flails but current pulls him down into the CRACK. Fade to black.Light: Effects: Visible whirlpool/currentMaterials: Sound: Music: Threatening tuneTime: 5sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|Pulled: |--|--|--|--|--|Fade out: |--|

Camera: Wide, slightly above DIVERAction: Fade in. DIVER is sprawled on the floor of a air-filled cave lit by vague hovering lights. A POOL and a ROCK PILE are visible. DIVER stirs. Scuba gear missing.Light: Hovering cave lightsEffects: Materials: Stone, water surfaceSound: Music: First, pleasant songTime: 7sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|Fade in: |--|--|Wake up: |--|--|--|

Camera: Close on DIVER's back from behindAction: DIVER is standing. He reaches back for his scuba tank and hoses, but they are gone. ROCK PILE ahead looks like a caved-in entrance.Light: Hovering cave lightsEffects: Materials: Stone, hairSound: Music: Pleasant tuneTime: 2sTiming: |--|--|Reach: |--|--|

Camera: Wide, behind DIVERAction: DIVER looks back and forth toward the ROCK PILE, then the POOL.Light: Hovering cave lightsEffects: Materials: Stone, water surfaceSound: Music: Pleasant tuneTime: 6sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|Look: |--|--|--|--|--|

Camera: Close on DIVER's right, 45 degrees behindAction: DIVER is kneeling by the POOL. He startles, leaning back in surprise at something in the water.Light: Hovering cave lightsEffects: Materials: HairSound: Gasp!Music: Pleasant tuneTime: 4sTiming: |--|--|--|--|Lean: |--|--|Recoil: |--|--|

Camera: Close on POOL, from DIVER's perspective looking down into it. DIVER not seen.Action: An inhuman face looks toward the camera, startled. A webbed, fuzzy hand pats at its muzzle. DIVER's hand may be visible making the same movement.Light: Effects: Face is visible through translucent water, to simulate a reflectionMaterials: Fur (“wet otter” preset!)Sound: Faint pat noiseMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 5sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|Touch face: |--|--|

Source: Morguefile.com (I think)

Camera: Close on POOL from one side of DIVER.Action: DIVER's hand reaches into the mysterious POOL. Light shines suddenly where the hand enters.Light: Hovering cave lights, light around handEffects: Materials: Water surfaceSound: Splash, “shiny” soundMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 5sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|Reach: |--|--|--|--|Splash: |--|Shine: |--|--|

Camera: Close beside DIVER's armAction: Hand wiggles underwater. The model has been replaced with one that has fur, claws and webbed fingers like an otter's. Hand pulls back.Light: Dim blue overheadEffects: Morphing to new model (optional)Materials: FurSound: SplashingMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 6sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|Wiggle hand: |--|--|--|--|Pull back: |--|

Camera: Close on POOL from one side of DIVER.Action: DIVER is still kneeling. He rubs the back-to-normal hand he'd put in the water. Turns head away to stare at ROCKS of cave-in again.Light: Hovering cave lightsEffects: Materials: StoneSound: Music: Pleasant tuneTime: 8sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|Rub hand: |--|--|--|Turn, stare: |--|--|--|--|

Camera: Close on DIVER from behind, overheadAction: DIVER hesitates, then dives into the POOL.Light: Hovering cave lightsEffects: SplashMaterials: Water surfaceSound: SplashMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 8sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|Dive: |--|--|--|--|Splash: |--|--|

Camera: Whirling around DIVERAction: DIVER dives and spins from head down to up. A glow emanates from around him. Light: Dim blue overhead, glow around DIVEREffects: GlowMaterials: Sound: “Shiny” soundMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 4sTiming: |--|--|--|--|Camera tumble: |--|--|--|--|

Camera: Settles down to a close shot roughly in front of DIVERAction: Light fades. DIVER has been completely transformed. He now has the same fuzzy hands and head we'd seen before, along with a tail. Still humanoid. DIVER startles, spots tail, and swims up.Light: Dim blue overhead, glowEffects: Materials: FurSound: “Shiny” sound, gaspMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 10sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|Glow: |--|--|See tail: |--|Swim up: |--|--|

Camera: Medium in front of DIVER above cave POOL.Action: DIVER surfaces, pats face. Hasn't changed back to human. Pauses. Dives again.Light: Hovering cave lightsEffects: Water surface, splashMaterials: Sound: SplashMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 6sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|Surface: |--|Pat face: |--|--|Dive: |--|

Camera: Underwater, distant beside DIVERAction: DIVER swims down through dim water. We can see some of a cavern tunnel he's swimming out of. Swimming stroke is different, moving legs and tail side to side. Fade out.Light: Dim blue overhead, spotlight from POOL aboveEffects: Materials: Sound: Music: Pleasant tuneTime: 6sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|Swim: |--|--|--|--|--|--|Fade out: |--|

Camera: Distant view of DIVER from side/frontAction: Fade in. DIVER swims up toward brighter water. Intermittent bubbles.Light: Dim blue overheadEffects: Water is brighter aboveMaterials: Sound: Bubbles, optional “running out of air!” sound (silly)Music: Pleasant tuneTime: 8sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|Fade in: |--|Swim: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|

Camera: Close in front of DIVER's headAction: DIVER surfaces in bright water. Huge gasp for breath.Light: Bright overhead sunEffects: SplashMaterials: Water surfaceSound: Gasp!, splashMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 6sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|Surface: |--|--|Gasp: |--|--|--|--|

Camera: Medium distance on DIVER, side, from surface. DIVER's body visible through translucent water.Action: Still panting. DIVER looks around, treads water. Sees strange things: Two moons and a BOAT.Light: Bright overhead sunEffects: Materials: Sound: Panting for breath, splashMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 5sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|Look:/breathe: |--|--|--|--|--|Tread water: |--|--|--|--|--|

Camera: Close behind DIVERAction: DIVER sees BOAT, stares. BOAT looks subtly different than his.Light: Bright overhead sunEffects: Materials: Water surfaceNarration: “My boat! Wait...”Sound: Splashing (treading water)Music: Pleasant tuneTime: 3sTiming: |--|--|--|Stare: |--|--|--|Tread water: |--|--|--|

Fantasy-ized boat concept. Credit: Ollie Canal, “Rym” No, don't make it this complex.

Camera: Medium behind DIVERAction: DIVER holds onto BOAT's stern ladder. Differences are more obvious but weirdly parallel to his boat, eg. an ice chest is now a wooden one in the same spot. BOAT looks like something from a fantasy story.Light: Effects: Materials: Narration: “Has it changed too?”Sound: SeagullsMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 8sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|

Camera:Distant above BOAT. Camera slowly pans up to the sky.Action: DIVER stands on deck of BOAT, tail twitching, looking up at the moons. Fade out.Light: Effects: Materials: Narration: “Where am I? Heh... Best to set sail and find out!”Sound: Waves, seagullsMusic: Pleasant tuneTime: 10sTiming: |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|Pan: |--|--|--|--|--|Fade out: |--|--|--|

The Hard Parts

Human animation Stick to simple movements Try to keep human face masked or out of view

Morphing Actually transform meshes if possible Where too hard, fudge with careful shot selection

Water Avoid actual reflections and light-ripple effects Note blue-tinted light in many shots

Suggested Free Resources

Sound: Freesound.org

Music: Jamendo.com

(Sample music for this animation is from the game “Aquaria”, not free)