15/02/2023 SMUG/CONFIDENT CHARACTER - REFERENCE FOOTAGE

For this experiment, I wanted to create a cocky type of character which was extremely fun to do. The line that I ended up using 'I am the king of the world!', which I felt as though was extremely appropriate. The line is from the film 'Titanic (1999).'

Since I found smug characters, extremely difficult to portray, I decided to play around with an idea that I found uncomfortable with so I can become more familiarized with it for this experiment.

I found it interesting since the original had Jack be extremely enthusiastic on being on one of the biggest boats known for mankind at the time. The idea of something being new and how the idea of discovering new things seemed very exciting for him. I like how it contrasted with mine, since Jack's emotion felt more wholesome and wholehearted while my twist made my character come off as extremely confident and someone who has too much power.

The original scene is here:

DIFFERENT ATTEMPTS

Attempt 1:

Before trying to get into the role properly, I felt as though it was appropriate for me to use a prop. The use of the staff was important since I wanted to really emphasize on the idea of royalty and the power that the character that I wanted would have. I felt as though the body felt too stiff, however, I didn't want it to be too flowy since it would look out of place for the character I wanted to explore. What I did like was the idea of whacking the staff on the floor, to again, create this confident character.

Attempt 2:

Since I had some idea on what I wanted to do with the staff, I decided to try a second attempt. Again, I really liked the idea of me whacking the staff against the ground but I also liked the idea of me having a step forward as I say the rest of my line. Again, I was able to show the confident personality through my animation. In the end of my act with how my hands stay on my hip, helps create an extremely sturdy and dynamic shape that again, emphasizes the cockiness of this character.

Attempt 3:

So, instead of trying to go for a somewhat energetic character, I decided to change it up a bit and go for someone who is more calm but still has a hint of the personality that I want to show. There are actions that are repeated similarly to the previous attempts, but instead of finishing on a dynamic pose similar to a superhero, I decide to instead sway my arm going around my figure. When watching this over and over, it feels as though it is a taunt towards people, which I found pretty funny. Nevertheless, I will still able to show my idea across.

Attempt 4 - Final Attempt

This was the final attempt that I had done for my research. I believe I was able to mix the ideas between the different attempts to create a product I was extremely proud of.

I was able to create a dramatic effect by using pauses between certain parts of the words so I could emphasize the words that were important. For example, I was able to keep a calm position throughout my acting however there is a contrast with the harsh movement of the staff as well as the emphasis of the 'K' in King. Little details like that helped make this experiment a success.