Project Proposal

Background/Introduction
My chosen theme has stemmed from the Black Lives Matter movement, which began in America in 2013. On February 26th 2012, black teenager Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by white Hispanic man George Zimmerman. Although Zimmerman had admitted to manslaughter, in July 2013 he was acquitted of all charges. His acquittal sparked outrage within the community, leading many to question why this had happened. Did the jury not care that an innocent young man was killed? Or were they just not aware that black lives matter? In my narrative I would like to focus on the Trayvon Martin’s life and death, but also make it clear that there is a wider issue too.

This topic is important to me as a black female because it’s something that I'm directly affected by. Moreover, regardless of one’s race, I think that everyone should be aware of the injustice that’s happening at the moment, in order to help enact social change. Of course all lives matter, but unfortunately black lives are the ones that are in danger at the moment. I think by using animation it gives a more light-hearted approach to the topic; the importance of the topic will be highlighted however in a way that’s easier to digest. I would still like to convey its cultural significance and make sure that the narrative evokes emotion since it is quite a serious topic. My aim is to make the audience aware of the dramatic impact of racial injustice and institutional racism.

Structure
I will be using Dancyger and Rush's 'Restorative Three-Act Structure'.

• The first act  will be a flash-forward to show what Martin’s life could have been if he had not been killed. This will feature a few memorable events such as him graduating university, getting married and starting a family. At the climax of the first act, Martin’s wife will reveal to him that she is pregnant. At this point the story will cut and rewind back through the previous events.
• During the second act of the story, 17-year-old Martin will be introduced, on the night of his murder. I will build up the tension by showing him walking down the street, and then suddenly a stranger (Zimmerman) will approach him with a gun. The climax point will non-graphically show the moment that Martin is shot and subsequently killed. 
• The third act will show his family’s reaction and their mourning, which will be contrasted with Zimmerman being deemed not guilty.

Inspiration

• The Simpsons inspired my use of thick weight lines
• Persepolis - flat backgrounds with not much detail
• Up - the montage style used in Carl and Ellie's love story
• Spirited Away - exaggerated facial expressions

Plan of action

• Week 8 and 9: I will continue to draw frame images with detail and begin drawing in between frames.
• Week 10: I will start to piece all the frames together and work on making things move
• Week 11: I will incorporate sound, by searching for what kind of music and sound effects I would like to use
• Week 12: On the final week before the Christmas break, I will aim to have completed the post production stages, leaving the rest of the time before submission to iron out any mistakes. In this time I will also write the description of my animation.