«Марго». Разработка короткометражного мультфильма
A short animated film exploring feelings of alienation and loneliness within a crowd.
Main information about the animated film
Logline
Margo has lived with vitiligo her entire life. From early childhood, she was an outcast among her peers, but her life changes after she meets a black sheep—someone in whom she finds a kindred spirit.
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Target Audience: Ages 6+
Runtime: ~7 minutes
Technique: Frame-by-frame 2D animation
References
The primary environmental references were drawn from Russian realities: old school hallways, winter courtyards buried under a blanket of snow, panel buildings, and windows glowing with a faint pink light.
Since the film is partly based on my own feelings and experiences, I chose an atmosphere that mirrors my upbringing—one that could immerse viewers who grew up in a similar environment back into the past.
1. Style References; 2. Location References
The most fitting style references were watercolor illustrations, as they best convey an atmosphere of lightness and a certain touch of fantasy.
Concepts
Characters
The main characters in the film are a girl named Margot and a white raven that has been abandoned by its own kind.
Crows
To enhance the contrast between the white and black crows, I focused on their form and silhouette. The white crow is soft and ornate, slightly eccentric, so it has a rounder shape. The black crows are distant and cool, so their feathers, tails, and beaks are pointed.
Margo. Model Sheet
Margo. A Sheet of Emotions
Margo — while outwardly a gentle girl, she is spirited and knows how to defend herself. She doesn’t hesitate to push back against her tormentors and show her true character.Her design, just as soft in form, is specifically created to echo the design of the white crane. This way, I am illustrating the similarity between these two characters.
Ziira. Model Sheet
Margo’s opposite is one of her classmates and a bully. In contrast to Margo, his design is intentionally made more angular and sharp.
He rejects his classmate, making fun of and belittling the girl in front of her peers.
Instructor
Locations
Schoolyard. Parallax
School. Hallway
Teacher’s Apartment. Kitchen
Why This Will Work
The film conveys a timely message needed in the modern world: never forget to look at and support the people around you, and also remember that if you feel like an outsider and are alone, sooner or later you will find your people.
The bright visual metaphor and the image of the main character resonate with the viewer, allowing them to share her experience and feel her way of perceiving the world.
Work Plan
The project is currently in the pre-production phase (development of character and background concept art).
Next stage: production (animatic $\rightarrow$ rough animation $\rightarrow$ final animation)
Final stage: post-production (compositing, sound)
