MUSTARD TV: Inspiration, Idea Development and Research

Personally I’m interested in animals and by extension, animating animals. 

Something to do with local wildlife in and around Norwich. Animated animals / animal characters bringing together items to form the word mustard or the number eight. Animals moving around (birds eye view) in the shape of the number eight.

People of both demographics are likely to witness local wildlife. Older members of the community could have an interest in bird watching or animals in general. 

Preferably I want to include animals that exclusive to Norwich or the Norfolk area. However, some wildlife is so wide spread across the country that it’s not exclusive anywhere.

I could manipulate this idea to change seasonally. Which animals hibernate during the winter? Which are we going to see more of in the spring/summer/autumn/winter?

Could include eight animals (subtle inclusion of the number eight.) Probably needs to be more obvious though.

LOCAL BIRDS AND INSECTS

• Grey Partridge
• Barn Owl
• Kingfisher
• Bullfinch
• Marsh Harrier
• Robin
• Starling
• Song Thrush
• Turtledove
• Wren

LOCAL MAMMALS

• American Mink
• Badger
• Red Fox
• Harbour Porpoise
• Brown Hare
• Chinese Water Deer
• Muntjac
• Otter
• Stoat
• Weasel 

LOCAL AMPHIBIANS AND MARINE LIFE 

• Eel
• Pike
• Three-spined stickleback 
• Frogs and Toads
• Adder

LOCAL GREENERY/FLOWERS/TREES 

• Bluebells
• Bee Orchid
• Water Mint
• Yellow Horned Poppy
• Ash
• Beech
• Sweet Chestnut
• Oak
• Hawthorn

I did some really quick sketches of some animals I had read about that live in Norfolk (and so, Norwich or the surrounding countryside) or have a connection to Norwich in some way, like the canary. The canary is everywhere, the are plastered over the city on shops, taxi cabs, banners, etc.

After speaking to a friend who was local and hearing him say that he’s never seen a stoat or a badger around here I’ve decided to scrap those two animals.

Hares are still a possibility though I will probably not make them the main feature of my sting.

I decided on an idea involving canaries so I have done an observational  digital painting of one before simplifying it for my animation. The picture isn’t as on model as i would have liked but I have been able to easily simplify a canary for my animation.

A really rough storyboard. I used a rabbit here, still sticking to my idea of using forest animals. this is essentially the same as my developed storyboard except later on the rabbit was changed to be a human, as it was more relevant to the audience and the point of the animation itself, which was to be a little joke about what Norwich city centre is like during a football match day. You are bombarded with yellow, there are canary and everywhere and you can't escape.