April, 2017

AN EXERCISE IN CHARACTER DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT - COLLABORATIVE INSTALLATION PIECE

Out of everything else I have ever created, this is by far the best of the best. So much time, effort and emotion went into this project and I couldn't have asked for it to turn out as well as it did. I had the privilege to work with some of the best and most attentive people I have ever met and I was overjoyed to receive extremely positive feedback about this project as a whole.

​

I collaborated with two others on this project. We were tasked to come up with a theme and then develop exhibitions based on that theme, playing to our own individual strengths whilst assisting the each other on in weaker areas. The theme we chose was 'identity,' so straight away I knew I could centre my project around characters. Creating characters was always something I enjoyed whenever I wrote scripts or stories, so it was interesting to explore this as a core concept. 

​

I went about developing four very different and diverse characters, each with their own backstories, personality traits etc. and linked them all together via the ways of a murder mystery. I did this for two reasons: One, as it is the most effective way of grouping together a bunch of strangers, and two, so that I could design the exhibition to look like a police line-up as to show off how the characters moved etc.

​

I wanted to bring my creations to life via cosplay and managed to find four actors that fit the roles perfectly, both in look, personality and nationalities. This was mentioned as one of the most effective parts of the exhibition as it really made the whole thing come to life. 

​

This project was such a passion of mine, so much so that I hand-crafted all of the artefacts that went along with the exhibition, including an art-book style dossier that shows my progress throughout the project. I am incredibly proud of this project and always will be. If anything this work made me realise the kind of skill I possess and what it is I want to do with those skills for the rest of my life.

(Disclaimer: A copy of my art-book is linked below. I am very much aware of the spelling mistakes - I was working on this book right up until the last second and did not have time to proof read. It did not effect my feedback in anyway however. Apologies.)