Diaries and Pyjamas by Ivo Siromahov
The book that I choose is a Bulgarian fiction work composed of 15 short stories linked together in a historical timeline. The title is Diaries and Pyjamas and is written by Ivo Siromahov famous in Bulgaria for his smart and absurd style of writing. The stories are written in a diary format and start 12th of September 1192 BC with Homer as journalist in a famous Greek news paper, which chief editor and owner is Zeus. In the same style of storytelling the book continues with excerpts of diaries of different historical people and their fictional, absurd and hilarious characteristics. Cleopatra is spoiled model having sex with Europeans (Romans) and discussing her dramatic experiences with her gay hair stylist. Christopher Columbus is making a reality show, survivor style; few ships, crew, participants and cameras. Shakespeare is a copywriter and thinks of inventive campaigns for travel agency, like writing a play, which is set in Verona, Italy. Amadeus and Salieri are rivals DJs. And so on, and on with Leonardo da Vinci, Brothers Grimm, Marx, Newton, Freud... The book combines surrealism and comic absurdity mixed with 21st century feel to tell a part of the world’s history.
Book cover and art: Banksy
concept 1 stick figures/ writing / diary
Driven from the diary narrative of the book this concept relies on writing and ridiculous stick-figure type drawings with accent on world’s history to set up the mood of the comic feel the movie will be all about. The absurdity of the relation between the ancient paper and contemporary items, type and stick drawings further reveals the future content of the film.
concept 2
ancient pictures/ vector
The second concept takes well known historical depictions of different eras and cultures and mixes them with elements, which don’t belong to that particular point in time. The characters of those ancient drawings/paintings will be placed in a modern environment to get the viewer prepared for the upcoming world history tale of farce and absurdity .
concept 3 timeline
The time line concept will focus on a linear representation of world’s greatest moments in time infused with comedy and absurdity. The serious geometric diagram combined with different elements running the gamut from apples to dildos will insure this will not be an ordinary historical time line.
concept 1
concept 1
concept 1 (1/2)
concept 1 (1/2)
concept 2
the chosen one ----> concept 2
Title Exploration
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concept 4
after the overwhelming inability to produce the color/graphic intense animation I wanted, I took more simple and clean direction -> the cave concept.
the resemblance of cave paintings, will induce the historical part of the idea, will juxtapose the comic vector graphics, which have urban feel to them
concept 4
concept 2 and half after finishing the cave concept animation, I did not feel strongly passionate about it and went back to the original idea of the very visual representation of the story with little adjustments to the boards
original boards
concept 2 and half edited boards