Artist Statement

I would like to create a working animatic for a story about an oil can. This story depicts an oil can who works at a factory. His job is oiling up machines that are on an assembly line. While trying to impress his fellow workers and move up through the ranks, the oil can takes on more than he can handle. In the end he finds out that where he was working before is just fine and that some stand to take advantage of the situation. Just because you can do the job doesn't mean it's worth it. The story will consist of several oil can characters, the machines they work on and a master oil can who is in charge.

I think the story is interesting because many people think they want more responsibility and the spotlight of "look what I can do" but really don't. Sometimes people need to be reminded that where they are at in life is OK . Not everyone's job is to be at the top and to move up certainly will have it's consequences. I think what makes oil cans interesting is their undesirable job. many people can relate to the type of job an oil can might do. People can relate to the constant pressure of keeping everything running smooth and what it takes to do it. We can also learn to appreciate those types of jobs and those who do it.

The animatic is a rough draft for an animation. It will consists of drawn storyboard pictures that will play in real time to the action of a sequence. By seeing the still images edited together you will get a firm understanding of how the story plays out and how the character interacts within the story.

oil can renders

photo by Robert Gebbie

These are the type of oilcans my character will be designed like.

idea for project

These images are photographed by Sergei Mikailovich Prokudin-Gorski

I would like to take a character I designed, an oil can, and create a story about where this oil can would work. His ability or lack there of to get the job done. His job would be to keep a large assembly line of machines well lubricated. Certain problems would arrive like he wants to make a name for himself so he takes on more responsibility than he can handle. He could emulate the turtle vs hare scenario. Always trying to catch up with maintenance until he runs a muck of the place. Or the cast out, he is required to work on the machine that no one likes, but in the end makes a friend.(machines have personalities). Oil could be the story, he has to constantly get oil from the barrel to keep up with maintenece and the oil barrel is stingy! We could call the barrel “the sheik”. Or a compilation of these ideas. What do you think?