Film Studies & Cinematography: Project 2： Pitch Bible
Table of Contents
Module Information
LECTURE
Week 9 / Visual Language
Visual Elements for Composition
1. Line: Demonstrated through straight, dashed, and curved lines showing different line types and qualities.
2. Shape: Shown using basic geometric forms - a square, circle, and triangle in different colors.
3. Space: Illustrated through overlapping rectangles demonstrating positive and negative space relationships.
4. Tone: Represented by a gradient from black to white showing the full range of tonal values.
5. Movement: Depicted with an animated curved line that suggests rhythmic motion and flow.
6. Color: Displayed using three primary colors in circular forms.
Project 2-Producing the short animation pitch bible
For this project, we are tasked with creating a pitch bible for a short animation. This pitch bible will be a detailed document designed to clearly convey the animation’s concept, characters, visual style, and overall potential to prospective investors, production companies, or distributors. The animation pitch bible should be based on the story ideas developed in Project 1.
The pitch bible should be formatted as a slide presentation and must include the following content:
1. Cover Page with Title
2. Logline and Synopsis
3. Product Specifications (including genre, target audience, duration, and animation technique)
4. Theme
5. Characters ( character image, short description )
6. World
This week, I began compiling my short animated story Whispering Stars into a Pitch Bible. This process feels like gradually unfolding the little film playing in my mind onto paper—everything from characters and world-building to themes and storyboards requires clearer articulation.
My tale follows a sapling growing in an urban corner, which forms a quiet connection with the stars at night. As time passes, it matures, bringing warmth and vitality to the city. Though ultimately felled, new shoots emerge beneath the starlight.
In crafting the Pitch Bible, I refined the narrative themes, character designs and personalities, world-building descriptions, and visual direction. Moving forward, I shall continue refining the storyboard designs before formally commencing the animation production phase.
Cover Page
The cover page of my pitch bible presents the visual identity of my short animation Whispering Stars. The design establishes the overall mood of the project by using a calm colour palette and minimalistic composition. The imagery reflects the central themes of growth, hope, and quiet resilience. By introducing the main title and key visual elements, the cover functions as an immediate entry point into the tone and narrative direction of the animation. It sets the foundation for the viewer’s expectations before exploring the detailed content in the following pages.
Scene and Protagonist Sketch Presentation
Having finalised the narrative direction, I proceeded to the visual design phase. This week, I completed preliminary sketches for several key scenes alongside an initial design for the protagonist, “Little Sapling”. Though these visuals remain simple at present, they have helped me visualise the animation's world more clearly and provided a defined visual direction for crafting the Pitch Bible.
First, I sketched the urban corner where the story unfolds: grey, bustling streets by day; quiet and softly illuminated under starlight at night. Next, I created character drafts for Sapling, rendering it small and fragile yet brimming with vitality. These sketches allow me to better visualise its growth and transformation throughout the narrative.
The sapling is a tiny green plant that lives in a small crack on the ground.
It looks soft and small, with light green leaves that move gently in the wind.
The sapling is shy, but inside, it is very strong and brave.
Even though the big city is loud and no one sees it, the sapling never gives up.
Every day, it tries to grow a little taller, hoping to reach the sunlight.
The sapling wants to be part of the world, to be seen, and to bring a bit of beauty to the gray city.
A bright, shiny star in the night sky.
It is kind and gentle.
It watches over the little sapling and gives it hope.
It never moves and is always there, helping the sapling feel safe and brave.
The star is like a quiet friend, giving light and comfort in the dark city.
Story Section Draft：
The story unfolds in a bustling metropolis. People hurry by each day, oblivious to the tiny life emerging beneath their feet. Along a cold, grey street, a sapling sprouts from the cracks in the concrete. By day, it stands surrounded by the city's grey hues, appearing rather lonely. Yet come nightfall, as the city quiets, a bright star shines down upon it from the heavens. Bathed in starlight, the sapling feels warmth and gradually grows braver.
Time passes, and the sapling matures into a beautiful tree. People began to notice it. Children played beneath its branches, and the street felt more pleasant and vibrant because of its presence. Yet one day, construction machinery arrived. The tree was felled, and the city reverted to its barren state.
But the tale does not end in sorrow. That very night, the star reappeared. Beneath the earth, a new sprout quietly emerged. It tells us: hope never ceases. As long as life endures, it will shine anew.
Final submission
In this week’s progress, I successfully completed the full pitch bible presentation for Whispering Stars, including the visual slides and the accompanying verbal presentation. Through preparing the PPT and delivering the pitch, I gained a clearer understanding of my story’s emotional direction, visual style, and production potential. The process also strengthened my ability to communicate ideas effectively and present creative concepts in a professional format. Moving forward, I will continue refining the visual development and begin transitioning into the animation production stage.
Story-Title-Whispering-Stars-2.pdf，作者 jia qi Huang
YouTube link：https://youtu.be/NC6PhoAWJZU
Google Drive link：https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1d4BGLX7StZqnOpA88JBpQ3KyJr5Ttbr9?usp=share_link
Here is my Google Drive folder that contains all the required materials for Project 2, including the pitch bible slides, storyboard, character designs, scene development, and the presentation video. All files are organized according to the submission guidelines for easy reference.
Feedback
During the development of Project 2, I received several useful comments that helped me refine my pitch bible. My lecturer reminded me to make the visual style more consistent, especially when presenting the characters and the world setting. I was also advised to simplify the story language for young audiences and to ensure that every page clearly supports the main theme. The feedback about adding clearer character motivations and improving the overall flow of the pitch helped me strengthen the structure of my presentation.
Reflection
Working on this project allowed me to better understand how an animation pitch bible is built and how important it is to communicate ideas clearly and visually. I learned how to organize a story into key sections—logline, characters, world, and synopsis—and how each part works together to present a complete concept.
Creating the visuals, such as the character sketches and scene drafts, helped me imagine how the animation could look and feel. Recording the presentation also improved my confidence in explaining my work. Although some parts were challenging, like simplifying my story while keeping the emotional meaning, I feel proud of the final result.
Overall, Project 2 helped me grow in storytelling, visual communication, and presentation skills. It taught me how to express my ideas in a way that is clear, engaging, and suitable for animation production.
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