Concept #5: "Bird Flu"

Synopsis:
Not sure about the story just yet, but I know that this bird is very, very tired. I'd probably juxtapose him with chipper, perky birds, despite the fact that the poor guy just wants to sleep. Besides the fact that I also know what it's like to be very, very tired, the idea came from right outside my house - we have a bougainvillea tree by our front door and it's a giant sparrow sanctuary since the tree is really just a circular jumble of branches and thorns. These birds will not shut up in the mornings and it drives me crazy! It made me wonder what it must feel like if there was one bird who wasn't a morning person, surrounded by these obnoxious sparrows.

Concept 4: "Muse"

Synopsis:

This idea is actually inspired by "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli, though it's definitely not a literal interpretation, more a what-if-there-was-a-woman-on-a-shell scenario. Basically my "Venus"is a creature of water who happens to find a mirror after it's been thrown in the water. She marvels at it, approving her own reflection, and then swims to the surface to return the mirror to its rightful owner. When the artist on shore sees her she is shocked. He had thrown the mirror out of frustration after several attempts to paint his own likeness. 

His artist's block is now completely gone, and he tries to motion for the "Venus" to pose, causing her to pantomime his actions. Finally he is able to bribe her to look into the mirror long enough for him to get the perfect pose, and he is able to make his best painting ever.

He tries to give the painting to her, but she refuses. He lets her keep the mirror, which she clearly values greater than he does, she goes back into the sea, end scene.

Concept #3 "The Floater"

Synopsis:
"The Floater" is the superhero fantasy of 9 year old Jared. Ever ready, he's always wearing his swim trunks, in or out of the water, and at the first sign of beach, he get's himself prepped for action. The floaties and Zinka nose coat are more to appease "Mom" though then anyone else - Jared's thrill-seeking often leaves his mom nervously pacing by the deep end.
I'm still thinking of a possible foe for Jared to oppose. Right now I'm leaning towards a possible seaweed monster. When you're in the ocean, people will jump when they feel seaweed wrap around their legs. What if that seaweed wasn't just dead leaves, but actual appendages of a giant monster?

Concept #2: "Thalia vs. Maria"

Synopsis:
The last thing Princess Thalia wants to do is practice her etiquette. This prompts an immediate duel, as her nursemaid must stop Thalia before she stabs every of her lessons books with the etiquette cutlery. These two characters actually come from the treatment I developed for RTVF 350, so while this confrontation has actually been written, the dialogue would have to be removed for the short. Still, here's an excerpt:

NURSEMAID

         Now um, milady, uh if we just uh try

         again from the t-

                      PRINCESS THALIA
         In approximately twelve minutes Lord

         Toby will be here for my geography
         lesson. You have tried for the past
         forty-eight minutes to convince me to
         sit here and listen to you discuss the
         history of cutlery. I have no interest
         in cutlery. I have no interest in
         etiquette. Unless I’ll be allowed to
         forgo politeness and yield said cutlery
         in self-defense, I don’t see the gain
         of any of this.

          (Thalia clears her throat in an effort
           to come across diplomatic – the Nurse
           on the other hand seems to be shaking
            in astonishment at the predicament
                 she’s found herself in.)

         Now I think it’s safe to say that it
         would be in our best interests if we
         just stopped this all at once. You let
         me do as I please till Toby’s arrival,
         and I will put away the shambles I’ve
         made of these books and will be on my
         best behavior. (close up to Thalia
         smiling primly)

Concept #1: "Geriatric Dragon"

Synopsis:

This old dragon may be a bit brittle in the knees, but he hasn't forgotten the days of his youth. This short would show the average morning of our "senior citizen" dragon: he'd wake up, rumble over from the bed-cave to the kitchen-cave where he prepares his daily toast and tea. Only, lo and behold, he is interrupted by a knocking at the cavern door!

I could see it either being his grandson at the door wanting to play (and possibly learning how to breathe fire in this version of the story) OR an adolescent knight who's heard great tales of a ferocious beast who lives in the cave and has come to prove his manliness, only to fail in a humorous fashion.