For this project, we were asked to tell a story through digital media, this could be done through a variety of media for example the creation of a game, comic or graphic novel. In my project I decided that I would like to create a fantasy graphic novel or illustrated novel to tell my story. This is the first blog post to read in this production dossier.
Ideas
Initially, I had a few different ideas in terms of story. I was unsure if I wanted to create a sci fi ARG (Alternate Reality Game), or some type of graphic novel. When I mind mapped my sci fi ideas I was thinking about creating either a twine game or making a collection of graphics and short videos that relayed a complex story the audience has to piece together.
I did have a few good ideas such as “what if there was an almighty being we could not comprehend?” and “what if there was a disease from outer space threatening humanity?” I believe that this second ‘what if’ helped me to create the storyline that I eventually chose. Although definitely inspired, I quickly realised that this idea was not what I wanted to continue with and would rather try to create a complex fantasy world with a compelling storyline.
After discovering that I wanted to focus on creating a fantasy graphic novel, I started unconventionally by creating a fully realised and illustrated character first, and then building the story around her. By creating the character first I could picture what kind of world I would want her to live in. I had a basic idea of what I wanted the story to be about but I mind-mapped ideas and ‘what ifs’ until I created the perfect story for the character that I had designed.
‘What ifs’
Creating ‘What ifs’ is a storytelling tool that allows you to generate plot points by asking questions beginning with ‘What if’, these questions help the imagination to create an idea of an alternative reality.
When I was writing my story and organising my ideas I came up with a few ‘what ifs’ that helped me summarise my story into simple questions. I knew from the beginning that I wanted a theme of revenge so I worked with that in mind, creating a complex story that would work for a fantasy world.
“What if there was a disease that made all mothers lose their children before birth?”
“What if a power hungry king accidentally spread a life threatening disease?”
“What if there was a doctor who could cure a horrible disease, but the government stopped her?”
“What if a young elf sought vengeance?”
All of these what if questions relate to the same story – I initially came up with this idea by just jotting down ideas but also by writing as if I was the character and creating almost diary entries. I wrote most of this by just freely writing what came to my head as it came in.
Based on all of these final sketches and notes, my final story idea is summarised as follows: A young elf, born miraculously in a time of disease, seeks revenge and the lost cure.
Inspiration
Fantasy has always been my favourite genre and my go-to when writing stories. I definitely had a few key inspirations when creating this story.
Skyrim inspired my world building and setting. In my opinion Skyrim has one of the most memorable maps of any game that I have played and I wanted my story to have the same feel. I also love the scenery and setting. Skyrim has an extremely complex background full of lore and backstory which I would like my graphic novel to have. I want it to feel as if there is always something new to uncover.
Sarah J. Maas does an amazing job of creating memorable characters that stick with you forever after reading them. I was particularly inspired by the first book in the series as it is great at introducing new characters and creating believable and exciting personalities. I wanted to create this effect in my graphic novel, easily recognisable and likeable characters.
Isola features one of my favourite art styles of all time. This art will definitely inspire the style of art I use in my novel. I am a big fan of the characters in this series, the strong female characters are charismatic and full of life. One of my favourite art features of Isola is the lighting and how they utilise this to create such exciting environments.
Anderson, J. (2018) Review: ‘Isola’ #1 is a Heartfelt Start to a Beautiful Fantasy Epic. Available online: https://comicbook.com/comics/news/isola-1-image-comics-review/ [Accessed 8/11/2022]
Cowen, N. (2011) Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Review. Available online: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2011/nov/10/elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-review [Accessed 8/11/2022]
HannahLoveBook. (2015) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas – Review. Available online: https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/aug/07/a-court-of-thorns-and-roses-sarah-j-maas-review [Accessed 8/11/2022]