A Flashy Fight that Spans the Solar System
Gray Matter vs Zula is a short climatic story between two god tier characters: Gray Matter and Zula. Two different styles and personalities, they contrast each other in many ways.
The story starts with a faraway shot of Pluto, with Gray Matter disrespecting Zula, and Zula doesn't take it too well. They jump into fighting going all out, but now who will come out on top?
The story starts with a faraway shot of Pluto, with Gray Matter disrespecting Zula, and Zula doesn't take it too well. They jump into fighting going all out, but now who will come out on top?
Gray Matter VS Zula Owl Film Festival Version
Early Concepts
First Concept (August 2020)
Pencil Picture
Side by Side Photoshop Picture
Poster Design
Gel Pen Picture
Scene Concepts
Gray Matter: God of Gray with the mind that Matters!
His character is best described as a 1920s showman deity who represents the tone of Gray. His body is composed of many elements, such as lava lamp like arms and a head flame which changes based off emotions. Gray Matter is a fusion between two other characters, so he usually refers to himself as “we.”
Gray Matter’s voice and mannerisms are that of showman: posh, and most importantly someone fun to hang around, he can get sinister if he needs to.
Gray Matter’s voice and mannerisms are that of showman: posh, and most importantly someone fun to hang around, he can get sinister if he needs to.
He possesses the ability to fly at super speeds, shoot lasers from his eyes, and mind control matter (ya know, Gray Matter, like the brain).
Gray Matter Character Design Sheets
Zula: A Creatively Cruel Demon with an Eye for Chaos
Her character is best described as a sadistic demon, one who revels in her evil doing. She is very loose/not very put together, more beast than person. As a result, her body shape shifts to whatever emotion she is expressing. Atop her head is the Eye, the source of her power.
Zula’s voice and mannerisms are very high energy, devilish, sporadic, and acts both happy and angry at the same time. She is a juxtaposition to the cartoon world around her, more like a horror movie villain if anything.
She possesses the ability to fly, teleport, spew lightning, flames, and ice, and use every move she can conjure (like the weakness to gray- COLOR!).
Zula Character Design Sheets
Style Concepts (I landed on the bottom left one)
Environments
When going into making this film, my first idea for environments was to do use my usual direct photoshop brushes using a mix between environment brushes and hard shapes. Instead, I tried to do a high contrast painterly style in order to fit the aesthetic of the film more. The environments range from space, to the surface of Jupiter, to the interior of an abandoned super structure known as the Tower of Power.
Animation
Gray Matter and Zula have two vastly different personalities, so much so that they have different animation styles. Gray Matter is done more traditionally with rough and clean passes and solid brushes, where Zula is done in one pass with a charcoal brush and boiling lines (no hold frames, always moving).
Gray Matter Animation (Cleanup and Color Assistance by Hannah Lanehart)
Zula Animation
Gray Matter Test Animation
Zula Test Animation
