Animation Mentor - Class 5 - Week 3 - Updated Stories

I'm about to do video pitches of these stories but I have updated them based on mentor and student feedback. Here is what I have so far. I will pitch 3 of my original stories.

STORY 1
WORKING TITLE: Tricks for Treats

SETTING: Guy’s back yard
TIME: Summer day and goes on into the evening
PROTAGONISTS: A young guy and his smart dog
GOAL 1: The guy wants to teach his dog really cool tricks to show off to his friends and family
GOAL 2: The dog wants to eat the treat
GENRE: Comedy

PITCH:
We open with the dog owner looking at a Dog training book. We see a shot of the book cover. It guarantees to teach the dog the incredible somersault trick! The owner opens the book to the incredible somersault trick and rubs his hands together in expectation. There is a funny drawing of a command and a clipart dog doing the summersault trick.

The owner then turns around and looks over at his dog, who is laying on his bed. He wistles and motions for him to come over and the dog reluctantly gets up and walks over and sits in front of the owner and just looks at him. The owner, treat in one hand, gives the dog the new command from the book. The dog just looks at the owner quizzically and finally just lays down. The owner gives the command again and the dog just looks the other way. The owner then calls the dog’s attention with some snapping and starts mimicking the jump. Finally he takes the book which is open to the trick page and shows it to the dog, who just cocks his head to the side.

Finally he gives up, turns to leave, and throws the treat in the air as he goes. It is then when the dog in trying to catch the treat, jumps up in the air and does the incredible somersault trick. Landing on his feet and lays down to eat his bone. Fade to black and the credits roll.

After the credits you see the owner stop on his tracks and look back over his shoulder at the dog. “Did I just hear something? What was that?” going through his head.

MORAL: Patience is a virtue.

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STORY 2
WORKING TITLE: Light as Air

SETTING: Guy’s garage
TIME: Daytime on a weekend
PROTAGONIST: A self-conscious young guy that has a crush on the girl next door
PARTNER: Guy’s dog, always wants to play with his favorite toy
OBJECT OF DESIRE: Girl next door
GOAL: The guy wants to show off his manliness to attract the girl
GENRE: Comedy

PITCH:
We open with a thin skinny guy is in his garage, garage door open. We see that his dog is by his side looking up at him with a dog toy in his mouth… The dog pushes the toy towards the owner but he does not even look down. The guys attention is focused on something across the street. We see a camera angle of his point of view and realize he sees a girl across the street listening to some music. He looks up and thinks... there is a flashback.

We see a strong guy at the gym curling a dumbbell with 100 lbs. written on it. An excited girl is looking at him lift. Flashback ends.

The skinny guy looks down at his muscles and his arm looks pretty sad and he kicks a black ball that was lying on the floor next to him and his dog. A bell goes off and he gets an idea. He picks up the black ball and looks at it... Fade out…

The next thing we see is him sitting on a bench by his dog right outside his garage. He has a dumbbell on the floor that looks peculiarly like the ball he had kicked earlier but now it has the words 100 lbs. written on it. He picks it up and with the same pose and expression as the guy in his flashback starts doing some curls. He puts it down, making sure he fakes how heavy it is, wipes his brow, and waves to the girl next door.

We then see the dog who is chewing on his toy look at the dumbbell and we hear the familiar bell sound… the dog now gets an idea.

He drops his toy, and walks over the dumbbell, picks it up with his mouth, and runs off with it... The guy looks down at the dog, looks back at the girl all embarrassed and chases after the dog.

Credits roll.

MORAL: You should not try to act like something you’re not.

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STORY 5
WORKING TITLE: Microdog

SETTING: Scientific lab, 3 coffee shop exteriors, coffee shop
TIME: Daytime
PROTAGONIST: A smart and awkward scientist
PARTNER: The scientist’s dog
ANTAGONIST: The coffee store signs
GOAL: The scientist wants to be able to have a cup of coffee in the company of his best friend
GENRE: Comedy

PITCH:
We open with a scientist looking over his new invention. It looks like a ray gun of sorts and it is on his lab table. He is sitting on a stool and his dog is sitting by his feet looking up at him. He makes the last adjustment and is happy to be done. He takes it in his hand and shoots at the first thing he sees on his desk, an apple. It shrinks to a tiny size and he picks it up and looks at it in awe. But now all he wants to go for a cup of coffee. He tosses the mini apple in his mouth and chews, swallos, then he looks at his dog that is sitting next to him and motions him to come.

Next scene they are walking towards the corner. They look at the door and see a sign “No dogs allowed”.

The guy looks longingly through the window… then all of a sudden he as an idea… He looks down ad the dog and the dog just looks back. They turn around and he hurriedly runs off to the lab… dog chasing behind. Fade out…

The next scene we see the scientist sipping on his coffee at the coffee shop. Then the camera pulls back and we see his micro-dog happily eating a crumb on the table right next to him. He pets his head with his finger.

Credits Roll

MORAL: Its nice when your inventions find good uses in your own life.