5.2.2 Media Diet

GRAVITY FALLS: JOURNAL 3
I wanted to talk about this one because it's a book I keep coming back to, having read it recently and rewatched the show - one of my childhood favourite cartoons.

Who made it?

Alex Hirsch is the co-author and creator of the show; also an animator and voice actor.
Rob Renzetti, second co-author and supervising producer; experienced animator/storyboard artist.
Andy Gonsalves and Stephanie Ramirez are the illustrators; book and character design.
The publisher is Disney Press.

How did they make it?

The book itself was developed directly from the show's content, meaning the team went through every scene where the journal appeared and recreated those entries - tedious work. Supervising producer Rob Renzetti said they ensured 'each journal page shown in the series was included down to the last detail.'
Its physical production intrigued me since I was little.
The standard edition is a full-colour hardcover with a jacket that doubles as a poster. However, the special edition included very unique elements like blacklight-reactive printing, parchment paper, a monocle, and even physical polaroids, replicating the journal from the show exactly and going beyond any normal book.
Its promotion rose when it was announced for the first time at New York Comic Con 2015 as Dipper's Journal and was released after the show's finale.

I didn't manage to find the softwares used in illustration or layout, any video/documentaries about book production or interviews with the publishing team, unfortunately.

Entry points?

None of the topics I chose to talk about are in any way projects that can be done by one person; however, for the sake of the argument, let us imagine the hypothetical of me considering doing so.
Creating something like Journal 3 would involve learning a multitude of core skills; creative writing for the narrative structure and lore expansion, illustration and graphic design as an obvious one, for drawing and inking/ layout and typography. I would have to know my way around publishing, in order to understand book production, print specifications, binding and cover design.
Not to mention for special editions as I mentioned previously, I would need knowledge of special printing techniques and working with physical materials.
I would require to experiment much more with drawing and writing, expanding my storytelling. I already attend graphic design courses, which is a key component in this hypothetical process.
I will have to learn the Adobe digital tools for imagery, layouts, typesetting and vector elements. Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator.

My findings and sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_Falls%3A_Journal_3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Hirsch
https://gravityfalls.fandom.com/wiki/Gravity_Falls:_Journal_3
https://www.rotoscopers.com/2017/07/14/alex-hirsch-and-daron-nefcy-talk-gravity-falls-star-vs-the-forces-of-evil-books-at-d23-2017/
https://www.diabolicalplots.com/book-review-gravity-falls-journal-3-by-alex-hirsch-and-rob-renzetti/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J81v8eoxpA
https://www.reddit.com/r/gravityfalls/comments/csja31/will_journal_3_special_edition_ever_come_back/

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER
For this one, I will focus on the storytelling, as it's what interests me.
An incredible and incredibLY complex world built by interlocking systems that generate a story.
-tutors said we can talk about what we want, so I'll spend a little longer on this one-
The world is split into four nations, each specific to one element. Each element is a cultural identity, a philosophy. The world's core tension isn't ''good versus evil'' as it may appear at the start, but IMBALANCE. The Fire Nation industrialising, the Spirit World interacting with the real, and the spread of war are all systems that encourage the story to emerge as they convey the world's imbalance.
It is a journey narrative.
Every new location the cast travels to introduces a culture, a moral problem and advances the consequences of war.
(Prince Fire Lord) Zuko experiences the peak of storytelling through character arcs. His problem isn't defeating or capturing the avatar, but rather internalised Fire Nation ideology. The world teaches him as he is forced to interact with it without his title. The universe tests him and shows how consequences linger.
The theme of non-binary morality is a great interest of mine. And, it's a key design choice that makes this show absolutely storytelling-defining. People aren't central, the Fire Nation isn't 'evil', spirits aren't an opposition. All nations carry ideology, fear and propaganda under the surface; villains are products of the world, the spirits are purely alien. The universe is and feels larger than the characters.
The world exists beyond the plot.

Who made it?

Michael Dante DiMartino is the co-creator, executive producer and story editor.
Dryan Konietzko is the second co-creator, exec. producer, art director and character designer.
Nickelodeon Animation is the production company.
Aaron Ehasz is the head writer, the music was composed by Jeremy Zuckerman and Benjamin Wynn. Giancarlo Volpe, Ethan Spaulding, Lauren MacMullan, Anthony Lioi and Dave Filoni were all directors.

How did they make it?

The world and characters grew from both the co-creators' drawings and story pitches after years of friendship and collaboration dating back to Rhode Island School of Design.
Scripts were written by a writers' room including showrunner Ehasz.
The artists planned each episode visually and created storyboards.
Animators in South Korea drew key frames based on those boards. Drawing was largely done by hand in traditional 2D.
Ink and colouring would then be done digitally.
Voice actors recorded, music tracks composed and recorded also, often using geographically influenced intruments reflecting aesthetics of the world.
The exact tools used were not recorded and I have not been able to find that information.

Entry points?

If I were to think about making something like Avatar, I would start by learning to design systems, not stories. Avatar works because it's built around a central question: 'What does balance mean, and who is responsible for maintaining it?'
I would write one sentence that the world is arguing about. e.g. power vs responsibility
If the world can't argue with itself, it won't generate story.
I'd ask myself: What happens when a system is pushed too far? Who benefits and suffers?
Focus on creating deep culture that shapes the characters naturally.
I'd build a moral system, not heroes and villains.
I'd treat history as trauma and not cool lore.
I'd misalign my characters with the environment they're given to generate conversations with the world.

I'd need to learn advanced storycraft and how stories work over time. Cause and effect, long-form pacing, how to withhold information without confusing the audience is a big one.
I'd learn from screenwriting fundamentals and look at episodic structures. How narratives escalate.
I'd study cultural anthropology, the influences of geography on society and belief systems and the way they shape human behaviour.
Psychology, again, a big one. I'd study trauma and identity, motivation opposing power, cognitive dissonance etc.
History, spiritual traditions, political systems. Too many to name.
I would have to expand my research skills monumentally.
I'd also need to train my visual literacy. Study design and colour psychology, architectural logic.
Most of the learning for storytelling comes from training the mind, I can, however, mention a few practical tools that would support my thinking.
I would use Google Docs for scripts and outlines, as I do already.
Scrivener for organising notes and arranging content in one place.
Obsidian or Figjam for jotting down the timelines or map system interactions.
Procreate for sketching my cultures, clothing and symbols.

My findings and sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar%3A_The_Last_Airbender
https://www.metacritic.com/tv/avatar-the-last-airbender/credits/
https://avatar.fandom.com/wiki/JM_Animation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_Studios
https://oldjournal.animationstudies.org/francis-m-agnoli-building-the-transcultural-fantasy-world-of-avatar/
https://feelinganimatedblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/25/first-thoughts-on-avatar-the-last-airbender-2005-2008/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZB1lQRdTrI&
https://www.reddit.com/r/animation/comments/2ydfw3/how_are_avatar_the_last_airbender_and_avatar_the/

BLOODBORNE
Who made it?

FromSoftware is the developing company.
Co-developers are Japan Studios under Sony's oversight.
The director is Hidetaka Miyazaki as the creative lead.
Jun Ito is Lead Programmer and Kazuhiro Hamatani Lead Game Designer.

How was it made?

Bloodborne began life under the codename Project Beast, initiated around 2012 when Sony approaches FromSoftware to develop a game for the then-upcoming Playstation 4.
The team intentionally built something new rather than a sequel to an existing game, drawing on inspirations from Lovecraftian horror and Victorian Gothic fiction.
The game uses environmental storytelling and atmospheric detail rather than dialogue.
Characters and costumes started as high-detail 3D model sculpts, which were then textured to create detailed fabric and leather textures.
According to developers, PS4 hardware allowed the simulation of cloth and drapery in character clothing, which made them experiment with fabric attire, unlike earlier Souls games that focused on heavier armour.

For this one, I would like to talk about the character design and attire. In order to analyse the fashion, we need to look at the world narrative and cultural inspiration.
The attire system isn't purely cosmetic, each piece gives resistances against specific threats. Many outfits are tied to game locations, other people, or world narrative.

All fashion in this world often encodes ethics.
The Church set speaks for controlling knowledge and bodies.
The Old Hunters set speaks for survival through violence.
Castle Cainhurst set is for blood as lineage and entitlement.
The Crowfeather means death as responsibility.

The Crowfeather Attire is themed around - you guessed it - crow symbolism.
It consists of a black feathered cloak and a beaked crow mask in an almost all black colour palette. Visually, it draws similarities to the plague doctors in the 17th century.
Now, the crow traditionally represents death and transition between worlds. They are witnesses to battlefields or scavengers who clean what remains. In many cultures, crows are guides of the dead. The woman who wears this attire is a hunter of hunters, she kills those who have lost themselves in the hunt. The mask covers her face in order to remove the personal identity, presenting a function rather than a person.

The hunt causes hunters to go mad. Someone must clean them up.
Death as maintenance.

Her attire is black as it blends into shadows, the feathers blur her sillhouette. She isn't meant to be remembered.
The link between her attire and that of the plague doctors is incredibly poetic.
The beaked mask becomes a buffer between the wearer and death, as they struggle to not become part of the chaos. They manage death. Tend to the dying. Neither can save anyone, but they can stop it from getting worse.

Entry points?

If I was to create design at this level, it would never be about what would look good. I would first figure out what role my character serves normally and after failure. What belief they embody that others reject. I would let the symbolism do the talking as I strip away the ornament.
Regardless of character design, before fantasy you study reality.
So, I would research history and old fashion. Plague doctors, executioners, priests & monks, military uniforms, hunters, trappers, butchers etc.
I'd carefully consider material and silhouette, what function it all serves.

I believe I would require at least a basic literacy in visual design fundamentals. Being able to read materials, showcase shape language, contrast and hierarchies.
I would learn human proportions and how fabric hangs, folds and stretches. The weight and gravity in certain material and clothing as a whole.
I'd pay close attention to my worldbuilding integration, how it all makes sense together and reflects my ideologies.

I would sketch my ideas down either in a sketchbook or on Procreate.
PureRef for organising my reference boards, a critical one, I believe.
Again, either Notion or Obsidian for managing my lore and descriptions in one place.
Photoshop and Procreate for 2D concept art to explore shape and layering.
I would try clothing-specific tools like Marvelous Designer to experiment with fabric tension and weight.
ZBrush or Blender for 3D sculpting.

My findings and sources

https://www.igdb.com/games/bloodborne/credits
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodborne
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FromSoftware
https://bloodborne.fandom.com/wiki/Attire
https://www.bloodborne-wiki.com/2020/11/us-uk-in-game-description.html
https://www.bloodborne-wiki.com/2022/06/the-true-story-of-bloodborne-video.html
https://www.reddit.com/r/bloodborne/comments/praxhq/hunter_attires_in_real_world_history/
https://blog.playstation.com/2015/03/20/a-conversation-with-bloodborne-creator-hidetaka-miyazaki/
https://www.killscreen.com/hidetaka-miyazakis-transcendent-quest-beauty-bloodborne/
https://www.reddit.com/r/bloodborne/comments/1h5whco/whats_your_fashion/
https://www.reddit.com/r/bloodborne/comments/1kgijpw/costume_design_for_a_bloodborne_opera/