2023 The Rookies Entry - Krysan Yemima

Soulmates

Soulmates is a Visual Development assignment I finished last semester. The story is set in cyberpunk India, where people are assigned to their fated soulmates at the age of 18 and must marry them. They are given matching armbands to connect to their soulmates. Bobby just turned 18 but he already has a lover, Acrona, so he did not agree with the system and did not want to obey it at first. However, when he realized his soulmate is his long-lost childhood friend, Stalline, he started to catch feelings for her.

Creature Design

Bubu is a alien pet adopted as a trophy after humanity defeated the Alt3r aliens during the Great War. It acts similarly to a small monkey, while retaining elephant-like behaviour when they eat or drink.

Machine Design

The Bandfitter is a machine named "Kaamadev" which means cupid. It goes hand in hand with the soul band, in which it helps the participants of the gathering to equip the soulband via holding down the arm using clasps and injecting the soulband, sometimes forcefully so it’s secured and won’t come off the arm forever. The hand looking mechanism is inspired by the machine used for modern body operation, tasked with putting on the soul band parts around the arm. The machine also has an arm mechanism that enables it to move and rotate flexibly, and is inspired by a construction vehicle.

Prop Design

The headgear is used by the participants of the Gathering. They allow the user to see the red string of fate attached to their designated soulmates before looking for them in the crowd. It is designed to not be able to come off before the user finds their soulmate. It’s design is inspired by a combination of a medieval prisoner’s mask and a VR headgear.

Environment Design

The Bar is named Dosa which means sin. This bar serves the unique ‘Death By Fire’ which is a cocktail served on fire, making the delicacy the reason for the bar’s popularity in the city. It has a unique decor, which is a mix of Indian style diner and futuristic modern gadgets, for example as you can see the contrast between sitting on the floor with a low table dining style, and the holographic LCD panels along with the neon lights & pipes.

Character Design : Stalline

Stalline is an Indian government office worker, aged 18. She is a proper, polite, well-mannered lady, born in a higher class environment. She is Bobby’s assigned soulmate, and they meet during the Gathering which is the annual celebration for people who just turned 18 to meet their soulmate partner. She is actually an alien agent in disguise sent by the government, tasked to woo Bobby and produce descendants for the alien race.

Storyboard

These are the parts I did in Soulmates for storyboarding class.

Key Arts

These are the key arts I made to help tell the story of Soulmates.

Hustle & Bustle

In this key art, a smoking Bobby is waiting for Stalline in front of a Bar, which is located in the middle of the crowded marketplace. The composition for this piece is created from the entrance of the subway framing the outdoor bar which is the main focus.

Uncover

After falling to her death, Bobby finds out that Stalline is actually an alien in disguise. The composition used is just a simple one; in which there's a contrast between Bobby’s face and the light behind him, creating a main focus.

Allurement

This movie poster has a concept of Stalline succeeding in tempting Bobby to just marry her and leave Acrona. Similar to the words ‘when sin gets full grown, it leads to death,’ which in this case since giving in to temptations is a sin, Bobby “dies” as a result with Stalline as the culprit. The hanging chains coming from above symbolizes the soulmate bond that chains the people inside the system the government made, with the government having the higher ground thus the reason why Stalline is ‘looking up’.

Matte Painting & 3D Workshop

Perch of Devotion

Perch of Devotion is the name of the Hindu inspired temple that is devoted to the Garuda. It’s worshippers go to the middle of the flower-shaped pond in front of the statue to pray.

Snowdrift

It is set in a few years after a mysterious meteor fell down in the middle of a city. It then turns the climate into freezing cold environment. The meteorite still glows eerily until now.

Clockwork Archway

This steampunk town is a checkpoint in between big cities. Located in the sky, airships need to pass through the Archway to check their legitimacy and passports before they’re allowed to continue their journey.

Coralwave Castle

A tranquil castle in the middle of the sea, said to belong to the water faes. Its massive size doesn't hinder them from drifting alongside the waves, making it hard for adventurers to find them.

Tales of Foul Seas

Tales of Foul Seas is a Visual Development project inspired by the Khazakstan culture. In this story, the ocean is toxic, and so are its inhabitants, which are the sea creatures. Most of the population are generally getting sick because of the toxic water, but by consuming the mutant sea creatures who managed to build a resistance against the toxin, they can cure the sickness in their bodies. 

Character Designs

Arlan and Naia are brother & sister who joins an organization that fishes these fish cure for the common folk who couldn't hunt them themselves. The mutant sea creatures are wild and vicious; it's hard for normal people to catch them. 

Creature Design

Lizardfish Leviathans possess dragon-like features, like a long slender body and four fins. It's mouth can open wide with four flaps, which is similar to how giant squids prey. This variant lives around the mesopelagic and bathypelagic depth of the oceans. The dots along its body has 2 functions, first is counterillumination, which enables them to produce light across their bodies so they can match their visibility with their surroundings. The second function is to make them look invisible even further, as red light couldnt penetrate the ocean that deep, so red will appear black in the depths. All of this helps this huge creature sneak on their prey.

The second variant for this Lizardfishes are much smaller in size and lives in shallow waters like coral reefs. Instead of fins they have four legs, coral like dorsal fins, and colorful scales. It's to help them blend in with the corals, and their legs lets them dig thru the sand and bury their body until only their back is exposed, then they wait until their prey get closer before they strike.

Prop Design

The harpoon gun is the main weapon Arlan uses when he hunts huge sea creatures.

Vehicle Design

The boat that Arlan & Naia use when they go hunt sea creatures. First, put the bait on the main fish hook, and after foshes are attracted then we roll up the net quickly using the pulley system.

Building Design

The Great Windmill is the main source of energy for Arlan's & Naia's Village.

The Water Porter

The Water Porter is a project from basic concept design class. The story follows Abzu, an Arabian water porter who goes around the desert, selling water to people who need it. He has a bird companion named Gheera.

Character & Creature Design

Abzu's and Gheera's Home

Abzu's and Gheera's Home is a living crybaby house. It possesses the ability to move around like a scorpion, before burrowing its legs on the ground when it decided to stay in one spot for a while, though it will flood the place with its tears if it stays too long. Because it's easily scared, it likes to stay underground more than the surface of the desert.

That's it for my submission, thanks a lot for bearing through! ʕ •ᴥ•ʔゝ☆