It is a mixture of longing, yearning, nostalgia, and being forced.
I have spent much time and research in developing a
better way to describe languishing Hiraeth to an audience.
The metaphorical output of each symbolizes a contradiction
that works well in giving hope to a happy ending.
I look at how much the pro-production of this short film has grown from a concept, to a fully developed story, character concept designs, and the process of placing the corrections/progression that has been made along the way through the storyboards at hand. The storyboards became the hardest task of them all. This was led by the error in my pre-production process. I began developing concepts and ideas built around what was stuck in my head, rather than getting a solid story to build from. I have approached building a solid story and finishing concepts with a backstory, research into these concepts for name, structure, reference, and putting it altogether in order to have a flow for an audience to understand. I was struck by a wall every time I would gain further development into the storyboarding process, because they either did not make sense, or did not flow into each other with the same story at mind.
In order to give clarity read on:
Once upon a time….
Human technology advanced more rapidly than they had expected. The advancement meant that in order to produce gains to their existence, they needed to make sacrifices. As Earth once was, a beautiful atmosphere with loving human existence created by Odin. Pollution and destruction of the planet was no longer a far from reach theory. Fjorgyn (Jord - Earth - Mother Nature) became disheartened with the human race destroying what was once a precious beautiful Earth. She sought out, overruling Odin in finding a way to stop the human race from destroying the planet.
One night Fjorgyn discovered a research lab in creating a technological atmosphere to be produced, in which this would give humans the ability to travel to other planets. Fjorgyn, distraught by the evidence, stopped the oxygen intake that was needed for the experiment to take place. The result was devastating to human existence, cutting off all oxygen to earth and destroying the human race.
Odin in his last efforts was not pleased by the decision Fjorgyn made. He led their consciousness of the few chosen to explore the possibility to live amongst the planet, rather than against it, and was moved to the only living organisms on the planet, animals. Fjorgyn was not pleased with this decision, and began to find ways to continue to put an end to technological developments in order to save the planet.
Einar Onfroi, one of the chosen few amongst Odin’s last efforts, was tasked with finding a way to develop a sustainable food source for what remains of human existence on the planet. This was not an easy task considering the ever changing nature of Fjorgyn, and her will to lead to technological destruction. Einar was tasked with finding a way to develop and grow a source of food in the elements that remain on the planet. But little did Einar know what exactly happened that day, nor did he recall why he was one of the chosen to continue to live amongst the planet.
Einar wakes up within a tank on a ship in space. Little does he know yet why he is here, but soon realizes he is not as he remembers. Odin gave Einar another chance as a fish to explore the possibilities of living on Earth as what he became through this process. As much time passes, he explores his new surroundings and drives himself mad in languish. Einar cannot seem to understand what he is doing in this situation quite yet, all he feels is a hiraeth, longing for home.
As time begins to fade into a lost subject, Einar is greeted by Seager. Seager is the A.I. system developed on the spaceship in order to help Einar complete his research and task at hand. Seager introduces himself and scares Einar by telling him they approaching Earth. Einar is unaware of who is speaking and cannot find answers to why they are passing by Earth. Seager is wondering why Einar does not know of his existence throughout the time passed aboard the spaceship. Seager realizes after an analysis of Einar that he has no recollection of what happened on Earth that day, and why he is here.
Seager explains everything to Einar, but Einar is still driving himself mad being trapped within the tank. Einar begins to explore possibilities by writing notes within the algae on the wall of the tank, and beginning his research. Seager notices that Einar is within his limitations of developing a food source for what remains of the humans. Seager than takes it upon himself to create a robotic suit in order to help Einar better complete his tasks aboard the ship. Seager grabs Einar’s attention and tells him that his suit is almost in the completed stage of development, Einar is caught by surprise as he gazes upon what Seager has created or him.
After much time has passed abroad in space, Seager gains the attention of Einar once again. Sir, we are approaching Earth once more, that would mark a year in our books of research, Seager says. In excitement Einar runs to the window of the ship to gaze upon Earth, little does he know that his research is about to give him frustrations. He cannot seem to develop a sustainable source in the resources he was given for this task. He decides to make the most of his languish by taking a nap, listening, and rocking out to some music as he lets his work begin the processes once more.
Seager awakes Einar in what will be the last time we hear from Seager. Seager shows Einar that his latest process is working and creating a plant that is sustainable in the new substance driven water from Earth. Little does Einar know that Seager has been working along side Einar in an attempt to drive the research to success. Seager gives his soul to the substance in order to drive the grow, and create clarity in the substance driven water. Seager leaves a note behind explaining how to develop his soul as a by-product to be used in the grow of much more for the human existence to once again survive on planet Earth as animals.
Einar is driven mad by the decisions in this languish and is determined to find a way to bring back Seager, but the possibilities are endless……..
Languishing Hiraeth by Gary Kulp
By now you may be familiar with much of the design concepts that
have driven Languishing Hiraeth to become an animated short.
Here is a refresher, with more depth and inspiration used in the creation:
Defining Languish/Languishing:
Suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation. (Oxford Languages Definition)
Reference of meaning from the Bible:
To languish is to become pitiful or weak because you're sick, in love, or stuck somewhere. A prisoner might languish in jail, longing for her freedom.
Defining Hiraeth:
A longing for Home/something - a deep longing for something or especially someone’s home.
Welsh translation.
Concept:
The concept is Driven by a contradiction and metaphorically placed word structure, it gives a vibe of one longing for something or one trapped longing for something. In this depiction the use is structured to represent the longing for home, and desire to accomplish a goal in order to return to their desired home.
The atmosphere is within the future of current times, to give a scientific feeling to the mood of the story.
Work Cited
“Hiraeth.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 May 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiraeth.
“Languish - Dictionary Definition.” Vocabulary.com, www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/languish.
“Languish.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/languish.
“The Untranslatable Word That Connects Wales.” BBC Travel, BBC, www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210214-the-welsh-word-you-cant-translate.
Einar Onfroi
Einar Onfroi is the main character/protagonist of Languishing Hiraeth. Einar is challenged with the task of discovering a new way for their human technology to survive in the ever changing world.
Einar is one of the remaining humans that shifted to another consciousness during the technological meltdown, when mother nature (Fjorgyn) had enough of the humans destroying the earth.
Einar is one of the few chosen to have the consciousness moved to an animal, the chosen subject was a fish.
Einar origin:
Danish, norwegian, old norse, swedish
Pronounced Ie-nahr
One who fights alone
Einar origin:
Danish, norwegian, old norse, swedish
Pronounced Ie-nahr
One who fights alone
Onfroi:
Germanic
O-nohf-reh
Fighter of peace
Unfrid
The one who gives peace
Reference and inspiration, driven by Gurgle of Finding Nemo.
Sculpting and Modeling progression in current development stages.
Work Cited
“Einar- One Who Fights Alone, IE-Nahr, Danish, Norwegian & Swedish on BellyBallot.” Belly Ballot, babynames.net/names/einar.
“Onofre- Fighter of Peace., o-NOHF-Reh, Place on BellyBallot.” Belly Ballot, babynames.net/names/onofre.
Viking.no, www.viking.no/the-viking-heritage/the-viking-linguistic-heritage/norman-family-names-of-viking-origin/.
Seager
Seager is an A.I. system that believed in the development of the human race. Seager did not pursue to destroy it, yet help and become more valuable to the surviving few after the devastation.
English:
See-gar
Reference and Inspiration.
Meaning the sea spear:
A great representation of giving forth and creating a way for those to succeed in the current state.
Sculpting and Modeling progression in current development stages.
Holographic texturing study and observation.
Work Cited
“Seager- Sea Spear., SEE-Gər, English on BellyBallot.
” Belly Ballot, babynames.net/names/seager.
Einar Onfroi & Seager’s Spaceship
No back story
Asset developed around the concept and structure of the story, giving birth to a representation such as the movie cars by Pixar/Walt Disney.
Reference and inspiration.
Concept Development
Sculpting and Modeling progression in current development stages.
Sculpting and Modeling progression in current development stages.
Seager’s Robotics Aboard the Whale Ship
No Back Story
Asset developed around the concept and Seager
Reference and Inspiration
Roboshop was a great resource in finding inspiration for concept development.
Concept Development
Sculpting and Modeling progression in current development stages.
Work Cited
ROBOSHOP. www.robotshop.com/en/.
Robotic Body Suit Developed by Seager for Einar
Same Reference Sketch as Einar’s Development was used in the process.
Developed by Seager around the process in order to give Einar a way to complete research
Mecha toy research and reference
Reference and Inspiration
Concept Development
Sculpting and Modeling progression in current development stages.
Work Cited
“Mech Building Kit: MyBuild: Mecha Frame.
” Mybuild, www.mybuildtoy.com/.
The storyboarding process was put aside at the moment in order to fully develop understanding and concepts to work from. I realized once they did not flow, or make sense once put together, it was a realization that they need to be worked on to follow through with each event and trigger of the story.
Within reason of the portfolio development throughout the semester, I have given thought to my overall work. I need to make changes and adjustments to display the skillset I desire to share amongst the hiring or developer looking through my work. I currently have many different projects to choose from, but they are all within a different study of my education. There was no way to pick and choose between one developed project throughout each semester when they did not correspond to each other or give a good skillset to be shown through the portfolio. So with that being said, I have narrowed down my work to a few projects that I would like to display, and will be creating other work in order to have enough of my skillset to display through the portfolio. My resume needs some fine tuning and updating and the overall structure of the website needs a makeover.
Tune in next week for an update on the chosen projects to revisit, Languishing Hiraeth Storyboarding development, process, and final touches.