A Synopsis

Before we go on, I feel I ought to elaborate on the story a little bit, otherwise all this lacks a significant amount of context.

The idea for The Wall came about through a dream Estelle had, around a year and a half ago. This was during the penultimate year of university, and around that point we were being encouraged to think up ideas for short films to make in our final year. Stell had already devised something (and had started pre-production, leagues ahead of everyone else), and that something became her excellent final year film, Pups. Although initially content to work with Stell on Pups and earn my grade that way (very much playing it safe, as it was a promising-looking project from the outset), I was encouraged to come up with something of my own to work on.

Eventually, I came up with a story which, after many tweaks and refinements, became The Magpie, but before then, I was truly stumped. To give me something to work with, Stell pitched her latest dream to me, and in true Estelle Sharpe style, it was a fully-formed story. She just comes up with these things in her sleep! Not that I'm jealous or anything.


SYNOPSIS
The kingdom's resident intellect, the Scribe, is trying to organise his fellow residents to construct a large wall to protect against intruders, but efforts are hampered by the hands-on, bull-in-a-china-shop enthusiasm of the King. The story goes back and forth, between the King's accident-prone adventures as he explores his kingdom and the Scribe's increasing frustration as his meticulously-crafted plans are literally destroyed in front of him, over and over again.

Ultimately, the Scribe stages a mutiny, and the residents restrain the King in stocks (with a ball-and-chain for good measure). The King easily breaks free of the stocks, and wreaks more havoc than before, now that he has a massive metal ball swinging around him.

The film concludes with the wall being utterly obliterated by the King. The Scribe emerges from the rubble, driven to madness, and proceeds to bicker with the unscathed King whilst a gigantic army amasses on the horizon.

Early concept art for the King, his minions, and his fate.

The original version of the King's animation test, with a colour scheme we've long since discarded.