Jules Girard

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Family Target Audience: Family/Teens Duration: Approximately 100 minutes Animation Style: 3D Hybrid (Mix of 2D and 3D) Overview of Animation Style: This project uses a 3D Hybrid style, combining the depth and detail of 3D animation with the artistic expression of 2D. The characters and environments are created in 3D to give a sense of realism and dynamic movement, while the backgrounds, magical effects, and dream sequences use a 2D painterly style reminiscent of French art, particularly inspired by Bordeaux’s rich artistic heritage. This blend creates a visually striking, unique style that sets the film apart, immersing viewers in a world that feels both familiar and fantastical.

Plot Summary: Into the Unknown follows Éloise, a talented but hesitant young artist living in Bordeaux, France. She discovers a mysterious painting in her grandmother’s attic that acts as a portal to a magical realm. Drawn into a world filled with mythical creatures and ancient secrets, Éloise must team up with an enigmatic guardian, Arlo, and a talking cat, Miette, to save this realm from an encroaching darkness that threatens both worlds. Throughout the journey, Éloise learns to embrace her creativity and overcome her fears, discovering that her art has the power to change not just the magical realm, but her own reality.

Key Characters and Voice Acting Descriptions 1. Éloise - The Young Artist - Voice Type: Female, mid-teens, French accent, soft-spoken, imaginative, with a growing sense of bravery. - Description: Éloise is a young girl who feels lost after the recent loss of her grandmother, a famous artist. She struggles with self-confidence and often doubts her artistic abilities. Her journey is about finding her voice and embracing the unknown. - Line Example: (Nervously) “This place… it feels like one of my sketches, but alive. How can this be real?” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Capture Éloise’s vulnerability and evolving courage. Start with a hesitant tone, gradually building confidence as the story progresses. Focus on natural French inflections to add authenticity to her character. 2. Arlo - The Enigmatic Guardian - Voice Type: Male, 30s, calm, authoritative, with a mysterious undertone and French accent. - Description: Arlo is the guardian of the magical realm, tasked with protecting it from dark forces. He’s composed, wise, and somewhat aloof, carrying the weight of many past mistakes. His relationship with Éloise softens him, revealing a caring mentor beneath his stern exterior. - Line Example: (Calmly) “Art has power, Éloise. It can create, and it can destroy. The choice is yours.” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Use a steady, deep voice with a touch of mystery. Emphasize control and authority, but allow moments of warmth to seep through, especially when guiding Éloise.

3. Miette - The Sassy Talking Cat - Voice Type: Female, late 20s, playful, sassy, with a slight raspy voice and a French twist. - Description: Miette is a magical talking cat who serves as comic relief and a guide through the magical realm. She’s cheeky, self-assured, and often pokes fun at Éloise and Arlo, but she has a deep loyalty to them both. - Line Example: (Teasingly) “Oh la la, mon cher, you call this art? I’ve seen more passion in a baguette!” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Infuse a lively, playful energy into Miette’s voice. Use light sarcasm and melodic tones to match her mischievous, feline nature. 4. Léon - The Charming Rogue - Voice Type: Male, 20s, charming, mischievous, with a smooth, flirtatious French accent. - Description: Léon is a rogue thief who knows his way around the magical realm. He initially joins the group for personal gain but gradually reveals a heart of gold. His flirtations with Éloise add humor and tension to the group dynamics. - Line Example: (Charming) “Dangerous? Oui. Impossible? Never. You just need a little… finesse.” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Emphasize smooth, suave tones with a playful edge. Léon’s voice should be charming and slightly cocky, with a rhythm that suggests he’s always ready for adventure.

5. Madame Devereaux - The Antagonist, A Dark Sorceress - Voice Type: Female, 50s, deep, menacing, with a rich, authoritative French accent. - Description: Madame Devereaux is a former artist who became consumed by the desire for eternal fame and power. She now seeks to dominate both worlds by harnessing the creative energy that Éloise wields. - Line Example: (Sinisterly) “Creation is just the beginning, my dear. True power lies in the destruction of limits.” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Use a commanding, regal tone with a dark edge. Focus on projecting a sense of superiority and menace, contrasting Éloise’s innocence. 6. The Whispering Trees - Magical Forest Guardians - Voice Type: Multiple voices blended, soft, echoing whispers with a harmonious effect. - Description: The Whispering Trees are ancient, sentient beings that guard the secrets of the forest. They speak in unison, their voices echoing like the rustling of leaves in the wind. - Line Example: (Whispering) “She who paints, beware the shadows. For they seek not the light, but your very soul.” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Use overlapping voices to create a harmonious, ethereal effect. Focus on blending tones to mimic the natural, soft rustling of trees.

7. Pierre - The Young Page Boy - Voice Type: Male, childlike, high-pitched, eager, with a classic French inflection. - Description: Pierre is a young page who serves as a messenger for Arlo. He’s full of enthusiasm and often idolizes the older characters, wanting to be part of the adventure. - Line Example: (Eagerly) “Monsieur Arlo! I have brought the message from the council! It’s urgent!” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Use a bright, eager tone to match Pierre’s enthusiasm. His energy should feel youthful and slightly nervous, with an innocent charm. 8. The Street Artist - Mysterious Ally - Voice Type: Male, 40s, gruff, reflective, with a thick French accent. - Description: The Street Artist is a mysterious figure who appears in Bordeaux and paints scenes that hint at future events. He offers cryptic advice and serves as a link between the real world and the magical realm. - Line Example: (Cryptically) “The canvas of fate is not fixed, ma petite. You must paint your own path.” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Emphasize a slightly gravelly, poetic tone. The voice should carry wisdom and a touch of melancholy, like someone who’s seen both beauty and loss.

9. Grandmother Odette - The Spirit Guide - Voice Type: Female, 60s, warm, gentle, with a nurturing French accent. - Description: Grandmother Odette is Éloise’s late grandmother who appears in visions, guiding her granddaughter with love and encouragement. She was once a famous artist and now acts as a comforting, guiding spirit. - Line Example: (Gently) “Éloise, mon ange, you have the heart of an artist. Fear is just another color on your palette. Paint with it.” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Use a soft, soothing tone with warmth. Grandmother Odette’s voice should feel like a hug, filled with love and encouragement. 10. The Guardians of Light - Sentient Light Beings - Voice Type: Gender-neutral, soft, melodic, otherworldly, with an echo effect. - Description: The Guardians of Light are ethereal beings who protect the realm from darkness. They speak in a harmonious blend of voices that resonate like a distant song. - Line Example: (Softly) “You are the light that will pierce the shadows. Remember, your heart guides the brush.” - Voice Acting Coaching Tip: Use layered voices with reverb to create a celestial, calming effect. The speech should be melodic and gentle, like a comforting lullaby.

Script Outline and Key Scenes Scene 1: The Attic Discovery • Setting: A quaint, sunlit attic in Bordeaux filled with old paintings, sculptures, and art supplies. • Visual: Éloise explores her grandmother’s attic, dust particles floating in beams of sunlight. She discovers a painting covered in a sheet. When she removes the cover, the painting shimmers, and Éloise is pulled into the magical realm. • Dialogue (Éloise, gasping): “It’s… alive. How can a painting feel alive?” • Animation Note: Use a blend of 3D for Éloise and 2D painterly effects for the shimmering painting, blending the styles as she is pulled into the art.

Scene 2: Entering the Magical Realm • Setting: A vast, enchanted landscape filled with glowing plants, floating rivers, and surreal architecture inspired by Bordeaux’s historic buildings. • Visual: Éloise lands in a field of flowers that glow with a soft blue light. The environment feels dreamlike, with 2D elements blending seamlessly into the 3D landscape. • Dialogue (Arlo, calmly): “Welcome, Éloise. This is the world beyond the canvas.” • Animation Note: Use 3D modeling for the characters with 2D overlays for magic effects, blending Bordeaux’s unique artistic flair into the landscape design.

Scene 3: The First Challenge – The Whispering Woods • Setting: A mystical forest where trees whisper secrets, and paths shift constantly. • Visual: The trees are animated in 2D, with their whispering leaves and twisting branches creating an eerie yet beautiful environment. Éloise must navigate this ever-changing landscape, guided only by her instincts. • Dialogue (Whispering Trees, softly): “The way is lost to the fearful. Only those who dare will find the path.” • Animation Note: The shifting paths and whispering trees are animated using 2D techniques layered over the 3D environment to enhance the feeling of a living, breathing forest.

Scene 4: Confronting Madame Devereaux • Setting: A grand, abandoned chateau on a cliff, overlooking a stormy sea. The chateau is inspired by the grand estates found around Bordeaux but twisted by dark magic. • Visual: Madame Devereaux stands in front of a massive, glowing canvas, painting creatures into existence. Her magic warps the 2D and 3D styles, creating a chaotic blend of reality and art. • Dialogue (Madame Devereaux, with menace): “You think you can challenge me with your childish brushstrokes? You are nothing but a speck of paint on my masterpiece.” • Animation Note: Use hybrid animation to blend Devereaux’s spells into the scene, with 2D elements exploding into the 3D space as Éloise’s art comes alive to counter her attacks.

Scene 5: The Final Battle – Light vs. Darkness • Setting: A vast, surreal battlefield where colors clash and art comes to life. Inspired by the blending of old and new Bordeaux, this setting features elements of classic French art styles infused with modern abstract forms. • Visual: The Guardians of Light join the fight, creating beams of light that paint over the darkness. Éloise uses her brush as a weapon, creating powerful strokes that turn the tide of the battle. • Dialogue (Éloise, confidently): “My art is not yours to control. It belongs to me, to everyone who dares to dream!” • Animation Note: Combine fluid 2D animation for magical attacks with dynamic 3D camera movements to create a sense of a living painting, blending seamlessly as art battles art.

Final Scene: Returning Home and Finding Her Voice • Setting: The cityscape of Bordeaux, seen through Éloise’s eyes as she sketches on the riverside, inspired by her journey. The streets are bustling, and the sky is filled with warm, golden hues reminiscent of Bordeaux’s signature sunsets. • Visual: Éloise’s sketches appear in 2D overlays on the screen, blending with the 3D city around her, showing her newfound confidence and the magic she’s brought back with her. • Dialogue (Éloise, with a smile): “Into the unknown… and back again. I think I’m finally ready to show the world what I see.” • Animation Note: Use a blend of styles to show Éloise’s artistic vision merging with reality, creating a seamless transition from the magical realm back to her life in Bordeaux.