Week 5: World

Prancer's journey takes place in Denali National Park in Alaska. The part we see in the film is a valley between a mountain and a forest on a hill, with a wide stream at the bottom. While Prancer's herd crosses the stream and follows its path around the forest, Prancer goes directly through the forest and meets back up with them on the other side. He essentially takes a shortcut, which is why he is able to catch up to the herd despite getting lost initially. The story takes place in Summer, when the landscape is taken over by a rainbow of different plants and strong lighting. I've attached a map of the setting which shows the path Prancer and the herd take, along with a diagram of inspiration images which correspond to specific locations and events in the story. The images are a combination of photographs and shots from the Bambi and Brother Bear films. The main emphasis in these pictures are in how well they match the environments I'm envisioning for the film at various points, with color and composition as a secondary focus.

Our reading points out how important setting is to presenting a character with the right challenges to prompt the story to advance. I definitely kept this in mind when choosing this setting, as my character is drawn forward by the natural beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. Making sure the environment is welcoming and interesting rather than intimidating and overwhelming is the key to making sure my character will be able to succeed with his journey.

Image guide from top left: The film begins by introducing us to the valley and the surrounding topography, along with the reindeer herd. It then focuses on Prancer on his own and the forest path that intrigues him. As the herd continues on to cross the stream, Prancer breaks off on his own to enter the forest and explore. He soon realizes that he has wandered too deeply into the forest, and turns around to try to retrace his steps. He ends up emerging onto an open ridge overlooking the empty valley, where he has been left alone now that the herd has moved on. He turns back to consider the forest path, and reenters it to commit to his journey and experience the natural beauty of the world. He eventually comes out on the other side of the forest on the edge of the stream, across which he sees the rest of his herd. He is then able to rejoin them.