Roya

One of my early personal project. Feature Animation Trailer (Produced in 1996)

OVERVIEW

TITLE: ROYA MEDIUM: 3D Animated Feature GENERA: Action/Adventure/Family TARGET: Family / All Ages

“NOTE: Maryam and I did it long before Finding Nemo with early version of 3D Studio. Textures painted with watercolour …”

LOG LINE

The underwater realm is a world of entrancing, exotic beauty, full of undiscovered riches. In the midst of this splendor there lies on the bottom of the sea a quiet and peaceful city, home to a diverse array of fish and other aquatic creatures. The story of ROYA is about her adventures trying to find the “DREAM CITY”, pursuing by a nosy RAY FISH. And after all they went through in their adventures, they come back to to see their own city from a far perspective, realizing that the Dream City was in fact their own underwater city.

SYNOPSIS

The underwater realm is a world of entrancing, exotic beauty, full of undiscovered riches. In the midst of this splendor there lies on the bottom of the sea a quiet and peaceful city, home to a diverse array of fish and other aquatic creatures. It is a rather ordinary underwater city-safe and secure. For the most part, Roya Is happy and content in this city. Everything she needs is right there. All the same, she is restless, sensing that something is missing. Things are, thanks to Mr. Octopus, completely under control: the rhythms of life in the city are perfectly regulated, precise to the point of rigidity.

Roya can’t help but be bored. She yearns for a little excitement, a little adventure-anything to break the monotony.   The other inhabitants of the city don’t think twice about this. They go about their business secure in the knowledge that nothing can disturb the peace of their city. Mr. Octopus has seen to that – his ugly black statues hide the city from the prying eyes of their enemies, the dreaded “cruel whales. These ebony scarecrow-like constructions are so ugly that they scare the common knowledge that outside the confines of her safe little city life is cruel, unforgiving, and dangerous. Seclusion is a small price to pay for safety.  

One day, Roya and Sam hear a story about a magical city far away from their boring abode. “Dream City” sounds like such a fantastic place that Roya immediately yearns to go there. Sam (who likes adventure as much as anyone), however, is not so sure. He reminds his companion of Mr. Octopus’ warnings that it is not safe to venture beyond the borders of the city. No one, absolutely no one, questions this-Mr. Octopus’ authority is unassailable. Later that afternoon, Roya and Sam find a deposit of beautiful pearls (and other assorted sea treasures) behind one of the black statues.

Amazed to discover such riches (such beauty) right inside her own, rather ordinary little city, Roya is inspired to go on an adventure, a journey penetrating some of her city’s unexplored regions. Roya thinks to herself: there is much to discover even in her home town – you need only a new pair of eyes to see what was hidden before. Despite the derisive laughter of the other fish, and Mr. Octopus’ vociferous objections, Roya and Sam prepare to embark on their search, unaware that they are being spied upon by Ray. Could Mr. Octopus be afraid of what they might find?  

Soon Roya and Sam plunge headlong into a harrowing series of adventures, culminating in their discovery that the fabled “Dream City” is, in reality, their own city. Thanks to Roya and Sam, the other inhabitants open their eyes to the beauty which exists all around them. They also learn that the cruel whales do not exist – the selfish Mr. Octopus created an imaginary danger, using fear to gain control of the city. In light of this knowledge, Mr. Octopus is no longer held in respect. Humiliated, his image shattered, the old gray octopus slinks between the cracks in the rocks as the fish begin to tear down the ugly ebony statues.