Odette is a short animated film, directed by Allison Brownmoore, currently in development as part of our commitment to investing our profits into creating short films that focus on difficult stories. We want to invest in stories which have the capability to inspire change, growth and new understandings within audiences.

Logline

Odette, a young girl with an intellectual disability, discovers the true meaning of success with the help of the most popular sport in the world. Football.

Character Design

We have been exploring the look of Odette, both in animalistic and human form. We’ve been interested in an aesthetic which feels poetic, and thought provoking, and that offer a range of animation techniques of which we are open to exploring.

We also explored Odette in non human form, although this wasn’t sitting right for us.

And finally we spent time exploring the look of the Scouts.

Look Development

We selected key moments from the story to conceptualise how they might look within the film, and how the aesthetic could support the narrative. We wanted to explore an abstract feel to our city and our football pitch, using the location more as a springboard than a definitive place.

Synopsis

In the depths of a near abandoned city, we find ODETTE, an infectiously enthusiastic 10 year old girl with an intellectual disability. Every weekend she emerges onto the football pitch, determined to make the team. This time, however, things take a very different turn.

We open with Odette in her final checklist to success. She’s going to make that team. Game face on, she heads onto the field. CAPTAIN P separates players into teams. Odette’s ember of optimism fades as each player gets selected around her. This isn’t the first time Captain P has done this. Odette settles on-the-bench again. Rejected, isolated and alone.

Approaching dark clouds bring with them the oppressive SCOUTS, wily figures hugging the sideline with their omnipresent clipboards of judgment. Their beady eyes searching for the extraordinary girls, the best players, the most successful.

The game is almost over. Her opportunity feels like it’s slipping away.

Suddenly the goalkeeper is down and out, and with her misfortune an opportunity opens for Odette. Success within her grasp.

The winds change and the storm turns threatening and ominous. Odette plunges onto the field and positions herself as goal keeper, feet shifting in anticipation. Another player runs the ball towards her and strikes for goal – her moment has arrived. She throws herself into the air and catches the ball. She’s beaten the odds, and falls with a satisfying thud in the mud!

But jubilation is short lived… the ball slips from her hands and rolls outside of her grasp… inching back over the line. Captain P smirks in disgust.

Odette’s heart sinks as the swirling storm reaches its thunderous peak. Driving rain turns to hail stones, they start small but quickly grow. Oversized, they plummet to the ground like meteorites. The game is nearing an end, the Scouts narrow their intense gaze.

Suddenly, Odette is thrown into her greatest challenge. The ball is thundering down the pitch towards her, darting between the oversized hail stones. Foot pulls back, aiming for goal, and THWACK – contact is made. We’re slow motion. Odette sees a large meteoric rock of ice hurtling from the sky towards Captain P. She’s moments from impact. The ball is about to reach the goal. Odette can save the goal, but she has to choose. Save the goal or save the captain. The Scouts watch through the storm, seconds to the end of the game.

In a moment of assertion, Odette launches for Captain P, knocking her to safety as the ball flies into the back of the net. The game, lost. Odette’s ambition, her chance of success, also seemingly lost.

The Scouts stand over the fallen Odette, her mouth full of grass. They outreach their hand to her.

And smile.

Diversity Scheme

We will be running our second Diversity Placement Scheme to bring on board artists to collaborate with on the film, similar to how we did for our previous animated film, Dog Park.

Animation by: Past Curfew

Director: Allison Brownmoore