THE SAPLING

Color Keys

Oakley and his friends are on the school field trip when Oakley gets into an altercation with his bully, Arnie. The bright, warm light seen when Oakley is with his friends directly contrasts the cool, muted tones when he’s upset. When Oakley and Arnie enter detention, the lighting becomes more dramatic and moody, echoing their feelings.

Oakley

Oakley was originally a sapling from Yosemite National Park. As a growing tree near the hiking trails, he often heard stories the hikers had to tell of human life. His fascination with humans grew into a strong desire to become one. One day, while listening to a couple on a hike, his wish came true – he grew limbs! He had a face! He could move! Oddly enough, he wasn’t fully human; he was covered in leaves and had a leaf growing out of the top of his head, but he was excited nonetheless. Oakley trails the couple to their car and latches onto the back of their SUV, unbeknownst to them. On the drive home, all leaves except for the one on his head had shed from the wind and the two humans find a surprise waiting for them upon arrival. They decide to adopt Oakley despite his quirks and he enrolls in the 3rd grade, making a couple of friends along the way – but not without some enemies!

Initial Exploration

Given the depth of the character I wanted to explore, I decided to create a mind map to fully flesh out my ideas. The mind map gave me the freedom to design Oakley as a relatable character, even though he is not your typical human. I then started storyboarding to get a clear picture of the story, highlighting Oakley’s relationships with his friends and his bully. Ultimately, I wanted to fixate on his experience as a human, rather than the origins of his transformation.