Production notes

Every story starts as a cast and a setting. Those are drawn once, then used as reference for every picture in the story, so the characters stay themselves from beginning to end.

The cast

Model sheet for Liam — **Liam** the young squire

human boy with short brown hair, wearing a simple brown tunic and worn leather boots, carrying a wooden practice sword

Sounds eager and youthful.

Model sheet for Edwin — **Edwin** the wise old knight

older man with a white beard, clad in shining silver armour adorned with blue engravings, holding a large round shield

Sounds deep and calm.

Model sheet for Rowan — **Rowan** the fierce female knight

tall woman with fiery red hair pulled back, dressed in black leather armour with a red cloak, wielding a slender sword

Sounds strong and clear.

Model sheet for Bran — **Bran** the quiet hulking knight

large muscular man with shaved head and dark skin, wearing heavy plate armour with gold trim, gripping a heavy battle axe

Sounds soft-spoken and steady.

The setting

Background painting of A haunted medieval castle shrouded in shadows and decay. — **A haunted medieval castle shrouded in shadows and decay.**

A cold, dimly lit medieval castle with towering stone walls, narrow shadowy corridors, flickering torchlight casting eerie shadows, and cold grey stone floors stained by time. The atmosphere is heavy with dampness and the faint scent of decay, while the great hall looms vast and silent, and the battlements are engulfed in mist under a pale, ghostly moonlight.

grey black deep crimson pale blue

The plan

Liam arrives at Greymoor Castle, where the knights notice strange shadows and cold air inside.

uneasy and tense wide establishing shot Liam, Edwin, Rowan, Bran
Inside the castle, the group sees moving shadows on the walls and hears soft whispers without anyone there.

creepy and nervous medium shot Liam, Edwin, Rowan, Bran
Bran follows a faint light to a secret room, but the light disappears and the door slams shut behind them.

startled and urgent close-up Bran, Liam, Edwin, Rowan
Edwin uses an old spell and a sword to break the evil spell causing the shadows, but the castle shakes and the lights flicker dangerously.

brave and intense medium shot Edwin, Liam, Rowan, Bran
The shadow disappears, light returns to the castle, and the knights feel safe once more while watching the sunrise outside.

relieved and hopeful long shot Liam, Edwin, Rowan, Bran

How it was made

Pictures drawn: 11
Words written: 1054
Generation steps: 19
Time to make: 6 min

Drawn in charcoal. Written in English at level B1, for teen readers.

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