The Art of The Tree of Life

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t h e a rt of

A N A N IM AT ED FILM P ROP O S AL BY

Dan French

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t h e art of

A N AN IM AT E D F IL M P ROP O S A L

Written, edited and created by

DAN F RE NCH

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FOR EW ORD

by Dan French

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his publication represents the end result of a project that began with just a few sketches of a masked man glowering under the moonlit branches of a decidedly important tree, and is the place where I have pooled all my constantly changing story outlines, character designs, environment concepts, storyboard experiments and more which have come to follow in the months since. Never having been one to pare down ideas or projects to a reasonable scale, I immediately leapt on the opportunity to attempt to create something - not yet knowing where those initial sketches would take me - fairly massive. As an enduring fan of grand concepts in fiction, whether in the form of a novel series or film saga, I knew I would never be satisfied if, when presented with the chance to craft something entirely of my own choosing, I decided to play it safe.

The Tree of Life is a story that demonstrates the things that matter most to me as, first and foremost, an artist. Secondly, the project is my greatest experiment yet in storytelling. Ani and Tyr are characters that symbolise polar forces in nature, which is the underlying theme of the project in its entirerty, and underpins the message I aim to tell through it. This publication compiles the artwork and developmental work that has gone into conceptualising my ideas for The Tree of Life, though I would one day want to see it in its intended form, on film. With this context in mind, I have been constantly aware of the viewpoint the art form of film provides for both artist and viewer alike, aiming to depict a story through images whose visual language is equal parts clear and mysterious.

That being said, the purpose of The Art of The Tree of Life has been to clarify these grand and complicated concepts for myself as much as for anyone else who reads it. Whether or not I have been entirely successful in bringing my ideas to life within these pages is, ultimately, up to you. For me, it feels as though I have only just gotten started with my plans for Ani and Tyr... ____________________ and they looked ever up into the great fjords which veined YGGDRASIL the celestial God’s true forme. ____________________

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CHAPTER ONE _______________________________

An Earthly Realm

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IN THE SKETCHBOOK

A COSMIC STORY

PROJECT ORIGINS

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he Tree of Life is rooted in concepts found in nature and mythology. Set within the frame of Norse cosmology, an ongoing personal interest of mine, the story tells of a young woman’s journey through life, beginning with humble origins in an Inuit-influenced tribe living at the far end of the Earth. The project is informed by many real-world ideas and stories, as well as elements of fantasy, in famous world-building media such as His Dark Materials and The Lord of the Rings. As an animated feature, The Tree of Life is my vision for an epic fantasy tale told through the ever more popular medium of full CG animation, whose possibilities grow every year.

n Norse cosmology, the Universe we live in is formed by the enormous body of the great Tree of Life, Yggdrasil. Within its vast domain exist the Nine mortal Realms, including a familiar Earthly Realm, from where our protagonist originates and where our story begins. The cosmos is home to many forms of life, with the most powerful beings of all residing in Asgard: The Pantheon, immortal Gods who govern the laws of the entire cosmos from their seat high above the tallest branches of Yggdrasil. Ordinarily, mortals cannot move freely between the Realms, which are connected by the great branches of the Tree of Life, but the events of the story set our heroine Ani on a long journey that takes her through distant lands.

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THE COSMOS

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ithin the innermost branches of Yggdrasil’s domain live creatures of a cosmic variety, who live untouched by the laws of Mortal Realms where time and space are subject to great change. These include a handful of Noble Creatures, all of whom are given tasks by the Gods in Asgard to fulfil so as to maintain the health of Yggdrasil and the cosmos in its entirety. The mortals of the Earthly Realm, a tribe known as the Yavapai, tell stories of the creatures of Yggdrasil, who include four seasonal stags, the unnamed Eagle, a malicious dragon and a sly squirrel known as Ratatosk. Each of these characters are encountered in turn

by Ani during the events of The Tree of Life, and all play an important role in her journey to restore balance to the cosmos after the actions of the maligned God Tyr cause devastating effects felt throughout the many Realms.

M O RTA L S & G O D S

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he central protagonist of the story is Ani, a human from Earth who becomes the defender of the Realms by chance - meanwhile, the essential role of antagonist is fulfilled by Tyr, a self-proclaimed God of Chaos who can control the elements and laws of nature, in pursuit of reshaping the Cosmos in his vision. Concepts of chaos and the morality of nature are explored through Tyr’s motivations, as well as his seemingly human disposition despite being an immortal.

Above: character concept sketches for antagonist Tyr.

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DISCOVERING

THE COLD NORTH

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our story begins in a remote and frozen corner of Earth, recalling the Arctic of our own world, with its vast tundras, great fjords and snow-white mountains veining the landscape for miles around. Life here is few and far between, with only a small yet long-lived community of humans living at the heart of the North in a singular culture inspired

by Inuit tribes and Norse mythology, known as the Yavapai. Though the environment and neighbours here are less than friendly, the Yavapai’s extended mythology and culture draws from the magic and mysticism of this far edge of the world. The blazing arms of the Aurora Borealis shine above, filling the often hostile world with wonder.

As believed by the people of the tribe, the Northern Lights are in fact the outermost branches of the great Tree of Life, Yggdrasil, who stretch from the very heart of the Cosmic Realm - all the way out to the northernmost tip of the Earthly Realm, high above human reach. Earth is one of nine Mortal Realms, worlds that exist under Yggrdasil’s enormous canopy.

Being so close to the Cosmic Realm here, the Cold North is filled with traces of magic and spiritual phenomena, including a single Ancient blossom tree that is sacred to the Yavapai for its symbolism of the endurance of life and Yggdrasil itself.

In the grander scheme of the extended Cosmos, the Cold North serves as home to our human protagonist and provides audiences with a familiarly Earthly setting to introduce the story and internal mythology. Although fantasy and cosmic concepts play into the design of the worlds and characters in the film, the Cold North is our most realistic and grounded major setting. The Tree of Life doesn’t shy away from the reality of situations, and the threat of the cold is not taken lightly.

Initial digital painting sketch conceptualising the grand and ethereal qualities intended for my vision of the Cold North.

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hough the Cold North is a fictuous world, it is based primarily on the real Arctic, as well as elements of the Antarctic, taking creative license where appropriate. This approach is inspired by Dreamworks’ popular animated franchise How To Train Your Dragon, which takes place in a fictional Universe based upon Scandanavia. The images below are taken from the BBC documentary series Frozen Planet, narrated by David Attenborough, which has provided reams of visual reference for The Tree of Life and also gives extended insight into the nature of the world here, at its most extreme - and, arguably, its most beeutiful...

Screeshots from BBC’s Frozen Planet, narrated by David Attenborouh. Our own world is host to many wonders as it is, providing plenty of inspiration.

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T H E YAVA PA I

VILLAGE

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ome is a key theme in The Tree of Life, whose story involves a journey through many different worlds to reach the heart of the cosmos itself. Our protagonist Ani comes from a small but long-lived community based on Inuit tribes, known as the Yavapai, meaning “the people of the Sun�. Living at the heart of a cold and merciless land, the Yavapai have made a home for themselves out of ice and wood, hand-carved into impressive and sturdy architecture, over many generations. My vision for the Yavapai is inspired by the world-building mythologies of the animated TV series Avatar, and its sequel The Legend of Korra, which feature twin water tribes based on the North and South poles who make the harsh landscape into beautiful, culturally-rich centres for civilisation.

The Yavapai believe in an extended mythology based largely on Norse cosmology, which contains many different Realms that are home to both mortal beings and Gods alike. Although dieties feature in their lore, the Yavapai do not worship a God figure, instead living life in pursuit of harmony with nature and respect for all living things. These stories of faraway worlds, which look nothing like the frozen corner of Earth in which the people here live out their entire lives, are said to have come with the arrival of the First People, who settled here in the material world after a long and perilous journey through the Cosmos in search of a home. According to the tribe Shaman, Sila, who carries all knowledge of the People and is the Yavapai’s human link with the Cosmic Realm, the First People were incredibly wise and had spiritual abilities, including astral projection and possession of other living beings. Traces of magic are found all over the Cold North, evidenced in the Northern Lights blazing in the sky above, and in the hearts of the people who live here as well. Those who display spiritual powers are said to have a strong bloodline to the First People, with great things expected of them in their lifetime.

Making life here even harsher is the cycle of the seasons, which includes summers where the sun never sets and winters where the night lasts for months on end. Each Spring, the first sign of new life is announced by the blooming of the sacred Blossom Tree, which the Yavapai revere as a sign of the Cosmic Realm just beyond physical reach in this farthest corner of Earth.

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he Yavapai are small in numbers, but represent a long-lived culture built upon a mythology that comes from an inherent respect for the power of nature in all its forms. Skills and talents are passed on from generation to generation, forming a tight-knit community that lives in relative safety within the refuge of their encampment. The people who live here are wary of the dangers that lie beyond their tall walls of ice, thanks to the many warnings of tribe Shaman Sila regarding such legendary beasts as the Amarok, who is said to prey on the souls of mortal men. The settlement’s design is informed by Inuit, Norse and Japanese cultures, blending ice with hand-carved wooden architecture.

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T H E YAVA PA I

ANI

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ur first and foremost protagonist is Ani, a young woman from a frozen corner of Earth who journeys to distant lands in an attempt to bring balance to the cosmos. From a young age, Ani has displayed spiritual abilties, most notably astral projection. As the daughter of a spritual mother and cynical father, she is raised surrounded by stories until her mother mysteriously disappears. When Ani saves a wolf pup from drowning and brings it home, her father offers to let her keep Suka in exchange for Ani training under the tribe Shaman, in honour of her late mother’s beliefs.

When The Tree of Life begins, a 20-year-old Ani is well-learned in the mythology of the Yavapai, and a skilled huntress from numerous trips out on the ice with now full-grown canine companion Suka. Despite being a strong candidate for the Shaman successor, Ani is more concerned with deciphering a recurring vision that has been with her since childhood. Knowing it has something to do with the nearby forest that is forbidden to the people of the tribe, she has been building a raft to cross the ice pass that keeps her from it. One day, a cosmic cataclysm triggered by the actions of the malovelent God Tyr in the Cosmos separates Ani and Suka from their home, sending them on a voyage that will lead them to the border between this world and the ones that lie beyond...

Right:When we first meet an adult Ani, she dons thick furs suited to the bitterly cold environment. This sketch captures Ani on the hunt with bow and arrow. The Yavapai colour scheme is understated but ever-prsent.

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T H E M O RTA L H E R O I N E

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ni’s character is defined by her physical and spiritual skills, which she has honed since childhood under the guidance of the tribe Shaman. Her design is informed by these traits, within the frame of the Yavapai culture and its titular association with the Sun. The Yavapai typically wear thick, fur-lined clothing with brightly coloured accents and orange colour scheme in reference to the Sun, though when on the ice camouflage is employed by the use of snow-white capes. The designs on this spread depict Ani in her kimono-inspired clothing, which she acquires halfway through the film after training in combat with warriors from another Mortal Realm. Whereas the Yavapai and Earth are modelled on Norse culture and mythology, Japanese styles are adopted in reference to the grander Cosmos, particularly in the context of war and combat. Her kimono warrior outfit sees Ani transition from being a lone huntress on the ice to a heroine of Cosmic proportions prepared for anything, including battle of both the physical and spiritual variety.

“My mother disappeared one day when I was little. They say she was taken by a monster, but that’s not what matters. I’d give anything to see her again. I can’t be trusted with the fates of every life in the whole entire Cosmos if I’d give it all up for just one. I don’t deserve this.”

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T H E YAVA PA I

ANI HUNTRESS

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t the start of The Tree of Life, Ani has spent her life so far surrounded by the cold tundra of the northernmost reaches of the Earthly Realm.

Though most children are kept safe within the walls of the Yavapai village, Ani has been a rebellious spirit ever since she was small, spurred on by the mysterious circumstances surrounding her mother’s death and the pressures of being the Shaman’s student. Athletic and strong-willed, Ani oftens sneaks out of the village to hunt with Suka, as a means of personal relief and to keep her canine companion fit and content. There is nothing Ani enjoys more than running on the ice with Suka at her side, bow and arrow to hand.

These simple concept sketches depict Ani in her huntress attire, which features thick furs and a subtler version of the Yavapai colour scheme more appropriate for being out in the open. Her bow and arrows are handcrafted from wood and detailed with Norse-inspired patterning, crafted by Ani herself in the styling of her mother and Shaman Sila’s totems. Resourceful, athletic and stubborn, Ani is more than capable of handling herself on the ice, though her father often reprimands her for tempting ill fate.

“Everything comes back to nature, mortal or not.

Each of us are waging a war with our Mother just to survive. But nature always wins... as she should. We all have our time.”

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efore we meet Ani as a 20-year-old woman with a number of talents and demons under her belt, the film’s prolohe otrpdices is to the character as a small child. The scene establishes Ani’s relationship with her mother and the psychological effect of her spiritual powers manifesting for the first time, when she experiences unnerving visions of being hunted by a wolf in a dark forest. Karsi comforts her by telling the story of Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life.

Inset: concept piece for Ani in her kimono warrior outfit. Right: final Ani character design, based on previous image.

DEFENDER OF THE REALMS

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aking on the role of defender of the Cosmos is the consequence of fate and coincidence combined, a duty Ani feels undeserving of at first. Her final design, featured right, paints Ani as a fully formed heroine, trained in combat by a band of fighters from another Mortal Realm inspired by Japanese Samurai Warriors. Ani is equipped with a bow and arrow for the initial stages of the film, and later acquires dual short katanas for her impending encounter with Tyr, who wields a single long katana inspired by Final Fantasy’s Sephiroth.

Fresh out of a life in a hostile environment, Ani is not shy to violence, though she only applies it when absolutely necessary.

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IN THE SKETCHBOOK

EARLY CONCEPTS

FINDING ANI

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s the story’s principal character and the audience surrogate for much of the exploration of the extended mythologies and worlds seen in The Tree of Life, Ani’s design is one of the most imporant aspects of the film. Because the story blends different real-world cultures to produce an original tribe based on Inuit, Norse and Japanese cultures, I wanted to present an authentic ethnicity that is easily associated with by peoples of different backgrounds. The tribe as a whole is based mainly on Inuit physiology and features, though stylised for the context of an animated feature, with the braided hairstyle informed by Viking culture. Ani’s clothing is relatively simplistic - when we meet her, she is a hardened young woman living in a cold and hostile world, so her attire reflects on that, with fur lining and a thick hood. The bow and arrow is a popular weapon choice that makes sense for the nature of hunting in a vast landscape.

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hese early sketches depict Ani in her Yavapai attire, which we meet her in at the start of the film. With her thick hood and hand-carved weaponry, she comes across as slightly wild and dangerous, until we see she is actually still quite young.

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FA C E S O F T H E YAVA PA I

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hese studies explore different takes on the Yavapai as an ethnic culture modelled on Inuit and Norse references. Typically, the Yavapai don thick, weathered furs with decorative fur lining in a lowkey orange and cream colour scheme that reflects on their namesake, which is taken from Inuit culture, meaning “The People of the Sun”. In Yavapai legend, the First People came to the Cold North with magic to create fire and connect to the Cosmic Realm spiritually, helping them to survive the hostile environment for many generations.

Above: Various sketches for Ani at different ages, and Karsi, the protagonist’s late mother, seen immediate right and above.

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T H E YAVA PA I

SACRED BLOSSOM TREE

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rom background sketch to final digital painting. This concept image is one of my personal favourites produced for this project, and is one of the most symbolic for the story of the film. It depicts the sacred blossom tree in the Cold North which is revered by the Yavapai for its cosmic presence. A physical and tangible reference to the worlds just beyond the tribe’s reach here, it is styled on a Japanese blossom tree, which blooms for only two weeks a year in Spring. The Japanese culture is an ensuing visual style adopted in reference to Tyr, whose conflict with his Norse God background causes a major shift of fates in the Cosmos.

This concept piece depicts the tree as it appears after the cosmic cataclysm that separates Ani from her tribe. In spite of the chaos surrounding it, the blossom tree remains as a sign of the endurance of life in all its forms, and points Ani in the way of the grander Cosmos.

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n many ways, the sacred Blossom Tree is one of the most important aspects of my conceptualisation of The Tree of Life.

Due to the metaphysical and grandoise nature of the concept of Yggdrasil, the Cosmic Tree and heart of all that exists in this fictional Universe, I wanted to present a more tangible idea as well that would better visualise and explain the lore surrounding its mythology, both to the viewer and the characters in the story. The Yavapai tribe Shaman, Sila, carves sacred totems from the wood of the Blossom Tree which act as important symbols for characters in the story. Ani, like Sila before her, spends many days and nights studying the Edda and training spiritually under the canopy of the ancient tree. Because of this, I decided to give the tree a pared down yet stylistically different design in comparison with the rest of the landscape in the Cold North setting, as much of the first act would be spent in its presence. As the introduction to the film covers the first twenty years of Ani’s life in two distinct time jumps, the Blossom Tree presented a prime opportunity to showcase the dramatic transformation of the landscape through the seasons.

Above: Designs for Shaman Sila’s totems, carved from the wood of the blossom tree; left, Ratatosk; middle, the Monstrous Wolf (Fenrir / Amarok); and right, the Noble Wolf (Suka / child of the Amarok).

Below: background painting for Sila’s tent.

S I L A ’ S TENT

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n the first segment of the film, set exclusively in Ani’s small world with the Yavapai, we spend some time learning about the tribe’s mythology and the Cosmic Realm beyond with her under Shaman Sila’s tutoring.

Sila’s Tent is an important location in this part of the story, its presence being highly evocative of the story’s mythological themes and showcasing the Yavapai’s culture.

Joining together Inuit and Eskimo huts with Native American tipis, Sila’s Tent features carved wooden beams and real fur rugs and adornings, serving to highlight the People’s position here in the perilous Cold North, where the environment and neighbours are less than friendly.

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T H E YAVA PA I

KARSI

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hough she only appears in the opening prologue of the film, Karsi plays an important role in her daughter Ani’s story in The Tree of Life. A loving mother and firm believer in the Yavapai’s namesake mythology, Karsi is seen comforting Ani as a child with stories from her personal inhereted copy of the Edda, the tribe’s sacred writings. Here in the Cold North, books are highly valuable and revered items, and those few who are able to read and write often learn from studying the Edda and its stories. As such, Karsi is an exceptionally knowledgable and wise woman who demonstrates a keen understanding of their small world and its place in the much larger scheme of things within the grander Cosmos.

Right: Sketch study depicting Karsi reading to a young Ani from her hand-written copy of the Edda.

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y designs for Karsi reflect an intellectual individual with a passionate heart and affiliation with nature.

From the first sketch, seen top right, I envisioned her with long, tumbling hair and a regal face, inspired by photographs of Inuit women with beautiful yet lived features. The design strength of her long hair makes her stand out from other Yavapai characters despite limited screen time, and gives her a needed warmth as the matriachal figure in Ani’s closeknit community and family. The final design, seen left, includes the overarching Yavapai colour scheme of warm orange and beige, which serves to reference the tribe’s titular association with the Sun and contrasts the vast white and cold landscape in which they live.

Karsi also wears a necklace bearing the Yavapai’s insignia, which is a symbol taken from Norse culture again depicting the Sun.

“We live in a cold and dark world. But there is magic everywhere – traces of the great tree of life, visible to the naked eye. My mother called them the celestial dancers, and so do I.”

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n a considered narrative decision, Karsi is killed off between the prologue and the subsequent events of the film. Her absence is symbolic of a greater loss of faith in magic for Ani, who grows to harbour a painful association with the tribe’s mythology and stories due to her mother’s unfortunate death. It is implied that Karsi is taken by the Amarok, a legendary beast resembling a giant wolf who devours the souls of anyone foolish enough to leave the safety of the tribe after dark, though no explicit explanation is given in the story due to a focus on the consequences of Ani’s loss over the finer details of its physical nature.

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TRIBE SHAMAN

SILA

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he Yavapai tribe Shaman is the individual who is responsible for maintaining and practicing the sacred beliefs of the People, dedicating much of their life to this important cause. In The Tree of Life, the current Shaman is a wise woman known as Sila, who acts as Ani’s spritual mentor through adolescence until the events of the story separate her from the tribe. Sila is an eccentric character, though not to the point of charicature, as she is notably reserved and deliberate in her actions and words. Serving as the People’s mortal link to the Cosmic Realms beyond their physical reach, the Shaman is someone who demonstrates inherent spiritual abilities, among them astral projection and precognition. Like the long line of Shamans who precede her, Sila has trained for many years in her sacred practice, able to recite passages and spells from the Edda from memory and serving to warn the Yavapai of the dangers that forever surround them here in the perilous Cold North.

“As Shaman, it is my duty to preserve these stories. To preserve the legacy of the First People, and not just by telling stories, but by living as they lived. By seeing the world around us for what it is: magic.”

Above: Necklace / decorative woodcut designs featuring symbols from Norse culture, namely Ægishjálmur (above right) and Vegvísir (above left). Left: sketch illustration of Sila practicing some sort of ritual, wearing a traditional Karibou skull mask.

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C R E AT U R E S O F Y G G D R A S I L

S I L A’S T O T E M S

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hese wooden totem designs depict creatures from the story of Yggdrasil, and are hand-carved by the Yavapai tribe Shaman, Sila, from the wood of the sacred blossom tree. Inspired by Inuit and Native American totems, they are used as a narrative device and prop for the human characters in the initial stage of the film, where their presence serves to explain the overarching cosmology and the creatures who dwell in Yggdrasil’s innermost reaches.

In the prologue, Ani’s mother, Karsi, tells her the story of the Tree of Life in this manner, a scene which also establishes the mythology to the viewer.

A following animated sequence borrows this totem aesthetic, depicting the carvings as moving wooden characters within Yggdrasil’s domain, narrated

by Karsi to Ani in the form of a mythical children’s tale.

VEÐRFÖLNIR & EAGLE

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n Yavapai mythology, the Unnamed Eagle sits at the very top of Yggdrasil’s tallest branch, there seeing over the cosmos in its entirety.

A silent being, the Eagle is said to be the wisest creature of all, possessing knowledge beyond that of the Pantheon itself. Between his eyes sits Veðrfölnir, a small and swift hawk who sends messages from Asgard above to the Eagle below, as well as Ratatosk, who sends messages down further to the tree’s very base. He is the only creature allowed to cross into the Realm of Gods. This totem design features a removable hawk, who slots into position between the eagle’s eyes as per Yavapai mythology (which borrows from Norse cosmology).

NÍÐHÖGGR

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nlike the other noble creatures who dwell in Yggdrasil’s cosmic domain, Níðhöggr is a malicious dragon who forever gnaws on the three roots of the Tree of Life. Though his manner and intentions are antagonistic and careless, his role is vital in sustaining the cycle of life nontheless, serving to prevent the beasts of Helheim below from escaping into the cosmic and mortal Realms. Níðhöggr has an ongoing fued with Ratatosk, the not-so-Noble squirrel of Yggdrasil, who runs up and down its vast branches carrying false insults to the dragon from the other creatures who dwell here.

R ATAT O S K

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atatosk is first depicted in The Tree of Life via his personal Yavapai totem, which more closely resembles his true-life forme than the other creatures due to his subsequent presence as a principle character in the story. Unlike the other Noble creatures, Ratatosk is an ill-tempered character who serves as the film’s comedic relief, true to Norse mythology where he is said to carry insults from creature to creature for fun. The anthropomorphic talking squirrel has an eponymous tusk and is entrusted by the Pantheon to carry messages across the great branches of Yggdrasil, despite his misbehaviour, as he is sly and fast. As a child, Ani’s favourite creature totem is Ratatosk; she first encounters the real character upon entering the Cosmic Realm, where he has been given an important mission by the Gods which Ani agrees to help him with.

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T H E S E A S O N A L S TA G S

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he four seasonal Noble Stags of Yggdrasil feature varying designs in reference to particular seasons, and the behavioural connotations of these within the context of the story. These include Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþró. Since childhood, Ani has experienced episodes of astral projection, during which she encounters who she believes to be Dvalinn, the stag who is associated with Spring and dreams. Her mother, Karsi, often comforts a distraught young Ani with the promise that the stag is a good omen. Dvalinn in particular serves to guide Ani through her journey in The Tree of Life, appearing at pivotal moments and lighting the way with an ethereal glow analogous with the Cosmic Realm.

T W I N W OLV E S MONSTROUS WOLF

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s well as the traditional creatures from Norse cosmology, The Tree of Life also includes original characters and mythological concepts unique to the imagined culture of the Yavapai and the Cosmic Realms beyond. In direct reference to Fenrir, the monstrous wolf who in legend kills Odin, these Twin Wolves totems depict the concept of Yin and Yang from Japanese culture and make additional reference to the Amarok and Suka, Ani’s realworld wolf companion.

NOBLE WOLF

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he Noble Wolf is an original mythological character who is not found in traditional Norse cosmology, upon which the Yavapai mythology is based. The thematic counter to Fenrir, the Monstrous Wolf, this character is left unmentioned in the initial Yggdrasil story sequence, though the totem is counted among Karsi’s collection is noticed by Ani. The Noble Wolf is intended to reference Suka, the wolf companion Ani attains later in the story, and is referred to as the Child of the Amarok, a mysterious beast who is said to live in the wilderness of the Cold North and devour the souls of mortal men. This concept is a parallel to Suka and Fenrir, who represent Yin and Yang in the Japanese references made in the Asgardian mythology pertaining to Tyr. Like the other Noble creatures who serve Yggdrasil in a state of grace, namely the Eagle and Seasonal Stags, the Noble Wolf ’s totem features closed eyes.

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C R E AT U R E S O F Y G G D R A S I L

COSMIC REALM

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he below image helps illustrate the dynamic of the Noble Creatures of Yggdrasil in relation to their position within the Cosmic Realm, presented in a continuous cycle with the Sacred Blossom Tree making reference to the grand Tree of Life. Ratatosk lies at the heart of the cycle, the only creature who moves freely across Yggdrasil’s vast canopy, carrying messages to and fro; Nidhoggr, the malicious dragon, dwells at the root of the great tree, the very base of the Cosmos itself; meanwhile, the Eagle and Hawk reside at the peak of the tallest branch of all. The seasonal stags are found at varying places within Yggdrasil’s canopy, each tending to their respective branches; and finally, the Twin Wolves exist outside the Cosmic Realm, referencing their respective allusions to the Amarok and Suka, the Amarok’s lone child.

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oving forward with the project, my next ambition is to fully illustrate the Cosmic Realm itself and the visual quality intended for it in contrast with the reallistic aesthetic adopted for the Earthly Realm, our first and principal setting. Although the wooden totem creatures are important narrative devices in regards to the Yavapai, and help illustrate the culture and mythology surrounding the People, they are more symbolic of the characters as opposed to serving as accurate depictions of their real-life counterparts - all of whom Ani and Suka later encounter on their journeys beyond their frozen home world. This is instigated when Tyr, the story’s essential antagonist, purposefully upsets the balance of the creatures of Yggdrasil in an effort to unleash Chaos on the Cosmos, thereby fulfilling his mother’s prophecies of Ragnarok, an age of terror that will lead way to a new world order free of the greed of Men and Gods alike. Ratatosk, being the slyest of all the creatures, is able to escape Tyr’s clutches with a vital task from the Gods intended for a fateful, yet unnamed Mortal. Upon meeting Ani, Ratatosk debates whether or not she is the Mortal the mission is meant for...

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YIN & YANG

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any real-world cultural references are found in The Tree of Life, which blends mythologies and concepts to create an original fictional Universe. Japanese culture is particularly present in regards to Tyr, who as a God of Asgard embodies concepts of chaos and war. The illustration below depicts the relationship between protagonist Ani, a mortal from the Earthly Realm, and Tyr, a powerful and vengeful God. Concepts of polar forces in nature and other juxtapositions in character and circumstance reference the Eastern concept of Yin and Yang, which is evidenced in the contrast between the crescent Moon and Mars, which are recurring symbols for our protagonist and antagonist, respectively, throughout the story, as seen below.

Top: sketches of the Noble Wolf totem being handled as a prop. Above: Ani and Tyr are contrasted in this hand-illustrated concept.

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THE JOURNEY ONWARD

COSMIC C ATACLYSM

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he Cold North might be the most remote top of the world, but it is host to a vast and dynamic environment which transforms with each passing season. After a cosmic cataclysm ravages the landscape, Ani and Suka set out on a journey across a world ever more perilous.

Giant, jutting waves of ice engulf what little land is left, as the harshest of all winters sets in for what might be forever.

All this unfolds just as Ani intends to possibly run away from home by setting sail on the raft she has been building for several months, with the hopes of reaching the forbidden forest where she believes her recurring visions take place in search of answers. In a moment of panic, the skin of the Earth cracks the ice wide open, fragmenting the land itself - but giving Ani enough warning to decide whether to turn back and help her people, or get in the raft and essentially save herself.

The sacred blossom tree of Yavpai culture stands tall. The once green bed beneath its canopy is a far cry from the sharp ice that surrounds it now.

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eparated from home, our protagonists are swept away into foreign lands. Uncertain of their destination, but driven by an ever-growing thirst for truth, Ani feels the Cosmic Realm calling to her from the heavens above. By the light of the moon, and of the Aurora, the pair eventually rediscover the sacred blossom tree from home, standing alone, untouched in a sea of chaos. Faced with the possibility of either returning home or pressing onward, Ani makes a second fateful decision.

From here, they find their way back to the forest that has called to Ani for as long as she can remember. With the whole world slowly freezing over, they are able to traverse the forbidden pass by foot and, finally, meet whatever awaits them on the other side. ____________________ the celestial dancers in their spinning Web of cosmic Dust align the stars in way of offer as if to dare To make the path to light ____________________

COSMIC ENCOUNTERS

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pon reaching the fateful forest, Ani encounters a few metaphors and references to concepts and characters in the story as a whole. In the below image, Ani sees a distant Eagle flying over the mountain peak, where above, the Aurora - arms of the tree of life - light up the sky. Later, Ani is led through the dark forest at night by an ethereal stag, who is a forme of Dvallin, the stag for Spring. The sketches on the previous page give an impression of the intended design.

After days of travelling through uncertain lands, Ani finds the forest once again. Beyond the treeline, the Aurora call her to the bridge between worlds.

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THE JOURNEY ONWARD

T H E PAS S A G E

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n their way back to the sacred blossom tree, and later the forest, Ani and Suka witness the devastation caused by the cosmic cataclysm in the Cold North first-hand. Set adrift on Ani’s hand-made boat, which is modelled loosely on Viking longboats, the pair are swept into foreign waters - through giant icebergs and fractured islands, until the temperature starts to drop.

Eventually, open water freezes over, shaping the landscape into jagged fissures and entire waves frozen in time. The image below depicts a narrow passage through broken hunks of forest land, mountains in the distance.

As the hostile environment quickly escalates, Ani begins to feel the cold, trapped in a small wooden raft in freezing temperatures. She and Suka travel for a few nights before the reshaped landscape reveals itself, by the light of the re-emerged Aurora above. The pair come ashore at last, soon finding the familiar landmark that is the sacred blossom tree, unharmed by the chaos...

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A COSMIC STORY

A WORLD OF ICE

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his concept piece is one of my personal favourites, showcasing simply the atmosphereof a unique environment I had in mind for the film. Despite the chaos left in the wake of the cataclysm, the world shows glimpses of beauty, and more importantly - tranquility.

Ani and Suka suffer harsh conditions before passing through the underside of a giant wave, frozen completely solid. This moment of peace and calm, following a dramatic and hostile sequence, gives our heroes a sign of hope. Once they reach the other side, they find that the storm has passed, leaving behind a frozen world, completely reformed.

Below: a very early digital concept for the project that captures a hint of the cosmic and particularly cold atmosphere of the protagonist’s transitionary journey. It is also one of my frst attempts at digital painting overall.

____________________ under the blue canopy of moonlit glass A wave in time upon which a spirit or two made haste in search of truth ____________________

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CHAPTER TWO _______________________________

Gods of Asgard

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GODS OF ASGARD

TYR

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yr is the incidental antagonist of The Tree of Life, a maligned God of War whose presence a political and metaphorical ‘force of nature’ threatens the fate of the Cosmos. Shortly before his birth, his mother, Frija - Goddess of Love and Seer of Prophecy - forsees Tyr bringing about Ragnarok, an age of terror and chaos after which the Cosmos will be forged anew. It is said that Frija’s subsequent and inexplicable death was for a broken heart, a burden Tyr’s father, Odin - primary God of War and Head of the Pantheon - cannot help but blame his only son for. Many years later, a conflicted and bitter Tyr sets about fulfilling his late mother’s omen, believing that chaos is the driving force of the Universe, and that his father’s rule has encouraged placidity and greed to spread throughout the Mortal Realms, to the hearts of men also.

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CHARACTER ORIGINS

GOD OF CHAOS

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he sketch to the left is the very first image created for The Tree of Life, featuring an ominous hooded figure with demonic horns glowering under the branches of a moonlit tree. From this initial concept, I sketched out the technical aspects of this seemingly antagonistic character’s design, drawing from Norse mythology and Japanese Samurai masks, as well as a few original touches. It was only after researching into mythological characters and Gods that I stumbled upon Tyr, a Norse God of War whose left hand is bitten off by the monstrous wolf Fenrir during the events of Ragnarok. From there, I found myself drawn into the world of Norse cosmology and Yggdrasil, the great Tree of Life itself, which has provided reams of visual inspiration and story reference. Through all my artistic liberties and creative license, though, Tyr’s overall design has stayed mostly true to this initial sketch of an unnamed man wearing a decidedly intimidating mask.

Though Tyr is given the title of God of War, like his father before him, it is Chaos that truly defines the character’s personality and motivations. As an immortal, he is not driven by human needs or petty motivations, instead personifying a ‘force of nature’. The God’s actions may seem malicious and destructive, but this is an intentional parellel to the way of nature and life itself, which can be cruel without bias or reason.

An exploratory digital sketch featuring Tyr drawing his katana under the light of the Red Planet. Mars is a recurring symbol for the God of Chaos.

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IN THE SKETCHBOOK GOD OF CHAOS

EARLY CONCEPTS

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yr gets his name and overall character outline from Norse cosmology, as the Son of Odin who loses his left hand to Fenrir during the events of Ragnarok, though The Tree of Life alters these events for the purposes of the story. In my vision for the character, Tyr dons an intimidating mask modelled on Samurai warriors, with an animalistic design meant to intimidate all who encounter him.

The metal mask features slit, cat-like eyes, protruding fangs and an exposed lower jaw, which is all the audience sees of Tyr’s true face for most of the film. The elongated horns are based on ram’s horns in a demonic connotation; though they appear to be part of the mask itself, they are in fact organic and protrude through, a fact that is revealed in a scene where the mask is broken during his final encounter with Ani. The mask is intended to hide Tyr’s facial expression and generate an air of alienation from the character, who is morally ambiguous but clearly gleams some level of personal pleasure from his actions. Although he claims to be enacting the will of nature, Tyr is one of the most complex characters in The Tree of Life, built upon a strongly emotional background that mirrors protagonist Ani’s in many ways.

Above: initial sketches detailing technical elements of Tyr’s signature mask. These are some of the very first images created for the project.

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Tyr’s character design is my favourite created for the project. These sketches explore different styles of masks, modelled to varying degrees on Samurai and Hannya masks from Japanese culture.

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GOD OF CHAOS

THE RED PLANET

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hereas protagonist Ani is associated symbolically with the crescent Moon, it is the Red Planet that precedes the presence of Tyr in The Tree of Life. In one of Shaman Sila’s stories, it is told that Odin crafted the crescent Moon from his tears spent mourning the death of Frija after giving birth to the aptly named Tyr. Due to the antagonist’s removal from his family and the Pantheon in general, the character is given a contrasting symbol, which takes the shape of a ‘red circle’ that is seen throughout the film in different guises. These include a red comet that appears in the skies of the Cold North after Tyr’s actions in the Cosmos cause the story’s pivotal cosmic cataclysm, as well as a later scene that sees Tyr draining the power of the crescent Moon to transform it into a Blood Moon, which grows in size to become Mars, the mythological Planet of War.

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he events of the film are instigated when Tyr confronts his father, the Head of the Pantheon of Gods in Asgard, claiming that his late mother’s prophecies regarding his role in Raganarok were true.

Tyr unleashes Fenrir, the monstrous wolf of legend, from his imprisonment in the fires of Helheim, who was bound there by Odin eons earlier. Fenrir kills Odin at Tyr’s command, but as an intamable beast, the monster also takes the antagonist’s left hand.

Believing chaos is the supreme force in the Cosmos, Tyr takes this as an affirmation of his beliefs, wearing his injury with pride and proceeding with his plans without delay...

Above: The eight-pointed star is a symbol adapted from Norse mythology, representing Tyr, chaos and the concept of the red circle or planet. Right: Tyr’s half of the ‘Ani and Tyr’ pen illustration, depicting the character in a graphic style with his katana drawn and the branches of the Saccred Blossom Tree in the background.

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B L O O D M O O N T R A N S F O R M AT O N

STORYBOARD

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his storyboard sequence is an initial experiment in discovering a strong atmosphere and aesthetic for the film, depicting Tyr draining the crescent Moon of its power, which turns blood red as he draws his katana to face the camera. The symbolism of the moon versus the red planet is clearly visualised, as well as placing Tyr within a scene and maintaining the character design through different lighting, though only at a basic level. Although these thumbnails only took a small amount of time to create, they represent some of my strongest work in terms of presenting the basis for a unique design template and story concept.

Experimenting with blur and depth of field helps to make this scene pop, switching focus from the celestial object back to Tyr, as he gains power.

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IN THE SKETCHBOOK

GODS OF ASGARD

FRIJA

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imilar to protagonist Ani’s mother, Karsi, Frija perishes while her child is still young, deeply affecting and driving antagonist Tyr’s emotional growth and actions throughout The Tree of Life. An immortal Goddess from Asgard, Frija features a more stylised visual style in comparison to more realistic mortal characters like Ani. Like her son Tyr, Frija has horns, further removing her from traditional human likeness.

It is Frija’s pivotal prophecy regarding Tyr’s coming part in Raganarok that sets the story in motion, an event that occurs thousands of years before we meet Ani in The Tree of Life.

According to Yavapai Shaman Sila, who tells Ani many stories about the Gods of Asgard and the grander Cosmos, Frija died days after giving birth for a heart broken by the knowledge of what Tyr would become. A bereaved Odin neglects Tyr, who grows without love to become the powerful God of Chaos.

Frija’s design is built around her quality as a Seer, whereby she can glimpse the future. Because of this, her eyes are usually closed, implying that her sight is elsewhere and she navigates by other means. Her closed eyes are designed so as to appear open.

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SEER OF PROPHECY

FANTASY DESIGN

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mmortal characters generally feature a less realistic human design, with greater creative license taken in proportions and characterisation. Asgardian Gods resemble Elvish figures, which feature prominently in Norse mythology, with elongated ears and sharp, noble features. Frija dons intricate and beautiful jewelry, as well as practical body armour over a silk dress. Her forehead necklace piece implies her ‘third eye’, with which she sees the future.

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CHAPTER THREE _______________________________

screenplays

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prologue ANI & KARSI

A N I ’S RO OM

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he Tree of Life opens with a prologue scene, featuring our protagonist’s mother Karsi telling a very young Ani the story of The Tree of Life, Yggdrasil, and the creatures who dwell there. The scene begins in one of Ani’s nightmarish visions, and follows her as she wakes up in her room at night to a start. Karsi comes in and calms her down with a story, using toy totem carvings of the creatures of Yggdrasil as props. The exchange serves dual purposes, helping to establish the mythology of the Yavapai and the dynamic of the different roles the creatures of Yggdrasil are purpoted to play, as well as displaying the bond between Ani and her mother, who later disappears under mysterious circumstances. The screenplay uses the story as a framing device, with Ani and her mother realised in familiar animation, and the story itself depicted through a separately animated sequence based on the totem aesthetic.

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ision / dream sequence

PROLOGUE

ANI (20-year-old voice, distorted): Suka? Suka!

First-person view. Ani struggles to find her way through a deep and dark forest, covered in thick snow. Far above, we see thousands of stars dotting the vast blackness. Somewhere up there is the crescent moon, lighting the way, but it is obscured by clouds. We see wide shots of the forest demonstrating its lack of life and sprawling size. As Ani, we catch sight of a figure bathed in light.

Closer, we see that it is an otherworldly stag, glowing with light, watching us through the dark trees. The stag turns away, inviting us toward the foot of a singular mountain peak. Above the mountain a twisting display of lights branches out from the peak into the dark skies – the aurora borealis, branches of the great tree of life. Hope. As Ani follows after the stag, a giant figure leaps out in front of us, cast in shadow, blocking our path. It bears the appearance of an enormous wolf.

Real-world Six years old, a young Ani wakes in her bed to a start. Moments after, Ani’s mother comes into the room with a light, lighting up the small confines of her bedroom and showing the detail of the space. Ani’s mother comforts her.

MOTHER:

Ani, Ani? What’s wrong? (pause, settled with a quiet Ani) Was it the dream again?

Ani nods, pulling the sheets up to her face. Ani’s mother pulls her tight, silent. A moment later she collects a few totem figures from the room in front of Ani’s bed. She names them one by one.

MOTHER: Veðrfölnir (hawk), Níðhöggr (dragon), Ratatosk (squirrel), and the Unnamed Eagle. Who are these, Ani? (Ani remains quiet, regarding the array of totems. Ani’s mother collects four more totems, all of which represent different stags) Hmm. Who are these?

ANI: (quietly) The Four Stags. Four for each season.

MOTHER: That’s right, Ani. All of these creatures come from the same place: Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life. We live in just a small part of one of many worlds. A frozen corner of Earth. (cutaway to exterior establishing shot, showing the Arctic landscape and the Yavapai settlement below a blazing display of the northern lights.) But out there, streaked across the sky itself you can see the great branches of Yggdrasil, its shining light holding up the entire cosmos. These creatures live among the branches and the roots of the great tree of life, and all of them have an important role to play.

Transitioning from the Arctic sky, we see Yggdrasil as a glowing, gigantic tree of light, its leaves and branches stretching out to every horizon in columns of luminescent fauna. In the following shot, we see the branches extending out into branches of light, eventually distorting into the aurora borealis to dark blue skies. This is the path to Earth. As Ani’s mother speaks of the creatures of Yggdrasil, we cut to focus on the environment of Veðrfölnir and the Unnamed Eagle, there being the tallest branch of all.

MOTHER: Veðrfölnir sits between the eyes of the Eagle, who watches over the entire cosmos from the tallest branch of the great tree. (Ani’s mother takes the Eagle totem, and then the much smaller Hawk totem. The smaller totem slots into position between the eyes.) The Eagle is said to

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be the wisest creature of all, but he does not speak, seeing every Realm at every moment. (we see a down-facing shot showing the branches of Yggdrasil leading in various directions to different Realms.) Instead, Veðrfölnir serves as messenger to the Eagle, bringing news of the Nine mortal Realms to Asgard. (shot of Ani’s mother and Ani in her lap, listening intently) Cut back to Yggdrasil. We follow a glowing Hawk as he flies from his perch between the Eagle’s eyes and up into the bright white sky beyond Yggdrasil’s reach. Soon, we reach a glowing city, of similar luminescence to Yggdrasil’s fauna. Towering columns of light, Asgardian skyscrapers, serve as pillars in the grounds of a grand palace or temple. Inside, Godly silhouettes sit at the wide Table of Gods: the Pantheon.

MOTHER: Far above Yggdrasil’s tallest branch, the Pantheon sits at the Table of Gods. Immortal beings, they govern the cosmos with a wisdom as yet unknown to any mortal man. (cut back to the creature totems. Ani’s mother selects the squirrel.) Ratatosk. See, when the Gods need the opinion of the mortals, its him they seek out. Unlike the other creatures that live among Yggdrasil’s innermost branches, Ratatosk is a simple, common creature. The Gods use him to send messages from Veðrfölnir to the other creatures down below, because he is sly and cunning.

Yggdrasil, fade from squirrel totem to Ratatosk. Unlike the other creatures, Ratatosk does not glow, instead seen in shapes resembling a more common red squirrel with a prominent tusk. He runs fast through Yggdrasil’s branches, giving interesting camera viewpoints and movements. Pace is sped up.

MOTHER: But, you see, as a simple creature, Ratatosk does not always do as he is told. He likes to behave in mischievous ways – upsetting the other creatures on purpose, or playing tricks on them. (Ani giggles to herself, eager to touch the Ratatosk totem. Ani’s mother plays along. We see Ratatosk in Yggdrasil, encountering the dragon and disturbing him at his locale at the base root of the tree of life.) In a similar way, the great dragon Níðhöggr intentionally causes harm to the tree, forever gnawing on its roots and threatening to let the bad spirits bound below from escaping Helheim.

We see the roots go down into glowing earth, where the fires of Helheim glow overpowering red.

Dark creatures swell beneath the surface, bound in chains. A crescendo of drama builds and fades away. Pan back up to Yggdrasil’s domain, then cut to an extended branch where four stags feed on the leaves at various heights. Each has a glowing appearance, as well as elongated features resembling fauna from differing seasons.

MOTHER: And the last creatures? (Ani’s mother gathers the four stag totems, setting the other aside.) The four stags, of course. You can tell me what they do, can’t you?

ANI: (hesitant, but happy) They stop the tree from growing too unruly.

We see the stags feasting again, and the light changing to reflect different seasons, such as white winter and autumnal red and orange.

MOTHER: That’s right. Life is vital, but so is death. The seasons are very important to us here. In the summer, the sun never sets, and it is a time of great virtue and joy. (We see the Arctic landscape again, and the sun staying motionless in a moving sky, then set into a deep darkness lit only by the aurora borealis for even longer. We pan down to the Yavapai settlement, then cut to Ani’s bedroom again). But then, as it always must, winter comes and the sun sets. We live in a cold and dark world. But there is magic everywhere – traces of the great tree of life, visible to the naked

PROLOGUE

eye. My mother called them the celestial dancers, and so do I. (we cut to a beautiful display of the aurora, split like the branches of a tree again a deep dark sky.) Even in the darkness, there is beauty.

Always remember that, Ani. (cut back to bedroom) ANI: I will.

MOTHER: Your dreams are not a bad thing, my love. We revere the stags for their vital role in the cycle of life. Even winter is a gift. But your dreams? They show you Dvalinn. (she selects the stag totem with the blossom on its slender horns). He is the Stag for spring. A good omen. He brings you nothing but joy.

ANI: (looks up at her mother, confused) But why do I have the dreams?

MOTHER: (a thoughtful smile on her lips. She sets the totem down, turns to Ani.) You know that some of us carry magic in our veins. It comes from the land around us, and its ties to the cosmic worlds beyond. All of us are connected, but some far more than others. You have a gift, Ani. You should be thankful to the Gods for it. Hold on to it. It will guide you through times of darkness.

Ani is uncertain, recalling the sinister wolf from the climax of her vision. She regards the array of totems, observing the dragon, hawk and eagle, four stags, the squirrel and, at the end, a wolf totem as yet unmentioned by her mother in a close-up panning shot. Ani frowns. We cut to show the wolf in detail. We stay framed on the totem.

ANI: Thank you. I know you’re right.

MOTHER:

Any time, my love. I’ll always be here.

Still framed on the wolf totem, with Ani and her mother embracing in the background, the title card for ‘The Tree of Life’ appears above. From this shot, we transition to the subsequent story segment set seven years later – “PROLOGUE: SEVEN YEARS AGO”.

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frija’s prophec y SHAMAN SILA & ANI

S H A M A N ’S T E N T

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n this script passage, Yavapai tribe Shaman Sila tells a young Ani the story of Frija’s Prophecy regarding Ragnarok, which includes the birth and downfall of the film’s principal antagonist Tyr in Asgard many years before the events of The Tree of Life. The scene is one of the first exchanges between the two characters; Ani is only thirteen years old, having just saved wolf pup Suka from drowning in the icy pass that divides the Yavapai from the forbidden forest. where our protagonist has experienced mysterious visions of since childhood. Ani’s father allows her to keep Suka, so long as she goes to the Shaman as a student to be taught in the ways of the cosmic, in honour of her late mother’s beliefs. Along with her visions, Ani has experienced spiritual phenomena since childhood, which her mother Karsi believed to be a good omen before her mysterious disappearance. The story of Frija’s Prophecy sets up the grander story arc of the film, covering the tragic fate of the family of Gods including Frija, Odin and Tyr, as well as the beast Fenrir’s murder of Odin and subsequent capture.

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FRIJA’S PROPHECY

HAMAN: A long time ago, in a place where you could not see with eyes of your own, the Gods came together to celebrate the birth of a baby boy – Son to Odin, Head of the Pantheon, and a force to be reckoned with. Odin’s wife, a revered and wise Goddess known as Frija, named their heralded child Tyr – for she had the gift of foreknowledge; not only of what would follow for her son, but for the fates of all the cosmos in his wake.

Cursed with such vital knowledge, a gift the most noble of all female kin could no longer bear, it is said that Frija perished for a heart broken just days after giving birth. As for Odin – no stronger spirit existed to challenge him – though it is said that he spent all his mourning for his beloved Frija in a single tear… and from his torment, Odin crafted the crescent moon to give light to all those lost in darkness, mortal or no.

In the long shadow of that distant moon, the fateful child grew and became a God of strength enough to rival that of his father. Tyr had grown to resent the absence of a mother whom all had respected for her loving and wise ways, before forfeiting immortality to escape her duty to her son. Ever since he was a child, Tyr had possessed his mother’s gift for deduction, and it was his reckoning that Frija had chosen to perish rather than witness the realisation of all her ill tidings.

The son of Odin, God of War and most powerful force in the cosmos, and Frija, Goddess of Love and seer of prophecy, had come to harbour an emptiness within his heart – and a fervent strength to enforce his will to quench it.

It was Tyr’s belief that chaos is the supreme force of nature, and the ruling power to Head the Table of Gods – and the Pantheon itself, rivalling his own father. Driven by resentment for both his parents’ philosophies and namesakes, Tyr governed his own internal strengths and abilities through chance; the chaos that is the driving force behind nature and the cosmos in its entirety, and which maintains life in all its infinite forms.

Prior to her death, Frija had foretold the coming of a great war in which a monstrous wolf by the name of Fenrir would kill Odin, unleashing chaos upon the cosmos. Fearful for the future of his domain, Odin had Fenrir bound in the fires of Helheim, far below the roots of Yggdrasil, where mortal souls cannot tread. Tyr believed that the creature had been predestined to enact the maligned God’s dark intentions, and so used his power to break the chains put in place to trap both his and Fenrir’s fates by his parents; and thereafter came the day of judgement.

Fenrir fulfilled his role in the murder of Odin, but Tyr had not anticipated the events his mother preordained - in unleashing chaos, he became subject to his own wrath when the beast took Tyr’s right hand, along with his father’s life. Recognising his wound as an affirmation of his beliefs, the successive God of War turned his eye outward, to the worlds of mortal men beyond the canopy of Yggdrasil’s cosmic domain…

However, as chance would have it, Tyr was subject to a different fate. The remainders of the Pantheon could not stand against him alone, but together, their power and intellect was enough to force the pair into submission. Fenrir was bound once again in the deepest depths of the hellish Realm, only this time, in the company of a fallen deity. It is said, however, that Tyr allowed his capture to happen, for the time of his reign should yet come to pass.

One said prophecy exists to support this myth – from the mouth of benevolent Frija herself, no less: Ragnarok, an age of chaos and terror, true, though in its passing the cosmos will be forged anew.

The realms of mortal men and Gods will stand the test of judgement alike, leaving in the wake of war a new world order.

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These stories are ancient – sustained across generations upon generations of our way of living as a people. The Yavapai. It means “the people of the Sun”. Why? Because every year, without failure, our Sun abandons us… and every year, it returns, and life follows in its wake. The world around us is reborn. And so the cycle of life continues. We remain. Time has passed this way for as long as we have existed in this lonely place, and yet we cling to our stories, our lands – our history. Do you see any evidence of change? Has Ragnarok yet come to pass?

No. Yet we believe. I believe. These stories are true. How do I know this? I am the Shaman, the vessel of our people, the vessel of all our stories… This story I tell you today is the same story our ancestors told their children, eras ago. The First People. They came to this land with magic in their hearts and fire in their bellies. No other mortals could survive a place such as this and yet… The blood of the First People runs in our veins. In yours, in mine. Especially yours and mine.

There are traces of magic all over this world – it blazes in the skies above us, all of us have seen it!

But you and me? It blazes in our soul. We are a part of the land and a part of the worlds beyond.

We see what cannot be seen by others. As Shaman, it is my duty to preserve these stories. To preserve the legacy of the First People, and not just by telling stories, but by living as they lived. By seeing the world around us for what it is: magic.

Yet, we tell stories of things that are yet to pass. We look to the future with knowledge that change should erase everything that we strive to protect. This is why you must learn. Ragnarok will come to pass. Like the Sun, it is inevitable. The Sun will set… and rise, bringing with it a new day.

Similar to the one before it, yes, but never the same. Nothing is certain. But some things are. We relish every summer with the knowledge that we must always prepare for winter.

Now – you. I understand that you have a fire in your belly, saving that wolf runt with no regards for your own safety – or for the safety of all which I have told to you today. What is it you named her?

ANI: Suka.

SHAMAN:

Fast – like the wind, no? You were faster.

ANI: Yes. SHAMAN: But? ANI: Father said I can keep her… if I come here.

SHAMAN: Why? ANI: (hesitant pause) Because my mother wanted it.

SHAMAN: I am sure your mother only wanted what is best for you, child. (pause; no response from Ani. The Shaman collects a wolf totem and presents it to her.) The wolf. An omen of grave danger. You know of the Amarok, I hope?

ANI: The lone wolf.

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SHAMAN: The only lone wolf. The Amarok is said to devour the soul of anyone foolish enough to leave the safety of the tribe after dark. Any hunting sport belongs to him then. It is a tale likely to have come from the fear of Fenrir.

ANI: So you don’t believe it?

SHAMAN: (laughs, put the totem down) I did not say that. Foolishness comes from lack of knowledge. Lack of knowledge comes from lack of care.

ANI: I care about this.

SHAMAN:

Because your mother cared.

ANI: (pause) Yes. SHAMAN: Then you care about your mother. You must find another reason to care about “this”. Your own reason. (Ani is silent. The Shaman collects another totem and places it beside the wolf: the stag) What of this?

ANI: What of it?

SHAMAN: (smirking) A fire in your belly, perhaps, but a barking bite she has too, like her wolf.

I do not need to speak for you; I speak for the thousands of us that came before the notion of you was even but a twinkle in your mother’s eye! So speak, child. What of this?

ANI: (begrudging pause. Ani sighs) The stag from my dreams.

SHAMAN: The stag from your visions. (Ani looks up. Eye to eye for the first time.) Ah. Does that better agree with you? The stag is not a lone wolf. He comes with – ANI: Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór. Some say they represent the seasons. I think Dvalinn is the one from my… visions.

SHAMAN:

(taken aback) Why is that?

ANI: Mother always said he was an omen for spring. But its been half a dozen springs since then.

SHAMAN:

That is not an answer to the question I posed.

ANI: The other answer is that he is the dreaming one.

SHAMAN:

(small smile) And how do you know this?

ANI: I read it in a book.

SHAMAN:

Which book, child?

ANI: I do not need to speak for you. You know the answer to that.

SHAMAN:

(considers) It would appear that we have found ourselves common ground. (The

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Shaman takes both totems away, replaces with large, ancient-looking book). The Edda. Should you decide to find a reason to care about “this”, one day, you will able to recount the entire prose from start to finish, word for word, off by heart. Not only that – you will understand every rune, every incantation, every letter. It is a privilege only the Shaman should possess. And then, many years from now, the Shaman will bestow their knowledge onto a successor. Or… ANI: Ragnarok?

SHAMAN:

(small smile) Inevitably.

ANI: What happens then?

SHAMAN: You make another decision, and you will be the first person ever to do so. You will decide whether to let the entire world as you know it change.

ANI: I’d have a choice in that?

SHAMAN: Only you would know for certain. Shamans may share the same tasks, the same values and virtues, yet… we are all different. Together we are the People.

ANI: Yavapai.

SHAMAN:

(nods) The People of the Sun. (moment of quiet) Do we have a decision?

ANI: (considers, smiles) Yes. I will.

SHAMAN:

(smiles contentedly) Find a reason?

ANI: (Ani looks intently at the wolf totem put to one side). I have.

SHAMAN: Good.

ANI: (as The Shaman begins to turn away) Can I ask you a question?

SHAMAN:

(without turning away, perhaps unsurprised) Ask away.

ANI: (hesitant) Why do you think Tyr allowed himself to be captured? Why wouldn’t he just attack then, at the height of his power?

SHAMAN: Perhaps to grant a name power, it must first be seeded in the minds of others for its worth to grow. There is no fear without knowing. Tyr may enforce chaos, but the vanity of a God is not easily missed.

ANI: So he’s been waiting, all this time, just so that we know he’s coming?

SHAMAN:

(turning back to Ani, smiling, raises her shoulders) It is a belief held by some.

ANI: I believe it.

SHAMAN: ANI: I will.

Then you are smarter than you act. Hopefully you will make a good student!

57 FRIJA’S PROPHECY

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t he art of

A N A N I M AT E D F I L M PROP OSA L

A

ni lives in a world not unlike our own.

Living with her clan at the heart of the Cold North, she has felt the call of fate from a young age. High above, the Aurora Borealis - arms of the great Tree of Life - shed light on the long night of Winter. The Yavapai tell stories of other worlds, and the Gods of Asgard whose clash has dire consequences for the entire cosmos.

The Art of the Tree of Life is a collection of conceptual artwork for an animated film proposal, The Tree of Life. Original story concepts, character design, environment paintings, storyboards and more feature in this extensive concept book...

Š Dan French 2016