Prompt:
A woman in her 40s, caring expression, with a round and cute face, wearing glasses, short brown and curly hair, wearing a cozy sweater and long skirt, 2D animation, gentle eyesDisney Pixar, warm and orange tone
Prompt:
A 10-year-old boy, a cute but sad face, short brown hair, wearing orange pajamas and socks with strip, there is a pocket in front of his chest
Title: Whispers in stones
Act 1: The Ordinary World and Inciting Incident:
Scene 1: Hopeful Beginnings
Scene 2: Parental Return and Conflict
Act 2: Rising Conflict and the Magical Turn:
Scene 3: The Boy’s Desperate Attempt
Scene 4: A Heartbreaking Realization
Scene 5: The First Spark of Magic
Act 3: Resolution and Emotional Climax
Scene 6: The Gesture Misunderstood
Scene 7: A World Only He Can See
Scene 8: The Final Image
Stage 1:
The child from an ordinary family often feels his emotional needs go unnoticed, as his parents are preoccupied with their daily routines and work. Introverted and sensitive, the child enjoys solitude and frequently retreats into a world of imagination, where he finds comfort in his own company.
The child wishes to share his small joys with them, like the time he built a stone structure and eagerly waited to show it to them. Yet, his longing for their attention often goes unfulfilled.
One evening, while waiting for his parents to return, the child builds a miniature house out of stones, hoping to show it to them. But when they finally arrive, they are too caught up in their own world to notice, arguing over mundane issues. (Different Parenting styles)
Stage 2:
On a stormy night, a loud clap of thunder suddenly awakens the child. Heart racing, he sits up in bed and hears raised voices coming from the master bedroom. Peeking through the partially open door, he witnesses an argument between his parents. As the conflict escalates, the father, furious, storms out of the room, causing the child to flee into the living room closet for shelter. The mother follows, her voice rising as she continues the argument. In a fit of anger, the father shatters a glass on the floor, pieces scattering across the room. The mother stands in silent rage, glaring at him.
In child’s desperation to ease the tension, he tries to make his parents their favourite tea, hoping it will calm them. But he accidentally scalds himself, crying out in pain. Rather than helping him, his parents use the incident as more fuel for their fight, blaming each other for the child’s injury. Terrified and heartbroken, the child retreats back into the closet, feeling absolutely helpless and ignored.
Stage 3:
The next day, in a rare moment of calm, the parents attempt to make amends, asking the child what he wants. Yet, they fail to understand his true desires. They buy him expensive toys—Lego sets, a soccer ball—without realizing that he simply wishes for their attention and time.
Later that evening, when the parents ask him what he had been waiting to share with them the night before, the child shyly shows them his stone creation. Seeing the small stones meticulously arranged into a little house, the parents exchange a glance and fall into an awkward silence, unsure of how to react. The child’s face falls, sensing their indifference.
The following day, the child finds a variety of new toys on the dining table, along with a note from his parents saying they’ll be home late for dinner again. He glances at the toys but sets them aside, preferring to play with his stones. He notices that one of the stones he’s arranged now resembles a crying face, reflecting his own feelings.
That night, as the child lies in bed, he hears the sound of the front door creak open. His parents return, and the mother quietly enters his room to check if he is asleep before resuming their argument with the father in hushed tones. In that moment, the child feels his world begin to crumble. For the first time, he realizes that the “happy family” he thought he had was merely a fragile illusion. He begins to grasp the complex and often painful realities of the adult world.
Stage 4:
From that night onward, the child notices a growing coldness between his parents, watching them struggle to maintain a façade of harmony. Their interactions become increasingly distant, and the warmth he once thought existed between them begins to feel like a distant memory.
Seeking peace, the child starts collecting stones of various shapes and colors from the yard, the path to school, the beach, and the park. To him, each stone holds a unique significance, representing emotions and moments he wishes he could share with his parents. With these stones, he constructs an ideal mind palace: a place filled with the love and connection he yearns for.
Every afternoon after school, the child meticulously arranges the stones, whispering his thoughts and dreams to them as if they were family members who truly listened and understood. In this imaginary world of stones, he finds solace, crafting a place where he feels seen and valued—a stark contrast to the reality he faces at home.
In this meeting, we revised our second draft based on the feedback received from the session and developed a treatment for the story.
In this meeting, we created a Notion workspace (Timetable) and exchanged contact information to help each member stay in touch. Additionally, we formalized a draft version of the storyline and a character log.
When his workaholic mother and alcoholic father’s late-night argument erupts, a lonely boy attempts to reconcile them with tea, but his accidental scalding goes unnoticed, driving him deeper into his world of stone miniature creation.
One rainy night, a young boy sits at home alone, crafting a small stone structure in his bedroom, eager to show his creation to his parents. He imagines their smiles and praise, but as time passed, his hope began to fade as they did’t return home.
When his mother finally arrives, exhausted from work, and his father stumbles in after a night of drinking with friends, the tension between them quickly erupts into an argument. They blamed each other for leaving the child home alone, and the sound of their voices rises quickly, filling the house, and a thunderstorm outside mirrors their growing conflict, echoing in the boy’s ears as he lies in bed, trying to block out the noise.
Feeling helpless and desperate to ease the tension, the boy slips out of bed and decides to make his parents their favorite tea, hoping it might bring some comfort. But in his rush, he burns himself while handling the hot water. The pain stung, but he held back his tears, focusing on his wish to calm the storm in the house.
In his hurry, he accidentally shattered the teppot, and the loud crash brought his parents rushing in and see only mess. They start arguing again—this time about the broken teacup—and in their frustration, they fail to notice the burn on their son’s hand.
After the shouting dies down and guilt settles in, the parents realize their mistake.
(They started to listen to their child’s exited explanation about the stones.)
The next morning, they left a set of new toys on the table—Legos, a soccer ball, and other things they think might cheer up their son. When the boy found them, he offered a small, polite smile, but his eyes quickly turned back to his stone structure. He returned to his room, pushing the toys aside, and focuses on his little world of stones, whispering his thoughts and dreams to them, as if sharing a secret with them.
As he focuses on his stone structures, something extraordinary happens: the colors he envisions start to spill into the real world. The stones begin to glow softly, casting swirling patterns of light across the room. Vibrant hues flow from his hands, weaving through the air and wrapping around the small figures he has built, as if his dreams have come to life. The magical melody filled the air, blending with the sound of the thunderstorm outside, and for a moment, the entire room pulses with the warmth and comfort that the boy wishes for his family.
If his parents were to pause their argument and step closer, they might see the way reality has bent around their child’s longing—how the room has become a place where imagination and reality blur together, transforming it into a world of light and hope. But instead, their voices echo down the hallway, too loud an focus on in their own troubles to notice the changes around them.
Heartbroken, the boy places the final stone in his creation and whispers, “Maybe one day, they will see it too.”
He stood between two worlds: one where his imagination offers warmth and comfort, and the other where his parents remain distant, trapped in their own storms. With a sigh, he returns to his stones, knowing that even if his parents cannot see his magic yet, he will keep building, waiting for the day when they might finally notice.
The Mother
Age：36
Height：168cm
Body type:
Weight: Average build
Appearance:
Medium length hair, often worn loose and messy bun.
Wearing comfortable, but stylish clothes.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Strengths:
Passionate about her family and work, also compassionate.
Ambitious
Weakness:
Deeply protective but emotionally violated. The child feels confused.
Emotionally reactive. (Overwhelmed by stress)
Good at communicating with people but don’t know how to interact with intimate family.
Occupation：
accountant
Income：
When his workaholic mother and alcoholic father’s late-night argument erupts, a lonely boy attempts to reconcile them with tea, but his accidental scalding goes unnoticed, driving him deeper into his world of stone miniature creation.
Old Version:
A sensitive child who was overshadowed by his parents’ endless arguments over their conflicting parenting styles, finds comfort in building miniature stone worlds which he can express himself freely. His parents cannot notice the child’s small joys and desperate attempts to connect. When a stormy night heightens the tension, he struggles to bridge the growing gap between his imagined world and the reality of his fractured home.
One night, a young boy sits at home alone, waiting for his parents to come back so he can show them the little stone structures he built. But ends up going to bed disappointed.
Late that night, his mom stuck from work, while his father is out drinking with his friends. hey start arguing as soon as they get in; his dad doesn’t understand how hard it is for his mom to work late, and his mom gets mad at him for spending so much time at parties instead of being with their child.
The shouting wakes the boy, and feeling helpless, he wishes they would stop fighting. He gets out of bed and decides to make them their favorite tea, hoping it will help calm things down. But in his rush, he accidentally burns himself while trying to make the tea. Instead of noticing his injury, his parents just see the broken teacup and start arguing about that, completely ignoring the fact that their son is hurt.
Once they finally calm down, both parents feel guilty and ask the boy what he wanted to show them. He excitedly presents his little stone creations, but when his parents exchange silent glances, he can’t help but feel disappointed. The next day, he finds some new toys like a set of Legos and a soccer ball on the table. He glances at them, but then pushes them aside and goes back to playing with his stones.
Old Version:
This story captures a child’s longing for connection amidst parental discord. It begins with a young boy, xxx, delicately crafting a stone structure in his bedroom, eager to share his joy with his emotionally distant parents, xxx and xxx. However, when they arrive home, their argument quickly overshadows his creation, causing his hopes to fade.
As a thunderstorm mirrors the rising tension in the house, the boy attempts to make tea for his parents but accidentally burns himself, emphasizing his sense of helplessness. The next day, to make amends, his parents give him toys, but they’re well-meaning gesture only deepens his feelings of isolation.
In the end, the boy finds solace in his stone creations, whispering his thoughts and dreams to them. As he builds, vibrant colours swirl around him, blending his imagination with reality. Yet, his parents remain oblivious to the magic unfolding in their midst, caught up in their ongoing conflict. Heartbroken but hopeful, he places the final stone and whispers, “Maybe one day, they will see it too,” caught between the wonder of his imagination and the emotional distance of his parents.
The animation will embrace a 3d oil painting style that creates a dreamlike textured visual style experience.
The oil-painting style allows for a beautiful interplay of rich that flowing colours that transition between the warmth of a child’s imagination and the bleak tones of reality.
(The sound scale will enhance the immersive quality, from the soft whispers of the wind among the stones to the sharp crack of thunder and raised voices echoing through the house.)
The film opens with a gentle and painterly scene of the child, xxx, playing alone in his bedroom, stacking small stones into a delicate structure.
As he places the last stone, he looks towards the empty house, hoping to share this moment with his parents. In the distance, viewers see his mother, xxx, typing furiously on her laptop, while his father, xxx, is glued to his phone. Their faces are blurred, unfocused, emphasizing their emotional distance from the child.
The warm colours of the backyard fade as the child’s hopes dim, replaced by the cold blue tones of the empty kitchen when he heads inside.
One evening, after building a miniature house out of stones, xxx waits for his parents to come home. He positions the stones carefully, imagining them as a welcoming family. When his parents finally arrive, the house fills with muted colours and shadows. They don’t notice the child’s creation. Instead, they begin to argue, their voices becoming louder.
Through VR, the viewer feels the room shrink around the child, as his parents’ sharp words cut through the air. The vibrant colours of the child’s imagination shade into grey as he realizes they won’t notice his efforts.
A thunderstorm rolls in, the sound of heavy rain wrapping the VR space.
A clap of thunder jolts the child awake, and he hears his parents’ argument from the master bedroom.
(Peering through the crack of the door, viewers see distorted, oil-painted figures of his parents, their faces smeared with anger and frustration.)
(Peering through the crack of the door, viewers see the distorted, oil-painted figures of his parents, their faces smeared with anger and frustration.)
As the fight escalates, the father throws a glass, shattering it into shards that seem to float in slow motion.
The VR experience captures the shards falling like droplets of paint, splattering across the room, adding to the chaotic scene.
The child, desperate to diffuse the tension, sneaks into the kitchen to make his parents’ favourite tea.
Unfortunately, Ethan struggles to pour it, only to accidentally scald himself.
(The viewer feels the heat of the steam rising as Ethan try to pour it)
He cries out in pain, and the sound echoes in the VR space, creating a stark contrast to the distant voices of his parents, who use his accident to further blame each other.
In this moment, the VR perspective shifts to a low angle, making the viewer feel the child’s smallness and vulnerability
The boy retreats into the closet, clutching his burned hand. His parents’ argument continues in the background.
The next day, the atmosphere shifts. His parents, guilty and trying to make amends, present the child with a bunch of toys, LEGO sets, and a soccer ball.
Option 1: The boy pretended to be thrilled to receive the gift under the gaze of his parents. However, after putting the gift back in his room, he continued to play with the pile of stones.
(The VR environment is filled with bursts of vivid colour?)
Option 2: Yet, the child’s gaze remains fixed on the ground, uninterested. The child tries to express his desire for time with them – a simple request to build something together- but his words go unheard.
The child return to his bedroom after the school and clutching the small stones that he had gathered. He kneels in front of the miniature stone sites he builds, arranging and rearranging the stones as he whispers to them, pouring out his thoughts and dreams.
(It is a place where he feels heard, even if it is only the rocks he carefully stacks.)
In the world of stones, the colours return, swirling around him in warm and flowing strokes.
As the sun sets, casting a golden glow over the miniatures, the child smiles (Bittersweet smile (small)). As he puts on another stone, his imagined world seeps into reality- a vine of light and colour spreading from the centre of the miniature house into the real world. The stones grow larger, merging with the surroundings, creating a surreal landscape where imagination and reality intertwine.
However, his parents continue to clash, their words echoing through the walls of the child’s world, unaware of the magical shift around them.
The child watches from the sides. If you are careful enough, you will notice the child being caught heartbreak, as the world he built to escape their conflict has now become the stage for it.
At the end, he places the last stone on top of his stone made tiny house; the colour exposed around him. He whispering to himself, ‘Maybe one day, they will see it too.’ Yet, even as his parents stand in the midst of their child’s creation, they remain focused only on their own anger, and missing the wonder that the child had hoped they would share.
The child from an ordinary family, who often feels his emotional needs go unnoticed, as his parents are occupied by the daily routines and works. Introverted and sensitive, the child enjoys isolation and aloneness, frequently immersing himself in a world of imagination.
With his parents frequently away at work, the child remains unaware of the growing tension between them, believing their family to be a picture of happiness.
On a stormy night, a loud clap of thunder suddenly awakens the child. Heart racing, the child sits up in bed and hears raised voices coming from the master bedroom. Peeking through the partially open door, the child witnesses a fierce argument unfolding between his parents. As the conflict intensifies, the father, furious, storms out, causing the child to flee into the living room closet. The mother follows, her voice rising as she carries on the fight. In a fit of anger, the father slams a glass onto the floor, shattering it into pieces. The mother, seething in silence, glares at him. The terrified child, in tears, is found hiding in the closet, and the parents immediately stop their shouting.
One day more—
On the dining table, snacks and toys lie scattered, alongside a note from their parents: they’ll be home late for dinner. Later that night, as the child lies in bed, they hear the sound of the front door creak open. It’s his parents returning. The mother quietly enters the child’s room, checks to see if he is asleep, and then resumes her argument with the father.
In that moment, the child feels their world begin to crumble. For the first time, he realize that the “happy family” he had always felt was merely a fragile illusion. He begins to grasp the complex and often dark realities of the adult world.
From that night on, the child realizes the coldness between their parents, noticing how they struggled to maintain the appearance of harmony.
Seeking internal peace, the child begins collecting stones of various shapes and colours from the yard, the path to school, beach and the park. Each stone, in his imagination, carries a unique significance. With these stones, he constructs an ideal mind palace: one filled with parental love and bounding. Every afternoon after school, the child meticulously arranges the stones, whispering his thoughts and dreams to them as if they were beloved family members who were listening and understanding.