Concept Board
In exploring the theory of eternal return, I have compiled some visual references that allude to this idea. The scarab beetle, or sun god Khepri, was seen as a symbol of rebirth in the Egyptian culture. Eternal return is expressed in numerous religions like Buddhism and Hinduism and is represented through wheels of time. A similar idea is also expressed with Mayan and Aztec calendars, which are also circular, cyclical in nature. Ouroboros is a circular symbol, commonly depicted as a snake/dragon eating its tail, represents eternal recurrence or the idea of cyclical infinity.
Mood Board
For the overall look I want my visuals to resemble a paper like feel, with an appearance that resembles an aesthetic that is commonly associated with print media. I'm drawing heavy inspiration from Sony's Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse in which the renders mimic the style of a comic book. I am also looking at Overland and some of Parallel Studio's work which utilizes a more minimalist, flat shaded approach to their 3D models.
Scarab Reference Imagery
The protagonist or the viewer's guide through eternal return will be a scarab beetle. In ancient Egyptian culture the scarab was the symbol for rebirth, rolling the sun over the earth to end and begin time.
Construction for Film Scene & Book
To construct the scene for the film I am planning on building everything on flat circle and following the beetle as he walks around it. This concept is interesting as well because it is built with the same ideals and principles as the theory of eternal return. For the book element I am thinking that I will use this same structure as well, allowing my digital work to manifest physically. This allows the viewer to view time in two different ways: linearly through the film and non-linearly/circularly through the book. Time happens all at once but most beings experience it linearly, breaking it up into two gives perspective on how the beetle perceived (the film) and how time is unfolding infinitely around him (the book).
