Tuesday, 7 October 2014

DD3000: Character Concepts for the "Spyder" TV Series

For my series idea for my DD3000 project, I have chosen the "Spyder" TV series pitch. The series revolves around an organisation dedicated to establishing a more positive relationship between spiders and humans. The series is an animated comedy aimed for a CBBC audience and would most likely be animated in 2D animation (Flash). I have recently been spending time developing the initial ideas for the series - the outline for the series and the characters who inhabit Spyder's world. The series is set in modern, present day London - the spiders of the Spyder Service live in the attic of a fine restaurant near Covent Garden tube station.

Spyder Service:

*Spyder, Agent 008: a bumbling, Clouseau-type character who, despite his faults, still tries his hardest to get the job done and always does. His antics and naïve nature constantly annoy the Head of the Spyder Service’s London office. However, due to Spyder’s perfect case record and his ability to stop every crime, the Board of Directors think he is a brilliant agent and they will never get rid of him. Spyder is very full of himself and this often gets in the way when he’s out on missions; he nicknames himself “Agent 008” as he is “one better than the big time”. Spyder is often over-ambitious and has big dreams of being the top agent in the history of the Spyder Service

*Colonel Long Legs is the head of the London branch of the Spyder Service. The Board of Directors see him as not being very good at his job, but keep him on anyway since no one else is available for the job. Colonel Long Legs is much like Chief Inspector Dreyfus in personality; he constantly gets annoyed with Spyder’s clumsy antics and often ends up as the one who suffers from Spyder’s constant mistakes, even though Spyder has great respect for the Colonel.

*Aaron Eae, Agent 001, rival agent: Spyder seeks to form a friendship with the other top agent working in the London branch, but Aaron Eae is not satisfied with Spyder’s perfect record and wants to be the top agent working for the Service. He often cheats his way into solving every crime and mystery. Aaron Eae is obsessed with fame and fortune and will do anything to win and anything be the best. He is the favourite agent of Colonel Long Legs who supports him all the way, and Aaron Eae works hard to impress the Colonel. The Board of Directors always keep Spyder on the force, despite Aaron and the Colonel’s desperate attempts to get rid of him. Aaron Eae is a pun on the word ‘Araneae’, the order spiders belong to.

*Miss Black Widow: Spyder’s only true friend in the London branch of the Spyder Service who can see past all his faults. Miss Black Widow is indeed a widow and fully understands the costs of the on-going war between spiders and other insects. Miss Black Widow is a believer in girl-power when working for the Spyder Service. She often tries to give Spyder valuable advice for his missions, but Spyder doesn’t always take her advice. Miss Black Widow still mourns the loss of her husband and does not consider Spyder a romantic interest. She is also aware that Colonel Long Legs and Aaron Eae want Spyder off the force and she helps Spyder with solving every crime and mystery, even though Spyder often takes the credit. Miss Black Widow is partly based on characters such as Miss Moneypenny (James Bond) and Penny (Inspector Gadget).

*Chief Phil Cidae (a pun on pholcidae, an order of spiders more commonly known as daddy long legs) is the head of the National Spyder Service. He does not get to see what Spyder is like on his missions; he only reads reports about his agents and the success or failures of their missions, so Chief Cidae is under the impression that Spyder is the service’s greatest agent. Colonel Long Legs is both jealous and in awe of Cidae’s great success and tries to suck up to him all the time, which Cidae often ignores. Cidae is a no-nonsense character who is very strict and dedicated to his job. He is especially strict towards the Colonel and Aaron Eae, but he shows he has a caring side as well towards characters who he feels are worth his time, such as Spyder, Miss Black Widow and Dr Naria.

*Dr Terry Naria (a pun on tegenaria domestica, the Latin name for the domestic house spider) is the spider in charge of all the gadgets and weaponry used by the Spyder Service. Dr Naria’s gadgets fascinate Spyder and Naria often has to remind him never to touch anything. Naria is very eccentric and enthusiastic when it comes to showing off his ideas, although he also showcases some sarcastic humour much like Q from the James Bond films. Dr Naria isn't really a doctor and has no qualifications; he won his job through knowing Chief Cidae from early years and both characters have been with the Spyder Service from day one and are highly experienced.

Allies:

*The Bee Team are a family of bees living in a hive in Hyde Park. They enjoy producing honey that they can live on and that the humans can also enjoy, so the Spyder Service is happy to be affiliated with the Bee Team. However, the bees are very easily intimidated and, as a result, often bullied by the Wasp Patrol every time they leave the hive, so it’s the Spyder Service that has to help them out of trouble due to their mutual respect for humans.

 
Villains:

*The wasps hate humans with a passion since humans do not wish to be friends with wasps – the difference with wasps and spiders in this world is that spiders wish to change the humans’ minds, whereas the wasps believe they are better. Any time wasps get angry they take their troubles out on swarms of bees.

*The Wasp Patrol are a gang of wasps who enjoy causing misery to humans. The wasps especially love causing misery to the Bee Team, who they see as “spineless and easily dominated”. Wasps see humans as a threat to the environment and have learned of all the precautions humans have taken against wasps – swatters, spray and so on. As far as the Wasps are concerned, all humans are bullies and responsible for the war between humans and bugs, even though the humans are completely unaware there is such a war. The wasps love bullying humans by stinging them and laughing at the sight of a giant human laughing at a tiny little sting.

-Buzz Fuzz is the confident, cocky leader of the Wasp Patrol. He loves teasing humans most of all and will do anything to get what he wants. He often insults any members of the Wasp Patrol who do not obey him.
-Fig, Gall and Cuckoo are the other wasps in the Wasp Patrol. Fig is often Buzz Fuzz’s right hand wasp and a “teacher’s pet”, determined to get Buzz Fuzz’s attention. Gall and Cuckoo pretend to be brave and are always sure they’re right, but in reality they’re cowards and often take on tasks too big for them.
 
*The Queen Ant and her army. The Queen is obsessed with law and order and doing everything “the prim and proper way”; her subjects move around in perfect synchronisation.

*Queen Ant is the leader of the Colony of Ants living near Buckingham Palace. She is completely obsessed with law and order. If any of her three million sons and daughters step out of line, break any rules or do anything incorrectly, the punishment and words spoken can be very harsh. Queen Ant also wants to take control over all other insects living in central London so that she can have everything her way. She can be very posh and speaks with a refined English accent, but at other times she can be just like a spoilt child. When she learns the humans have their own Queen, she decides she should take over the human race too, making her one of the Spyder Service’s most wanted.
*Senor Culicido is a mosquito who speaks with a thick, stereotypical Spanish accent. His name actually translates from Spanish as ‘Mr Mosquito’. Culicido is the leader of a gang of mosquitoes, who are considered some of the most dangerous insects to humans in the world, according to the Spyder Service. Culicido feasts on human blood and carries many diseases which are deadly to humans, making him a very real threat. Culicido has no real opinion on humans themselves – he just enjoys drinking their blood and can’t help himself, so if anything he sees humans as food and the Spyder Service as a threat trying to stop him from getting his food.

*Phoneutria is a Brazilian wandering spider who has come to the UK on a ship from South America. He is the most dangerous villain the Spyder Service has ever had to deal with, since he is a spider containing venom which can kill humans – thus ruining the relationship humans have with spiders. In addition, Phoneutria is the most evil villain the Service has ever dealt with. He will do anything to poison humans and rid the world of them, even if it means killing fellow spiders or any other insects in the way. Back in Brazil he had a traumatic experience trying to fit in with humans who didn’t want his friendship because of his deadly venom, forcing Phoneutria to seek revenge on all humans, good or bad.
 
*Others:
Locusts
Fleas
Mosquitoes
Flies
Hornets
Kissing bugs
Poisonous frogs
Brazilian wandering spiders
Centipedes

Locations:

*The Spyder Service London Offices: Located in the attic of a fancy restaurant in central London, near Covent Garden tube station. The offices have been made out of a series of everyday human objects, such as pencils, sewing spools etc. So far these offices remain undetected. The

*The spiders working for the Spyder Service are able to reach all parts of London through transport tubes that run directly opposite various London Underground lines.

*Other offices are located in other major UK cities: Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, Liverpool, Bristol, Edinburgh and others. All the heads of these offices speak with exaggerated regional accents.

The World:
Spyder is a secret agent working for a large, nationwide organisation known as the Spyder Service. The aim of the organisation: to establish a more positive relationship between humans and spiders, since all humans look down on spiders as creepy, disgusting creatures. The spiders working for the service battle threatening villains who try to ruin the possibilities of a friendship between spiders and humans – including bees, wasps, ants, locusts, fleas, mosquitoes, flies, hornets and kissing bugs. The main agent working for the Service is the eponymous hero Spyder – a bumbling, fun-loving character who is clumsy but very dedicated to his work as a spy. He is very full of himself and calls himself “Agent 008”.

Possible story ideas:
*Spyder is due to receive a promotion from Chief Cidae and Colonel Long Legs will do anything to stop it happening.
*New story ideas from each of the villains trying to take over the world.
*Spyder's first ever mission - no one is quite sure what to expect of this new agent; only Dr Naria and Miss Black Widow try to welcome him into the Spyder Service and help him on his first mission.
*Aaron Eae teams up with one of the villains in order to get him to kick Spyder off the Spyder Service - making Aaron Eae the new top agent, but the villain has his own ideas for taking over the Spyder Service.

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