Research: Osmosis Jones

Osmosis Jones is a film starring a personified white blood cell of the same name. The unsuccessful officer tries to fight bacteria and germs from the body he is protecting, which belongs to a very unkempt man called Frank. With the help of his new accomplice Drix, a pill of extreme fighting power, Jones clamps down on the treacherous antagonist Thrax and brings peace and good health to every cell in Frank's body.



Aside from the amazing cast of actors involved in this film (Bill Murray, Chris Rock and David Hyde Pierce, to name a few), the way in which this film has been put together is pretty well thought out. The contrast between the real outside world of Frank and the animated body in which Osmosis Jones resides is very refreshing. And the animation isn't half bad either. The characters move very smoothly and expressively. The way a character moves reflects its personality. The only problem I have is that the lip-synching can be a bit off occasionally. Other then that, I commend the animators for their efforts in making these characters so fun to watch.

What I want to concentrate my attentions on is the environment. The body is shown in a very unique way. The many parts of the body are turned into cities comparable to places like New York. There are roads are twist and turn, transporting cells around the body, rows of wobbling buildings, cars that morph to the shape of the passengers, and wonderfully interactive machinery that power the many elements that keep Frank ticking. This film reminds me of Shark Tale, only set inside a human being, not in the sea.



I watched carefully when the brain made its first appearance on screen, which was about 10 minutes into the movie. This is where the mayor works and controls Frank's many body movements. I noted that varying shades of purple were used, to heighten the brain's importance. There's even some yellow, which makes sense, because yellow and purple are complimentary colours.

There's a part of the brain which is like a call center, which presumably receives all the phone calls from the other areas of the body, like the stomach or the lungs. There is electricity, which must symbolize the lightning messages that the brain receives and sends out. The main room of the brain looks out across the whole kingdom of Frank, as if it were a skyscraper of some kind. There are screens that indicate when something is occuring that the mayor should know of. The shapes the archs and tunnels form are nice and rounded and circular, which softens the mood and gives the place a modern feel. A very stylish place that shows power and intelligent thinking.

There is a lot I can get from this film that can utilise me for the future of our project. I'm thinking that the use of colour and shape is fundamental in our success. I will continue to look at other sources of inspiration, whilst thinking about designs for our brain.