Stop motion is a powerful animation technique that makes static objects appear to be moving. Creating stop motion draws attention to placement, framing, direction and speed of movement. There are many types of stop motion techniques, in both 2-D and 3-D media, such as: hand drawing, cel, cut-paper, sand, and Claymation.

 


Conceptualization
The best projects result from strong ideas. To generate stronger ideas it is worthwhile to engage students in critical viewings of animation, and encourage brainstorming and synthesis of ideas. Feeling ownership of the concept will help keep students interested and dedicated throughout the animation process.

Scripting
After students brainstorm ideas they need to write down their thoughts to determine what interaction and action will take place. Most people prefer to start with scripts, a storyboard that is completely textual. Writing descriptions of the action helps to determine how and in what order every shot will become animated later in the process.


Storyboarding
Storyboarding is a major component to any animation project because it ensures that ideas are well developed before production, and saves time by anticipating problems. The purpose of the storyboard is to visually plan out the entire animation. Here is where students begin to think about the “camera work” by showing every shot or important transition in the animation. Storyboards should be required for all stop motion projects.


Set-up
Stop motion requires a camera or video device to expose single or multiple frames of images that, when run at normal speed, appear to represent continuous movement. You can set up by connecting a computer to video camcorder, digital still camera, or a webcam. When using a video recording device to compose shots, keep the camera steady by using a tripod or animation stand. Your computer needs current software that supports single frame capture.


Recommendations:

  • iStopMotion is the tool of choice for stop motion animation and time lapse recording.
  • FrameThief is a premiere software package for creating animation on Macintosh platforms.
  • Stop Motion Pro is an easy to use, powerful tool for creating animated films on Windows PC platforms.



 

Stop Motion Tips:

  • The quality of the art in storyboards isn’t very important, but a well-executed storyboard is the best of all planning devices. Use arrows to indicate motion of the camera or motion of the characters within the storyboard drawings.

  • Anything that detracts the viewer’s attention from what is being animated works against the movie. For this reason, backgrounds should be simple and steady.

  • Using a copy stand for animation requires one to work upside down because of the camera mount. This can be inconvenient or confusing for students.

  • Improvise - don’t give up when your story calls for something to happen that seems impossible to achieve with the techniques.

  • Remind students that since stop motion filming is very time consuming, students need to take turns in responsibilities and use of equipment.



 
 
 

© 2008 Karin Gunn. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: February 2008