Download Stop Motion Animation Notes

Stop Motion Animation
1. What is animation?
To animate means to bring something to life. In animation, incremental
rapid succession and this creates the illusion of movement. Throughout the
deliver this impression of movement. A simple and early form of animation is
complex animation creations.
changes to objects or drawings are displayed in a
years people have used various techniques to
the flip-book, cartoons are other examples of more
2. What is stop motion animation?
Stop motion is one type of animation technique. When producing a stop motion animation, an inanimate object is moved in small steps and a photo is
captured of every step. These photos are the frames that will make up your movie. Viewing the frames in rapid succession will make the object look as if
it is moving on its own.
Step 1
Move Object
Step 2
Photo
Step 3
Move Object
Step 4
Photo
Step 5
Move Object
The speed at which these photos are played is regulated through frames per second (fps). Professional animations use 24 fps; however in educational
projects 6 fps to 12 fps (depending on the age of the students) should be quite sufficient.
Time for some maths! When using 12 fps in your animation project, every 12 photos will be displayed in 1 second. If you need to create a 30 seconds stop
motion animation you will need to capture (12x30) 360 photos!
3. Stop motion animation in education
Every part of a stop motion animation needs to be planned, designed, modelled and manipulated in order to produce the final production. Animators
will be asked to create characters, settings and props. This opens up enormous possibilities for learning. Animation projects in fact provide an ideal
opportunity for theme teaching and cross-curricular activities. Apart from encouraging students to use technology, these projects can also enhance
skills such as decision-making, research, planning and teamwork.
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4. Getting started with stop motion animation
What you will need:
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A storyline that is planned on a storyboard
Backdrops, characters and props if needed
Laptop or PC and a webcam or a digital camera
Animation software installed on your laptop or PC
Music or a microphone to record narrations or sounds (optional)
Video editing software to edit your animation (optional)
Where do I start?
1. Come up with a story and plan it on a storyboard
2. Create backdrops and characters for your story
3. Set up and start shooting your animation
Afterwards you can also:
4. Produce narrations and sounds (optional)
5. Finally edit the video and include titles (optional)
Why should I use a storyboard?
In order to have a good movie, you need to have a good story. Using a storyboard to plan out your story will make it easier for you to produce the
animation. In this way, you can make sure that you know exactly what you need to animate, when and how. In each box on the storyboard you can sketch
or make a note of what action will be taking place in that scene. Storyboards may also include other important information, for example the dialogue
which will be included in the animation or props which will be used.
How to use a storyboard
1. Think of a good idea for a story.
2. Develop the plot and the storyline on a storyboard template. Make sure you map
the movements of all your characters.
NOTE: The more characters you have the more objects you will need to animate.
3. Include references to sounds, dialogue and music which might be added after.
What about scenes and characters?
Before you start shooting your animation you will also need to make or find backdrops, characters and props for your story.
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Backdrops can be in the form of a painted picture, a photo, a collage or a computer generated picture. Dioramas can make a very interesting setting and
cut-out letters can be used to animate titles. Scenes should be at least the size of an A3 paper.
Many different types of objects can be used as models or characters in an animation story, such as toys, fruit, blocks etc. However some can be more
flexible than others. This flexibility will allow you to manipulate the characters more easily and will allow varied movements. Creating play dough models
is a simple way to build one's own original and flexible characters for a stop motion animation.
Tips and tricks for using clay or play dough to create models for animation.
1. Make sure to keep the model simple, bold and colorful.
2. Design the main features, like the eyes, ears, arms and legs, relatively large.
3. Keep the weight of the model at the bottom, not at the top.
4. Limit the features that can be animated to 3 on the head and 3 on the body.
5. Big feet and strong, chunky legs will ensure that the model can stand up.
6. Be very careful when moving the body parts or the model will come apart.
7. The smaller the movements, the smoother the action will look in playback.
8. To make a character wink or blink, take off one/both of the eyes for 3 shots then
put them on again for 6 shots.
Setting up for stop motion animation
1. Make sure that you have a good source of light in the area where you will shoot your animation. This will produce better-quality photos.
2. Make sure that the webcam or camera is connected to your laptop.
3. Make sure that the webcam or camera is stable in position. You can use a putty-like adhesive or sticky tape to hold the webcam in place or you can use
a tripod for the camera. This will help you achieve more stability and eliminate shaky images.
4. Take 6 photos of the introductory scene before starting to animate your characters. This will allow the viewers to notice in which setting the story is
taking place. To conclude you should also capture 6 photos of the end scene.
5. Keep in mind that you will need to take 3 or 4 photos without moving any of the characters every time you need to insert a pause or a change of scene.
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MY STORYBOARD
Name ___________________
Title of the story _______________________
Theme _________________
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