Even though most stop motion animators will use some form of digital post production to enhance or alter the image further nowadays, and many will mix and merge different types too.Įach technique or type is generally named after the material used to make the animation (movement). The key defining factor is that you are working in the physical world, not the digital world. This is the key – you are creating the illusion of movement by your physical actions, by how you move an object or material in front of the camera. You could be photographing a puppet, or a person, a collage or anything that you can move in order to create the illusion of movement. That is of photographing a series of images, where something has been changed in each frame. There are lots of terms used to describe stop motion, but they all follow the same principal. You may not even know it by the name “Stop Motion”, you may have come across it as “Claymation” or “Stop Action Movies”. But it’s the kind of physical scene you make and the way you alter it that lends it’s name to the type of stop motion that it is. ‘Stop motion’ is simply the process of making a moving image frame by frame by altering a physical scene, photographing each frame, and playing it as a sequence. So what are these different types? …and how and why do we define them? All fantastic if you want to create your own props or repurpose old ones.Īs always email Mark with your comments or questions about stop motion animation.People often use the term ‘Stop Motion’ to describe a form of animation, but they are probably only referring to one specific type of stop motion. Also string, cotton, real/faux flowers, pencils and pens. I also love scouring the pound shop, craft shops, car boot sales and charity shops for interesting props to use in my animations.Ĭraft Supplies – keep a variety of paint and spray paint for decorating your stop motion animation props. Other props, products and paper – I make many of my props using paper. Prop Kitīackgrounds – gather a selection of coloured paper backgrounds (minimum 150 gsm, but preferably 300gsm to avoid getting creases), painted wood or photo boards. I also have a selection of skewers, pliers, wire (in a variety of gauges), a ruler, pencils, tweezers, cocktail sticks, medical gloves (essential for avoiding fingerprints) and foam pads for propping things up. Prop Kit Toolbox – keep a toolbox with useful bits and bobs the most important being plasticine for keeping things in place. For smaller spaces, these Neewer LED lights look good too (I haven’t used these ones, but I have used Neewer lighting in the past and they are a good budget option.) In the past, I’ve used the 50x70cm Soft Box Photo Studio Set. Therefore I recommend using a continuous lighting kit. The subtle changes in light will result in flickering on your stop motion animation. Lighting – natural light from a window will do a grand job at lighting your image HOWEVER you’ll be amazed at how quickly light changes. I use the Lensband Zoom Lens Creep Reducer. The lens band will keep the camera lens in a fixed place. I’ve shot an entire sequence before only to discover the lens on my camera ‘zoomed’ in slightly. Heavy lenses on DSLR cameras can ‘creep’ meaning they’ll extend or zoom unintentionally. Really Nice to Have KitĪ Lens Band (for overhead shots) – I only recently discovered this simple but effective piece of kit. For shooting and editing, Stop Motion Studio on iOS and Android is perfectly good for simple animations. For my DSLR I’ve tested the VILTROX JY-710 2.4GHZ Wireless Remote Shutter Controller, which works well.Įditing Software – I use Adobe Premiere Pro. For my smartphone, I use this Wireless Bluetooth Remote Shutter Release. A remote or tethered shutter release is a useful addition to your kit. Remote control shutter release – even touching the camera to take an image can cause the camera to move and potentially ruin your stop motion animation. For shooting with a mobile phone, use a tripod similar to this Tryone Gooseneck Phone Holder. I’m currently using the Manfrotto 131DB Horizontal Double Head Accessory Arm for my DSLR. You’ll also need a boom extension arm if you’re creating overhead animations. Without a tripod, your stop motion video animation will literally be all over the place and the effect won’t work. Just make sure you have the right equipment from the outset and you’ll save yourself a lot of time and hassle.īelow you’ll find my essential stop motion animation kit and also items that are ‘nice to have’ in your stop motion animation toolbox.Ĭamera – I use a Canon 60D DSLR but you can also shoot stop motion animation on your smartphone camera too. Getting started with stop motion animation is really quite simple.
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