How to Stop Motion Animation Software

Anyone can be a stop motion animator

Stop motion animation is the process of animating an object by taking a series of pictures of the object as it is moved by a small amount between shots. When the pictures are played back quickly in series, our brain perceives the slight changes in position as motion.



Digital photography and digital editing software makes stop motion animation easier and more accessible than ever before. With a basic computer and camera anyone can become a stop motion animator.

Things You'll Need

• Digital camera or scanner
• Tripod (optional)
• Computer
• Digitizing cable
• Photo editing software
• Video editing software

Instructions

1. 

   Any object can be animated with stop motion

   Choose the object you want to animate then decide on the action you want it to perform. Place the object at the start of the action and take a picture. A tripod is useful to hold the camera static between shots.

2. 

   Stop Motion brings inanimate objects alive

   Move the model to its next position. The amount you move the model will translate into the "speed" of the motion in the final animation. A good rule of thumb is to plan your actions to play out in 12 steps for each second of finished film. Repeat this step, moving the model slightly each time, until the action is complete.

   For more complicated animations, vary the angle of the shot (i.e., close ups, wide shots, establishing shots).

3. 

   Load your photographs into your computer

   Load your photographs into your computer after checking in the camera viewer

   to "flip" through your images to see if you are getting the motion you want.

   (Most cameras come with all the software you need to import your photographs).

4. 

   Simple animation is accessible to anyone

   Edit your photographs to remove unwanted backgrounds or objects you don’t want in your final animation. Use the editing software provided with your camera or products like Adobe Photoshop or Painter to get the image you desire.

   Your animation will work without this step so the only limit is how you want your final movie to appear.

   Objects that are completely isolated from their background can be placed in front of other digital backgrounds allowing you to both "direct" the action and choose the scenery in your project.

5. 

   Hollywood Awaits

   Edit your movie. Load your touched up photographs into video editing software. Either free software or commercial products such as Final Cut Pro and AVID all provide the functionality you require.

   Place your photographs into a time line in sequence to recreate the action you chose to animate. Set the length of each shot to two frames to simulate motion.

   Experiment with reordering, skipping or repeating shots to change, speed up or reverse your animation.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan before you shoot: Knowing where you want your model to finish lets you figure out all the steps it needs to get there.

• Exaggerate for effect: Animated characters often run faster, jump higher, fall farther than live actors.

• Study real life: Watching people, animals and machines closely helps you break down different forms of motion. Filming a live scene and then recreating it with stop motion is a great way to learn how to simulate real life.

References

• Digital Inspiration: Create and Edit Movies for Free
• Tim Burton Dream Site: Tim Burton Talking About Animation
• National Film Board: Keyword Stop Motion