STOP MOTION VIDEOS

Learning Goal

- Students will be able to create engaging stop motion videos

- Students will understand that photography is a fun lifelong hobby

If you've ever made a flipbook with a pad of Post-it notes, then you understand the concept of a stop motion video. Basically you take a picture, move your subject slightly, take another picture, move your subject slightly and so on. As with many of the projects we do this semester, I hope this shows you how photography can be a fun lifelong hobby.

storyboard

There are some things you will want to consider before shooting. You also need to plan ahead. Before cartoons, shows, and movies, it is common for creators to use a storyboard. Before you can start shooting you need to create a storyboard and discuss it with me. Think about who will be doing what, where will it be shot, and what will you need (eg. music, props). The storyboard doesn't have to include every detail but should give a clear big picture. Use the site Storyboard That (or another tool) to create a six-cell storyboard.

Techniques

There are a number of different techniques you can include in your videos. In class, we will talk about and look at examples of how you can make people fly (shutter speed), move objects, and disappear (notice the wardrobe change).

Examples

If you can imagine it, you can probably create a stop motion video about it. Let's check out some (angles/perspective) examples. Drawing projects should include a real-world element. How can your story move beyond the page or canvas?

Use objects, like Legos, clay, toys, or paperclips (my simple example):

Get a large group together:

Video Creation

** It will take time to create and edit the video, plan ahead. **

** Make sure all pictures and music get put into the same file/folder. **

After you've taken all your pictures and found just the right music, it's time to actually create the stop motion video. You have two main options for creating your videos:

    • Microsoft Photos - Built into Windows, computer-based, easy to use, limited options
    • WeVideo - Web based, more collaboration options, more features, have to upload media
      • You should have an email from the school to set up an account using your school Google credentials. The license will only be active for a little over a week, but WeVideo has free account options fo personal use.
      • Video on how to create a collaborative WeVideo project. You can also right-click on your project and select invite to project. Only one person can work on the project at one time.
    • WeVideo Help Videos
      • How to set duration in WeVideo. Select photos and right-click.
      • Select all images, right-click and choose "close gaps" to remove gaps caused by adjusting the duration
      • Working with channels (eg. video and audio)
      • Check editing mode, you want Timeline (Advanced)
      • Zooming
      • Adding transitions may require a longer duration, most people won't use these

We will do a quick overview of each program, looking at the following areas:

    • Adding Pictures/Music/Media
      • We'll look at how to add to your project and timeline.
      • Sorting pictures. You may want to sort the pictures to make it easier to add them to your timeline.
    • Display Length
      • Set the duration or length of time for each image. You will need to experiment and see what works best. Chances are you will need a time that is less than a second (eg. .5 or .1). Use the hint below to change multiple pictures at once.
    • Working With Music
      • In Microsoft Photos, you need to select all photos first before adding custom music.
      • In WeVideo, you need to add music to the audio channel and adjust appropriately.
    • Title/Credit Options & Text
    • Saving vs Exporting
      • Microsoft Photos seemed to save automatically in my testing.
      • WeVideo, you need to save changes.

Helpful Hint

Holding the Ctrl (control) key and clicking will let you select/un-select individual files or pictures. If you want to select many pictures at one time, click on the first image, hold the shift key, then click on the last image you want. This will select the first picture, last picture, and everything in between.

The Challenge - Stop Motion Video

Use this rubric to create your nomination for this year's Best Animated Feature Academy Award. We will watch the videos together in class.

Here are some of the best videos from previous years. We'll check out a few examples.