
Welcome back to the third, and final, installment on stop-motion animation. When planning a stop motion animation project with students teachers need to be aware of the tools necessary, the steps for creating a project like this, some tips for success, and additional resources to ensure students learn, have fun, and create quality products.
Basic materials/tools are all that is needed to get started:
- Stop-Motion software (JellyCam or StoMo are just a couple available)
- Digital camera (stand alone, iPad camera, phone camera, web cam)
- Tripod or sturdy base for camera/computer/iPad
- Lighting
- MovieMaker or iMovie *adding audio and splicing with other media like video (optional)
How To:
- Plan the movie using a storyboard (visuals and audio/script)
- Design set, characters, and props
- Determine Frames Per Second (# of images needed to make a second = # of images needed to make the full length feature) Frames Per Second for video are normally 30 but programs can let you adjust that) – let your students do the calculations when planning their projects.
- Capture images using stop motion software (with onion screen option)
- Export as movie
- View movie
- *optional – Import Movie into MovieMaker or iMovie and add audio and/or other media, export as Movie, view
Tips for Success:
- Plan carefully – Make a storyboard before you animate.
- Keep it simple – Don’t try ambitious models or backgrounds
- Small movements – A little goes a long way; use the onion-skinning option to see where the last frame was placed.
- Assign roles – Modellers, clickers, spotters, movers; each student can be responsible for a task.
Resources:
- Technology: Movie Maker Projects -eTheme
- Technology: Windows Movie Maker -eTheme
- Technology: iMovie – Creating Videos -eTheme
- Tech4Learning – Making Claymation in the Classroom eBook
- Draw a Stickman – intro stop motion with this website
- “Love is Making Its Way Back Home” – this music video is made with 12,000 pieces of cut paper and stop motion techniques
- Creating Stop Motion Animation Stories from Creative Educator
- TeacherBootCamp blog – 17 Stop Motion Video Examples and Resources
- Scholastic Blog – Your Kids Can Do It: Quick, Free, and Easy Stop Motion Videos
- Teach Animation Stop Motion Lesson Plan
- Stop Motion Animation Lesson
- Claymation and Stop Motion in the Classroom
Leave a comment…..We’d love your thoughts and ideas about stop motion animation as authentic products in the classroom. Share links to your student’s stop-motion projects. Tell us about all of your experiences using stop motion animation including implementation ideas, tips, additional resources, etc.
Brooke Higgins is an instructional specialists for the eMINTS National Center and Allison Byford is the Instructional Technology Coordinator with the Springdale Public Schools in Arkansas and is an eMINTS PD4ETS graduate.