Page 1…. Stop Motion Animation Research Questions:

What is stop motion animation?

 A filming technic used to manipulate objects so they appear to be moving

How many pictures are usually taken in a second for a pro stop motion animation?

 24

How many pictures did we take to make our class communications tech animation project? Page 2… Research Questions:  About 12 pictures/second

Briefly describe step by step how a stop motion animation typically works.

 A story board is created  The characters, props, backdrop, and set are created  The lights, scene, and camera are set up  The filming begins  The post production begins (editing, adding sounds, etc)

What are 3 important elements to producing a good stop motion animation?

 Creating a storyboard  Creating a set Page 3… Research Questions:  Creating characters

What are 4 key techniques to making good characters for a stop motion film?

 Using wire to make it sturdy  Large enough to be noticed  Lots of detail in the character  Facial expressions to match the scene (not smiling like a moron after getting punched)

Who invented the first stop motion animation, and in what year did this happen?

 1898  Directed by: J. Stuart Blacton  Produced by: Albert E. Smith Page 4… Research Questions: How did the invention of stop motion animation initially come about?

 Smith borrowed his daughter’s toy dolls and brought them to life in the animation

What was the name of the first stop motion animation ever created?

 Humpty Dumpty Circus

Who is Norman McLaren, and what role did he play in Canada in relation to animation? Name one film he was involved in making.

 Film maker  The eye hears and the ear sees  Created synthetic sounds Page 5… Research Questions: What equipment is typically needed to produce a stop motion animation?

 Computer  Digital camera  Tripod  Lights  Material to build characters  Sound recording device

What materials are commonly used for a stop motion animation?

 Clay  Wire  Paint  Paper  Camera  Tripod  Computer  Lights

List 3 free online software programs that can be used to make a short animation. Page 6… Research Questions:  Flipbook  Adobe Flash  Blender

When using a digital still camera to make an animation, what should be done?

 Use a sturdy tripod  Frame the shot  Use controlled, constant lighting

What is the difference between a 2D animation and 3D animation? Page 7… Research Questions: 2D:

 Deals with drawing and framing  Create frames to define a sequence that are then moved at varying speeds to create the illusion of motion

3D:

 More depth and is more realistic  Texture, colour, and lighting are all modified in software programs Page 8… Research Questions: What are some important considerations when making a set?

 Does the set suit the storyline?  Is it a good size?  What will this look like on camera?  Will it support itself?  Does it draw too much/not enough attention?  Will viewers understand the set?

What role does sound play in a stop motion animation, and what types of sounds typically make for good animations?

 Adds effect to the story  Makes it more dramatic  Sets the mood  Makes storyline easier to understand  Characters speaking  Noises that help describe actions Page 9… Research Questions: Name one stop motion animation film that you have seen before (e.g., Wallace and Gromit), and explain 5 different unique elements of that particular film you liked the best.

 Mindscape https://www.nfb.ca/film/mindscape/  Black and white  Dramatic music  Tells a story  Not silly  Beautiful, lots of detail  I don’t know if this is a stop motion video, but I really loved this video, it made me very emotional and I don’t know why, you should check it out What About Us Page 10… Research Questions: What are 3 important aspects of making a good story board for a stop motion animation film?

 Describes actions  Neat  Explains all events in the story  Decent drawings https://www.nfb.ca/playlist/stopmostudio/