LESSON 5 Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

Creating Characters for Animation

• Appreciate the attention to detail and time require- Introduction ments associated with professional animation This guide will introduce you to the methods and process production; involved in the creation of sturdy clay characters for use in stop-motion animation. You will learn about armatures, • Identify the characters needed for your animated including how to construct them, and view examples of production; animated films that employ them. You will then create and build the characters needed for your stop-motion anima- • Create and build stop-motion animation charac- tion video. ters.

Learning Outcomes Simple Sturdy Characters Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to: Materials Required to Make a Simple Character

• Identify methods and parameters for successfully To make your own clay animation characters, here is a list building strong and sturdy stop-motion animation of basic materials you will need: clay characters; • Plasticine in a variety of colours (you can also use • Explain what an armature is and how to construct similar products called Sculpey and Fimo) one; • Sculpting tools • Discuss various examples of animation that contain armatures; Modelling clay that is oil-based is perfect for stop-motion animation characters, as it will not dry out and crack.

1 nfb.ca/stopmo nfb.ca/stopmo ture isthestrong insideskeletonofa clay characterthat mation, requires thebuildingofawirearmature. Anarma- A moreelaboratecharacter, oftenusedinprofessionalani- Materials RequiredtoMake anArmature Armatures acters, watchthefollowingvideo: For morecreativetipsonhowtobuildelaboratechar- More Complex Characters watch thefollowingvideo: To seehowsturdycharactersaremadeinNFBworkshops, Creating Charactersfo Stop-Motion AnimationWorkshop (1 min23s) More aboutCreatingCharacters Creative Tips,Clip4: (4 min30s) Creating Characters,Clip7: Animation

2 tailed intricaciesofthesets orbackgrounds. ture’s facialfeaturesandmovements.Also,notethe de- different selections,payparticularattentiontothe arma- look quiterealisticorbetotallyoutrageous.Asyou watch ing armatures. As you will see, armatures can be made to Explore thefollowingexamplesofNFBanimationcontain - Stop MotionWorks’PhotoGalleryofArmatures Clay Animation Joshua Mosley’sTutorialonBuildingArmaturesfor The followingsiteprovidesexamplesofwirearmatures: Materials requiredtobuildanarmatureinclude: be positionedinmorecomplicatedposes. This allowsforthecreationofastrongercharacterthatcan can articulate, usually by means of ball-and-socket joints. 2 • • • • • • while you’recuttingit) Safety glasses(tinypiecesmaysnapoffthewire Needle-nose pliers Wire cutters screws, etc. Various bitsofhardware,wingnuts,bolts, Aluminum foil Aluminum wire(orpipecleaners) stopmotionworks.com/gallery2.htm joshuamosley.com/tutorials/claymationArmature/armature.html ] ] Subservience byPatrickBouchard(2007,8min9s) Szczerbowski (2007,17min15s) Madame Tutli-PutlibyChrisLavisandMaciek ArmaturesAnimated Using Films Civics/Citizenship/Human Rights.) 9–12; EthicsandReligiousCulture,EthicalValues, throes, postapocalypse.(Recommendedforgrades presents thetragicomedyofasocietyinitsdeath of itsservantstakecentre stage as apuppet show Synopsis: scenes ofinterestbeforescreeningitfortheirstudents. It isrecommendedthateducatorsviewthisfilmandselect of puppetarmatures,certainscenescontainmaturecontent. Note: Whilethisfilmeffectivelyshowstheelaboratenature (Recommended forgrades11–12.) ined worlds, Madame Tutli-Putli confronts her demons. metaphysical adventure,adriftbetweenrealandimag- of strangers. Finding herself caught up in a desperate of her past, she faces both the kindness and menace train withallherearthlypossessionsandtheghosts of Madame Tutli-Putli. As shetravels alone onthe night existential journeyintothefullyimagined,tactileworld Synopsis: Thisfilmtakesviewersonanexhilarating nfb.ca/film/subservience nfb.ca/film/madame_tutli_putli_en ] ] Bourgeois selfishnessandthepassivity

3 (2005, 6min49s) Dehors novembrebyPatrickBouchard;inFrench The SandCastlebyCoHoedeman(1977,13min17s) The HungrySquidbyJohnWeldon(2002,14min35s) scenes ofinterest beforescreeningitfortheir students. is recommended thateducatorsviewthis filmandselect Note: Certainscenes ofthisfilmcontain mature content.It Education.) Dying/Ethics, ReligiousCulture/Ethical Values,Arts tion, FamilyStudies/Home Economics,Aging/Death, Personal Development/Substance Use,Abuse/Addic- of the dead. (Recommended for grades 9–12; Health/ experienced outdoors, inthenight,duringmonth unflinching animatedfilmonthesubjectofdeath, as Synopsis: PatrickBouchardhascraftedapoignant, mended forgradesK–6;ArtsEducation/VisualArts.) only tobeinterruptedbyanunwantedguest.(Recom - castle andcelebratethecompletionoftheirnewhome, and thecreatureshesculptsoutofsand.Theybuilda Synopsis: Ashortanimatedfilmabout thesandman Personal Development/ProblemSolving,FamilyStudies.) ed for grades 5–9; Diversity/Pluralism/Identity, Health/ it’s timetogetthesituationundercontrol.(Recommend- aren’t afigmentofherimagination,Dorothydecidesthat people finallyrealizethatthehomework-eatingcreatures work. But when her pet squid rampages through town and ents, badhairandamenageriethatdevoursherhome- young Dorothyandhermyriadtroubles:absenteepar- Synopsis: This animatedshortspinsa tall tale about nfb.ca/film/Dehors_novembre nfb.ca/film/sand_castle nfb.ca/film/hungry_squid ] ] ]

LESSON5 nfb.ca/stopmo Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

Creating Characters for Animation

Glasses by Brian Duchscherer Madame Tutli-Putli Puppet and Set Design films. (2001, 22 min 32 s) http://madametutliputli.com/putli.html] http://www.nfb.ca/film/glasses] http://madametutliputli.com/putlimovies.html]

Synopsis: An exploration of elementary school life How long did it take to complete this production, from and just how hard it can be when you don’t see start to finish? things quite the way everyone else does, yet still long to fit in. Milo would like to be invincible like his Fantastic Mr. Fox – In the Puppet Shop with Wes & Bill comic book hero, but for a shy, nearsighted kid, the (1 min 49 s) humiliations of Grade 1 know no bounds. He lives http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5pQvytHIEE] in a lonely, blurry world until a visit to the eye doc- tor brings things into focus. Full of new-found confi- dence, he loses sight of who his friends really are— Coraline: A Handmade Fairy Tale (13 min 3 s) ] until an accident reminds him. (Recommended for http//www.laika.com/details.php?id=279&company=studio grades K–6; Health/Personal Development/Healthy Relationships/Bullying and Discrimination.) Coraline (2009; written and directed by Henry Selick) was the first stop-motion feature to be conceived and photo- Through My Thick Glasses by Pjotr Sapegin graphed in stereoscopic 3D. (2003, 12 min 31 s) nfb.ca/film/through_my_thick_glasses_film] Synopsis: In this animated short, an old man tells his Create and Build Your Characters granddaughter of his experiences during the Second World War in an effort to distract her while putting on Now it’s time to create the characters required for your her winter hat. The tale is filled with strange charac- production. ters, surprising plot twists and a world far beyond the little girl’s comprehension. (Recommended for grades 7–12.) Learning Activity: Create Your Characters In teams, discuss the number of characters you need to develop for your stop-motion video, as well as who these Class Discussion: Armatures characters will be. You can use this Creating Your Charac- ters sheet to help you with this task. The entire team will be Discuss the above animation containing armatures. responsible for contributing to the creation of these char- What did you think of the characters? Did you find acters. them to be realistic? Did you find the armatures that could display facial expressions and eye movement For some productions, you may need only one or two char- portrayed emotion extremely well? Could you relate to acters; for others you may need more. Your team will need the characters? Did you like the characters’ imperfec- to decide which team members will build the character(s) tions? Did the characters help pull you into the story? required for the animated production. Each student can build a maximum of one character.

Learning Activity: Investigating Puppet Armature and Set Creation Learning Activity: Building Your Characters

Review the following sites to get a sense of the elabo- Now that you all know about character creation and have rate work involved in the creation of puppet armatures decided who your characters will be, it’s time for you to start and sets used in professional animation productions: building. Regardless of the above team decision, all students will be expected to build a character, even if it is not used in the production. Students who do not build a character for the production can build a character of their choice. nfb.ca/stopmo 4 4 Stop-Motion Animation Workshop LESSON 5 Create Your Character ANNEX 01

It may be helpful to conduct an imaginary interview with the character you are creating. Before you begin, decide wheth- er you want your character to be male or female.

Then, ask your character to answer the following questions:

1. What is your name?

2. How old are you?

3. Where do you come from? Can you describe what it is like there?

4. What do you do there? Do you work? Can you discuss your work or studies?

5. What kinds of clothes do you like to wear?

6. Can you describe your culture?

7. What types of things do you like to do for fun?

8. Now, ask yourself: What “role” will your character play in your animation? (if applicable)

nfb.ca/stopmo 5 nfb.ca/stopmo