STOP MOTION

noun: stop-motion
a cinematographic technique whereby the camera is repeatedly stopped and started, for example to give animated figures the impression of movement.
http://www.ikitmovie.com/187/Stop-Motion-Ideas-for-Beginners.htm
https://vimeo.com/31939621St
Brainstorming
·  View samples
·  Remember, great ideas can come from simple, every day experiences
·  KEEP IT SIMPLE! The shortest and simplest concepts are the easiest to animate. Limit to one or two characters, so that you can concentrate on the details.
Scripting
After students brainstorm ideas they need to write down their thoughts to determine what interaction and action will take place. Most people prefer to start with scripts, a storyboard that is completely textual. Writing descriptions of the action helps to determine how and in what order every shot will become animated later in the process.
·  What is your theme or idea?
·  What sort of personality would you like to create?
·  What materials or objects will you need to collect?
·  What kind of background will you need?
·  What different shots do you need? What close-ups?
Storyboarding
Storyboarding is a major component to any animation project because it ensures that ideas are well developed before production, and saves time by anticipating problems. The purpose of the storyboard is to visually plan out the entire animation. Here is where students begin to think about the “camera work” by showing every shot or important transition in the animation. Storyboards should be required for all stop motion projects.
·  Have you varied the scale, pace, angle or whatever of the shots?
Set-up
Stop motion requires a camera or video device to expose single or multiple frames of images that, when run at normal speed, appear to represent continuous movement. When using a video recording device to compose shots, keep the camera steady by using a tripod or animation stand.
Once you have decided on the story they will be telling and have created your storyboards, you need to begin gathering props, characters, and back drops to be ready to film animation.
·  Art materials such as: crayons, markers, construction paper, colored paper, watercolors, cardboard boxes, whiteboard, blackboards, tempera paint, clay, etc.
·  Real objects: a rock for a boulder, a branch for a tree, etc.
·  Animated background: one that changes during the course of your animation.
Recording
·  Place the background so that it completely fills the frame for the pictures you'll take.
·  Position the characters where you'll want them, and then press the "Capture" button to take your first frame.
·  After you take each picture, slightly move your characters into position for the next shot. Each picture you take will become a frame in your movie
Rubric
Project Title: Name:
Poor
0 pts
/ Fair
3 pts
25 / Good
5 pts / excellent
10 pts
Planning / Poor
Missing incomplete
very vague story board / Fair
Storyboard provided a general idea. Final animation could have been better if more detailed planning was done / Good
Animation was well planned. The story board was followed for the most part. / Excellent
Detailed planning, the story board was followed closely during animation
Sets and props / Poor
Missing incomplete, or very sloppy / Fair
Poor sets, characters/props are not visually interesting. / Good
Sets/props are well crafted and somewhat visually interesting. / Excellent
Sets/characters/props are well crafted and visually interesting. A lot of time was put into their construction and/or set enhanced video.
Duration of video / Poor
Missing incomplete and/or less than 29 seconds / Fair
30-37 seconds production / Good
38-44 second production / Excellent
45-60 second production
Animation in theme or of characters / Poor
Camera shakes and many frames are missing. / Fair
Camera is shaky and some frames are missing. / Good
Minimal camera moves. / Excellent
Camera doesn't move and shots are seamless.
Sound Effects
/ Poor
Missing/incomplete/0
/ Fair
Sound effects have very little to do with story line/1-2 / Good
Sound effects are incorporated into the script and make sense/3-5 / Excellent
Sound effects are not overwhelming, attached to characters/objects movements / 6 or more
Sound Track
(background music and/or voice overs / Poor
Missing or incomplete
/ Fair
Levels in sound track are not set properly, soundtrack does not follow theme. / Good
Sound track is present but does not always make sense.
/ Excellent
Sound track follows the action, voice over(s) are effective and add to story line
Set / Poor
Incomplete / Fair
Very minimal/ not distinctive to the story line / Good
Creative and basic set / Excellent
Creative and
fits story line