Stop-motion Video Essay (Script)

Stop-motion is a type of animation which is created by capturing a single frame at a

time. Most of the time, stop-motion animations include the movement of inanimate
objects these objects can be: Lego, plasticine, jointed models and even regular
household objects. You can use almost any material in stop-motion animations. Back
in the day, stop-motions were captured using film cameras making it very difficult
for the animator to check for any errors. This is because the animators werent able
to view their work until after the film had been processed. So shaking the camera or
misplacing an object would mean the animator would have to start all over again. In
2005 Corpse Bride was shot with a DSLR, making it the first ever stop-motion film
captured with a digital camera. Using a digital camera allows the animator to check
on each frame, making sure that there arent any unwanted objects visible and the
models movements flow smoothly together.
There are various stop-motion techniques that are generally used to ensure that
clips that are produced display smooth movement. Theres also a reason for why we
look at a stop-motion and see a flowing video rather than several separate images.
The reason behind this is the Persistence of Vision theory. This is a theory that
suggests that the eye always retains images for a fraction of a second (around 0.04
seconds). This means that everything that is currently being seen, happened 0.04
seconds ago. When watching a stop-motion or flicking through a flip-book, this
would result in the eye merging all the images together, which is why it looks like
the image is moving. This is how it aids in helping animations actually work Since
animations are just a string of images being played quickly, the people watching it
will constantly have the previous images stored in their minds for a fraction of a
second. This results in the images appearing to flow together as a smooth sequence.
Frame rate is the number of frames captured per second. This is measured in frames
per second (fps). The more frames there are per second, the smoother the clip. This
means that if a movie/film/clip has a very low frame rate (e.g. 12 fps) the eye will no
longer see it as continuous and instead it will appear to jump from frame to frame.
This is called strobing. When it comes to editing, you can manipulate each individual
frame by playing them back in different speeds. Playing clips at a higher frame rate
results in a smooth playback, depending on how high the frame rate is, you can even
create a fast-forward effect. Same thing with playing clips back in lower frame rates
where a slow-motion effect is possible to achieve.
The technique of being able to move objects so that they appear to move from point
A to point B is one of (if not) the most important aspects of a stop-motion animation.
You have to figure out how many frames you take within a second and then work out
how much you need to move the object within each shot This is called Stop Frame.
Big movements result in the object teleporting from point to point and smaller
movements make the object look like its sliding along with no interruptions. Big
movements can be useful for making an object look like its jumping around, like if
you were trying to mimic a frog or something. It can also be used to show that
something teleported from elsewhere. Smaller movements can benefit you if youre

trying to do something like a snake/worm slithering along, this would require smooth
a smooth motion.
Armatures are useful for making a model move realistically, they act like skeletons
that makes it easier for the models limbs to be adjusted. Armatures are especially
useful for things like making a model express emotions. An example of a person who
used armatures in their work is Tim Burton. Tim Burton uses flexible, metal
armatures for his characters in order for them to be able to move realistically. This
helps in making each character more lifelike whether its a human (Corpse Bride) or
an animal (Frankenweenie). And to make the movements smooth he uses a frame
rate of 24fps.
English photographer Eadweard Muybridge (whos considered the father of stopmotion) laid a solid foundation for the world of film (which was still in its developing
stages during his time). All thanks to his curiosity about whether all four of a horses
feet left the ground at the same time while its sprinting/galloping. In order to find
out, Muybridge took a set of photos during a horse race. He used a high shutter
speed which captured every slight movement that the horse displayed. And as a
result his well-known photographic collection Horse in Motion was made. After
observing his photographs Muybridge discovered that all four of a horses feet DO
leave the ground at some point during its sprint, making it look like its flying.
After his achievement, Muybridge then invented the zoopraxiscope in 1879 which
was an early device that displayed motion pictures. He displayed his motionphotography work with the zoopraxiscope including his Horse in Motion collection.
This showed the images being played together as a sequence, resulting in the
illusion of movement. This is one of the most revolutionary inventions because it
helped introduce the idea of cinematography into stop-motion, this technique is still
being used to this day; by people such as: Tim Burton, who uses it to create his
intriguing stop-motion films.
Despite being called the Father of Stop-motion Muybridge wasnt the first person
to introduce the idea of images being displayed together as a sequence. Joseph
Plateau was a Belgian physicist who, in 1832, invented the phenakistoscope. This
was a spindle viewing type of device, which contained various images depicting the
progression of movement. The phenakistoscope was made up of two discs, one disc
had slots and the other disc had the images on them. When the device was spun, the
discs rotated making the images flowed together to create an illusion of movement.
Plateau was inspired by Michael Faraday and Peter Mark Rogets invention called the
Michael Faradays Wheel, the only difference between this and the phenakistoscope
was that the two discs inside the Michael Faradays Wheel spun opposite directions
and the two discs within the phenakistoscope spun the same direction.
After Joseph Plateaus invention in 1832, William George Horner a British
mathematician (And headmaster) invented the zoetrope in 1834 - a device that had
similarities to the phenakistoscope but instead of containing discs, it consisted of a
cylinder that had images aligning the inside and slots all round it. Just like the

phenakistoscope, this device spins and when it spins, you can see through the slots
the images merging into what would appear to be a moving image. Being a
headmaster of his own school, Horners main intention for the device was to be able
to teach his students with it.
Willis OBrien was a well-known stop-motion animation developer whos best
remembered for his contributions in the 1925 film The Lost World and the 1933 King
Kong. In his earlier work, he would personally make his characters out of clay but
later on in his career hed hire others to make more realistic and detailed models
based on his designs. The type of models that hed use for films would be made up
of rubbery skins which would be supported by metal armatures, they would
sometimes even contain air-filled bladders that would be used to create a breathing
effect You can see this effect taking place in the dinosaur models in The Lost
World. This is definitely far more developed than the moving images youd see in a
zoetrope or phenakistoscope, not only is this using 3-Dimensional models but the
use of armatures makes it easier for King Kong to move and behave as realistic as
possible.
Just like Willis OBrien, Ray Harryhausen was also a stop-motion developer who
contributed to the 1933 film King Kong. Working on King Kong, alongside OBrien
inspired him to continue in his field of work where he ended up creating a brand of
stop-motion animations which he called Dynamation. This type of animation merged
stop-motion model animation with real-life action films, youll see modelled
creatures being fought against by real actors which is why theyre considered
animations instead of cartoons- which would normally be 100% animation.
Jan Svankmajer was a filmmaker and artist who became popular because of his
surreal animations and his skilled use of stop-motion techniques. What differentiated
his work from the others (Willis OBrien and Ray Harryhausen) was that he used
much exaggerated sounds that he put into his animations making them even more
surreal and sometimes even a bit funny. He also uses the technique clay animation
which is another thing that makes him different. His use of inanimate objects helps
him to express the illusion of bringing something, that doesnt usually move, to life.
His work for the feature film Little Otik, which was made in 2000, showed aspects of
Ray Harryhausens Dynamation technique, where he uses both stop-motion and
real-action footage to tell the tale of a weird child-baby-thing. Jan Svankmajers
work was what inspired other filmmakers like Tim Burton and The Brothers Quay
who create sinister and creepy stop-motion films.
Speaking of The Brothers Quay, the duo consists of Steven and Timothy Quay who
are American identical twin stop-motion animators. In most of their stop-motions,
they use weird doll-like puppets that look very rugged and old. The set that the
animations take place in are equally dreary which contributes to the surrealism of
the stop-motions. But they occasionally include models made from inanimate objects
just like their inspiration Jan Svankmajer. The genre of their work is undefinable,
but horror is something that definitely comes to mind when viewing their films.
Because of the Brothers Quays creativity and imagination, this gives others a

limitless amount of possibilities and the chance to think up any random and unique
ideas.
Less creepy than The Brothers Quay but probably just as weird, Michael Please (aka
Mikey Please) and his stop-motion animations are on a completely different level
when it comes to the use of materials. Unlike Tim Burton and The Brothers Quay,
his stop-motion animations contain no colour whatsoever, his models and sets are
made up of materials such as: paper, polystyrene, card etc. This is very unique
compared to most stop-motion animations which use plasticine, clay and doll-like
figurines. Throughout his animations, you can see the realistic movement of each
character, this is due to his use of high frame rates. And as a result each frame
captures more motion and when its put together, theres no jumps or strobing.
You can see the progressive change in style and genres within stop-motions of the
past and present, there are also different forms of stop-motion animations (that use
materials other than puppets and doll or use a different technique). Genre can vary in
stop-motions, some are catered towards small children and families and others lean
more towards the horror side. Some animations are comical and are just there to
entertain and others are trying to convey a more artistic point of view. There are
even plenty of animations that are used in adverts, TV channel identities and
promos. Take the works of Willis OBrien and Ray Harryhausen for example, their
stop-motions are mostly about adventure and wonderful yet dangerous creatures
that may or may not have existed. Then you switch over to the likes of George Pal,
another pioneer of stop-motion animations. His animations The Puppetoons are
more catered towards a family-oriented audience, with its bright colours and
puppets with big expressive facial features. And then you have stop-motions that
are more confusing and less family-friendly, like those of Mikey Please and The
Brothers Quay. Mikey Pleases work is all about expressing the characters emotions
upon going through an experience and The Brothers Quay are just really good at
creating creepy scenarios that would make most people experience nightmares.