Weekly Journal

Regular evaluation updates are required with every unit. Please remember to
take photos and get behind the scenes footage as you film. You might find it
easier if you note down a record of what you did each day in a diary form.

Please use the following guidance to help you with each week.

Week 1 This week you researched stop motion animation

What research have you
completed this week and what
have you learned?
What materials did you consider
using and why?
How did the test animations help
you to choose the most suitable
material for your animation?
(provide screenshots that show
your practice methods)
What did you learn from your
planning? How has it helped you
to progress your idea?
Are you on track for this week? If
not, how far behind are you?
What work do you need to
complete outside of lessons to
stay on track?
I researched different animations and how they are
made and I’ve learnt that stop motion filming was
pioneered by many people like Joseph Plateau and
Thomas Edison.
I considered using clay because you can make good
effects with it. Then I considered cutting out paper
and telling the story through that because you can
cut out anything. But then I considered using Lego
because it is usually used to represent children as it’s a
child’s toy and because my animation is about
children it is perfect for what I want to do.
My test animations helped me to choose my suitable
material because it gave me an idea of how to use
each material and what each of them could
represent. It also gave a feel for each of them and
what they required to make a good animation.
From my planning I learnt that the different materials
can be used to give off different meanings and
messages. This helped me because it allowed me to
choose which one I would use in my animation.
No, I have to finish some work over the weekend.
I have to choose a song I want to put in the
background of my animation and finish some
planning.

Week 2 This week you produced your stop motion animation

How helpful did you find your It was really helpful because it allowed me to know
planning whilst photographing what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it and
your animation? also what I needed to do it.
What challenges did you face
with your chosen material? How
did you overcome these?
How did you ensure you met the
required frame rate?
How happy are you with your final
product? Provide analysis of the
successes and failures you feel
you had
How much work did you
complete outside of the lessons?
Are you on track for this week? If
not, how far behind are you?
What work do you need to
complete outside of lessons to
stay on track?
The Lego figures kept falling over so I had to use a
base just so they when I moved them, I knew their
original position making it easier to film.
We were given a range of frame rate to choose from:
16 – 25 and then we were told it had to be 30 seconds
long so you times your chosen frame rate by the
number of seconds to know how many pictures you
need to make your animation. My chosen frame rate
is 19 frames so 19 x 30 = 570 photos.
I like my animation because it gives off the message
that I wanted it to but to improve it I would add a
voice over instead of just subtitles to make it more
engaging for the audience.
I finished planning over the weekend and made sure
all my work was done before I started filming.
Yes, I’m all caught up.