Stop Motion

Animation
Mia Baca P.4

What Is It?
Stop motion, according to Dragonframe, is ...animation that is captured one frame at time,
with physical objects that are moved between frames. When you play back the sequence of
images rapidly, it creates the illusion of movement. Multiple frames are recorded with slight
variations between each. The varying frames are played after one another. The slight
variations come to mimic motion, assuming the variations are ones that would precede and
succeed one another. Stop motion animation also goes by the name of stop frame
animation. Stop motion animation is generally used to create 3D animations.

How Did it Start?

Stop motion animation was first used by Albert E.
Smith and J. Stuart Blackton in 1898 in The
Humpty Dumpty Circus. However, it was
popularized by Willis O'Brien in 1925 in The Lost
World. O'Brien further excited stop motion in King
Kong in 1933.
Ray Harryhausen also worked on King Kong. Using
the techniques he learned, Harryhausen
continued OBriens legacy in Jason and the
Argonauts, One Million Years, B.C., and Clash of
the Titans. These stop motion animations found
the adoration of audiences, though it didnt last
forever. Subsequent to the 1981 release of Clash
of the Titans, special effects were dominated by
computer graphics and effects.

These are clips from Harryhausen movies

containing examples of his work.

Current and Popular Stop Motion

Animations
Here are movies you may not have known were stop motion animations.
Current

Popular

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015)

Chicken Run (2000)

The Boxtrolls (2014)

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Frankenweenie (2012)

The Lego Movie (2014)

ParaNorman (2012)

James and the Giant Peach (1996)

The Pirates!In an Adventure with

Scientists! (2012)

How Do You Make

One?
1. Find your camera and download a
stop motion software.
2. Decide on your models and
characters, usually clay figures.
3. Construct your scene/background.
4. Begin taking photos, making slight
variations in each shot.
5. Finish shooting.
6. Edit your film if desired.
7. Enjoy the final product.

Here is a Howcast tutorial surrounding stop

motion basics

Why Stop Motion?

When done correctly, stop motion animating can produce amazing
pieces of work that awe viewers. Very realistic and interesting
movements can be generated through stop motion. This means of
animation has a quality to it unlike any other that captures viewer
attention and adoration. Stop motion animation also allows for ultimate
customization and personalization of your characters with virtually no
limits. Even beginners can animate in the stop motion fashion.

Works Cited
"Introduction to Stop Motion." Introduction to Stop Motion
Animation | Dragonframe. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
"Stop Motion Animation." Stop Motion Animation: Limitless
Creativity. Kalif Publishing, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
Wighton, Bernie. "Create a Stop Motion Animation." WikiHow.
N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.