ANIMATION 2012!

The “Animation Station” in the studio features 2 “stages,” 2 cameras, 2 tripods, a roll of fishing line and Plasticine clay.

Animators can make characters to populate their films or use other objects from around the room for characters and props. Backdrops can be pinned to the wall behind the stage.

Teams of two work well –one person snapping the pictures while the other moves the characters. Animations with a lot of characters do better when a third team member is added. A rhythm emerges: move, snap, move, snap – like clockwork, until 80-200 photos are amassed and post-production can begin.

Stop action painting/collage project: "The Flood"

After all the pictures are imported, sound effects, visual effects, titles and music can be added.

The important thing about making a stop-action movie? Keep the camera still and make tiny, incremental moves with the characters. That and a clever idea = a winning formula.