Task 1 Stop Motion Animation
Early animation became popular with the invention of the phenakitoscope, a spinning disk with a sequence of images around the edge that created the illusion of movement. Although Greek mathematician, Euclid, has thought up the principal, it was not until the late 1820’s that Belgian, Joseph Plateau, established the concept by attaching the spinning disk to a vertical stick with drawings of each stage of the animation between redial slits cut around the disk. The user would hold the disk facing a mirror and spin the disk while looking through the slits to the reflection where the images would appear to be moving.
A phenakitoscope made by Edward Muybridge
In the 1830’s a device called a zoetrope, was devised by British mathematician William George Horner. The zoetrope took the principals of the phenakitoscope but took away the need for a mirror. A zoetrope is a cylinder with slits at even spaces around the sides, with images in different stages of movement drawn opposite each slit on the inside of the cylinder. The zoetrope would spin on a spindle base and with the revolution of the cylinder, looking through the slits would again create the illusion of movement. The zoetrope did not become popular until the 1960’s when a version with the images just below the slits made it easy to create animations on one strip of paper and replace the old images with new ones. This design was patented by British and American inventors. American William F. Lincoln called his the zoetrope meaning ‘wheel of life’.
In 1877 Charles-Émile Reynaud created the praxinoscope. Very similar to the zoetrope, the praxinoscope was a spinning device, but consisted of a small cylinder inside a larger cylinder. The images of the animation were on the inside of the larger cylinder, and the smaller cylinder had mirrors on the outside, the turning of the device meant the viewer would see the reflection of one image in one mirror and the reflection of the next image in the next mirror creating the same effect of illusion as the zoetrope but with a brighter and clearer picture.
In 1889 Reynaud came up with a way of projecting the images from the praxinoscope onto a screen allowing him to share his animations with larger audiences.
American inventor Thomas Edison created the first conceptual design of the kinetoscope in 1888. This was a large contraption made as a one-person cinema experience. The Kinetoscope had a viewing hole on the top where the user would look through and see an animation created by a long strip of perforated film, which rolled around lots of pulleys inside the kinetoscope. There was a light source behind the film so the user could see the image. The device was largely developed by Edison’s employee William Dickson and by 1892 Edison’s team had completed a kinetoscope cabinet worthy of being mass-produced and used in several ‘kinetoscope parlors’ in America.
The most innovative part of Edison’s kinetoscope was the later adapted version called the kinetophone; this one person cinema included a cylinder phonograph encased in the body of the kinetoscope. The viewer listened through tubes connected to the phonograph. Although there was never an attempt to synchronize the sound to the film, this was a big step adding sound to a movie.
Most of these types of animation were disregarded when the Lumiére brothers created photographic film projector enable photographs taken at a high frame rate of a moving subject were projected in quick succession to create once again the illusion of movement. They began to make short ‘motion pictures’ that were less than a minute each with the films being about 17 meters long and was operated manually with a crank handle.
In 1914 Windsor McCay released a short film involving live action and animation. McCay had released other short films but due to people’s disbelief in animation McCay released ‘Gertie the Dinosaur’ bringing to life an animated prehistoric creature which the public couldn’t deny to be animated drawings. The 12-minute motion picture consisted of McCay commanding Gertie to do tricks and carry him around. Each frame was drawn onto sheets of rice paper and then mounted to stiff pieces of cardboard to be photographed.
Gertie was the beginning of stop motion animation, as we know it today, a series of images played in quick succession to create the illusion of movement.
From here the development of projections and photography, animated films became easier to produce with drawings photographed to create animation. Later, objects that could not move on their own were photographed after being moved small amounts, taking a picture and repeating to simulate the object moving on its own.
More recently, stop motion has been used to produce TV shows and films like ‘Wallace and Gromit’ where clay is used to create moving characters, vehicles and animals interacting with each other. Advanced in technology enable film makers to use computer software to move the subjects once photographed, technology development also mean movie making is more accessible to anyone and as a result, home made stop motion are all over the internet, from drawings in succession or moving inanimate objects, to moving action figures and Lego minifigures and even a recent advert features the facial hair of men moving around the face, made with various photographs and using editing software to swap parts of the photographs with other to create anything they want.
Now, even with a basic camera and computer equipment, if you have the time there is no limit to what can be done in a stop motion animation.
Early animation became popular with the invention of the phenakitoscope, a spinning disk with a sequence of images around the edge that created the illusion of movement. Although Greek mathematician, Euclid, has thought up the principal, it was not until the late 1820’s that Belgian, Joseph Plateau, established the concept by attaching the spinning disk to a vertical stick with drawings of each stage of the animation between redial slits cut around the disk. The user would hold the disk facing a mirror and spin the disk while looking through the slits to the reflection where the images would appear to be moving.
A phenakitoscope made by Edward Muybridge
In the 1830’s a device called a zoetrope, was devised by British mathematician William George Horner. The zoetrope took the principals of the phenakitoscope but took away the need for a mirror. A zoetrope is a cylinder with slits at even spaces around the sides, with images in different stages of movement drawn opposite each slit on the inside of the cylinder. The zoetrope would spin on a spindle base and with the revolution of the cylinder, looking through the slits would again create the illusion of movement. The zoetrope did not become popular until the 1960’s when a version with the images just below the slits made it easy to create animations on one strip of paper and replace the old images with new ones. This design was patented by British and American inventors. American William F. Lincoln called his the zoetrope meaning ‘wheel of life’.
In 1877 Charles-Émile Reynaud created the praxinoscope. Very similar to the zoetrope, the praxinoscope was a spinning device, but consisted of a small cylinder inside a larger cylinder. The images of the animation were on the inside of the larger cylinder, and the smaller cylinder had mirrors on the outside, the turning of the device meant the viewer would see the reflection of one image in one mirror and the reflection of the next image in the next mirror creating the same effect of illusion as the zoetrope but with a brighter and clearer picture.
In 1889 Reynaud came up with a way of projecting the images from the praxinoscope onto a screen allowing him to share his animations with larger audiences.
American inventor Thomas Edison created the first conceptual design of the kinetoscope in 1888. This was a large contraption made as a one-person cinema experience. The Kinetoscope had a viewing hole on the top where the user would look through and see an animation created by a long strip of perforated film, which rolled around lots of pulleys inside the kinetoscope. There was a light source behind the film so the user could see the image. The device was largely developed by Edison’s employee William Dickson and by 1892 Edison’s team had completed a kinetoscope cabinet worthy of being mass-produced and used in several ‘kinetoscope parlors’ in America.
The most innovative part of Edison’s kinetoscope was the later adapted version called the kinetophone; this one person cinema included a cylinder phonograph encased in the body of the kinetoscope. The viewer listened through tubes connected to the phonograph. Although there was never an attempt to synchronize the sound to the film, this was a big step adding sound to a movie.
Most of these types of animation were disregarded when the Lumiére brothers created photographic film projector enable photographs taken at a high frame rate of a moving subject were projected in quick succession to create once again the illusion of movement. They began to make short ‘motion pictures’ that were less than a minute each with the films being about 17 meters long and was operated manually with a crank handle.
In 1914 Windsor McCay released a short film involving live action and animation. McCay had released other short films but due to people’s disbelief in animation McCay released ‘Gertie the Dinosaur’ bringing to life an animated prehistoric creature which the public couldn’t deny to be animated drawings. The 12-minute motion picture consisted of McCay commanding Gertie to do tricks and carry him around. Each frame was drawn onto sheets of rice paper and then mounted to stiff pieces of cardboard to be photographed.
Gertie was the beginning of stop motion animation, as we know it today, a series of images played in quick succession to create the illusion of movement.
From here the development of projections and photography, animated films became easier to produce with drawings photographed to create animation. Later, objects that could not move on their own were photographed after being moved small amounts, taking a picture and repeating to simulate the object moving on its own.
More recently, stop motion has been used to produce TV shows and films like ‘Wallace and Gromit’ where clay is used to create moving characters, vehicles and animals interacting with each other. Advanced in technology enable film makers to use computer software to move the subjects once photographed, technology development also mean movie making is more accessible to anyone and as a result, home made stop motion are all over the internet, from drawings in succession or moving inanimate objects, to moving action figures and Lego minifigures and even a recent advert features the facial hair of men moving around the face, made with various photographs and using editing software to swap parts of the photographs with other to create anything they want.
Now, even with a basic camera and computer equipment, if you have the time there is no limit to what can be done in a stop motion animation.
Task 2, Treatment
Working Title: Lego Star Wars Cloud City parody
This animation will be a Lego representation of the Cloud City scene from ‘Star Wars- The Empire Strikes Back’ with a twist at the end. It is a sci-fi comedy version of the capturing of Han Solo, Princess Leia and Chewbacca. It will be accurate enough for viewers to recognise the scene but with changes to make it an original parody clip. The clip will show six characters interacting with each other over a soundtrack and sound effects. The movement will include using weapons, moving arms and legs, flying characters and objects and even moving parts of the set.
· Intended for roughly ages 7-60 but should be enjoyable for all ages.
· Targeted at, but not limited to, boys and men.
· Lego, Star Wars, Animation
· Enjoyable with no prior knowledge, better with knowledge of ‘Star Wars- The Empire Strikes Back’
Treatment
Synopsis:
Lando Calrissian leads Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa and Chewbacca into a trap where Darth Vader is waiting for them. Han and Leia attempt to shoot Vader but his use of the force relieves them of their weapons.
In the freezing chamber, Vader orders Boba Fett to lower Han into the carbonite to be frozen, but when his is pulled back out; the result is not as they had hoped.
Genre: Sci-fi, Comedy, Animation
Length: 35 seconds
Characters: Lando Calrissian, Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Gingerbread Man (as Han Solo)
Crew:
Story by Joshua Peaple
Photographer/cinematographer- Joshua Peaple
Light and sound- Joshua Peaple
Editing- Joshua Peaple
Music- John Williams
Lighting:
1x 800w studio light
1x square umbrella
Schedule: Friday 31st October
Set up- 10:00
Record- 11:00
Break- 13:00
Edit- 14:30
Finish- 17:00
Equipment:
1x studio light
2x white painted cardboard sets
Nikon d3000 and remote release
Tripod
Props:
Floor panels for characters to stand on
2x blaster guns
Red lightsaber
Meeting table
Door switch
Carbonite chamber
Truck wheel for platform
Shot list:
Behind closed doors, Lando opens doors
Inside room, doors opening
Zoom on Darth Vader
Han and Leia shooting
Vader using the force
Guns flying through the air
Vader catching the guns
Vader orders Boba Fett to lower Han
Pull focus
Han goes into chamber
Gingerbread Man is lifted out
Vader is angry, Boba flies away
This animation will be a Lego representation of the Cloud City scene from ‘Star Wars- The Empire Strikes Back’ with a twist at the end. It is a sci-fi comedy version of the capturing of Han Solo, Princess Leia and Chewbacca. It will be accurate enough for viewers to recognise the scene but with changes to make it an original parody clip. The clip will show six characters interacting with each other over a soundtrack and sound effects. The movement will include using weapons, moving arms and legs, flying characters and objects and even moving parts of the set.
· Intended for roughly ages 7-60 but should be enjoyable for all ages.
· Targeted at, but not limited to, boys and men.
· Lego, Star Wars, Animation
· Enjoyable with no prior knowledge, better with knowledge of ‘Star Wars- The Empire Strikes Back’
Treatment
Synopsis:
Lando Calrissian leads Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa and Chewbacca into a trap where Darth Vader is waiting for them. Han and Leia attempt to shoot Vader but his use of the force relieves them of their weapons.
In the freezing chamber, Vader orders Boba Fett to lower Han into the carbonite to be frozen, but when his is pulled back out; the result is not as they had hoped.
Genre: Sci-fi, Comedy, Animation
Length: 35 seconds
Characters: Lando Calrissian, Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Gingerbread Man (as Han Solo)
Crew:
Story by Joshua Peaple
Photographer/cinematographer- Joshua Peaple
Light and sound- Joshua Peaple
Editing- Joshua Peaple
Music- John Williams
Lighting:
1x 800w studio light
1x square umbrella
Schedule: Friday 31st October
Set up- 10:00
Record- 11:00
Break- 13:00
Edit- 14:30
Finish- 17:00
Equipment:
1x studio light
2x white painted cardboard sets
Nikon d3000 and remote release
Tripod
Props:
Floor panels for characters to stand on
2x blaster guns
Red lightsaber
Meeting table
Door switch
Carbonite chamber
Truck wheel for platform
Shot list:
Behind closed doors, Lando opens doors
Inside room, doors opening
Zoom on Darth Vader
Han and Leia shooting
Vader using the force
Guns flying through the air
Vader catching the guns
Vader orders Boba Fett to lower Han
Pull focus
Han goes into chamber
Gingerbread Man is lifted out
Vader is angry, Boba flies away
Task 3, Production
Task 4, Evaluation
I am happy with the final result of my stop motion video. I like the look and feel of the hand-made set with only Lego, cardboard, and a small amount of foil used for the entire set. The movement of the characters and mechanics flows well without jumping. The process of taking the photos and moving the figures was easier than I expected but the in computer editing took a lot longer than I had anticipated with the orders of the frames and all the different sound effects to think about. I am particularly proud of the focus pull consisting of 4 frames with the focus adjusted slightly in each to pull the focus from the background to the foreground.
After getting feedback from a range of viewers, the overall response was that my video is a well-made parody of a recognisable film that relates well to the original. The audience generally likes the comedic aspect of the film and the sound effects used throughout. There were also comments of the composition of the frames, the use of focus and depth of field, and the ‘DIY’ aesthetics of the set.
This is an encouraging response to my first stop motion video, which has shown me a new way of making videos and one that I am sure I will use again soon.
After getting feedback from a range of viewers, the overall response was that my video is a well-made parody of a recognisable film that relates well to the original. The audience generally likes the comedic aspect of the film and the sound effects used throughout. There were also comments of the composition of the frames, the use of focus and depth of field, and the ‘DIY’ aesthetics of the set.
This is an encouraging response to my first stop motion video, which has shown me a new way of making videos and one that I am sure I will use again soon.