Task 1 - Understanding Stop Motion techniques
Stop
motion animation is an animation that is filmed by taking many pictures in
order to create a video. It is made by taking a picture of an object then
slowly moving it and taking another picture, this is repeated many times until
the animation is complete, it can take a very long time and patience is key.
One of the very first stop motion animation methods was the magic lantern, invented in 1650; it was operated using photographic slides. Most films made with the magic lantern were made with hand-coloured photographs. Each photograph was made into a slide, these slides were played after each other to create a moving image. This was the start of stop motion, a similar effect can be made with lots of pictures on different pages in a book, quickly flicking through the pages revealing a new image for a split-second creates a moving image effect similar to that made by the magic lantern. The first stop motion films go as far back as the 1890’s with The Humpty Dumpty Circus (1897), a film about a circus of animals and acrobats coming to life as if by magic.
Clay animation is a type of stop motion animation. Clay animation is animating objects usually made from Plasticine. An object is moved slightly as each picture is taken, so when the pictures are put together it creates a smooth-playing video. These pictures are referred to as frames, and the frames per second (FPS) of an animation is the number of pictures in each second of video. Popular clay animations such as Wallace and Gromit are filmed at 24fps. Most animations are usually filmed at 12fps, 15fps or 24fps. Taking so many pictures, adjusting the characters and every other object that needs animating takes a long time. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is an 80 minute film, but it took Aardman Animations (the company that creates Wallace and Gromit) an incredible 15 months to create the film. When Peter Sallis (the actor who voices Wallace) was asked to voice Wallace for one of the animations, it took so long to create the animation that by the time Aardman Animations got round to the voice acting stage, Peter Sallis had forgotten that he was supposed to voice Wallace. Shaun the Sheep, a popular kids TV show and spin-off of Wallace and Gromit, takes a week to make each episode, this is a long time as each episode averages at only eight minutes long. Aardman have 19 studio floors (or sets) working on the animation – that amounts to just seven seconds of film per studio per day.
Many music videos are made using stop motion and are renowned for being especially creative and surreal as well as being interesting and enjoyable too. Some examples of stop motion music videos are ‘Take On Me’, ‘Sledgehammer’ and ‘Strawberry Swing’. Stop motion is usually used in slower music videos where the song is sadder; this is because stop motion is a great way to emotionally connect with the audience. There was a recent stop motion music video released where the characters were made of string, the video is called ‘Moving On’ and it’s about getting over a loss and moving on. The video is very emotional and a large part of that emotion comes from the great display of the stop motion.
Stop motion is often used instead of CGI because it’s cheaper. The cost of clay models and animating them is relatively cheap compared to special effects seen in big films. Stop motion (clay animation especially) has a certain uniqueness that cannot be replaced by CGI animations such as Shrek or Toy Story, both of which are still of course fantastic films.
As well as being such a large stop motion animation icon, Wallace and Gromit has become a major British icon too. Its style is one of the most recognisable in the film/animation industry and is loved by millions of people, not only from across Britain, but worldwide.
One of the very first stop motion animation methods was the magic lantern, invented in 1650; it was operated using photographic slides. Most films made with the magic lantern were made with hand-coloured photographs. Each photograph was made into a slide, these slides were played after each other to create a moving image. This was the start of stop motion, a similar effect can be made with lots of pictures on different pages in a book, quickly flicking through the pages revealing a new image for a split-second creates a moving image effect similar to that made by the magic lantern. The first stop motion films go as far back as the 1890’s with The Humpty Dumpty Circus (1897), a film about a circus of animals and acrobats coming to life as if by magic.
Clay animation is a type of stop motion animation. Clay animation is animating objects usually made from Plasticine. An object is moved slightly as each picture is taken, so when the pictures are put together it creates a smooth-playing video. These pictures are referred to as frames, and the frames per second (FPS) of an animation is the number of pictures in each second of video. Popular clay animations such as Wallace and Gromit are filmed at 24fps. Most animations are usually filmed at 12fps, 15fps or 24fps. Taking so many pictures, adjusting the characters and every other object that needs animating takes a long time. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is an 80 minute film, but it took Aardman Animations (the company that creates Wallace and Gromit) an incredible 15 months to create the film. When Peter Sallis (the actor who voices Wallace) was asked to voice Wallace for one of the animations, it took so long to create the animation that by the time Aardman Animations got round to the voice acting stage, Peter Sallis had forgotten that he was supposed to voice Wallace. Shaun the Sheep, a popular kids TV show and spin-off of Wallace and Gromit, takes a week to make each episode, this is a long time as each episode averages at only eight minutes long. Aardman have 19 studio floors (or sets) working on the animation – that amounts to just seven seconds of film per studio per day.
Many music videos are made using stop motion and are renowned for being especially creative and surreal as well as being interesting and enjoyable too. Some examples of stop motion music videos are ‘Take On Me’, ‘Sledgehammer’ and ‘Strawberry Swing’. Stop motion is usually used in slower music videos where the song is sadder; this is because stop motion is a great way to emotionally connect with the audience. There was a recent stop motion music video released where the characters were made of string, the video is called ‘Moving On’ and it’s about getting over a loss and moving on. The video is very emotional and a large part of that emotion comes from the great display of the stop motion.
Stop motion is often used instead of CGI because it’s cheaper. The cost of clay models and animating them is relatively cheap compared to special effects seen in big films. Stop motion (clay animation especially) has a certain uniqueness that cannot be replaced by CGI animations such as Shrek or Toy Story, both of which are still of course fantastic films.
As well as being such a large stop motion animation icon, Wallace and Gromit has become a major British icon too. Its style is one of the most recognisable in the film/animation industry and is loved by millions of people, not only from across Britain, but worldwide.
Task 2 - Treatment
Part 1 - Rationale
Working title: ‘Pumpkin Head’.
Introduction: My animation will be made using stop motion. In order to do this I will create platicine figures to animate frame by frame to create a moving image. The theme of my film will be Halloween and will be around a minute and a half long.
How it fulfils the brief: My film will fulfil the brief by having a total duration of well over five seconds long.
Target audience: Children and young teenagers.
Ideology and values: My film doesn't necessarily have any values as it’s designed as a comedy with no real message behind it.
Context: My film would be broadcast online on a video streaming website such as YouTube, as a site such as this can be used for non-profit amateur films and entertainment.
Part 2 - Target audience
Age: The age range of my target audience is around 5-14 (children and young teenagers).
Gender: My film is not aimed at a specific gender, it’s made for both boys and girls.
Interests: Those with an interest of stop motion or comedy may find my film more appealing.
Prior knowledge: No prior knowledge is required to understand my film.
Values: There are no particular values as it’s a comedy with no real message behind it.
Institutions: I will host my film on YouTube as it’s a popular and free video streaming website which allows users to upload non-profit, amateur videos.
Part 3 - Treatment
Short synopsis: “Not everything is as scary as it seems this Halloween”.
Long synopsis: “There’s no real threat to a pumpkin-headed zombie, when the pumpkin-headed zombie is actually your husband”.
Genre/Form: Stop motion comedy.
Length: 2 minutes 10 seconds approx.
Format: 16:9 (widescreen) PAL.
Characters: Bernard and his wife, Beatrice.
Crew: One camera operator.
Lighting: Natural light.
Schedules: Midday (any day).
Feasibility: Very feasible so there shouldn't be any problems.
Sound: Occasional speech noises for the main character but no words and minimal (or none at all) music.
Deadline: 24th November 2014.
Equipment: Digital camera with an SD card capable of holding approximately 500 photos at once, a computer with video editing software and a disc to export the finished film.
Shot list/Storyboard: A combined shot list and storyboard is in another document.
Working title: ‘Pumpkin Head’.
Introduction: My animation will be made using stop motion. In order to do this I will create platicine figures to animate frame by frame to create a moving image. The theme of my film will be Halloween and will be around a minute and a half long.
How it fulfils the brief: My film will fulfil the brief by having a total duration of well over five seconds long.
Target audience: Children and young teenagers.
Ideology and values: My film doesn't necessarily have any values as it’s designed as a comedy with no real message behind it.
Context: My film would be broadcast online on a video streaming website such as YouTube, as a site such as this can be used for non-profit amateur films and entertainment.
Part 2 - Target audience
Age: The age range of my target audience is around 5-14 (children and young teenagers).
Gender: My film is not aimed at a specific gender, it’s made for both boys and girls.
Interests: Those with an interest of stop motion or comedy may find my film more appealing.
Prior knowledge: No prior knowledge is required to understand my film.
Values: There are no particular values as it’s a comedy with no real message behind it.
Institutions: I will host my film on YouTube as it’s a popular and free video streaming website which allows users to upload non-profit, amateur videos.
Part 3 - Treatment
Short synopsis: “Not everything is as scary as it seems this Halloween”.
Long synopsis: “There’s no real threat to a pumpkin-headed zombie, when the pumpkin-headed zombie is actually your husband”.
Genre/Form: Stop motion comedy.
Length: 2 minutes 10 seconds approx.
Format: 16:9 (widescreen) PAL.
Characters: Bernard and his wife, Beatrice.
Crew: One camera operator.
Lighting: Natural light.
Schedules: Midday (any day).
Feasibility: Very feasible so there shouldn't be any problems.
Sound: Occasional speech noises for the main character but no words and minimal (or none at all) music.
Deadline: 24th November 2014.
Equipment: Digital camera with an SD card capable of holding approximately 500 photos at once, a computer with video editing software and a disc to export the finished film.
Shot list/Storyboard: A combined shot list and storyboard is in another document.
stop_motion_treatment.docx | |
File Size: | 15 kb |
File Type: | docx |