This week I begin the process of creating my very first stop-motion film. Before the actual creation, however, I need to do the pre-production which includes planning the story and making a storyboard. Read more about this process from my previous post.

Reading & Writing: Color & Experimentation

This week’s reading from Liz Blazer’s Animated Storytelling covers two aspects of animation that make it quite unique: color sense and the “weird science” of experimentation. Both chapters can be summarized with a few lists.

Color can make an animated film very special, and what is neat about it is that the creator has the ability to color it however they please. Still, there are some basic principles to keep in mind:

• Limit the colors you use. Animation already involves having the viewer follow motion, so don’t make an array of colors compete for their attention. When in doubt stick to making the background much more subtle (almost as if it were white space) and make use of complimentary colors.
• Pick two main colors: one thematic, one accent. This not only makes it easier to follow the first principle, but it creates some continuity for the viewer so that they can easily associate one color with the main theme and another with opposing/complimentary forces.
• Above all else, follow your gut. Even though there are basic Western meanings applied to some colors that elicit certain emotions and the guidelines mentioned above, it is okay to break those boundaries and create something new. If everyone stuck to the same old rules, there would be no innovation!

On the note of following your gut comes the next chapter – experimenting. Blazer gives a few tips to help you get started on this vital step to creating a unique project:

• Now…go against your gut! Blazer argues that you are at your best creativity-wise when you are not worried about what people will think about your work. So, try your best to go against your instincts and create something bad. You will definitely learn something, and maybe even learn what you like!
• Challenge yourself. Do not stay in the comfort of what you know. There are so many techniques used in animated storytelling that you should explore – you may end up being very skilled in or loving a type of animation that you never even thought of.
• Do what you want – and you will prosper. Make projects that you want to get paid for. Your portfolio will end up being what people expect from you, so do what you want. The work you put into doing these personal projects will inevitably pay off!

If you are having trouble doing any of this on a project you are working on, start by looking at each key frame on your storyboard and look at every aspect that could be experimented with. It takes time, but that time will result in something that is uniquely yours.

Research to Inform: Stop-Motion Animations

This week I will be exploring some stop-motion animations for inspiration as I start to plan my own.

This video is the first thing that came to mind when I began my research. I remember seeing this when I was in middle school and being amazed by the creativity involved. The way they use these toys is amazing and the way they emulate a sound wave is entrancing. The little things are excellent in this as well – how the toys look scared or run away when they are about to meet their demise, how the sound waves go into the red when it’s peaking (for the Connect-4 and the Battleship ones), the colors of the play-dough matching the pattern of the crushed-up toys. After watching this years after first seeing it, it is obvious why this stuck to my mind.

Lee Hardcastle is an extremely talented stop-motion (mostly claymation) artist and filmmaker. However, his work is not for the lighthearted. This is actually the least terrifying and gory of his shorts, so I highly suggest you check him out if you can handle it – but I am warning you, it can get very disturbing. Something I have noticed in stop-motion filmmaking is that there are many disturbing animations. Even just looking back to my history of regrettable YouTube deep-dives things like Bobby Yeah and The Separation leave me feeling very…uncomfortable. (I mean how do I even stumble across this stuff??) My theory as to why stop-motion is a favorite for creepy vibes is because it is something that can be fully controlled and it is so close to real motion (but not) that it leaves an uncanny feeling in your mind. There is more on this subject in this great video essay.

For this film in particular there is a mix of live action, stop motion, and computer animation. The body and silhouette of the monster is stop-motion, its face close-up is CGI, and everything else in the film is live action. My favorite part of this short is the twist – it is truly terrifying!

This is another video that came to mind when I began my research. I am honestly impressed that it only took them six days! They do so many fun tricks like shaving and un-shaving his face, using banana peels as skates, and creating the illusion of flying in the air or walking on water. The part where the clothes come to life is very cool – I love the use of contrast to make the dancers invisible. There are a few parts where you can tell they just changed the frame rate on a video rather than take frame-by-frame photos like the part with the two judges, but this is still an extremely impressive video.

I added this video to this mix just to show that stop-motion doesn’t require a whole production crew – you can do it with your phone and a bit of creativity! This is basically a longer version of this Vine (which I think was the origin of the jumping-in-midair-a-bunch-to-look-like-you’re-flying fad) but it goes to show how anything can be achieved with the power of animation!

Yet another throwback for me – this video was sooo funny to me when I was in elementary school. Now…I guess I grew out of that type of humor. Still, this is a cute little animation that shows how creating odd characters can give joy to millions of people. It looks like there is a combination of stop-motion for Marcel’s movement and 2D animation for his mouth. The sound in this one is also charming – his squeaky walk matched with his squeaky voice works perfectly for the tone.

I added this last one because I was impressed with how much could be done with one type of object. The smoothness of some of the wave sequences is mesmerizing. I also appreciate the visualization of sound waves (like the other music video). Another reason I chose this one is because I was thinking of doing my own stop-motion short using the (too) many pens and pencils I have to journal with.

Create: Stop Motion Test & Ideas

Before I make my film I need to prepare by doing a creative brief and creating a storyboard. I also have to decide which one to do, which you are welcome to comment on. I am thinking of using whatever I make as an intro or outro for my YouTube videos so I have a lighthearted theme including journaling supplies for both.

For my first idea I have a short linear story about highlighters working together to include everyone. Check out my creative brief and storyboard here:

My second idea is a non-linear short where my pens escape their pencil case, have a creative party, and get swept back into the case once they are discovered. I think I prefer this one since it would fit better as an intro to a YouTube video. Here is that creative brief and storyboard:

Finally, I did a little test using my highlighters, camera, tripod, and some lights. Doing this test made me more aware of some things I should do when I go to create my final film. First of all I forgot to switch my file format to JPG in my camera so I had to go into Lightroom and export all 175 photos. My tripod was also a little bit shaky, so I will have to get a sandbag or put it in a more stable position. Overall, however, I am feeling good about this and I am excited to make my stop-motion film!