Stop motion is a fun technique that can be used to make short animated films. Using the camera and a stop motion app on a smartphone or tablet, you take a series of pictures with slight changes between frames which gives the impression of movement.
We have included a ‘how to’ video to help you out, but you will be surprised how easy it is once you get started. Give it a go and remember to share your stop motion nature documentary with us.
What you will need:
- A smart phone or tablet
- A stop motion app
- Props and characters to star in your film (e.g. painted stones, Plasticine, salt dough, Lego, drawings on paper)
- Space for your film set
- Blue tack
How to make your stop motion film:
- Download a stop motion app on to your phone or tablet
- Sort through your ideas and decide on your characters and story- perhaps make a story board.
- Make or collect your props and characters (We used pens to make the badger characters on rocks, noodles for worms and soil, and foliage from the garden).
- Decide how you are going to film (camera facing down or to the front).
- Create your film set.
- Position your camera ( you can use a tripod or stand if front filming. If downward filming use a table or a piece of wood bridged over two chairs to balance your device on. Use blue tack to keep the camera in place.
- Keep things constant – pay close attention to lighting, shadows and wind, and don’t move the set or your camera.
- Take a picture: one frame = one picture.
- Move your characters and props a small amount between each picture. Take your time, the more frames in your film the more effective your finished product will be.
- The app does the rest. When you press play all the pictures (frames) are run together to give the illusion of motion.
- If you make a mistake or have a finger in shot you can easily delete a frame.
- You can also use a film editing app, like we have, to add music or a voice over.
This activity was developed as part of the Let’s Notice Nature initiative of Earn Your Stripes, in partnership with Scottish Badgers.
Share your stop motion using #DiscoverLearnPlay