Production for Stop Motion Animation

Like the 2D animation post, this one looks at the stages of production within the Stop Motion animation pipeline. This notably has more steps to it, and the order varies compared to the 3D animation which I will be looking at last.

Stage 1: Armature
Armature is very similar to the rigging stage in the 3D animation process, except of course this is a physical object rather than a 3-Dimensional one on the computer. The armature is built using wire and a variety of mesh materials to create the joints to allow parts of it to move and also acts as a secure foundation to build upon. Without armature the structure would be unstable and unable to easily be animated.





Stage 2: Modelling
Modelling comes after the armature, again this is the same as the 3D animation, but is done in a different order. Plasticine or malleable clay is usually the choice material as it doesn't dry out and can be moved in any direction without the worry of it breaking. This is built up and around the base mesh as a template in layers until the desired character or set is completed.





Stage 3: Lighting
Lighting is next, again this helps to create the atmosphere of the piece. Lighting is also important for setting the scene, such as the time of day; soft orange lighting therefore gives the illusion of sunrise or the Summer. Lighting is also needed to help bring things to life and making them more believable, this is achieved by the addition of shadows and highlights.

Stage 4: Animation
Animation is the final part of the stop motion process. This is a time consuming part as the animator must move each piece of armature a small amount at a time whilst photographing each frame. The more minute the movements the smoother they will appear on play back. In scenes that require characters to talk, the animator may be required to change and replace parts of the face in order to show mouth movements and believable emotions.