Do you know what I mean by "stop motion" animation? It's basically a video made out of a whole string of still shots--each with small variations that you then play one after another quickly so that it makes it appear that there is actual movement occurring. It's an old method of movie making--and is very fun to create--though also very time-consuming.
The Stop Motion Animation Kit by Stopmotion Explosion comes in a nice box, about the side of a thick book--and when you open it up, it is full of goodies!
For those of you who are like my son (and husband haha!) who like to unpack a box and jump right in, there's a quick start guide to get you started taking pictures and making animated movies right away! (I really appreciate quick start guides--they're kind of a half-way step between diving in without reading anything and reading a full instruction manual.)
There is also one thick book (276 pages!) which gives instructions that will allow the reader to create a huge variety of animations. It is super clear and easy to follow...from the directions about how to get started and put the software on your computer to how to write (and edit and re-write) a script. There are descriptions (and photos) of how to make a figure such as a lego minifigure or some other jointed figure appear to be taking steps for walking or running. There is a really neat illustration of how to make different mouth shapes to make your creation appear to be speaking the words/sounds in your script (I think this is so cool). There are segments which discuss different types of animations (and the history of animation). A chapter shows how to add sound or voices; another one clearly helps the reader learn how to do special effects and layering. From the beginner to the experienced film-maker, readers on a huge spectrum of animation experience will find ideas they can utilize.
You know what else is in this Stop Motion Animation Kit? A very cool and easy-to-use webcam which can hold onto something with a bendy attachment--and it makes great pictures!
This webcam, together with the Stopmotion Explosion program, makes it very easy to set up and take (and see) your pictures which you are snapping frame by frame, right on the screen of your computer (you can also download it onto a phone and use its camera--we did not try that method!)
This little box pops up and once you have named a file program to save, you have the ability to hit the "grab" button as you see the picture you want on the screen. You continue grabbing pictures, changing the scene, and grabbing another one. When you have enough, you can save the pictures, export them, or play them (at your chosen speed).
There are other options you can choose, things like resolution (the book tells you how to decide what is best for your computer and your project) and frames per second for the speed of each picture.
You continue taking photos and then you can save the pictures and use them with a movie-making program of your choosing (the book advises you to use Windows Live Movie Maker, which is actually no longer available to download...but there is a photo app on the Windows 10 platform which can be used--there are other options given as well).
Are you wondering how we used this set? Well, I had mentioned that my kids had make stop motion animated movies before -- check out their videos from many years ago about weatherization (Button-up Bob) and King Henry VIII and His Six Wives. When they made those, it was with an old digital camera and they had to take the pictures, transfer them to the laptop, then pop them into a movie-making program. With this Stop Motion Animation Kit, the webcam and the Stopmotion Explosion software, the actual taking of the pictures is so much easier--just hit the grab button and move along--and better yet--you can hit "play" and see a preview of your film before you even add it into a movie making program.
Also, since our experience was already with Lego minifigures, we were inspired to try different methods of animation--the whiteboard and marker :) (check out all of the great ideas in the book! We especially like the idea of the sand on a light box--that will be our next experiment!)
Are you curious to view one of the things we came up with? Here's a super-short movie which will hopefully give you a little chuckle. It is entitled "Hair".
Are you giggling?
At any rate, this is just a small explanation of the treasures which are found in the Stop Motion Animation Kit. I definitely recommend this kit--it would make a great gift for someone--and honestly it is not just for young kids--it is fun for high schoolers as well as adults--and is written in a way that even a beginner can be quickly succesful. I recommend you read some of the other reviews below to get a more full look at what this encompasses!
Click on the box below to read some other folks' information about this great product!
Too cute!
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