Stop motion videos are becoming popular as people want to share something with all of their creativity. Stop motion is popular not only in cell making but also for short films and videos for social media. In the current scenario when every creator wants to stand out, using stop motion to create videos will be a great idea to attract more views.
The animation technique allows for only one frame to be captured at a time and then all the photos are woven together to narrate a story. Stop motion photography and videography goes hand in hand and a person has to be very specific with the shorts in the frame. The idea is to move the focal objects slightly with each short in order to show seamless movement.
It is mostly seen in animated movies to give an impression that the object is moving on its own. Stop motion in a series of multiple photos stitched together with each photo having a significant difference from the one displayed before. In this guide, we will talk about the details of creating stock motion videos like professionals.
Table of Contents
How to Begin?
There is a lot of repetitive work involved in stock motion videography with minimal changes before each photo is taken. The beginning to the end will require at most concentration from the creator and attention to details every step of the way. From setting the scene to photography and editing, one should be aware of how the frames are stitched together and whether they convey the same message you want to put out.
Set the Scene
The first step to creating an impressive video is to begin with an attractive scene. The scene and the elements included should all sit in a frame as per the vision of the creator. Even if the scene changes and the camera gradually moves, the transition should be seamless including all the movement of the elements. You can take assistance from professionals at a Video Production Company like motionvideos.uk who deal with stop motion animation and design.
Stop motion videography can be completed with just one set scene for films with smaller durations. However, if you are creating content for multiple minutes, you might require a change of scenery to further the storytelling. It would require crisp editing and the right scene selection which goes with your native technique as a filmmaker.
Take a Shot and Change it Up
An aspect of stop motion videography that you will be reporting for multiple instances is clicking a picture and changing something. When you decide the frame and set up your camera which will not be moving, you can begin filming. Filming requires clicking one picture then going to the set and changing the elements just a little.
Then, you will be coming back to the camera and clicking another shot. The process will be repeated until the entire theme is complete. It can take several hours and several days depending on the duration of the film. One thing that you cannot negotiate with during the photography process is the stability of your camera.
Whether you are using a professional camera or your phone, it should be fixed in a certain position on a tripod or a stand. Make sure that you do not accidentally move the camera as it can lead to loss of progress. Even a slight movement in the camera angle can create deviation in the videography.
Edit and Stitch
If you are creating the video on your phone you can use one of the many mobile applications for the same. However, if it is done through a professional camera you might need to upload the pictures onto your computer and then edit them according to sequence. The editing can be subjective depending on the time frame of the video.
Social media videos are usually 15 seconds, 30 seconds, or 45 seconds. But if you are using stop motion videos for some other project where longer duration is required, proper editing and stitching is necessary. You will have to queue up the photos in a sequential manner and remove the duplicate results.
What Should You Keep In Mind?
The format of creating a stop motion video might be simple but it has some rules that you need to follow. The hard work you put in will be directly dependent on how long you want the video to be. Because the photos will be curated in a faster frame rate, any creator would require doesn’t or hundreds of photos for a proper narration.
It is very important to be specific with your intent in order to tell a story exactly the way you want to. If the story is supposed to follow a certain direction, every frame counts especially if you are running on a limited time period. Here are some things to keep in mind while creating videos:
- Always remove any duplicate shorts because they will be increasing the screen time without adding any worth to the narration.
- If there are similar shots with minimal movement which is not noticeable when the video plays, it is better to remove it and add something which will add more to the story.
- Even if the photos are moving at a higher frame rate, one cannot compromise on quality. The focus should be on the sharpness of the images and all the blurry shorts should be deleted. It will give a very unprofessional impression if the video has blurry frames in the final product.
The Takeaway
Be open to experimenting and creating your own concept with this technique. The process is undoubtedly time taking but highly rewarding because of the uniqueness. It can be used for social media, ad videos, short-film making, and for animated projects. Many production studios have already used this technique successfully to create blockbuster movies. It is a good medium for story telling by setting the scene just according to the creator’s vision.
