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Any suggestions to help kids interested in stop motion filming?


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I remember when I was in High School a friend had a camera (to make films) that had a little attachment where you pressed a button and it took one frame. So if you were doing claymation, you would set up your shot, press button, move one thing slightly, press button. Anyway it looked doable even for a kid.

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My kids are stop motion fiends. The best and easiest way we have found is an Itouch app. If you have an itouch with a camera or an ipad around, give it a shot. It really is fun! An itouch is one of the best things I ever got for my boys. So many ways to make things like stop motion and other creative things.

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My kids are stop motion fiends. The best and easiest way we have found is an Itouch app. If you have an itouch with a camera or an ipad around, give it a shot. It really is fun! An itouch is one of the best things I ever got for my boys. So many ways to make things like stop motion and other creative things.

 

OK, I am tech challenged so humor me here. We have an ipad but it seems like that is just big enough that it is hard for a kid to manage it to take repeated photos, but maybe not?

 

I also have a iphone, but not an itouch. Would that work the same?

 

Any idea what the app is called?

 

thanks!!

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My ds uses IKit Movie, and loves it. He attaches his webcam directly to the laptop and when he makes his lego movies he can take each screen shot without it moving around. I think it would be difficult to use an Ipad and not have the shot move slightly each time. You can have them watch some tutorials at brickfilms forums to get some good ideas.

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DS12 is a stop motion fiend. He uses his Cannon digital camera and Windows moviemaker to put it all together. He bought this little button think that plugs into his camera so he can take pictures without any camera shake. I'm not sure how the software works. I know he loads the images into it then adjust how long each frame shows until he gets the speed and smooth movement he wants. Then he records voice overs and somehow syncs it up. The program also lets him create his own opening/closing credits.

 

He has a video camera, too, but he doesn't use it for stop motion. He says the digital camera is easier. I also asked him what he would recommend. He said a decent stable tripod that locks the camera in place and isn't loose so it doesn't shift between frames. He has both a tabletop and a full-size tripod. He puts the tabletop one on top a rubber mat so it won't slide around. He also said to make sure new stop motion animators know they need a minimum of two or three frames a second to make the movement smooth, so keep the first couple videos only a couple minutes long. He's still shouting advice at me, but I can't keep up typing! :lol:

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He also said to make sure new stop motion animators know they need a minimum of two or three frames a second to make the movement smooth, so keep the first couple videos only a couple minutes long.

 

That is good advice. My kids always get frustrated when they try to do stop motion. They have these big, feature film length ideas and don't understand how much time goes in to that. I keep telling them to do a short video with only one thing moving through the scene to start.

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We have the kit from Timberdoodle, and my sons love it! It comes with a web cam. There are detailed instructions in the book on how to use it. Basically you set up your scene in front of your camera, click a button on the program on the computer, move your thing, click again, move your thing again, click again, etc.

 

It's a great beginner kit!

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