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Stop Motion: Craft Skills for Model Animation, 3rd Edition

Name: Stop Motion: Craft Skills for Model Animation, 3rd Edition
Author: Susannah Shaw
ISBN: 9781317675167

by Susannah Shaw

January 2017

Intermediate to advanced

248 pages

6h 34m

English

Routledge

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Cover Page
Halftitle Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Author
1 Introduction: Playing God
What is stop motion?Nature and caricatureWhat this book is for?
2 Getting Equipped
What do you need?Choosing a cameraWebcamSmartphone or tabletDigital single-lens reflexLensesFocal lengthAnimation software/frame grabbersTripodsLightingThe animator’s toolkitRecording soundEditingGlossary
3 Getting Animated
Animating familiar objects as a first approachSetting up for the first timeColor correctionFile naming and storageNotes on movementTiming: Single frame or double frame?Squash and stretchAir resistanceThe X-sheetPlanningThe old ones are the bestGlossary

4 Keep it Simple: Developing Your Story
Idea–script–treatmentThe scriptFind a good editorTreatmentPlanning your shots: Basic film grammar/composition of shotsAspect ratioPlanFilm grammarHow to set up your shots and give them continuity?Camera angleMotivationContinuityCrossing the lineReverse angle shotsCamera move in a shot (pan, tilt, zoom, track)FocusSoundThe storyboardVisualizationEditing: Animatics and story reels
5 Coat Hangers for Armatures: Making Your Own Model
Character designStaying uprightWorking with modeling claysMaking your own puppetSimple wire and Plasticine puppetDurable clothed puppetList of materials used to make this model
6 Advanced Model Making
The maquetteBall-and-socket armatureMaking your own ball-and-socket armatureHumanoid jointsRigging pointsReplacements and 3D printingReplacementsRapid prototype or 3D printingMould making: Hard and soft mouldsThe sculptTexturesUndercutsSeamsMaking a hard mouldPlaster mouldsResin mouldsMaking a soft mouldSilicone mouldsPlasticine press mouldsCastingModel making masterclass: ScaryCat Studio and the Duracell bunnyGlossary of model making materials
7 Four Walls and a Sky: Sets and Props
Research the lookDesign and building of setsScaleThe baseCreating landscapesBuildingsInterior setsPractical lightsExterior setsForced perspectiveMaking propsRiggingGlossary of materials for sets
8 Sound Advice: The Voice Track
Pre-productionRecording dialogVoice techniquesRecordingSound breakdownLip syncA rough guide to mouth shapes: Look in the mirrorMusic and effects copyright
9 The Mechanics of Movement
Studies from observationUsing live referenceThe invaluable muybridgePosing the modelBalanceLine of actionTimingWeightLifting a heavy boxCreating a sense of weightAnticipation, action, and reactionHands and feetFollow-throughSnapBreaking up the movementWalking and runningRiggingRelaxed walk: 16 FramesFast walk: 8–12 Frames (one full step)Run: Six frames (four steps per second)The illusion of speedAnimal and bird movementFour-legged animalsLizardBirds’ walkBirds’ flight
10 The Performance
Character animationComedy and comic timingEyelinesBlinkingMore than one characterSubtle character animation
11 Ready to Shoot
LightingMeasuring lightCalibrate your monitorColor temperature and lighting gelsLighting the backgroundHealth and safety issuesSetting up the shotCamera positionShutter speedDepth of fieldCamera movesMotion controlBlocking out your shotsYour own welfareShootingShooting with a rigChroma key or green screenCheckerboardingUsing glassSpecial effects: Tips and hintsFire and explosionsCamera shakeRainFootprints in the snowWaterSmokeFog/mistWindMotion blurConsider the editorFinal checks before you hit that buttonGlossary
12 Post-Production
The picture editCompositingSoundMixing together the layers of sound to make the final soundtrack for the filmTitles and creditsExporting your final filmGlossary
13 Getting the Job: The Business of Animation
Know where you standDifferent work, different studiosCommercialsSeriesTV specialsFeaturesCase study: Creature comfortsApplying for jobsYour showreelFestivalsSending proposals to commissioning editors
14 Animation Masterclass: Teresa Drilling
The modelOn what creates a characterFirst positionThe extreme downward positionBeginning the upward moveSlowing down at the top of the moveSettling into final position
Index

Overview

Stop motion animation is a challenging and time-consuming skill that requires patience, adaptability, and a close eye to detail. Stop Motion: Craft Skills for Model Animation, 3rd Edition

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