Stop motion video is an excellent creative tool for portraying growth and change over time. Far from the days of claymation, modern stop motion video allows the creator to create the sense of movement in otherwise stationary objects by moving those objects in the increments between capturing each piece of the video. When the video plays back, it will create a cohesive sense of movement.
Looking for information on how to do stop motion animation? Read on to Learn more.
What is Stop Motion Software?
Stop motion is an animation technique in which the creator takes stills of the image, then combines them to create a flowing video that creates the illusion of movement.
Stop motion software helps bring all of those still images together, creating a comprehensive, flowing video from those still frames.
How to Use Stop Motion Software
With modern technology, creating and capturing stop motion video is easier than ever. Follow these steps to make the most of your video.
1. Set up your camera on a tripod.
In order to capture stop motion video effectively, you will need to still images captured in exactly the same location. A wavering camera or off-center set of images will make it appear as though your subject teleports from place to place or jumps around the screen, which is often not the effect you're looking for! By setting up your camera on a tripod, you can keep your subject perfectly centered and in focus as you create your video.
2. Capture your images.
Traditional film uses approximately 24 images per second. At a minimum, you should expect to need 12 images per second to capture your stop motion video. It can take a lot of shots to create your finished product, but it's well worth the effort!
3. Take a look at the frame-by-frame view.
If you need to do any editing on your images, you'll need to do it one frame at a time as you move through your animation. During editing, you can add emphasis, change minor elements of your subject, or add audio clips, credits, and more. Don't forget the sound that you want to add to your finished product! During editing, you can add dialogue and other key elements of your video to give your characters life.
4. Use loop playback to animate your piece.
You may want to choose specific segments of your existing footage, starting and stopping playback at a specific point, or to create a loop that will animate a continuous action: a fish spinning around in a circle, a rocket blasting off, or a character running across the screen repeatedly, for example. Sometimes, you may want to use the same footage on a loop for a period of time in order to create the effect you're looking for.
5. Add details by using your images as a canvas.
If you can add it to a traditional image, you can add it to your videos. Stop motion video editing software may allow you to add specific elements to several images in a row with the click of a button. Don't forget to add in those details to bring your video to life! You can also remove details that you don't want in the finished video, from an unwanted element that crept into the scene for a few shots to an element that you decide you no longer want to include.
Conclusion
Effective stop motion videos can provide you with an amazing creative outlet that will allow you to put together animated clips, share information, or highlight specific designs. Pinnacle Studio offers the editing features you need to bring those still images to life and transform them.