Stop Motion: CRAFT SKILLS FOR MODEL ANIMATION

✍ Scribed by Shaw, Susannah

• Publisher: CRC Press;Focal Press
• Year: 2017
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 247
• Edition: 3rd ed
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

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 is the essential guide to help stop motion animators overcome these challenges of this highly-skilled craft. Author Susannah Shaw provides a step-by-step guide to creating successful stop motioin films. Starting with some basic exercises, the reader will learn about developing a story, making models, creating sets and props, the mechanics of movements, filming postproduction, and how to set about finding that first elusive job in a modern studio

✦ Table of Contents

Content: Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Acknowledgments
Author
1 Introduction: Playing God
What is stop motion?
Nature and caricature
What this book is for?
2 Getting Equipped
What do you need?
Choosing a camera
Webcam
Smartphone or tablet
Digital single-lens reflex
Lenses
Focal length
Animation software/frame grabbers
Tripods
Lighting
The animator's toolkit
Recording sound
Editing
Glossary
3 Getting Animated
Animating familiar objects as a first approach
Setting up for the first time
Color correction
File naming and storage
Notes on movement. Timing: Single frame or double frame?Squash and stretch
Air resistance
The X-sheet
Planning
The old ones are the best
Glossary
4 Keep it Simple: Developing Your Story
Idea-script-treatment
The script
Find a good editor
Treatment
Planning your shots: Basic film grammar/composition of shots
Aspect ratio
Plan
Film grammar
How to set up your shots and give them continuity?
Camera angle
Motivation
Continuity
Crossing the line
Reverse angle shots
Camera move in a shot (pan, tilt, zoom, track)
Focus
Sound
The storyboard
Visualization
Editing: Animatics and story reels. 5 Coat Hangers for Armatures: Making Your Own ModelCharacter design
Staying upright
Working with modeling clays
Making your own puppet
Simple wire and Plasticine puppet
Durable clothed puppet
List of materials used to make this model
6 Advanced Model Making
The maquette
Ball-and-socket armature
Making your own ball-and-socket armature
Humanoid joints
Rigging points
Replacements and 3D printing
Replacements
Rapid prototype or 3D printing
Mould making: Hard and soft moulds
The sculpt
Textures
Undercuts
Seams
Making a hard mould
Plaster moulds
Resin moulds. Making a soft mouldSilicone moulds
Plasticine press moulds
Casting
Model making masterclass: ScaryCat Studio and the Duracell bunny
Glossary of model making materials
7 Four Walls and a Sky: Sets and Props
Research the look
Design and building of sets
Scale
The base
Creating landscapes
Buildings
Interior sets
Practical lights
Exterior sets
Forced perspective
Making props
Rigging
Glossary of materials for sets
8 Sound Advice: The Voice Track
Pre-production
Recording dialog
Voice techniques
Recording
Sound breakdown
Lip sync. A rough guide to mouth shapes: Look in the mirrorMusic and effects copyright
9 The Mechanics of Movement
Studies from observation
Using live reference
The invaluable muybridge
Posing the model
Balance
Line of action
Timing
Weight
Lifting a heavy box
Creating a sense of weight
Anticipation, action, and reaction
Hands and feet
Follow-through
Snap
Breaking up the movement
Walking and running
Rigging
Relaxed walk: 16 Frames
Fast walk: 8-12 Frames (one full step)
Run: Six frames (four steps per second)
The illusion of speed
Animal and bird movement
Four-legged animals.