Animations are a brilliant tool that can capture your imaginations perfectly, which sometimes is difficult to achieve through live-action shoots. It has almost no boundaries, you pick the budget and accordingly, you can opt for the type of animation which is practically possible within the same. There is no hustle bustle of shoots and the lengthy period of planning associated with them. Further, due to the various reasons, companies are more and more drifting towards animations to communicate with their existing consumers and also to lure new ones. Here are a few points, which can help you in making brilliant stop- motion animations.
- Any animation video maker or company will tell you that the main thing that must be taken care of while making stop-motion animation is to get inspiration before thinking or finalising any idea. Stop motion animation involves making a video with photographs, so first of all think about a story or an act that you want to show through these photographs and only then you’ll be able to proceed towards the right direction. The beauty of stop motion is such that even the simplest of the things can look innovative, therefore you must look around for some kind of inspiration which can help you in your work.
- Animated business video makers often rely on scripts to convey their stories, but for stop-motion animations, you are also dependent on the photographs that you take. So, make a plan that will let you get the best results as easily as possible. You can also make rough sketches to get a better idea about the look and feel and to make sure you get all the necessary frames.
- Now comes one of the most important parts, which is the shoot itself. Unlike other shoots, stop-motion doesn’t require a huge crew and can be completed easily, but precision is of utmost importance. You must ensure that there is no shake in the pictures and each and every photograph is taken with the same settings, which will make your work easier in the post. Lighting should also be the same in all pictures and to be safe you can take some random photos to test the look. Use equipment like a tripod to make sure the pictures are stabilised and the frame is not altered. Also, it is advised that you shoot without any interruption and take more pictures than what you actually require. It will help you in case there are some mistakes.
- Last but not the least, is the edit part. Experiment with the music and sound effects for better results and don’t be afraid to tweak photographs. Sometimes, adjustments will be necessary to get the required result therefore, you should know how to play around with the pictures. Adjust colours, play with highlights and exposure to get more visually pleasing animations and be sure to remove any extra photographs which doesn’t add value to your stop motion animation.
(This article has been contributed by The Visual House script writer and assistant director Shekhar Dahal, and AnimationXpress does not necessarily subscribe to these views)
