Lights, Camera, Stop Motion!

Problem Description:

You have been asked to design and create a stop motion animation. You have freedom to decide what your animation should be about, but you will have to supply props and actors yourself.

The easiest things to use to create your animation are toys. Here are some things that you might have at home that you could use

• Lego - especially minifigs
• Toy cars, toy robots, or toy robots that turn into toy cars
• Model planes and tanks
• Dolls

Remember: Your group will be using what you bring in to make the animation, so it should be something that you don't mind them using.

Your teacher will provide you with the Design Your Own Website Worksheet via Google Classroom.

Analyse:

In your group, make a list of all the toys and similar resources that the people in your group would be willing to bring in. Everyone in the group should list these on their worksheet. This will let you know what will be available to use in your animation.

Design:

Everyone in the group should complete a storyboard sheet showing what they think should happen in your groups animation.

Once everyone has created a storyboard for your group's animation you should discuss your final design. You can either choose one member's design or create a new design that uses parts from different group members' designs

Preparation:

Identify pictures that can be used to dress the sets in your stop motion animation. One member in your group should submit the pictures to your teacher via edmodo for colour printing.

Remember - the set for your stop motion animation will look something like this:

You will be given a box to mount backgrounds on.

Create:

Now create your groups animation by taking the following steps

• Take the pictures you need with your digital camera
• Import the pictures into Serif DrawPlus
• Add any post production effects that you want
• Export the finished animation as an animated GIF

Extension:

Try creating some of the designs created by other members of the group. You can split your group in two, with one half taking pictures and the other half turning them into animations. Alternately, look at the Morph Returns exercise

Show your ability to design and create solutions by:

• Choosing a suitable topic for your animation
• Creating a storyboard
• Evaluating your work

Show your ability computer hardware and software at level 4 by

• Taking pictures without error
• Importing and animating pictures
• Including post production effects
• Making an animation of many frames that plays smoothly

Your worksheet and animation should be submitted electronically via Google Classroom. Hand in your paper storyboard diagram to your teacher.