BRIEF: In groups of 4 or 5 plan, write and film an animated Christmas story using stop motion. Download a free Stop Motion App on your mobiles or iPads. You have 6 weeks to complete your project as a team. Produce a script, storyboard and a 1:30 min film.

Watch You Tube videos on Stop Motion film making

STOP MOTION is an animation technique that physically manipulates an object so that it appears to move on its own. You can use toys, humans, household objects or Christmas items. Objects are moved slightly between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement.

Tim Burton is a famous stop motion artist (The Nightmare Before Christmas 1993/ Corpse Bride)

Peter Lord is a famous British animator famous for his plasticine animation film of Wallace and Gromit/ Chicken Run/ Arthur Christmas/ Flushed Away.

What kind of films do you like? Film genres: Comedy? Drama (real life situations)? Documentary? Western? Horror? Fantasy? Crime? Action adventure? Historical? Thriller? Romance? Science fiction? Gangster? Love story? War? Musical? Remember all stories have a beginning, middle and an end. You need to plan and create characters, setting, lights and sound.

CREW

Cinematographer – shoots the film

Set designer – in charge of designing and creating the sets that appear in films

Film director – (Steven Spielberg) visualises the script and directs technical crew and actors

Screenwriter – creates characters and writes the story

Stop Motion Animator – moves the characters during photo shoot

Animator – develop storyboards, drawings and illustrations