Stop Motion Case Study

Jessie Noble

Category: Creative

05.02.2019

Ever since we built our new studio, we have been interested in experimenting with stop motion content, which is why our design and video teams recently joined forces to produce a proof of concept. After sketching out a few phrase ideas, we settled on “Hoppy Spring” since Easter was right around the corner.

Step One
Brainstorm what types of objects would work best to create the letterforms, but also have a dualed emphasis on Spring

Step Two
Purchase over ten pounds of candy and an assortment of tulips and greenery

Step Three
Get to work

Creating the Experience

Using an enlarged version of our planning sketch, we created a rough stencil of the composition to sit on the flat layout backdrop and then began piecing everything together with the candy. Skittles, Jelly Beans, and Good & Plenty ended up as the main players in our composition. After the flowers were arranged around the border, we were able to check how it looked from above using the iPad and corrected anything that had shifted out of place. We planned out how many frames each large movement would take and followed that road map. Working backward, we started with the full composition and shifted or removed objects little by little between each camera shot until the last jelly bean disappeared.

Producing the Video

From a technical standpoint, this project required a little patience and consistent lighting. The effect has the biggest impact if each shot matches perfectly. That way the viewer’s eyes are drawn to the objects rather than changes in composition or lighting and the illusion of movement present. We used our powerful Aperture 300d spotlight through a 6×6 diffusion sheet to create a soft daylight environment to help achieve this effect. Next, we attached our camera to a C-stand so that we could get a top-down view of the composition. The camera was digitally tethered to an iPad via wifi, which allowed for wireless control of the shutter while the camera remained above the display and out of reach.

Moving forward we would love to incorporate different camera angles like close-ups and additional b-roll to go with the wider overhead view. This we can showcase different elements of the production in greater detail.

Equipment Used

  • DSLR Camera
  • 24-70mm lens
  • 3X C Stands
  • 6×6 diffusion sheet
  • Aperture 300d
  • iPad with wireless tethering

So how’d we do?
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