Stop Motion dedication This book is dedicated to my mother, Francesca (1927–2006). Stop Motion Craft skills for model animation Second edition Susannah Shaw AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA First edition 2004 Reprinted 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Second edition 2008 Copyright © 2008, Susannah Shaw. Published by Elsevier Ltd. 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Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verifi cation of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress ISBN: 978-0-240-52055-1 For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at www.focalpress.com Typeset by Charon Tec Ltd (A Macmillan Company), Chennai, India www.charontec.com Printed and bound in Canada 08 09 10 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 contents acknowledgements ix chapter 1 introduction – playing God 1 what is stop motion? 1 nature and caricature 5 what this book is for 7 chapter 2 getting equipped 8 what do you need? 8 choosing a camera 9 lenses 12 animation software/frame grabbers 12 tripods 15 lighting 16 the animator’s toolkit 18 editing/sound 18 glossary 19 chapter 3 getting animated 21 animating familiar objects as a fi rst approach 21 setting up for the fi rst time 22 notes on movement 25 timing: single frame or double frame? 27 squash and stretch 29 the dope sheet/X-sheet 30 planning 32 chapter 4 keep it simple – developing your story 35 idea – script – treatment 35 planning your shots – basic fi lm grammar/composition of shots 38 the storyboard 43 editing – animatics and story reels 47 vi contents chapter 5 coat-hangers for armatures – making your own model 51 character design 51 working with modelling clays 54 making your own puppet 57 1. simple wire and plasticine puppet 57 2. durable clothed puppet 65 chapter 6 model makers – the professionals 76 the maquette 77 ball-and-socket armature 78 mould making – hard and soft moulds 83 casting 88 coloring 93 costumes/dressing 93 model-making masterclass – ScaryCat Studio and the Duracell bunny 95 glossary of model-making materials 100 chapter 7 four walls and a sky – sets and props 102 research the look 102 design and building of sets 103 interior sets 108 exterior sets 109 forced perspective 110 making props 111 rigging 112 glossary of materials for sets 113 chapter 8 sound advice – the voice track 114 pre-production 115 recording dialog 116 sound breakdown 117 lip sync 119 music and effects copyright 124 chapter 9 the mechanics of movement 125 studies from observation 125 posing the model 128 timing 129 weight 131 anticipation, action and reaction 134 walking and running 139 contents vii the illusion of speed 142 animal and bird movement 143 chapter 10 animation masterclass – Teresa Drilling 147 the model 148 on what creates a character 150 fi rst position 150 the extreme downward position 153 on Vinton’s 154 beginning the upward move 154 slowing down at the top of the move 158 settling into the fi nal position 162 chapter 11 the performance 166 character animation 166 comedy and comic timing 169 subtle character animation 173 chapter 12 the production process 176 lighting 177 health and safety issues 180 setting up the camera 181 shooting with a rig 184 special effects – tips and hints 188 fi nal checks before you hit that button 191 interview with Tim Allen 192 glossary 193 chapter 13 post-production 195 timecode 195 the picture edit 196 sound 197 titles and credits 199 exporting your fi nal fi lm 199 chapter 14 getting the job – the business of animation 200 know where you stand 201 different work, different studios 201 commercials 201 series 203 viii contents TV specials and features 206 applying for jobs 209 your showreel 209 starting out as a runner 210 festivals 210 sending proposals to commissioning editors 211 bibliography 213 appendix 1 software and recording equipment suppliers 215 appendix 2 manufacturers and outlets 217 appendix 3 calendar of animation festivals and fi lm festivals incorporating animation 221 appendix 4 animation courses that include or specialize in stop motion, and related organizations and websites 235 index 247 acknowledgements Thanks to Gary Jackson and Cat Russ of ScaryCat Studio; Tony Guy; Ian Mackinnon, Peter Saunders and Christine Walker of Mackinnon & Saunders; Barry Purves; Jeff Newitt; Guionne Leroy; Timothy Hittle; Sara Mullock; Helen Nabarro at the BBC Animation Unit; Nick Hilligoss at ABC; Ange Palethorpe, Glen Holberton and Emma Bruce at Loose Moose; John Schofi eld at bolexbrothers; Blair Clark at Tippett Studios; Lionel Orozco of Stop Motion Works; David McCormick; Helen Garrard; Tristan Oliver; Bob Thorne at Artem; Anthony Scott; Trey Thomas; Richard Goleszowski; John Wright at John Wright Modelmaking; Miguel Grinberg (Magpie); Brigid Appleby and Mark Hall of Cosgrove Hall; Jackie Cockle; Sarah Ball; Barry Bruce at Vinton’s; Nigel Cornford; James Mather; John Parsons; Brunsdon, Luis Cook, Nick Park, Sharron Traer, Dave Sproxton, Loyd Price, Gareth Owen, Dan Lane, Tom Barnes, Jan Sanger, Martin Shann, Ian Fleming and Michael Carter of Aardman Animations; Chris Webster at UWE; Rick Catizone; Chris Grace at S4C; Chris Hopewell and Ben Foley at Collision Films; Mary Murphy; Teresa Drilling; Johnny Tate; Tim Allen and Simon Jacobs. Model making and animation sequences for Chapters 5, 6, 9 and 11 created and ani- mated by ScaryCat Studio Model design, sculpt and animation sequences for Chapter 10 (and cover) created and animated by Teresa Drilling Model making for Chapters 3 and 10 by Johnny Tate Illustrations by Tony Guy and Susannah Shaw