What is a stop motion movie?

Stop motion (also known as stop action) is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence.

Where do I begin?

Do you want to create movies such as Wallace and Gromit or those groovy Lego shorts on YouTube, than let’s start with your first stop motion animation.

First get objects and figures to use in your movie. Some good choices include clay, wire, Lego or similar building block figures, Playmobil™ figures, small dolls with a lot of flexibility, or string and wooden bead characters.

Set up the figures (characters) in a particular position and within their set. Place your camera in front of the “set” that you are going to take photos of. Check that it can view the entire frame. It is very important to support the camera or place it so that it is sitting steadily and cannot shake as you take the photos. Otherwise, the end result will appear chaotic and lack continuity. Keep in mind that the more photos, the smoother the video results. In single frame, 24 pictures equals one second of film. It’s best to take two pictures of the same shot, so you only require 12. For the first picture you have to choose quality (HD or SD) and the orientation (landscape or portrait) you want to use for your video. Now all you have to do is to press the capture button to take the first picture of your movie. Please bear in mind that the first picture defines the camera, orientation and quality for the rest of your movie.

Begin the movement sequence. Move the figure bit by bit – very small movements each time. It may be the entire body if the figure is walking, or it may just be an arm, head or leg. If you are moving only one body part and you find that the figure is tilting or threatening to fall over, make use of poster tack under the feet or other area touching part of the set.

Repeat the movement sequence until your action step is completed.

Go back to the home screen. Now press the play button to watch your first stop motion animated movie. You can also upload your work to Facebook or YouTube to impress all your friends.

If you feel your movie is missing something it’s because you haven’t added music or sound. Just go into the movie editor. There you add music from your iPod library or record sound for your movie. Within the movie editor you can even add amazing effects to your movie.

If you want to create an even more exciting movie try to record several scenes with different camera angles or different settings. You can create a new scene using the + button on the main project explorer screen. After you have a few scenes, export them to your photo library and use iMovie to add them together. With iMovie you can also add music and transitions.

Can I add music or sound to my movie?

Of course you can. Just go into the movie editor. There you add music from your iPod library or record sound for your movie.

Can I add effects like sepia or black and white to my movie?

Yes you can. Just touch the button with the film stripe and the music note in the project explorer. From there touch your movie clip. Within the dialog you can change the speed or add one of the amazing effects.

What does FPS mean?

The ‘FPS’ option defines the number of frames in your video. For example you have selected 20 FPS with an interval of one second. That means you need 20 frames for one second in your video.

How can I change the speed of my movie?

The speed of your movie is defined as frames per second or FPS. You can change the speed of you movie in the movie editor. Just touch the button with the film stripe and the music note in the project explorer. From there touch your movie clip. Within the dialog you can change the speed or add one of the amazing effects.

Keep in mind that the more photos, the smoother the video results. In single frame, 24 pictures equals one second of film. It’s best to take two pictures of the same shot, so you only require 12.

Can I create a movie in landscape orientation?

Of course you can. Just hold you device in the orientation you want to have your new movie, when you take the first picture. The first picture defines the camera, orientation and quality for the rest of your movie.

I do not want to approve each picture. How do I do that?

You can disable the preview if you do not want to approve each picture. Just open the option panel and deselect preview. This is the last button in the panel. On the iPhone or iPod you may have to scroll all way to the right.

What is the preview for?

The preview gives you and idea how your movie will look like. motion movie. You can see every single picture you took here.

How can I edit my movie?

Open ‘cut’ window from within the option panel. Within the preview you can delete or retake frames. There are two buttons on the left side to retake or delete the current frame.

I want to change the camera view again, but the icon disappeared. How do I change the camera view?

The first picture defines the orientation, camera and quality for the movie. If you need to have several scenes just start a new movie or clip in this case and add them all together using iMovie.

Can I send my movie by eMail?

Sure. Just touch the little share icon. If the share icon is not available make sure your video is rendered first.

Can I access my movies with iTunes?

Sure. Just go to the ‘Apps’ tab in iTunes and scroll down until you see the ‘File Sharing’ entry. Now select ‘Stop Motion’ and you can manage all your records.

How can I upload my movie to YouTube or Facebook?

Just touch the little share icon. If the share icon is not available make sure your video is generated first.

I would like to a title screen. How can I do that?

Just download the Apple iMovie app from the AppStore. Within iMovie simple select your movie from camera roll. iMovie allows you to edit your movies. You can add music, transitions, scenes and much more.

The app crashes when I try to play my movie. What can I do?

Please update your device to the current iOS version.  To update your device using iTunes:

1. Connect your device to your computer using the included USB cable.
2. After iTunes opens, select your device when it appears in iTunes under Devices.
3. Click “Check for Update” in the Summary pane to check for available updates.
4. If an update is available, iTunes prompts you to download and install the update. Do not disconnect your device until the update has finished.