FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: What software do you use to make your videos?
A: I use Windows Live Movie Maker to create my animations.
Q: What camera do you use?
A: The camera I use is a Canon EOS Rebel T3i.
Q: What software do you use to edit your videos?
A: All effects are done manually without the use of editing. I occasionally use Photoshop to do minor things such as color correcting certain frames.
Q: How many Frames Per Second do you use?
A: Most of my stop motions run at 0.09 - 0.06 seconds per frame.
Q: What music is in the video?
A: Music: Halo "" by Martin O'Donnell
Q: Where do you get your sound effects?
A: Here's a link to Sergeant Major Avery Johnson's Channel. He takes sound effects directly from the Halo games, so all the sounds are authentic! / channel
Q: How do you get figures to walk?
A: I frequently use an adhesive material called "sticky tack" whenever I am positioning a figure to walk or when I'm having trouble balancing it.
Q: How did you get so good? How do I improve?
A: The ONLY way to improve your stop motions is to continue practicing. I've been doing stop motions (off and on, mostly off) for about 3 years to get to my current capabilities.
Here (below) are a few key beginner mistakes and fixes.
1a. Light flicker - individual images' lighting doesn't match perfectly, therefore, when the pictures are played quickly together, it appears as though the stop motion is flickering.
2a. How to fix the issue:
- Close off all sources of light (especially natural light from the sun).
- Position a lamp pointing onto your stop motion set.
- Added benefit -- Lighting is a principle element of composing intriguing stop motions.
1b. Unnecessary or unwanted camera movements that cause the stop motion to appear as if it is violently shaking.
2b. How to fix the issue:
- Use a tripod to hold your capture device. A tripod also enables you to position your camera from (almost) any angle.
- If not a tripod, then tape your camera into place
- If not tape, then use a form of sticky tack or similar substance.(tape/sticky tack may damage or leave residue on certain surfaces, use your personal discretion to decide if it is necessary).
1c. Not implementing properties of physics - To make a stop motion appear real, you'll have to apply the concepts of real life to it.
2c. How to fix the issue:
- You don't need a Master's Degree in physics.
- Understand that objects accelerate and decelerate (in stop motion, this is occasionally referred to as "easy-in and easy-out)".
- An object moving slow requires MORE images and as it moves faster (hence accelerates) it needs LESS pictures. When the entity comes to a stop, slowly take more and more images until it is no longer moving.
- This is unrelated to acceleration and deceleration, but figures shouldn't perform an action that requires force without some sort of
prior action to prepare for it. For instance, if a figure jumps it shouldn't simply propel forward. First, it must bend its knees and then swing its arms backwards in order to prepare to thrust itself into the air.
If you have any other questions and things of that nature, please leave a comment below! :D
-Dawson