To read this in Italian, click here.
Claymation is a project that takes time, but is really fun. The idea to make one was spontaneous, so we didn’t think it out clearly and did the whole thing (making dough, drawing, filming and cleaning up) in under an hour. Just think what your kids could do if you spent more time on it.
The kids drew out the background while we whipped up some playdough. They sculpted up their dinosaurs and we started clicking away. It was a good laugh because things kept falling or we forgot what we were moving but it all worked out in the end. It’s not Robot Chicken or Wallace and Gromit, but the kids are so proud anyways!
The film is put together in Windows Live Movie Maker (which we didn’t even realize we had, until we Googled how to make a stop motion film-so you probably have it to) and is easy to use. If we did it, so can you (and we’re sure you could do a much better job too!)
To do this project you will need:
- a digital camera
- a table
- clay (or playdough)
- things to draw or paint the scenery (background and floor)
- Windows Live Movie Maker
- music
Have the kids decide what the project will be. Push the table against the wall. Draw out the background and tape it onto the wall level with the table.
Sculpt out the characters. Set them up and you are ready to go. Put the camera on the table (you may have to put it on a few books to elevate it). Each character must move a little and then you take a picture. This must be done many times, it takes a lot of pictures to make a short film. (Our film is about 14 seconds long and there are about 50 pictures). When you are finished, open up Movie Maker and click and drag all your pictures in. You will also need to modify the duration of each photo (ours is about ,3 seconds, but for the characters to move smoother it should probably be about ,03 seconds), put your music in, save your film and you are ready to go!
ARTiculation360 