Stop Motion: Craft Skills for Model Animation

To make great animation, you need to know how to control a whole world: how to make a character, how to make that character live and be happy or sad. You need to create four walls around them, a landscape, the sun and moon - a whole life for them. You have to get inside that puppet and first make it live, then make it perform. Susannah Shaw provides the first truly practical introduction to the craft skills of model animation. This is a vital book in the development of model animation which, following the success of Aardman's first full-length film 'Chicken Run',is now at the forefront of modern animation. Illustrated in full colour throughout you are shown step by step how to create successful model animation. Starting with some basic exercises, readers will learn about developing a story, making models, creating sets and props, the mechanics of movement, filming, post production and how to set about finding that elusive first job in a modern studio.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; Getting equipped; Getting animated; Keep it simple - developing your story; Coat hangers for armatures; Model makers - the professionals; Four walls and a sky - set and props; Recording dialogue/lip sync/editing sound; The mechanics of movement - animation; The mechanics of performance; Recording and/or filming; Completing the story; Getting the job - the business of animation; Useful websites; Animation festivals; Animation training; Suppliers; Bibliography/filmographies.

Review :
'A wonderful introduction to a rather complicated and unique art form.' Ray Harryhausen director of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, and Jason and the Argonauts 'Don't attempt stop motion before you read this book! Susannah has covered everything in this no-nonsense approach to the industry.' Richard Goleszowski director of Creature Comforts and Rex the Runt 'Stop Motion contains a huge amount of valuable information for the budding stop-frame film maker. A great addition to the film craft library.' David Sproxton, co-founder and Managing Director of Aardman Animations 'Practical, informative and full of quotes from key characters in the story of the stop-frame industry. I wish I'd had this book when I was a student.' Joan Ashworth, Head of Animation, Royal College of Art 'When it comes to animating, this excellent book covers timing of movement, story development from idea to script, compositing you shots, editing and so on. Susannah's book will certainly make you want to get out there and get started on model animation.' Pat Raine Webb, Animatoon magazine, February 2004 'A wonderful introduction to a rather complicated and unique art form.' Ray Harryhausen director of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, and Jason and the Argonauts 'Don't attempt stop motion before you read this book! Susannah has covered everything in this no-nonsense approach to the industry.' Richard Goleszowski director of Creature Comforts and Rex the Runt 'Stop Motion contains a huge amount of valuable information for the budding stop-frame film maker. A great addition to the film craft library.' David Sproxton, co-founder and Managing Director of Aardman Animations 'Practical, informative and full of quotes from key characters in the story of the stop-frame industry. I wish I'd had this book when I was a student.' Joan Ashworth, Head of Animation, Royal College of Art 'When it comes to animating, this excellent book covers timing of movement, story development from idea to script, compositing you shots, editing and so on. Susannah's book will certainly make you want to get out there and get started on model animation.' Pat Raine Webb, Animatoon magazine, February 2004 "...a mine of information. This book gives an unrivalled detailed technical overview of the subject." The Times Higher Education Supplement "...an attractive, easy to handle paperback with clear and concise text...This is the perfect book for anyone contemplating getting into model animation." Dope Sheet "This is a truly fantastic book. If you want to learn how to do stop motion animation film-making or to do animation well, read this book closely, do the exercises and follow the instructions. This book is beautifully laid out and illustrated with copious useful diagrams and photographs." Focus magazine