Stop-Motion Character Animation

For this Stop Motion assignment, I decided to team up with Allegra Colston. We knew we wanted to work together for this assignment. Our planning started with Skype sessions, since we could not meet often. We first showed each other different objects around our homes that we might be able to use. We agreed on using the my artist Manikin and her Penguin and Turtle wood figures. Then we brainstormed our story. We had the idea that the Manikin was going to a zoo or zoo exhibit and was fascinated by the animals. Our focus animal was going to be the Penguin. The following are our storyboards:                                         

  (Veronica - thumbnails) 

 

(Allegra's thumbnails)

We combined both ideas and came with with the following story: A person goes to a zoo exhibit and sees these cool animals. The turtle does not react as much to the human taking pictures, so the person moves on. Once reaching the penguin, they are fascinated and quickly take the camera out. While they are doing so, the penguin decides to leave, resulting in an empty habitat area with no penguin = no photo.

That was our original concept. We then thought up designing our habitats for the animals. We used clay, construction paper, illustration board, shoe boxes (for bases) and books for more height). We also used cotton balls & plastic wrap for the Penguin Exhibit, and grass, dirt and brown clay rocks for the Turtle exhibit.



As we were shooting, we decided to add a “NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY” sign to the Penguin exhibit. This would eventually change our ending. The Manikin, being too excited, takes a photo of the Penguin with flash anyways. The sad result of that is that it ends up killing the Penguin.

Both Allegra/Veronica shared the work equally. While I/she focused more on the camera work, I/she focused more on the animation; collaborating back and forth. We each made of the habitats for the animals and I/Allegra made the tiny camera for our person to hold. Veronica/I also made the “Welcome” sign and the “No Flash Photography” signs you see in the video. After much time, the end result if our animation!! We had a lot of fun making this and hope you enjoy!!