How to Make a Stop Motion Video That Even Your Cats Will Love!

Before you make something, you usually need supplies. For Stop Motion, there aren't many resources you need, and the ones you do are easy to find. You need a mobile device, something to stand your mobile device up on, something to use as your character for your video, and a stop motion app. The stop motion app I use is called Stop Motion Studio. Also, If available, tripods and/or a camera remote make stop motion easier. It is also nice to have something you can shift in the background, and I like to use paper, because I can layer my background. Characters and objects in your mini-film don't have to be able to move, they just have to be able to balance and turn easily. Nonetheless, I like to use Legos or clay as my characters and whatnot, because they can bend and do walking motions. Tinfoil works well, too.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Scene

As I said before, I like to use paper as a background. I also make a little patch of clay land, so that I can shape the terrain a bit. If you're using Legos, then using a Lego background is most efficient. With tinfoil, you can use about anything. Really, you can use any background, like a table or your yard. No matter what background you have, (minus green screens) you need to be very careful about shadows. If you have any part of your shadow showing, it automatically makes your film look less finished.

Step 2: Making Your Stop Motion Movie!

In the Stop Motion Studio app, (which is my favorite stop motion app) when you go into the picture-taking screen, you will see something similar to the picture above (minus the cat). Once you have your mobile device in that screen and set up where it won't shake or fall, bring whatever you are filming into the camera range. Then take a picture. Move it about a centimeter. Take a picture. Keep repeating that process, and in the end you will have a beautiful stop motion movie.