Stop motion

You can make things move on film.

You move an object just a tiny bit. Then you take one picture. Do this many times in a row. When you play the pictures back, it looks like magic!

People use many things for this. They use clay figures. They also use puppets with moving parts. Some people even use flat paper.

In old films, people used this to make tricks. They made food move by itself. They even made clay turn into statues. It is a fun way to tell stories.

Stop motion is a way to make objects move in films.

It works by taking many pictures one by one. A person moves an object just a tiny bit between each shot. When the pictures play fast, the object looks like it is moving on its own.

Many different things can be used for this art. Some people use clay figures. This is called claymation. Others use puppets with moving joints. This is called puppet animation. You can even use flat paper or fabric. This is called cutout animation. If you use live people, it is called pixilation.

This trick has been around for a long time. In 1907, J. Stuart Blackton made a film called The Haunted Hotel. It showed a table setting itself. It was very popular. Later, Émile Cohl used these tricks in his own films. He made a film called Japon de fantaisie in 1907.

Other films used clay to make shapes change. One film, The Sculptor's Nightmare, showed clay turning into a lady. These tricks make movies feel magical.

Stop motion is a special way to make movies.

It is also called stop frame animation or object animation. This technique makes objects look like they move by themselves. Filmmakers do this by moving things in tiny steps. They take a single photo of the object first. Then, they move the object just a little bit.

After every tiny move, they take another photo. When these many photos play back quickly, the object seems to have its own life. This creates a sense of magic for the people watching.

Many different things can be used to make these movies. Some artists use clay figures to tell their stories. This specific kind of work is called claymation. Other people use puppets that have movable joints. This is often called puppet animation. Sometimes, artists use flat materials like paper or fabric. This style is called cutout animation. If a filmmaker uses live actors for the movement, it is called pixilation.

Most of these models are built around a frame called an armature.

The history of moving images goes back a long time. Before actual film was common, people used devices like the zoetrope. In 1849, Joseph Plateau wrote about ways to improve the Fantascope. He worked with Charles Wheatstone on ideas for better pictures. Plateau even thought about using 16 plaster models to make a moving sequence.

Later, in 1860, Peter Hubert Desvignes received a patent for many types of cylindrical devices. These early tools helped people see the very first versions of moving shapes.

During the silent film era, stop motion became very popular. In 1907, J. Stuart Blackton made a film called The Haunted Hotel. It showed a table setting itself without any visible wires. This film was very famous and surprised many viewers. Another filmmaker, Segundo de Chomón, made films with moving cutlery.

He also made a film in 1908 called The Sculptor's Nightmare. This film showed clay molding itself into detailed sculptures. These early creators often kept their secrets to keep the magic alive.

Stop motion is related to a trick called the stop trick. In a stop trick, the camera stops during a scene. The filmmaker changes something while the camera is not filming. Then, the camera starts again to show the change.

This is how the 1895 film The Execution of Mary Stuart showed a sudden change. Stop motion is like doing this stop trick over and over again. It turns everyday objects into characters that can dance, walk, or play. It is a way to turn the real world into a world of wonder.

Stop motion is a specialized filmmaking and special effects technique. It is also known as stop frame animation or object animation. This method makes physical objects appear to move independently. Filmmakers achieve this by manipulating objects in small increments. They photograph each tiny change as an individual frame. When these frames are played back in a sequence, the object seems to exhibit motion.

There are several distinct types of stop motion based on the materials used. When artists use clay figures, the process is called claymation. Many models are built around an armature. An armature is a frame used to support the figure. If filmmakers use puppets with movable joints, it is called puppet animation. Cutout animation involves flat materials like paper, fabrics, or photographs. When live actors are used for the animation, the technique is called pixilation.

The mechanism of stop motion is closely related to the stop trick. In a stop trick, the camera is temporarily stopped during a scene. The filmmaker changes something in the frame while the camera is not recording. Then, filming continues, making the change look sudden or magical. The 1895 film The Execution of Mary Stuart used this for a beheading scene. Stop motion can be viewed as the repeated application of the stop trick.

The history of moving images began long before modern film. Before 1878, a few photograph series showed subjects in successive positions. In 1849, Joseph Plateau suggested using 16 plaster models to create a moving sequence. He worked with Charles Wheatstone to combine the fantascope with a stereoscope. This would have created stereoscopic image pairs to enhance the illusion. Although Plateau's specific plan was not executed, it showed early interest in sequential motion.

Other early innovators used different mechanical devices to create motion. In 1852, Jules Duboscq patented a stroboscopic disc called a stéréofantascope. In 1855, Johann Nepomuk Czermak experimented with stereoscopic moving images. He even suggested sticking needles into a disc to create 3D animation. By 1860, Peter Hubert Desvignes received a patent for cylindrical stroboscopic devices. His Mimoscope used models and insects to achieve success.

During the silent film era, stop motion became a popular way to create illusions. J. Stuart Blackton's 1907 film The Haunted Hotel used puppets and models. It featured a table setting itself, which baffled many viewers. This success inspired filmmakers like Segundo de Chomón. De Chomón created films like La Maison ensorcelée, which showed animated cutlery.

He also directed The Sculptor's Nightmare, featuring clay molding itself into sculptures.

Many early filmmakers kept their animation secrets to maintain the mystery for audiences. This helped keep the "magic" of the special effects alive. In France, Émile Cohl became famous for unraveling these mysteries. He released Japon de fantaisie in 1907 and the hand-drawn Fantasmagorie in 1908.

Other pioneers like Edwin S. Porter also experimented with the craft. Porter's 1902 film Fun in a Bakery Shop showed a baker molding dough, which foreshadowed clay animation. These early efforts laid the foundation for all modern animation techniques.