Documentation:Stop motion/DIY Media/Record

From UBC Wiki


CHECKLIST:
Gather your equipment
Set up your recording environment
Take your pictures
Source any additional content you'll be editing in (b-roll footage)
Record your audio
Familiarize yourself with copyright resources and guidelines.
Refer to UBC Studios Production Basics: UBC Media Makers


Gather your equipment

  • Read through the What Do I Need section, and gather your equipment: a camera, a set of objects, and lights.
    • You don't need a microphone right away: you'll be recording audio after you take your pictures.
    • If you have access to software that allows 'onionskinning', or the ability to superimpose your camera's current view over the last photo taken, make use of it! This technique will save you a lot of time, and make your end product look a lot better.
  • Make sure that all of your equipment works, and works together: if you haven't already, put together a five-second clip. If you have file format problems, or your memory card doesn't work with your computer, you want to find out before you've spent hours taking pictures you can't use.

Set up your recording environment

You have a couple of things to consider when setting up your recording area: lighting, camera stability, and your ability to adjust your set of objects.

  • Lighting: The most common lighting setup is a three-point lighting setup.
    • A single light, or two lights, can work well. Have a look at this video for some more lighting advice. While it's focused on making stop motion with Lego, also known as Brickfilm, it's still great advice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtzUlqDQq00
    • It's important that you have complete control over the lighting when you're making a stop motion animation. If you have the sun lighting your presentation, and you're taking pictures over the course of an hour, the sun will move. You might not notice it, but when everything is sped up, your lighting will change dramatically over the course of your video.
    • Make sure you aren't getting in the way of your light. Unless you stay perfectly still when you're taking your pictures, your shadow will move around in your video.
  • Camera stability: whatever you're using for a camera, and however you're mounting it, make sure it's rock-solid. If the camera moves every time you press the button, your video will shake. The best solution is using a piece of software that lets you take pictures with the click of a mouse, as opposed to hitting a button on your camera.
    • Take extra care to avoid bumping into or moving your camera: you'll never get it back exactly like it was, and resulting in a sudden jump in whatever you're filming. The same goes for lighting: once you've set it up, it shouldn't move until you're putting it away.
  • Set of objects: no matter what you're using as your medium, make sure you can adjust the objects you're animating easily. If you can't put them into the positions you need without reaching around lights or camera, try to set things up differently: you're likely to bump something which shouldn't move.

Take your pictures

If you've set everything up nicely, you shouldn't have any problems taking the pictures you need.

  • Make sure you won't be interrupted: put a sign on your door to make sure you won't be bothered. Stop motion requires concentration, and the last thing you want is to be surprised and knock something over.
  • Use your storyboard and script: try to stick to what you've written down and drawn out as closely as possible. Improvising is doable, but more difficult than working from a script.
  • Work in small chunks: you'll want to take all the pictures from each scene in one shot, to keep the lighting constant. As much as you can, try to keep your shooting short. It's easier to edit, and you're less likely to make a mistake in the middle of a long shot.
  • Consider frame rate: try to decide on a frame rate before recording. It doesn't really matter what it is, as long as you're consistent. Keep the duration of each frame in mind as you're recording, and adjusting your objects. You'll want to make larger adjustments between shots for lower frame rates.

Record your audio

The quality of your audio factors greatly into the perception of your video: a small increase in audio quality is worth a much larger increase in video quality.

  • Speak slowly and clearly: make a trial recording, and play it back to yourself: you might be surprised by how quickly you're talking.
  • Eliminate echoes and other noises: record in a room with soft surfaces, like couches and cushions, and reduce or eliminate electrical sounds, such as computer fans and other appliances.
    • It might look a bit silly, but making a fort out of couch cushions and recording your audio inside of it will mimic the effect of the padding used in recording studios, and improve the quality of your audio.
  • Avoid rooms with echoes or fans: even imperceptible fan sounds may be picked up by an external mic.
  • Improve your sound quality: use a noise-reducing microphone, buy or build a pop filter, and keep the mic close to your mouth.
  • Record your audio all at once: if you have to take down your equipment and set it up again, the audio will sound different.

Find B-roll content

While most commonly used in documentaries, B-roll footage (supplemental or alternative video intercut in the main shot) can be useful in all video projects. Check out these three sources of learning and UBC-related B-roll footage.

Copyright

Whatever material you include in your video, make sure that you aren't violating copyright law by using it. Have a look at these links to find out more.

TIPS:
  • Make sure that you control your lighting! Subtle changes over time will show up very clearly in your video.
  • Use your storyboard! You'll have a much easier time if you avoid improvisation.
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