 | The
hardest part is probably coming up with an idea.
|
| Use a storyboard to set up the scenes
before beginning. You won’t need to draw every picture but the
storyboard will give
you something to start with and helps you keep track of where
you want to go.
|
| Decide what colors you
will need for each scene and what you will use as a background before
getting started.
|
| It seemed easier to work
with the background flat on the ground to take pictures instead of having
to stand it up.
|
| The clay does not dry
out but it is tough to get off your hands.
|
| If
you are going to work with a light color of clay after working with a dark
color be sure to wash your hands first.
|
|
Mixing the colors takes a little time. Cut the colors you want to mix into
strips and layer them altering the colors. This makes it easier to mix.
|
| The length of the clips
we used was originally one every 1/4 second
(four clips a second), which worked well and later we changed that to one
every 1/3 second to slow it down a bit.
|
| Ideally, estimate the
length of voice narration before shooting the
claymation movie.
|
| Use still clips of
longer duration if narration is long.
|
| Get an idea of the
length of sound effects or music before creating the
movie as well.
|
| The more increments of
movement and pictures taken, the more natural the movement appears on
video.
|
| Use a tripod and be sure
to keep the camera as still as possible, the
slightest movement by the camera from one picture to the other can make
the video very jerky.
|
| Take
a few practice shots to be sure that:
- the edges of the backdrop don't show,
- the camera isn't moving from shot to shot,
- the figures are large enough to be seen (once the movie is converted to
QuickTime, the screen is much smaller than the monitor and very small
figures like our seed are hard to discern or see at all, so it's better to
use larger figures and zoom in more on the subject of the movie), and
- the lighting is good
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