Stop-Motion Animation for Actors

Presented by Howard Better

To be held online over Zoom: 

In this online workshop for actors we will be creating short, animated movies. In the first of the three two-hour sessions, we will focus on recording a voice track, using Garageband (or Audacity) software to capture and edit dialog. This will serve as a structure for our movies. In the second session we will create stop-motion animated segments (using iStop-motion or Stop-Motion Studio software) to record our animation. The objects animated may be cut-out drawings or any other material chosen by you. In the third session we will use editing software (such as iMovie) to combine the voice track and animated segments into a movie. Through the use of looping segments, freeze frames, and reversing motion we will focus on how to manipulate the animation so it synchronizes with the voices in our soundtrack. We will also be adding sound effects and titles to finish our movies.

Participants will need access to the following software:

  • Audio editing software (Garageband or Audacity)
  • iStop-motion or Stop-Motion Studio
  • Video editing software (iMovie or equivalent)

The following videos are examples of work from one of Howard Better’s classes which demonstrate the three steps he will focus on in this workshop: creating and editing a voice track, creating stop-motion animation to match the voice track, and editing the animation to sync up to the voices.