Canon 40D - Stop Motion Animation

darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
edited February 9, 2009 in Video
Alright, I finally got a couple of my videos re-encoded for Smugmug and off the YouTube. Thank goodness! Testing the same video it is an amazing difference. Can't wait to get the rest uploaded.

Here is a very short animation I did with my 40D and a very cheap lens (70-300 non-is). I was very pleased with how well it all went together, it is the first animation I've done about 15 years (back then I did animations by hand with a Hi-8 camcorder and in-camera edits).

I know it isn't perfect. The title I created was way too detailed to compress well and in red text...what was I thinking? Anyway, that's not really the point. It was a proof-of-concept piece and turned out well.

It's not much, but I hope you enjoy. Oh yeah, and it has sound so if you have speakers or headphones that would make it more interesting for you.

"Ambulance - Stop Motion Test"
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<embed src="http://cdn.smugmug.com/ria/ShizVidz-2008080703.swf&quot; flashvars="s=ZT0xJmk9MzU1ODUzMDg1Jms9eW92OVcmYT01NzU2NDMxX0NpTWFQJnU9TEpQYXJrZXJmb3J1bQ==" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="318"></object>
~ Lisa

Comments

  • BeachBillBeachBill Registered Users Posts: 1,311 Major grins
    edited September 17, 2008
    Cool Lisa! I have no idea how many shots you had to take, but I'm sure it was a lot. I like the stereo sound to. Very good. thumb.gif
    Bill Gerrard Photography - Facebook - Interview - SmugRoom: Useful Tools for SmugMug
  • darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
    edited September 18, 2008
    BeachBill wrote:
    Cool Lisa! I have no idea how many shots you had to take, but I'm sure it was a lot. I like the stereo sound to. Very good. thumb.gif


    Thanks Bill, glad you liked it.

    I beleive I took about 200 shots, some of those being test/setup shots. It could be done with less shots but then the motion wouldn't be as smooth. Total time to do a 3 second animation ~ 2 hours. It's fun though.
    ~ Lisa
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,127 moderator
    edited September 18, 2008
    Cool, and that's just how the ambulance drivers drive around here too.

    (My daughter is an EMT. Yes, I'm joking. The ambulance drivers are remarkably qualified.)

    Did you have to do any "'tween" frames?
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
    edited September 19, 2008
    ziggy53 wrote:
    Cool, and that's just how the ambulance drivers drive around here too.

    (My daughter is an EMT. Yes, I'm joking. The ambulance drivers are remarkably qualified.)

    Did you have to do any "'tween" frames?

    Nope, no tweening. I took each frame and dropped it into Final Cut Pro. I think if I did less frames and dropped it into Flash I could have Flash do some tweening, but I like to have full control over every frame myself.

    :D
    ~ Lisa
  • JimMJimM Registered Users Posts: 1,389 Major grins
    edited September 23, 2008
    This is very cool!!! Nice job.
    Cameras: >(2) Canon 20D .Canon 20D/grip >Canon S200 (p&s)
    Glass: >Sigma 17-35mm,f2.8-4 DG >Tamron 28-75mm,f2.8 >Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro >Canon 70-200mm,f2.8L IS >Canon 200mm,f2.8L
    Flash: >550EX >Sigma EF-500 DG Super >studio strobes

    Sites: Jim Mitte Photography - Livingston Sports Photos - Brighton Football Photos
  • darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2008
    JimM wrote:
    This is very cool!!! Nice job.

    Hey Jim, thanks for taking a look and commenting. I'm glad you like it. I am getting ready to create a longer short in the near future (maybe 3-5 mins long).
    ~ Lisa
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,127 moderator
    edited September 24, 2008
    darkdragon wrote:
    ... longer short ...

    I miss George Carlin. :D
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • DJKennedyDJKennedy Registered Users Posts: 555 Major grins
    edited November 29, 2008
    darkdragon wrote:
    Hey Jim, thanks for taking a look and commenting. I'm glad you like it. I am getting ready to create a longer short in the near future (maybe 3-5 mins long).
    Cant wait to see the new one! The ambulance one was awesome clap.gif
    http://www.djkennedy.com

    What did Cinderella say when she left the photo shop? "One day my prints will come."

  • darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
    edited January 25, 2009
    Working on a new video, a bit more involved then the one from the top of this thread. I've been doing stop-motion since I was in highschool (a while ago), but have never animated a person! I've become very good (IMHO) at vehicles and such though.

    Step 1 of my new film is to teach myself how to animate people, as people are the main characters in the new short.

    Below is my first try at animation of a human figure. I even made the clothes myself (figure is about 3.5" high). This test is a bit choppy, so I'll be doing it again with more in-between movements (more shots) to get smoother motion. This very short test is 43 individual shots from my 40D. There is sound, added in the edit.

    ~ Lisa
  • billtaichibilltaichi Registered Users Posts: 75 Big grins
    edited January 29, 2009
    Very cool! What software do you use to assemble your shots into a movie?
    Remember wherever you go, there you are.
  • darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
    edited January 29, 2009
    billtaichi wrote:
    Very cool! What software do you use to assemble your shots into a movie?

    Thanks billtaichi!

    I actually use Final Cut Pro for the edit. A bit overkill on these tests, but I like the fine-tune control. mwink.gif

    Working on a new test tonight and will hopefully have that uploaded tonight, I think I'll just put them all on this thread so I don't clutter up the forum :D
    ~ Lisa
  • darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2009
    Just wanted to share my latest animation test. This is also my first ever HD video and upload. Went fairly smooth.

    There is sound, of course.

    ~ Lisa
  • leaforteleaforte Registered Users Posts: 1,948 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2009
    Looks like you are having a lot of fun dialing matters in. thumb.gif
    Growing with Dgrin



  • BeachBillBeachBill Registered Users Posts: 1,311 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2009
    darkdragon wrote:
    Just wanted to share my latest animation test. This is also my first ever HD video and upload. Went fairly smooth.

    Love it Lisa! clap.gif
    Bill Gerrard Photography - Facebook - Interview - SmugRoom: Useful Tools for SmugMug
  • MnemosyneMnemosyne Registered Users Posts: 251 Major grins
    edited February 9, 2009
    My videos didn't have sound when I uploaded them :(

    I like yours though :D
    Audentes fortuna iuvat
  • darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
    edited February 9, 2009
    Mnemosyne wrote:
    My videos didn't have sound when I uploaded them :(

    I like yours though :D


    If there was sound before you uploaded them, that is strange thing to happen.

    Thank you for the compliment too!
    ~ Lisa
  • darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
    edited February 9, 2009
    BeachBill wrote:
    Love it Lisa! clap.gif


    Thanks Bill :D
    ~ Lisa
  • JuliaJulia Registered Users Posts: 157 Major grins
    edited February 9, 2009
    Those are super cute Lisa! Love them. :D
    Salty Grapes
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