• Animate now
• Activity sheets
• Video tutorials
• Case studies
• Equipment
• Sound
• Acting it out

Equipment

Animation doesn’t need to be expensive or technically intimidating. You do not even need a computer to animate. Listed below is a range of software and hardware for making animated films. Making the choice is probably the hardest part.

Stop motion animation is a technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved by small amounts between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames are played as a continuous sequence. Software applications such as I Can Animate and the free MonkeyJam make use of this technique.

You will need: software to capture the animation, a webcam or video camera (DV, DVD, HDV, SDI, HDMI depending on the software you choose), and a tripod.

Hardware considerations

• A tripod to mount a video camera on
• A webcam or digital video (DV) camera to film animation
• A power adaptor for your video camera - so your camera does not turn off while you animate
• Lights - so your animations do not have lots of unwanted moving shadows (desk lamps work fine for small sets)
• A USB microphone (or other recording device) to record a soundtrack.

A webcam is an ideal way to get started with stop motion animation at low cost. There is no need to worry about setting camera settings. Just plug and play! Some new webcams now shoot in HD and even have manual focus rings on the front, perfect for animation.

For a high quality image with the ability to control zoom, focus and exposure, DV cameras are great. You might be lucky enough to have an old analogue or video camera crammed full of useful manual features. However to be of use for animation, most DV cameras need to be connected by a fire-wire lead. These are most commonly found on cameras using mini dv tape as a recording method. They do not come as standard on cameras or computers so you will need to check this.

Animation software

I Can Animate

PC & MAC: I Can Animate KS2+ See link for cost
www.kudlian.net/products/icananimate
I Can Animate has quickly established itself as a leading stop frame animation tool in both the education and home market. It requires a video camera, webcam or digi-blue camera. Designed for all ages the, award winning, I Can Animate allows you to create stunning movies using a variety of animation techniques including chroma key, a drawing layer and advanced frame editing tools. It’s a very powerful programme, with a simple user interface that makes it ideal for primary schools. It also allows you to make a simple edit of your film. You will need to import into an editing system such as Windows Movie Maker (PC) or iMovie (Mac) to add a soundtrack.

Monkey Jam

PC: MonkeyJam KS2+ Free!
www.giantscreamingrobotmonkeys.com/monkeyjam/
MonkeyJam is a free animation capture system for the PC, designed to let you capture images from a webcam, camcorder, or scanner and assemble them as separate frames of an animation. You can also import images and sound files already on your computer.

Computer Animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. Programmes like Animation-ish and Adobe Flash allow users to draw and animate directly into the computer, without the need for cameras, lights, plasticine and paper.

While these programmes are great, particularly for teachers less comfortable teaching traditional art and design, drawing with a computer mouse is not much fun. Using an interactive whiteboard is a great way to turn your whiteboard into a huge drawing board. Graphics tablets (basically a drawing board that connects to a computer) are also an increasingly affordable option which makes drawing using a computer easy.

Flip Boom Classic, ToonBoom

PC & MAC: Flip Boom Classic, ToonBoom See link for cost.
Recommended for ages 6 to 12
www.toonboom.com/edu/k12.asp
Toon Boom has a range of software packages for all age groups such as Flip Boom. Flip Boom has won several prestigious awards for the excellence of its design and the genuine creativity it inspires in young talent. Flip Boom enables students to simply draw and colour a series of pictures with small progressive changes, play them in sequence to see them move and then print them to create a flipbook. With Flip Boom, children get the excitement of seeing their drawings move and the satisfaction of generating a movie for the Web, computer or iPod. Flip Boom is a fantastic creative tool for children to use at school.

Pivot Stickfigure Animator

PC: Pivot Stickfigure Animator KS 2+ Free!
www.pivot-stickfigure-animator.en.softonic.com/
Pivot Stickfigure Animator is a unique software, that allows you to create stick figure animations easily without having to draw. You can move the sections of the stick figure and easily create a chain of animation frames that can be previewed as you go. You can use more than one stick-figure in the animation, and even create your own out of lines and circles. Fun and easy to use.

Stykz

MAC: Stykz KS 2+ Free!
www.stykz.net/Home.html
Stykz is a stick figure animation tool for the Mac. It is a powerful, easy to learn tool for creating great looking stick figure animations quickly and efficiently.

Video editing software

You do not need to break the bank to be able to make professional looking animated films. Windows Movie Maker for PC and iMovie for Mac are simple, free editing systems perfect for editing simple animated films. Not only do they have a simple interface for pupils and teachers to work with, they allow pupils to continue to pursue their filmmaking at home.