Clay can become pots, people, animals, and even cartoons. Have you ever watched an animated program done with clay? The little characters seem to move, walk and live in little clay worlds through a technique called stop-motion animation.
Here is an activity to show you how to create your own stop-motion animation.
You will need: a hunk of clay, a video camera that can take shots frame by frame, some help from an adult and your imagination.
Step 1: Model a character from clay that you would like to see on TV. Practice moving the legs or arms just a little bit to make your character move. Shape more characters and build sets using clay and other materials.
Step 2: Find or write a script. Long before you begin filming your clay characters you need to have a story.
Step 3: Have patience. Filming clay animation takes a while because it is done one frame at a time. The process is a lot like taking a long series of still photos.
Step 4: Position your characters for the first shot. Move out of the shot. Have an adult help you operate the video camera, shooting only one frame.
Step 5: Go back to the character and move it a little bit. Move out of the way and shoot another frame.
Step 6: Repeat and repeat and repeat.
Sometimes you have to move the background as well as the characters. It can take professionals a year or more to complete a short clay-animated program.
Wallace, a wacky inventor, and his wise dog, Gromit, are clay-animation figures created by Nick Park from Aardman studios. The Museum of Television & Radio is presenting "Nick Park's World: The Eccentric Adventures of Wallace and Gromit" through May 13. You can also watch Gumby and the California Raisins and other clay-animation favorites at individual viewing consoles in the museum's Hubbard Media Library. For more information, call (310) 786-1000 or visit http://www.mtr.org.
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This learning link was provided by the Museum of Television & Radio, 465 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills.
