Can I apply a stop motion effect to video?

[Steve Roberts]

You might also want to shoot with a fast shutter speed (if possible) to avoid motion blur … since stop motion doesn’t show any motion blur.

[Tom Daigon]

Most edit programs (maybe Premiere) have an effect called
Strobe Motion or Step Freeze. You could apply the affect to your video clips then export into AE for any additional work (sorry, I use Avid DS not Premiere so this is just a helpfull hint).

[Simon Bonner]

How about conforming the frame rate of your composition right down? Select the timeline panel and hit cntl+k, then set the frame rate down to something like 15 or 10 – whatever looks good.

[Matt Luckhurst]

is there a way to export that though. i know I can turn it down on the screen… which isn’t quite the look, but close. the problem being exporting it in that frame rate. any thoughts?

thanks.

[Simon Bonner]

ok, hit cntl+k again to get the comp settings dialogue up, then hit the advanced tab. Check the box that reads “preserve frame rate when nested or in render queue”. That should do it.

Simon

[David Bogie]

Best advice so far: Shoot at a fast shutter speed. Stop action animation is a series of stills without motion blur caused by movement during an open shutter.

Everything else can be tweaked in post but if you don’t shoot it properly, you’ll never be happy with the results. You don’t mean you’re going to shoot the WHOLE THING like this, do you?

bogiesan

This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”

[Matt Luckhurst]

haha. yeah… it’ll only be about three minutes, but I’m trying to get around making the shooting of it too difficult. I was hoping there my be simpler solution, but I’m going to do some tests with this advice and see what happens.

thanks for the heads up.

[Richie Morgan]

I believe Simon hit the nail on the head here. Of course everything is relative, but check out Aharon’s Video to Cartoon Podcast. The last step he takes creates that kinda stop motion jumpy effect I think you’ve described. Toward the end of part 3 (which I’ve linked to) he does exactly what Simon says.

[Simon Bonner]

It’s no coincidence I rewatched that podcast recently to remind myself of some techniques!

I’ve been thinking that another thing that could be done – to create a ‘bad’ stop motion effect – is messing with the exposure for a frame or two every few seconds, or shifting the position of the footage by a few frames occasionally to give the impression that the camera has been budged out of place. Don’t know whether you’re going for this kind of look, but it could help to sell the effect.

[Matt Luckhurst]

yeah I saw that effect somewhere else on here, and I’ll definitely play around with it and see what comes of it. It does seem to make it look more convincing.
thanks.