There are lots of different ways to make a stop motion film! Here are a few resources on how to make stop motion to get you started.
Stop Motion Tutorials
- Stop Motion Animation – What Is It?
- How to make stop motion movies at home
- Stop motion animation using a DSLR or point and shoot camera
- 7 tips for creating stop motion animation with kids
- Easy stop motion animation for beginners
Stop Motion Materials
You need three things to create a stop motion animation film: a camera, a computer or tablet, and something to take pictures of.
Note: this post includes affiliate links, which may earn us a small commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
Stop Motion Cameras
You can use anything from a DSLR to a point and shoot
to an iPad, Kindle Fire, or other tablet to create your movie. We love using GorillaPod tripods to keep cameras stable during stop motion filming.
Stop Motion Programs
For Apple computers, iMovie is a popular stop motion tool. Movie Maker is easy to use on PC computers. There are a range of apps for tablets – check the ratings and reviews to see what works best.
What to Film
You can use pretty much anything to tell a stop motion story! Here are a few popular materials:
Stop Motion Animation Kits
Animation kits typically come in two varieties: complete with camera and software, or, an essentials kit with backgrounds and props, but require a smartphone (or tablet camera) and installed app. Hue Animation Studio falls into the first category, and includes a flexible HD camera with built-in microphone, an animation manual, a mini stage with background and green screen, and Mac and PC-compatible stop-motion software with sound effects. Using LEGO, modeling clay, paper or toys, budding filmmakers can create dazzling animations and quirky stop-motion shorts in just a few minutes. Using the software can be tricky for younger users, but with practice (and help from a grownup), they’ll soon be creating their very own toy stories.
OgoBild Animate It includes software and a camera, as well as some figures you can use to create your films
The Anti-Mate Clay Animation Movie Maker Kit pairs with your smartphone and includes tips on using clay in stop motion animation.
More Stop Motion Animation Inspiration
You can find more ideas on our Pinterest board – we will be adding resources here throughout the summer.
Do you have any stop motion tips to share? Please let us know in the comments, or drop a note on our facebook page, contact us on twitter, or tag us on instagram.