Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Pre-Production Booklet for Animation

Name:
Order of contents (italics show areas you must add in yourself)
Assessment criteria
LO2

Mind maps of ideas

Risk assessment

Format of your animation

Subject and storyline

Character notes and profiles

Movement of characters

Moodboard

Sets/backgrounds

Audio and soundtrack

Sound table

Props list

Audience

Storyboard and script (add script to booklet)

Frame rates

Lighting design

Production schedule

Crew details

LO3

Frame Numbers

Dope Sheets

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

How to use this booklet

You will need to complete every page of this booklet, and all sections / questions
required.
Assessment criteria for Distinction grade;
LO2
Plans will show a full consideration of movement and continuity, perspective, point of view,
transitions and special effects.
Precise and workable planning of timing and synchronisation to a soundtrack will be
produced. It will be clear at this stage, from the documentation, what the finished piece will
look and sound like.
Learners will follow industry conventions and terminology used in storyboard production
correctly.
Plans for the construction of models, sets and props will be realistic and clear.
Drawings, script and storyboard will all show a creative interpretation of the idea.
LO3:
The documentation linked to the production will be full and detailed and there will be
evidence that the production management and scheduling of the project has been effective
and carried out in a professional manner. The techniques used in the production of the work
are likely to be related to an understanding of current trends in the industry.

Both LO2 and LO3

In all practical activity learners will be capable of working autonomously and effectively. They
will work on their own initiative, will not need constant support or supervision, will give the
work their full commitment, work positively and cooperatively with others, and meet
deadlines. In other words, they will have the kind of self-management skills that would be
expected of them in a professional context. Note also that this criterion should not be taken
to mean that learners do not seek advice or that they work without discussing things with
their tutor, but rather that they are not dependent upon the support of others and that when
they take advice they weigh it carefully for themselves.

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Planning
Brainstorm / mind map (add extra pages if necessary)

Lego
Mario brothers set
Big channel 4
Adventure
Lego man ends up next to big 4 looking up
Bright colors
Obstacles
High and low levels

Attach a 400 word treatment of your idea

Mad adventure of a lego man in a fantasy world.

A logo man goes on a adventure and encounters a few things it needs to
over come whilst in super Mario bros. there will be the iconic set of super
Mario bros with bright colours that stand out and a lot of people know the
background from them playing the games as a kid. There will be the blue
sky background with platforms that are higher up for the lego man to go
up to, to avoid things that are in the way that will stop him getting to the
end with the giant 4 for channel 4. There will be the bright green pipes to
jump on to as a obstacle brick road/path that he goes along. there will be
music playing the back ground to keep the people entertained. The target
audience will be mainly kids but adults could enjoy it as its iconic figures
that they might have seen/played with as a kid. The 4 at the end will be
huge like the lego man will be looking up at it

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

How will you meet the requirements of your brief?

Will be 30 seconds long so people dont get bored of it and for broadcasting reasons it must
be thing long as well as theres only a small amount of time available before a tv show

With be obvious that its for channel 4 there will be the standard big 4 at the end so every
one knows thats what its for. This could be done in many ways.

Will be stop motion

Risk assessment: Are there any health and safety issues you may encounter?
Lights may over heat so you need to keep checking them to make sure they dont and if they
do get hot turn them off and let them cool down for a bit before re using them
the height of the ceiling might be a issue for tall people as its quite low they might smash
there head and that wont be good as they could knock them self out. Also it might be a issue
on hanging lights as they hang down low or might be to bright as there down low
cables on the ground can be a trip hazard they need to be taped downb or secured to the
floor so theres a lower chance of people falling over them

Discuss any legal issues you may face. Eg; sound, plagiarism, age restrictions

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

The music being used might have copy right but id speak to the company that owns
the song to check I can use it - what is the song who owns it
There isnt any other idents of there similar to mine the only thing in musing that
might have a issue is the fact im using lego but I could credit them in some way or
speak to them and get there permission first

Plagerism make sure there isnt one out there already that looks like your add
illustrations of other channels idents to prove that yours is unique

Use of possible formats

Circle which of the following formats your animation will take;
stop-frame techniques
time lapse photography
plasticine animation
Claymation
using found objects
modelling
puppetry
combined formats

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Why are you using that particular format
As I want to use lego men so im using objects that have been found and im using stop frame
techniques so I can move the lego man with out hands being in the production.
the advert will be fun and entertaining
Channel 4 is aimed mainly at 16-24 year olds this is the best way to try and get the viewers
attention as it will suit there viewing needs as it will be a bit different so the viewer want to
watch it not just have it there inbetween adverts and shows

What are the different possibilities you could explore using this format?
There could be more than just lego men used through my indent as im using found objects I
could use anything.
The movement of the ojects might be hard as they dont move freely but they move a bit so
making them move and look decent is going to be some thing I need to explore
Theres many different colours in that lego comes in so they making it look different and not
just boring might be a bit difficult but shouldnt be to hard

What are the limitations of using this format? (i.e what problems/ obstacles might you
have?)
Finding the right lego man
Might be hard to make sure the lego man moves the right amount between each photo so it
flows dont want to much movement and dont want to little.
The lego man is a fixed object so they dsont move freely they just have movement in the
legs and arm in straight motions so making them mover properly isnt the easiest thing in the
world

What imaginative or inventive animations have you seen which use this format?
Add in links and screen shots of three examples of animations using this format.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3egCTZMGi_A

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h-Ltz2ugB8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=977zC0WdMzU

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Subject
What will the subject of your animation be?
Going on a adventure that has some things in the way and endup at a large 4

Storyline
Describe the storyline of your animation. What events will happen to your characters?
The character will start his adventure on the path and will come across people/creatures that
are trying to stop the lego man from getting to the end so he jumps oer them and goes up
levels to get around and ends up by a a giant 4

Characters
What characters will be in your animation?
There will only be one main the main lego man that goes on the adventure there will be 1
other lego man and a creature that gets in the way but they just stand there

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Complete the character profiles for each character in your animation

Name:
M/F:
Age
Costume:

Fred
male
9
Lego man (get a costume)

Occupation:

A full time student

Hobbies:

Adventures, sleeping

Character
Background:

Hes a loving lego man that goes on adventures goes to college

where he doesnt do very much as hes always thinking about going
on a adventures

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Add in images and drawings/ sketches of what they will look like.

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

What will they be made of?
Lego plastic

Movement of characters
How are you going to make your characters move?
Slide them forward with movement of the legs

What is the purpose of an armature?

The purpose is to give figures more rigid figures and allow them to move better as it holds
the shape better

Will you use them for your characters?

No I wont use them

If so, how will you make it?

Well im using a lego man so I dont need it as its a rigid shape already

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Mood board
Create a mood board showing what look your animation will have. Add images showing
ideas of mise-en-scene, characters, costumes and colours that will be present in the
different shots.

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Sets / backgrounds
Will your set be;

A three wall set

A blue/green screen

An existing location

A Combination of two or more of the above

Draw sketches of how your sets/backgrounds will look. Add in labels to your diagrams and
details of locations / lighting etc.

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Add in photographs of your sets/backgrounds.

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Audio and Soundtrack

What audio will you have for your animation?
A song and a noise when the lego man makes a jump
Complete the sound list, detailing what sounds you will use, where you will source them,
what equipment you will need to record them and when you will use them in your animation.
You will need to design your own soundtrack. You cannot use copyrighted music, and it must
be more than simply adding a track.
What actions will need sound effects?
The Jump
Think of the scenes in your animation. Each scene should have different sounds/music to
give information about the mood / emotions of the characters.

Sound Table
Production Name:
Producer:

Shot

Action

Description
of Sound

Diegetic/non/diegetic

Atmosphere
created

Musice type
and
atmosphere

Lego man
jumping

Like a
animated
thing

Non diegetic

A jump

atmosphere

none

A song

Background

music

Props List

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

What props / models / furniture etc will you need to make your animation?
PROPS LIST
Production Name:
Producer:

Item

Script page

Description

Character/location

Lego man

all

A lego man

fred

Lego man

A lego man

Below the second layer an

name is jim

Audience
Define the following characteristics of your audience;
Gender
All

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Age
16-24

Interests
tv

What forms of animation might they already watch?

Simpsons
Family guy
South park

What images do you think they enjoy watching?

Dunno who watches images

What might they consider distasteful or offensive?

Loads of things

How will you ensure that your animation will suit your chosen audience?

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Have things that will interests them in it

How will they physically watch your animation? (i.e in an exhibition format, on screen,
projection, online?)
On tv

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Storyboard
Complete a storyboard for your animation.

And
then.?
What happens?
Describe the
action.

Camera?

Time?

What is the
camera angle?

Duration of the
shot / number
of frames
action is held
for.

Is there any
movement
from the
camera?

Who?
Which
characters/
objects are in
the scene?

Say What?
Is there any
dialogue/text?

Where?

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Think carefully about the shots you will be using. Consider the
range of shots/angles to give interest and perspective
You will need to convey all
movements and actions. Copy and paste the storyboard to make
it as long as you need to show all the detail of your animation.

Shots
Extreme long shot
Long Shot
Medium Shot

What is the
location for the
shot?

Lighting

Natural
Camera Angles
Ambient

Birds-eye view

Torchlight

Spotlight
High angle
Direction of

Eye-levellight?

Two Shot

Low angle

Movement
Over
the Shoulder

Editing

Pan
Medium
Close up

Montage

Tilt up
Close

Cross cutting

Tracking
Shotup
Extreme
close

Match cut
Shot, reverse shot
Eye-line match
Jump cut
Tracking shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

You will need to add pages to this section for your full storyboard

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Frame Rates
What is the duration of your animation in minutes? (minimum 30 seconds)
0.5 minutes

In seconds?
30 seconds

How many frames per second for video?

3

There are 60 seconds in a minute. How many frames (ie. Individual photos) will you
need to take?
180

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Lighting Design

Where will you be photographing your animation?

studio

Does it have natural daylight?

no

If so, you will need to block this out. Explain why.

So it doesnt add shadows on the thing

Do you have a constant light source(s) such as a lamp?

Yes a lamp

Where will you place your light source(s) to create interesting effects?
Above or straight on

(LO3)

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Frame numbers
You will need to label your images as frames
The first 24 frames will be written as;
0_1
0_2 etc etc

the following 24 will be

1_1
1_2
1_3
Ensure your clips are labeled as such. Screen shot the folder your clips are in, and copy the
image underneath.

Dope sheets
A dope sheet is an animation tool which helps a animator organise the animation shot-by-

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

shot.
This gives the camera operator instructions on each shot type and how many frames this will
be used for.
A dope sheet is usually split into 5 different sections.

To indicate what action occurs on which frame number

To see what action is happening in this shot.
To see what dialogue used in this scene.
To show what level of animation is happening.
To give camera instructions (angle).

For example;

Because you will be working with video, you will be using 30fps. You will need to complete a
dope sheet for EVERY SECOND of your animation.
i.e, if you make a 30 second animation, you will need to complete 30 dope sheets.
This will be a time-consuming task, but it will help you understand what will need to
happen in each of the shots you take. The higher marks will come from a detailed and
careful collection of dope sheets. For example, if your characters speaks, you will need to
show the mouth forming every shape in order to look effective.

Frame

Path of action

Dialogue /
Soundtrack cue

Animation

Camera
instructions

0_1

Still camera

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Tetrus sound
Legoman
Long shot
walking
forward

0_2

0_3

0_4

0_5

0_6

0_7

0_8

0_9

Frame

Path of action

Dialogue /
Soundtrack cue

Animation

Camera
instructions

1_1

Still camera

Tetrus sound

Legoman
walking
forward

Long shot

1_2

1_3

1_4

1_5

1_6

1_7

1_8

1_9

2_1

Still camera

Tetrus sound

Legoman
walking forward

Long shot

2_2

2_3

2_4

2_5

2_6

2_7

2_8

2_9

3_1

Camera moves around

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Tetrus sound
Legoman still
Long shot

3_2

3_3

3_4

3_5

3_6

3_7

3_8

3_9

4_1

Camera still

Tetrus sound

2 legoman
walking towards
each other

Long shot

4_2

4_3

4_4

4_5

4_6

4_7

4_8

4_9

5_1

Camera still

Tetrus sound

2 legoman
walking towards
each other

Long shot

5_2

5_3

5_4

5_5

5_6

5_7

5_8

5_9

6_1

Camera still

Tetrus

2 lego man one

still one jumping

Long shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

6_2

6_3

6_4

6_5

6_6

6_7

6_9

6_30

7_1

Camera still

Tetrus

2 lego man one

still one jumping

Long shot

7_2

7_3

7_4

7_5

7_6

2 lego man
walking

7_7

7_8

7_9

8_1

Camera still

Tetrus

2 legoman one
still one walking

Long shot

8_2

8_3

8_4

8_5

8_6

8_7

8_8

8_9

9_1

Camer still

Tetrus

2 legoman one
still one walking

Long shot

9_2

9_3

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

9_4

9_5

9_6

9_7

9_8

9_9

10_1

Camer still

Tetrus

2 legoman one
still one walking

Long shot

10_2

10_3

10_4

10_5

10_6

10_7

10 _8

10_9

11_1

Camera still

Tetrus

2 legoman one
still one jumping

Long shot

11_2

11_3

11_4

11_5

11_6

11_7

11_8

11_9

12_1

Camera still

tetrus

2 legoman one
still one walking

2 legoman one
still one walking

Long shot

12_2

12_3

12_4

12_5

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

12_6

12_7

12_8

12_9

13_1

Camera still

tetrus

2 legoman one
still one walking

Long shot

13_2

13_3

13_4

13_5

13_6

13_7

13_8

13_9

14_1

Camera still

tetrus

2 legoman one
still one walking

Long shot

14_2

14_3

14_4

14_5

14_6

14_7

14_8

14_9

15_1

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
walking

Long shot

15_2

15_3

15_4

15_5

15_6

15_7

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

15_8

15_9

16_1

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
walking

Long shot

16_2

16_3

16_4

16_5

16_6

16_7

16_8

16_9

17_1

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
walking

Long shot

17_2

17_3

17_4

17_5

17_6

Camera still

tetrus

2 legomen
walking towards
each other

Long shot

17_7

17_8

17_9

18_1

Camera still

tetrus

2 lego man one

jumping one still

Long shot

18_2

18_3

18_4

18_5

18_6

18_7

18_8

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

18_9
19_1

Camera still

tetrus

2 lego man
walking

longshot

19_2

19_3

19_4

19_5

19_6

19_7

19_8

19_9

20_1

Camera still

tetrus

2 legoman one
walking one still

2 legoman one
walking one still

Long shot

20_2

20_3

20_4

20_5

20_6

20_7

20_8

20_9

21_1

Camera still

tetrus

2 legoman one
still one jumping

2 legoman one
still one jumping

Long shot

21_2

21_3

21_4

21_5

21_6

21_7

21_8

21_9

2 legoman one
walking one still

22_1

Camera still

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

tetrus
2 legoman one
Long shot
still one walking

22_2

22_3

22_4

22_5

22_6

22_7

22_8

22_9

23_1

Camera still

tetrus

2 legoman one
still one walking

Long shot

23_2

23_3

23_4

23_5

23_6

23_7

23_8

23_9

24_1

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
walking

Long shot

24_2

24_3

24_4

24_5

24_6

24_7

24_8

24_9

25_1
25_2

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
walking

Long shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

25_3

25_4

25_5

25_6

25_7

25_8

25_9

26_1

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
walking

Long shot

26_2

26_3

26_4

26_5

26_6

26_7

26_8

26_9

27_1

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
walking

Long shot

27_2

27_3

27_4

27_5

27_6

27_7

27_8

27_9

28_1

Camera still

tetrus

Lego man
stopped big 4
coming in

Camera still

28_2

28_3

28_4

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

28_5

28_6

28_7

28_8

28_9

29_1

Camera still

tetrus

Lego man
stopped big 4
coming in

Camera still

29_2

29_3

29_4

29_5

29_6

29_7

29_8

29_9

30_1

Camera still

tetrus

Lego man
stopped big 4
coming in

Camera still

30_2

30_3

30_4

30_5

30_6

30_7

30_8

30_9

32_1

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
jumping on to
big 4

Legoman
walking up the
big 4

Camera still

32_2

32_3

32_4

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

32_5

32_6

32_7

32_8

32_9

33_1

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
standing there
raising arms

Camera still

33_2

33_3

33_4

33_5

33_6

33_7

33_8

33_9

34_1

Camera still

tetrus

Legoman
standing there
raising arms

Camera still

34_2

34_3

34_4

34_5

34_6

34_7

34_8

34_9

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Liaising with client (write notes on discussions between you and your client)

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet