Video and Sound Production - Project 3
Ting Wen Yi / 0361799
Video and Sound Production/Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Project 3:Stop Motion
INSTRUCTIONS
PROJECT 3: STOP MOTION
During the first week of this module, Mr. Martin requested that we each find three favorite stop-motion videos.
Figure 1.1 Lego Pork Cutlet
This stop-motion animation showcases the process of cooking a pork cutlet. I admire how seamlessly each frame flows despite the use of Lego. Lego is challenging and inflexible, yet the way they captured the water drops and flames is incredibly smooth and impressive.
Figure 1.2 Shaun the Sheep
Shawn the Sheep is widely known for its stop-motion animation, which I admire for its multitude of actions, they use a technique called replacement animation. This involves swapping different heads or facial expressions for a character to create various emotions or reactions, giving the illusion of seamless movement and diverse expressions within stop-motion animation. If I have the time, I'd love to experiment with this technique. It's fascinating to note that in their studio, they have an entire city or farm set up for Shawn the Sheep.
Figure 1.3 Small Popcorn Factory
I enjoy an animation where they make popcorn; it's creative and sometimes nonsensical, especially with the half-body of the skeleton, the main character, and his helper, the tiny duck. I appreciate the humor in scenes where the popcorn rolls down the hill and ends up on the human's table.
1. Ideation
First Idea
My first idea involved using wool felt to simulate the cooking process of making nasi lemak. However, I found it too mundane to pursue.
Second Idea
My second idea stemmed from observing a mouse and being inspired by it. Upon inspecting the mouse, I conceived the notion: What if the mouse had a tiny man inside to control it? Then I make my a mood board of it.
Figure 2.1 Ideation Slides - Week 10 (2/11/2023)
Figure 2.2 Ideation - Week 10 (2/11/2023)
2. Storyboard
I created my first storyboard to pitch my idea to Mr. Martin. I sketched the storyboard using Procreate.
 |
| Figure 3.1 Storyboard 1- Week 10 (2/11/2023) |
Later, I improved my storyboard by adding more drawings and added a plot. While my drawing skills aren't exceptional, I aimed to ensure they effectively conveyed the message I intended.
Figure 3.2 Final Storyboard - Week 11 (9/11/2023)
I also created an alternate version of the storyboard specifically for the shooting phase.
Figure 3.3 Storyboard (Only Available for Lecturer) - Week 12 (17/11/2023)
About the Story
In this stop-motion animation, we explore into the charming world inside a computer mouse. As the mouse is scrolled, a tiny person is revealed pedaling a miniature bicycle, symbolizing the navigation of digital pathways. When the mouse is clicked, this little character got knocked by his head, but quickly adapts by using a tiny controller to interact with the computer's interface. Then two tiny characters who control the mouse decide to stop working and relax on a sofa, the mouse stops functioning. Someone tries to fix it by shaking the mouse, which makes the tiny characters feel like they're in an earthquake. Realizing they have no choice; they go back to work to make everything run smoothly again. Through the art of wool felt animation, the story explores the unexpected adventures hidden within the everyday devices we use.
3. Pre-production (props making process)
 |
| Figure 4.1 Materials - Week 11 (9/11/2023) |
I purchased all the materials for making the props from Taobao before finalizing my story plans. I was concerned about shipping times, so I wanted to ensure I had everything ready in advance. My partner shared the cost with me.
Figure 4.2 Timelapse of Making Wool Felt 1 - Week 11 (9/11/2023)
This short footage shows me doing one leg for the tiny human figure. It took me around 20 to 30 minutes just to complete this part. Working with the needle required caution due to its sharpness, and I've accidentally poked my hand several times. Even my friend, who's just having fun with fool felt (he's my senior), ended up poking his hand and bleeding while working on it for a few minutes.
Figure 4.3 Timelapse of Making Props 2 - Week 11 (9/11/2023)
In the video above, me and my partner was doing props, I was making the sofa leg and Janice was making the pot of the plant, using wool felt to make our props definitely is challenging. These props are very time consuming. To make one tiny person I took 6 hours to do. I was kind of regretted at first because it was pricier and time consuming and harder to do compare to clay. But I believe using wool felt will be worth it.
 |
| Figure 4.4 Mouse - Week 12 (14/11/2023) |
I crafted the mouse using wool felt sheets. The scroll wheel is flexible and functional for scrolling. Using basic sewing techniques, I assembled the mouse, and to make it look better, I iron the sides of the mouse. Creating this mouse was challenging; to ensure it resembled the original, I measured my own mouse and multiplied the dimensions by 2.4 to make the larger version.
 |
| Figure 4.5 All Props - Week 12 (14/11/2023) |
These are all the props we'll be using in our video. The mouse, the two human figures, the sofa, and the remote controller. I crafted each of these myself. My partner did the table and bicycle,
4. Production
 |
| Figure 5.1 My Partner Setting Up the Lighting - Week 12 (17/11/2023) |
After completing the test shooting, we became quite familiar with the process. We set up our workspace with lighting, arranged my stand, and began shooting. Initially, I thought we could finish everything in a single day, but I soon realized I was overly ambitious.
 | |
|
To shoot the scene inside the mouse, I had to cut the mouse prop that I had previously made. It was a moment of realization that there was no turning back as I had already damaged the mouse.
| Figure 5.3 Timelapse of Behind the Scenes - Week 12 (15/11/2023) |
5. Post-Production
 |
| Figure 6.1 Google Drive Footage - Week 13 (23/11/2023) |
After shooting I have organized all the files and put it in my Google Drive and share it with my partner.
 |
| Figure 6.2 Arranged the Sequence - Week 14 (28/11/2023) |
After that, I arranged the sequence in Premiere Pro according to the storyline. However, the footage was limited. Yet, I divided the few clips into multiple segments to create transitions, learning the style seen in movies. It involved showcasing reactions, scenes, and then returning to reactions, repeating the cycle.
Video Transition
 |
| Figure 6.3 Video Transitions - Week 14 (28/11/2023) |
I added necessary transition effects between clips to achieve the desired effect. I also included a fade to black at both the beginning and end of the video.
Earthquake Effect
Figure 6.4 Earthquake Tutorial - Week 14 (28/11/2023)
Due to the earthquake scene in the stop-motion, I found tutorial online to learn how to do such effect. I also adjust more exaggerated compare to the video tutorial because it could see much in my editing.
 |
| Figure 6.5 Earthquake Effect - Week 14 (29/11/2023) |
To show the earthquake part I want to make it look moving/shaking, I use Video Effect > Wave Wrap to make it more pronounced and realistic.
Creating Intro Title
 |
| Figure 6.6 Title Make in Illustrator - Week 14 (29/11/2023) |
My idea for the intro title was to create a bubbly 3D text effect. To achieve this, I used Adobe Illustrator to extrude the word I typed and give it a metallic appearance.
Keying in After Effects
 |
| Figure 6.7 Keying - Week 14 (30/11/2023) |
To remove the green background from the mouse cursor, I use the keying method I learned in class. This allowed me to replace the green screen with another footage, effectively merging two elements into a single scene.
Color Correction
Once I wrapped up the transition effects, I focused on refining the fundamental color correction and grading. Scene by scene, I tweaked the colors to create specific moods and emotions. To keep a consistent look within each scene and achieve the desired effects, I created presets and applied them for uniform tones across the video.
Once I wrapped up the transition effects, I focused on refining the fundamental color correction and grading. Scene by scene, I tweaked the colors to create specific moods and emotions. To keep a consistent look within each scene and achieve the desired effects, I created presets and applied them for uniform tones across the video.
 |
| Figure 6.8 Color Correction - Week 14 (30/11/2023) |
The original wool felt had a more orangey hue, but when I captured it with my phone, it appeared pale. I worked on adjusting the color to restore it to its original vibrancy.
 |
| Figure 6.9 Color Grading - Week 14 (30/11/2023) |
 |
| Figure 6.10 Color Correction - Week 14 (2/12/2023) |
In another scene, I applied color correction to achieve a more cinematic effect. To achieve this, I added more blue tones to enhance the cinematic atmosphere.
 | |
|
For the thumbnail, I used the opening scene from the video because I felt it conveyed a mysterious feeling, hinting at what lies inside the mouse. I titled the video as 'Inside the Mouse's Adventure'.
Final Outcome
Figure 7.1 Final Outcome - Week 15 (4/12/2023)
Figure 7.2 Final Submission (Only Available for Lecturer) - Week 15 (4/12/2023)
FEEDBACKS
Week 11: With the idea topic you have it can have many possibilities, you can make it very interesting if you add some stories. Take, for instance, a scenario where the manager lounges on the sofa, enjoying a burger, while another person grows increasingly upset because they're the only one working. Alternatively, imagine a situation where neither of them wants to work, and they both opt to sit on the sofa instead.
REFLECTION
I had a lot of fun throughout this project, although it was quite time-consuming. Sometimes, I found myself avoiding it, but my favorite aspect was crafting the props. It took me five days to create two human figures, a sofa, a control button, the large mouse, and to sew the bicycle part. Even though I'm not very familiar with using wool felt, I definitely can say I did better than most people. Initially, I thought that shooting was the most challenging part of this project because our props lacked flexibility compared to clay, which can bend. However, I soon realized that editing is even harder. From cutting the clips to color correction and placing audio, it was a lengthy process that required attention to detail. Nonetheless, I felt very glad and a sense of accomplishment after completing this project. I would give myself a pat on the back for finishing the whole process. It has also inspired me to create more stop-motion projects in the future.
Comments
Post a Comment