iStopMotion

I've been doing some research into how people create such amazing stop motion Videos, and i have come across a programme for apple called 'iStopMotion'. I found an institute locally called the 'animation station' that had the programme and was lucky enough to have a look at how it works and what sort of videos people achieve with it. I was really impressed with the features and i feel that this programme is necessary for what i want to create, it shows the image taken on the screen translucent, therefore you can see how much you need to move the object next time. This will enable me to create a piece of stop motion that is to a professional standard. Below I have added a picture as an example:

PES, awesome stop motion creations!!

Okay so I've found this company/group of people who call themselves 'Pes', they make the coolest videos, mixing up a bit of stop motion and a bit of video to make short films that are totally random! They're recognised in America and have made adverts for the Washington lottery, Bacardi and Nike. Here i have included the link to their website, and 2 of their videos. http://www.eatpes.com/

This video is called 'Western Spaghetti' and was the 2009 Sundance Film Festival Winner!

This is an advert they made for 'Orange Telecom'

I think that their style is very creative and innovative, if i were to create something of this standard it would definitely challenge the skills I already have!

Angela and Ithyle

I've found this amazing video all created through stop motion animation. I think its absolutely incredible, the video is clearly inspired by Alice in Wonderland, and i think that it's a great interpretation of this. However the video also shows many other elements that aren't so obviously tied in with the Alice in wonderland theme, however it all links to the song 'lost things' played in time with the video. Here i have linked the website which has an insight into the works of Angela and Ithyle; http://www.angelaandithyle.com/

If i were to create anything like this it would take extensive planning and practice to get it to this quality, however i love the whole style and aesthetics of the piece, and would be very proud if i could produce a piece of work that was only half of this standard!

Using real people rather than objects?

So I've considered using real people already in my FMP instead of just animating objects, so I looked on YouTube and found this video:

I really like this video, I think its creative and innovative however if i were to make a video similar to this i dont think it would necessarily show a lot of skill whilst shooting and also afterwards whilst editing. I want to create someything that challenges the skills i already have, and show off what i can really do!

Creative Block

So over the last week I've really been trying hard to think of something really creative and unique to begin looking at in relation to my FMP, and to be truly honest I've literally had a creative block! I've been trawling the Internet to try and find something that will give me that sudden surge of inspiration and again come across nothing. Therefore i will just be chilling out because i think I'm just trying far to hard. I am going to put up everything Ive looked at over the last week now and maybe somewhere i will find something inspirational that i believe i can develop!

Stop Motion: Development of ideas

I've begun to think about what I want to create for my FMP, and after watching the 'change' video I feel really inspired to do something exciting and fast paced as that. I have a drawing mannequin which i feel would work perfectly for this style of work therefore I have started to build up some drawings and rough ideas for what i could eventually do.
I have created a very short video of a starter idea which I plan to develop further, I believe that to include video in my FMP i need to find direct links to what I am animating.

Here the video demonstrates the type of thing i plan to do, i have drawn out an example of the wooden mannequin moving his arm up and down, in the same time i am doing this it would be interesting to get a real person to do the same movements and mash the two visuals together. I could have a person dancing and animate the mannequin to do the same thing, and then put the two together to see how it works! Of course to do this for my FMP will take a lot of planning and development and these ideas i've stated here are only preliminary.

Stop Motion: Creative & Innovative

After sleeping on it I've decided that an installation and exhibition isn't the route i want to take. I really liked the puppet show video and it reminded me a lot of the animation technique: Stop Motion. I love stop motion and really want to build and develop the skills I already own! Therefore i have looked into really creative stop motions videos and have found this amazing video on YouTube:

I think this video is creative and innovative, and i would love to be able to create something like this for my FMP. However it would be really beneficial for me and my portfolio if i could include some sort of video footage as well!

Ideas for my FMP

I have completed A Levels in performing arts, art and media so i think it would be beneficial to try and incorporate all of these elements in my FMP. I've been considering creating a video incorporating a circus theme, I've been thinking about creating the video on a slower shutter speed to allow the video to be slightly confusing; and to be able to create an uncomfortable atmosphere through the audience, as they would have felt whist watch a true old fashioned freak show.

It would be really cool if i would be able to stop the video at some point and have live actors coming from the screen to complete the second half the video, live and interacting with the audience! However I'm not sure if an installation/exhibition is exactly what i want to do!

I have been looking at all sorts of areas of the Circus, and Carnivals, and I have found a lot of puppet shows, heres a video I found on YouTube:

I really like the style of this video as there is a creepy element to it, i'm just not sure exactly how i could encorporate it into my ideas for my FMP......

Old and New

I have explored the internet and found many examples of what used to be considered as a circus/freak show, and what we could consider to be one nowadays. I've found two videos online where you can see a direct comparison of the difference from a 1940's freak show(top), to one from 2010(Bottom)!

After viewing both videos there is a clear developement of freak shows from then to now, in the 1940s its clear that people with physical disformities were still classed as freaks and exhibited as 'freaks' of the world. However freakshows that are seen today are more like circus type acts-sword swallowing, fire eating ect. So they are more of an entertainment show with normal people showing their talents to an audience.

Freak show time line

I have researched and put together a timeline that shows where the idea of the freak show began, to the most recent types of freak shows we see today (please click on the picture to enlarge):

Where it all begins!!

Okay so when it comes to the beginning of a new project I like to start where I left off, therefore to start with I want to begin looking at the Freak show, and the wonders of the Circus!

I want to look into where they originated from and how they have developed into what we see in carnivals nowadays!

I will explore the expression: "freak" and find out who were classed as a freak in those days, compared to people considered "freaks" in this day and age! It would be interesting if I could recreate something that allowed people to understand what it was like to either witness and true freak show or to be a part of one!