The Teaching Box

It usually happens that the most aspiring people have the least equipment in hand to progress towards their dreams. This case suits photographers and videographers who have thousands of creative ideas striking their mind every minute, but fail to meet their apparatus requirements. But, things like these shouldn’t deter us. Making the dream turn to reality with what we have is where our talent lies.

The same case happens when aiming to film a stop-motion video, where we feel the presence of a DSLR would enhance the overall quality of the project. But, what about those who don’t own one! People relax because as long as you have your iPhone in hand, there’s absolutely no need to be concerned about filming a stop-motion animation clip. So iPhoners, let’s get started.

Things Needed:

• Obviously, an iPhone
• An iPhone mount
• A stop-motion animation app for the iOS
• A pre-written script and concept

Step 1 – Preparing the iPhone:

                The first thing to do before filming a stop-motion with the iPhone is to completely charge its battery. You can even consider wiring your phone throughout the shoot, as the filming process is bound to take quality time. There will be instances, when a picture will never meet our script requirements and where the light never illuminates to our favor. So, considering the inevitable and unexpected factors like these, it is recommended to completely charge the battery life and ensure the phone’s continuity. Also, make sure that you switch your phone’s reception mode to the Flight mode, just to avoid receiving calls and messages while filming. Keep vibrations off and turn off the automatic screen lock for a while. So, the basic principle – Don’t touch your phone while filming!

Step 2 -   Select the Right App for You:

                There are loads of apps in store that are efficient (and free) in filming a stop-motion video. But our priority should be on what’s best for us. Our friends and forum threads may suggest several apps, but we should use the one we are comfortable to work with. So, implement the trial and error method in this case and don’t hesitate to try out a couple of apps. There are some apps that offer a ghost view of the previous frame to precisely move the object and capture the next frame. So, unique features like these will spring up only when you try. Once you’ve zeroed in your preferred app, mount your iPhone, wire them and you are ready to film!

Step 3 – Set the environment:

                The next step is to set the environment and get the props and other elements in the script right. Select a location where you feel the lighting for your concept will be perfect. Even if there is deficiency in light illumination, the iPhone can very well handle them. My personal experiences tell me to make use of the natural light rather than relying on the phone’s flash. You may tweak this, however, according to your needs.

Step 4 – Start, Camera, Stop-Motion:

                It’s time to begin the filming process. Try capturing every frame with precision and just the way you wanted and not the way your iPhone shoots. If you feel dissatisfied with your frames, delete and start all over again. Even while filming, it is suggested to visit the previous frames and ensure the current frame is in accordance with the script. Also, make sure to make changes at that instant to avoid regretting while importing the frames to the computer. Proceed with your satisfied script in the same way and complete the photo shoot. Behold! You’ve just used your iPhone to shoot stop-motion animation. You may now use your preferred software in your PC to import the clips and compile them into a fully completed stop-motion video.

This is a guest post by Tina Reeves. She is an experienced guest writer who handles topics about technology, internet and cable and all the latest tech news.  You can also get more information about internet and cable by checking the cox tv guide today.