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Blog Entry 4 of 26 Photography- A Way Of Life

I've been gone for a long time! I forgot all about this great site! Now that I am back, I have one very important announcement to share. I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY! I am dedicating this blog to all things photography. I will show you my latest, and ask that you rate it. Also, I will be showing you how to edit your own photos on a free software called GIMP. If you would like to check out my Flickr account, use this link http://www.flickr.com/photos/davisroxyoursox/ Thanks everyone! :Davis

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Stop Motion: Let's Move!

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Contributed by: Davis Anderson on 7/20/2008

One of my newest hobbes is making stop motion films. It's the art of making inanimate objects apear to move. Today, I'll teach you all about stop motions and how to make them. Also, I'll include some links to some of my favorite stop motions. Let's get started!

Supplies:
Like any project, you can't start until you have exactly what youneed. To make a stop motion, you will need the following.
Digital Camera, Camera's USB cord (or whatever it is you use to connect your camera to your computer), a computer with a movie program (I'll explain the program more in a minute), your subjects (that can be legos, rocks, dolls, hot wheels,clay figurese,or anything else you can think of), a clean sapce to work on (add lighting to your space if possible), a colored back drop or background, and a tripod (if you have one. Please note that having a tripod will make your movie 10x better!).

The Computer Program:
Up above, I mentioned you would need a movie program on your computer. In stores, you can buy really good stop motion (or plain old movie making) programs. However, those prices shoot high, to a minimum of about 40$! So, here are your other options.

Windows Computer:
If you have a Windows computer, then you already have a free program on your computer. This program is called WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER. To find it, click on START located at the bottom left hand corner of the screen. On that first menu, you will see the option SEARCH. In SEARCH say that you are looking for WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER. In a few minutes it will come up and you have it! I will talk about how to use the program for making the complete movie later on.

Mac Computer:
In you have a Mac (or apple) computer, then you can use the program iMovie. I don't have a Mac, but I am pretty sure that iMovie is a free program. Since I don't have a Mac, I won't go on later in detail on how to complete the movie later on.

Making Your Movie:
Before anything, charge up your camera battery, and make sure that your memory card is empty. Now start by setting up your camera on your tripod (if you have one) at your clean space. Turn the camera on and adjust the tripod to make sure that you have a perfect veiw of your space. Turn the flash on your camera off, otherwise your pictures might come out strange. Take a picture of your empty space. Then move your character on to the spcae. All that should be seen of the character is the tip, because you are going to try and make it look like your character is walking on to stage. Continue to slightly move your character and take a picture. Continue this process until you think your movie is completed. Once that is completed... CONGRaTULATIONS! You have just finished the most tidus part of making a stop motion.

Editing:
This is probably the hardest part, but it can be easy if you follow these instructions closely. I own a WIndows, so I will be demonstrating how to edit your movie on Windows Movie Maker.
1. Create a new folder on your computer desktop, that way you'll be able to access it easily. Name it whatever you want.
2. Save all of your stop motion pictures into this new folder.
3. Open Windows Movie Maker.
4. You should see somehwere near the upper left hand corner the drop down menu that says CAPTURE VIDEO. There, you should see the option IMPORT PICTURES.
5. Import all the pictures that are in thatnew folder you made in step one.
6.Go to the toolbar at the top of the program and select options. It should be near the bottom. In options, you will see PICTURE DURATION and PICTURE TRANSITION. Make both of those as low as they can go.
7.Right above the story board, you will see a button that says SHOW TIMELINE. Click on that.
8.Now highlight all of your pictures and drag them into the timeline. Wait for it to be done, and then you have your basic movie.
NOTE: When you play your movie in WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER it may apear choppy. Don't worry, that's just because you haven't saved it as a movie yet.
9.To save it as a movie, go to FILE at the toolbar at the top, and from that drop down meny, select SAVE MOVIE FILE... From there everything will be staright forward.
OPTIONAL: You can add movie credits and music to your movie if you wish. Here's how...

Credits:
1.At the top toolbar, select TOOLS and then TITLES AND CREDITS. From there everything is staright forward, and you can choose the font, color of the font, color of thebackground on which the font will be on, and whatever else there is!

Music:
1.Follow the same steps as you did to import your pictures, except this time, click on IMPORT AUDIO OR MUSIC.
2. Choose from iTunes or any other music you have on your computer. If you have a computer microphone, then you can record your voice for your characters!

If you want to, you can upload you video for the whole world to see. You can uplaod it to places like Youtube or Googlevideo.

I hope this guide was helpful to you, and that you can make some awesome videos! I always want to see your videos, so you can send me the URL to your video on Youtube or Googlevideo, or just send the video itslef.
Just make the subject of the email, my stop motion.
Send this to
davis@theandersonteam.com

Email me if you have any concerns or questions! Now get out there and make a movie!

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