• Joined: January 12, 2012

Topic: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

I've decided to get back into stop motion. Well, brickfilming. And what I did before was take my still camera and just take pictures. It wasn't hooked up to a computer or anything. But now that I know what onionskinning is, I don't know how I'd do anything without it.

So, first, I was wondering what kind of camera/video camera I should get. I've heard so many mixed results on all types. But if there's a certain one you guys use, and it's nice, let me know. Because I literally have no idea. I need one that will hookup to the computer and do the live feed thing so I can capture everything right on my computer. I'm not looking for movie quality stuff here but at least 720 would be nice.

Second, is the computer side and software side. I'm tossing between a PC and a Mac. An iMac. Don't know if a laptop would be suitable for me. The nice version of stop motion pro is only around $300. While the best version of istopmotion is $500. Now, I don't know if I actually need the best versions of either so in that case, istopmotion express might be the best option. I like Macs because they tend to handle video and audio better. I know I'll need one that's at leas an i3 but preferably an i7.

Lastly, is the lighting, movement, editing side. This is probably the least of my problems but if anyone of you have any tips on lighting, movement, or editing things, let me know.



Thanks!


(If you don't want to answer this, then don't. I'm just asking what you guys use/do. All I'm trying to do is get a rough idea of a price range for all this stuff so I can start saving up. I currently have $350.)

  • Location: United States
  • Joined: June 21, 2011

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

1. Logitech C910. It's a great webcam, I think it can film 1080p (Although I haven't tried that yet.)
I think to get much better than it you have to get a DSLR camera.

2. Windows has more software I believe, but I have not looked at Mac stuff too much, also you have to be sure to buy the Mac version of the C910 if you go that route, as the Windows one won't work right. I use Monkeyjam for frame-captuing, but it doesn't have onion-skinning. So I can't help you there. I use Sony Vegas Platinum 11 to edit, it's nice and fairly cheap.

3. Are you talking about the animating? In that case just be sure to ease-in and ease-out, have a few bright lamps coming from different angles and practice your animating A LOT.

I hope this helps!
(If not just put up with it! mini/tongue)

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  • Location: gone
  • Joined: November 27, 2010

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

For a capture software, Helium Frog is the only free one I know of that has onionskinning.  If you're okay with paying for a program, then there's Stop Motion Pro, which is what I have.  It's got onionskinning and many other tools, like in-program masking and a frame editor, where you can change the order of the frames, duplicate frames, and other stuff.  If you get it, make sure to get the Action! HD version for good picture quality.  (SMP is PC-only.  I don't know about HF, though.)

Not literally dead, just no longer interested in Lego or animation.
  • Location: Somewhere only I know
  • Joined: April 7, 2011

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

So just stopmotion? I would say Windows for that. an i5 is nice for just brickfilms. But build your own computer if you can.

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  • Joined: April 18, 2011

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

Windows would probably better for brickfilming. An i5 or i7 is your best bet and plenty of ram. Think 6+ GB ram for software. You'll also want a large laptop screen(unless you want to go really portable). Editing is a pain to do on a small screen. Make sure that it was hi-speed usb 2. You'll be wishing you had it if you don't because it speeds it the connection between you camera and computer if your using usb like a webcam.

Last edited by VanderFlame Studios (January 16, 2012 (02:41pm))

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  • Location: Rotterdam, NL
  • Joined: January 16, 2011

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

You're considering iStopMotion express, but that doesn't do 720...

Just so you know.

I'm doing everything on a mac. I have a core 2 duo with 4 gb ram and that works like a charm for me...

http://www.windlovers.nl/downloads/OBD/OBD_Banner.png
  • Joined: January 12, 2012

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

Thank you guys SO much for all your replies. I think I'm going to stick with the PC for now, even though I still have to get a new computer for that. My desktop I have now isn't even an i3 so I think it would be impossible to do video editing and whatnot. And I've done a lot of research on Stop Motion Pro and none on iStopmotion. So yeah.

As for the webcam, it looks like a really nice one. And definitely an option (and possibly my final choice) at $63! So thanks Pritchard Studios mini/bigsmile I was looking at cameras in the $200 range so that helps with the price issue I'm having. And now I can put more of my money towards a nice computer. Which, I'll be getting a desktop. Not a laptop. Desktops just have way more speed and all that.

Now, another question. It doesn't have to be answered and it's kind of off topic, but is there a career I can get into with stop motion? Preferably brickfilming but I don't think that exists mini/tongue I just think if I'm putting all my time and money into this, I want it to eventually turn into a job. Not from YouTube (unless it works out that way) but like an actual career.

  • Location: United States
  • Joined: June 21, 2011

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

The only ways to earn money from brickfilming are the following:

#1. Luck into being contacted by Lego to make a film for them. (Fancypants, Garrett and Paganomation have done that. But only the latter two have done it more than once, and there are only three out of a multitude of brickfilmers)

#2. Make a lot of videos with no copyright issues and become really popular while putting ads on your Youtube account. (This won't get you much at all unless you get really, really popular, and make a whole lot of movies.)

#2.5. Make a DVD of your films (they must be totally copyright free.) and sell it. (Once agin, you must obtain extreme popularity, or at least have a bunch of rich friends for this to work.)

#3. Enter into and win a lot of contests with cash prizes. (Good luck on that. mini/tongue)


In other words, unless you expand to animation in general, or to a lesser degree, any type of stop-motion, you won't be able to make a carreer out of it. Most of the guys that do it, only do it for fun. So don't really expect to make much (if any) out of this hobby.

I have been very fourtunate in that I have lucked into winning a number of contests hosted by Lego, so the retail price of the prizes adds up to more that I have invested into brickfilming. But I lucked into that, and I wouldn't have bought most of the sets anyway, so it didn't save me that much money. That, and I think I am not a good example of the normal brickfilmer in that regard. Most put a lot into the hobby, and don't get anything back out. (cash/prizes-wise)

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  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Joined: December 10, 2010

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

A career in brickfilming is i'm sure alot of people on this forum's dream mini/smile You should probably aim for a career in animation in general and eventually branch your way out to stop motion and then brick filming if your really lucky and I mean REALLY lucky!

Boats Animator
Free stop motion software with 1080p support!
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  • Joined: January 12, 2012

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

Well either way, I'm gonna try.

By the way, does that Logitech C910 have manual focus? I'll be using it with Stop Motion Pro. Action HD edition probably. But if it's auto focus only then it probably won't work.

  • Location: United States
  • Joined: June 21, 2011

Re: Long read, but any help would be greatly appreciated...

Yes, but only in 10% increments. See this thread for the details.

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