Want to try something new and creative with your iPhone camera? Stop-motion videos are so cool and fun to make, and although they may look difficult, the stop-motion process is actually quite simple. And posting a stop-motion video on Instagram or YouTube will add a unique flair to your account. Here’s all you need to know about making awesome stop-motion videos with your iPhone.
What is stop-motion?
Stop-motion is a filmmaking technique that is used to make inanimate objects come to life using a series of still photographs. Between each shot, the objects in the frame are moved slightly to give the appearance of movement when the images are stitched together.
Tip 2: Don’t change the lighting or camera settings
The goal here is to create a series of photos that are stitched together to look like a video. Therefore, it’s important that the only things you’re are changing in your scene are the objects. You want everything else to stay the same — the camera settings, the lighting, and the background shouldn’t change unless you move on to another scene.
Tip 3: Get your photos right the first time
Creating a stop-motion video requires hundreds, sometimes thousands of photos, and believe us when we tell you that you won’t want to be editing every single one of them. So before you start shooting, take some test shots to ensure that your focus and exposure are correct and there’s nothing in the scene that will need to be edited out later. Adjust your lighting and camera position if you have to, then shoot with the intention of not editing every single frame when you are done.
Best stop-motion apps for iPhone
As you may have gathered from reading the beginning of this article, neither the Photos app nor iMovie is the best way to create a stop-motion video. Sure, it can be done. But using a dedicated app for the process is a much better way to spend your time. Here are some of the apps that we’d recommend for creating stop-motion videos on your iPhone.
Stop Motion Studio
We gave a short tutorial for using Stop Motion Studio above because this free, easy-to-use tool will have you creating quick stop-motion movies in no time. Once you get the hang of the interface, you can decide whether or not to buy the premium version of the app with extra tools to enhance your creativity. With the pro version of Stop Motion Studio, you can use a remote camera, apply a green screen, shoot in 4K Ultra HD, and more.
Stop Motion Studio on the App Store
iMotion
iMotion is an iOS app that was created for time-lapse videos and stop-motion animation alike. The app features several modes to make it quite easy to create your masterpiece, including the ability to import photos from your library to create your stop-motion video.
With iMotion, you can capture footage using your front or rear camera, and you can adjust your focus, exposure, and white balance manually. You can also quickly change your frame rate for a smoother transition between scenes. Be sure to check out the gallery of ideas before creating your own project. iMotion is free to download and includes in-app purchases.
Stop Motion Maker
Stop Motion Maker is another free app that is very straightforward and is a perfect choice for novice moviemakers — including kids. After launching the app and creating your scene, all you have to do is tap the shutter and move your scene around to create your sequence of images. While Stop Motion Maker doesn’t have the ability to add voiceovers or background music, it is a great app for learning the basics of stop-motion videos.
Stop Motion Maker on the App Store
Creative stop-motion ideas
Need some inspiration for your own stop-motion creations? We’ve tapped into Instagram to find some creative stop-motion video ideas to kick-start your creativity.
1. Play with your food
We know that your parents always told you not to play with your food, but stop-motion meals are a fun way to start experimenting with this art form. Stop-motion food videos don’t have to be long to create serious impact, and they are great for adding some wow-factor to your Instagram feed.
2. Make a stop-motion cut-paper video
The nice thing about cut-paper videos is that they’re two-dimensional, so you don’t need any elaborate scenes — just a piece of paper for the background and a cut-paper subject. Cut-paper videos can be as simple or as elaborate as you want them to be. A taller tripod is useful for this type of stop-motion video because two-dimensional videos look best when shot from above.
3. Use Legos or action figures to create your stop-motion movies
If you have kids, there’s a good chance that you have some figures or toys laying around, just begging to be brought to life. Legos are great for creating stop-motion videos, even for beginners. With Legos, you can create elaborate or simple scenes, and because you’re working with literal building blocks, it’s easy to reimagine and readjust your scene as you go. The Instagram video above, for example, is the very first stop-motion video by the creator who posted it.
Ready to try your hand at stop-motion animation? Once you get started creating these cool videos, you’ll be hooked, and there’s no limit to how long or elaborate your videos can be!
