Claymation is an entertaining form of animation popularized by such favorites as Gumby, Wallace and Gromit and Robot Chicken. Claymation is a fun form of stop-motion animation that kids love to create. The characters are easy to form and move. Plus, you don’t need illustration talent to create successful Claymation stories. In this workshop kids from 9 – 16 will learn basics in photography, character expression, audio capture and video editing. Participants in this hands-on workshop will work closely with one or two collaborative partners to develop a short, stop-motion Claymation story.

Students who complete the stop-motion animation requirements will earn a Claymation badge from LRNG-KC:

Here's what students will learn in each of the four workshop sessions:

February 6: Making Pictures Move (4:30- 6:00)

This session provides hands-on learning about “key framing,” “frame rates" and how the "persistence of vision" makes still images appear to move to the viewer. In this session the student will construct a simple "thaumatrope," a "flipbook" that simulates animation and he/she will view examples of animation at different frame rates.

February 13: Stop-Motion Tools for Claymation (4:30- 6:00)

In this session, participants will learn how to work with plasticine modeling clay and other items to make Claymation characters. They will learn how to use a webcam and simple lighting with a laptop to capture their stop-motion Claymation frames. Students will also learn how to use Zu3D animation software to create their stop-motion story.

February 20: Image Capture for Claymation (4:30- 6:00)

In this session, students will be photographing the progressive movements of the characters and props in their story at a frame rate of at least 15 frames per second (fps).

February 27: Editing & Publishing Claymation (4:30- 6:00)

In this session, participants will use the features of the animation software to edit images, add sound effects or voiceovers, and edit the video timeline. Students will add title frames to the beginning of their stories and crawling credits at the end of their stories. When the Claymation production piece is final, the student will publish the story to digiSTORY KC’s YouTube Channel where links can be shared with family and friends.

FAQs

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Contact Ron Green, Executive Director of digiSTORY KC, at rgreen@digistory.org or (816) 804-5917.

Do I need to bring anything to this workshop?

No—everything the student needs will be provided during the workshop. Each student will be provided two sticks of plasticine for creating characters. A materials fee of $2.00 per stick will be charged for any additional sticks. If the student wants to keep the production files they create during the workshop, they should bring a flashdrive (2 GB or more).

Will the student be able to continue creating Claymation animations after the workshop is over?

Since our software and equipment is specialized for stop-motion, you will need to acquire these special tools to continue creating stop-motion. digiSTORY KC selects the software and tools to be affordable for students to purchase for home use. See the workshop instructor for information about purchasing the stop-motion tools for home use.

Is there a materials fee in addition to the workshop fee?

No, unless the student wants to use more than the two sticks of plasticine provided. If so, each stick costs $2.00.

Are discounts available for students whose families face financial hardships?

Yes—A key mission of digiSTORY KC is to make sure that every child gets to explore digital storytelling regardless of their ability to pay for workshop fees. digiSTORY KC has a set of guidelines to help families demonstrate the need for financial assistance. Contact the Executive Director at rgreen@digistory.org to request a scholarship for workshop fees.

Will the student be able to publish their work where family and friends can see it?

Yes—students have the option of publishing their productions to the digiSTORY KC YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYonw2piO8dsckqF0g63r0Q

Sometimes students will publish their productions to digiSTORY KC’s Vimeo site.

Can the student work alone on the stop-motion production?

Digital media production is a very collaborative industry. We place students in teams of 2 or 3 members to help them learn how to work together with others on their projects. Students are expected to switch and share duties in order to learn about the full production process.

Is parking available for this workshop?

Ample well-lighted parking is available on the west side of the building. The Linwood Area Ministry Place (LAMP) provides secure access throughout the building to assure a safe environment.

Are similar workshops available through digiSTORY KC?

Yes, digiSTORY KC will be offering a wide range of stop-motion animation and digital media workshops as it builds its curriculum over time. You can learn more about available workshops at these websites:

https://digistory.org/events/

https://www.lrng.org/kc

https://www.eventbrite.com/

Can I get a refund if the student can’t attend the workshop?

You can cancel your registration anytime prior to the workshop on the Eventbrite event site. No refunds will be given if we are not notified prior to the start of the workshop.