The Energon Pub

1337W422102 wrote:Use a digital still camera, not a video camera. You'll want the functions and megapixels of a camera designed to take still images.

Aha, thats where my college's wonderful, digital video/still camera's come in!

Gee Whiz, final cut a bargain at $1200 and Adobe at $1500. It looks like it would do everything you would need though.

EnergonCube wrote:Gee Whiz, final cut a bargain at $1200 and Adobe at $1500. It looks like it would do everything you would need though.

That's where the school's facilities and the internet come in handy.

If you want a free stop motion software, Animator DV Simple+ is a good one to use. By far the best free one out there.

Some stop motions I've made with stop motion pro free trial:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=YaX9QtcIjic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uyJ3FcyJOQ

Here's a few things I need to clarify.

I know I need a tripod, but I don't have one, I have no idea how I'm supposed to know what tripods from the many available on eBay will fit my camera. It'a a Fujifilm A500 I think.

I don't use a video camera to do it, despite how crap it looks, I just couldn't be bothered to take all the time setting up lights and making it look as good as my crappy camera can make it look.

There's no way I can set the camera up without a tripod so it can look down at the transformers from an angle.

Luckily, it is my birthday in two days, so with some of the money I get. (Usually I get quite a bit, around $600 USD) I can buy a better camera with (hopefully) a tripod. This does however mean I can't get some nice new TFs. Oh well, I'd rather do this. I'm not really a completist.

Kriszilla wrote:Here's a few things I need to clarify.

I know I need a tripod, but I don't have one, I have no idea how I'm supposed to know what tripods from the many available on eBay will fit my camera. It'a a Fujifilm A500 I think.

Tripod mounts are standardized. There's a hole at the bottom of your camera that the tripod screws into. DO NOT shoot animation without a tripod. I cannot stress this enough.

I don't use a video camera to do it, despite how crap it looks, I just couldn't be bothered to take all the time setting up lights and making it look as good as my crappy camera can make it look.

Setting up lighting is NOT hard. Turn on the lights in the room, point a desk lamp at the scene, cast the shadows where you want them them to.

There's no way I can set the camera up without a tripod so it can look down at the transformers from an angle.

Again, see the tripod rule.

Luckily, it is my birthday in two days, so with some of the money I get. (Usually I get quite a bit, around $600 USD) I can buy a better camera with (hopefully) a tripod. This does however mean I can't get some nice new TFs. Oh well, I'd rather do this. I'm not really a completist.

Get the tripod.

Okay, I get it, I need a tripod. I just didn't know if I needed a special type or not. Now I know that I do not, I can buy a very cheap tripod off eBay.

Anyway, maybe tomorrow I'll post some of my ideas for the stop-motion films.

Setting up lighting is NOT hard. Turn on the lights in the room, point a desk lamp at the scene, cast the shadows where you want them them to.

I never said it was hard, I just said I couldn't be bothered to do it. It's pure laziness on my part.

The goal of that footage was not to look good, it was to see if I could get a grasp on the basics of stop-motion. I know what things I need to change, and what stuff I need to get.

So, now hardware issues are out of the way, any ideas pertaining to set-building, special effects, etc?

Again, sorry if I came off as a jerk! That wasn't my intention at all. Make sure to avoid those cheap 'bendy/flexible' tripods as they completely defeat the purpose. Be sure to lock all of the tripod's joints when shooting to avoid unwanted camera movement (except, of course when you want camera movement, such as dollies, pans, pedestals, tracking shots, etc.). If your camera has a remote, you can use that when taking photos (that way you don't even touch the camera itself! This eliminates unwanted camera movement). I don't have a remote for my camera, so what I do is a make sure all the joints are very tight and I set the camera's timer to 2 seconds. That way it takes the photo 2 seconds after I press the shutter button rather than taking the shot when I'm pressing the button down.

Kriszilla wrote:So, now hardware issues are out of the way, any ideas pertaining to set-building, special effects, etc?

Set-building is important as well (unless if you want your film to take place on a tabletop ). I tend to build sets out of Lego and use binders and bristol boards as flats [walls of the set]. Just make sure to hide the background and have enough props and stuff so that the set looks understandable enough, but also use what's available to your advantage! Wooden desks can be wood floors, carpets can be grass, etc. (in my Bad Mother Truckers shorts, the police chief's office was shot on my brother's room desk, I just used binders to hide the background/look like walls, put in some furniture I made out of Lego, and suspended the ceiling fan prop from the desk lamp, which was also a light source, and a rug was used to simulate desert terrain) I've tried experimenting with LCD backgrounds, but that just looks too fake for my tastes. But it does make setbuilding a lot easier!

Remember that framing is important: the audience will only see what the camera sees. You can use this to your advantage (when part of a character is out of frame, you can always hold on to it to support it; this is helpful when making characters transform or jump, and stuff).

As for special effects, it depends on what you want to achieve. I'm a big fan of oldschool special effects, so I tend to use (and overuse ) blue sticky tack, modelling clay, string, flashlights, and cotton balls. I use cotton as dust/smoke clouds, exhaust fumes, and muzzle flash.

You can also use your editing software for visual effects, of course!

I don't use a tripod when I shoot stop motions and they turn out fine.

Thanks for the replies 1337W422102. They're pretty helpful.

Anyways, the whole thing will take place on Cybertron. At least for now it will. Maybe if I make it past the first instalment without giving up in despair, I may have some later episodes where they visit alien worlds. If I do, look out for guest figures from other toy lines.

Tripod will be bought soon, but right now I've got a Classics Bumblebee supposedly on the way, but the seller hasn't contacted me to let me know if he's mailed it yet. And I've also got a Blurr figure. (Can't remember which series, but it's Armada Blurr with a G1 Blurr syle head.)

Also, does anybody know of a good Megatron/Galvatron (Don't care which) figure that can match Masterpiece OP in size? I am aware of Masterpiece Megs but don't want to shell out the cash for him, especially since I hate gun-megatron. Masterpiece OP will be the Bot leader in the series, but I need a nice Galvatron or Megatron who can be either bigger or almost the same size as masterpiece OP.

EDIT: Okay, here's a snippet of the storyline. EDIT 2.0: Changed it again.

In the not-so-distant future, in a far-flung part of our galaxy, lies the planet Cybertron. A great war between Autobots and the Decepticons has just ended. The Autobots won and exiled the Decepticons to an abandoned colony world called Char. Those that did not go into exile were forced to switch sides or go into hiding.

Optimus Prime has stepped down and handed over leadership of the Autobots to the Council Prime. While he is part of the council, Optimus is no longer autonomous, and must follow the council's wishes.

It is the dawn of an era of peace for the Cybertronian people...

Or is it?

Underneath the facade of peace and prosperity, there is civil unrest in the slums and lower city areas of Cybertron. Optimus Prime and what remains of his elite fighting Autobots are scouring these places. Little do they know, an old enemy has resurrected the long-lost leader of the Decepticons and is bringing about the birth of something even more evil.

Is this the end of the Autobot race? Or will they prevail yet again?

Only time will tell.

Okay, as the title of this thread should hopefully now say, I have some new equipment, and a listing of the 'Bots who are gonna' be featuring in it.

Keep in mind, this list is subject to change if deliveries don't turn up, figures are damaged, or lost:

Optimus Prime (Masterpiece)
Red Alert (Armada, police vehicle repaint)
Wheeljack (Alternator)
Silverstreak (Alternator)
Hot Shot (Armada, eh... I had him, might as well use him. He can be reformatted later...)
Override GTS (Cybertron)
Bumblebee (Classics)
Vector Prime (Cybertron)
Breakdown GTS (Cybertron)
Landmine (Cybertron, quite a nice fig he is too.)
A group of minicon assistants, right now, they include: Armada Jolt, and the one who is packaged with Vector Prime (Forget the name).
Blurr (Cybertron. He's got Armada Blurr's body, but a G1 style Blurr head.)

Decepticons listing:

Galvatron (Armada, may be replaced with GF Master Megatron)
Scourge (R.I.D Spychanger)
Starscream (Cybertron, smaller version)
Thundercracker (Armada, Starscream repaint.)
Skywarp (Cybertron, Thundercracker repaint.)
Scrapmetal x2 (Cybertron)
Cyclonus (Armada)
Demolisher (Armada)
Constructicons (Smaller versions, G1 reissues)
Armorhide (RiD)

Again, these lists will be updated over time.

New Equipment:

I've got a fairly nice tripod with some "quick-release platform on it. I can't get my digicam onto the platform, so I've removed it and used the screw that held the platform on and some blu-tak to keep the camera in place on top of the tripod. it's stable, but sometimes has to be readjusted to stop the camera going wonky.

I've also got a new XD card for my camera so it can hold more images, speeding up the shooting process.

Not-yet arrived figures, and future purchases:

I've got classics Bumblebee, Cybertron Blurr, and Galaxy Force Master Megatron on the way, GF Megs has yet to be paid for as I won him just today. Blurr and Bumblebee however, should be on the way in the next couple of days.

As for future purchases, I'm adding some beast transformers to the cast. In the series Beast Wars figs are just normal TFs who've taken on beast modes, they're not futuristic factions that replace the old sides. Therefore, Maximals are just a beast-transforming sub-group of the Autobots. Beast transformers on my priority list are:

Big Convoy (Beast Wars Neo)
Lio Convoy (Beast Wars the Second)
Rampage (Beast wars Transmetals) (have bought, but the seller has not provided his address for me to send him a cheque)
Quickstrike (Beast wars Fuzors)
Depthcharge (Beast wars Transmetals)
Optimus Primal (Beast wars)

The various Convoys/primes will be parts of the Council Prime, which plays a pivotal role in the series.

Other TFs for future purchase:

Classics Constructicon Devastator.
Energon Shockblast/ Superlink Laserwave

These will be important to the storyline also, and play big roles on the Decepticon side.

UPDATE: Ah, bugger it. I can't be bothered with this tripod, I've put it back the way it was and boxed it. it's going back to the shop it came from.

UPDATE 2: Energon Arcee has been ordered and so has BW Rampage/Protoform X.
He's the first BW I'm getting for my new collection, he was my favourite when I was younger.

Does anybody know of a good tripod with a screw-bit that allows it to screw onto my camera? the "Quick-release platform" on my hama one was too small for my camera to fit in.

Can you guys tell me what you think of my first Stop Motion attempt?

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLFt-3cJx0

its nothing special, just a test of what i can do

thanks!![/url]

It's better than my first try, my only beef would be that if you'd taken less shots, the transformation would have been faster.

I was trying to get the movements as smooth as possible

I was trying to get the movements as smooth as possible

Then in that respect, my friend, you succeeded. What program did you use? If you used Movie Maker, you can shorten the picture clips a lot, which is fiddly and takes a while, but once its done, you'll have smooth animation, and a fast transformation.

Anyway, as for my project, I'm going to do a simple rundown of where I'm at with the Project right now:

First off, rosters of the various TFs who will be making regular appearances, more will be added to this list later, but these are characters who will definitely be showing up:

Autobots:

Optimus Prime (Masterpiece)
Silverstreak (Alternator)
Wheeljack (Alternator)
Hot Shot (Armada)
Arcee (Energon)
Breakdown (Cybertron, GTS repaint)
Override (Cybertron, GTS repaint)
Red Alert (Armada, police vehicle varaiant)
Vector Prime (Cybertron)
Bumblebee (Classics)
Blurr (Cybertron)
Landmine (Cybertron)
Airhammer (Beast Wars: Fuzors)

Decepticons:

Megatron (Galaxy Force)
Galvatron (Armada)
Scourge (RiD)
Armorhide (RiD)
Mini Constructicons (G1 reissues)
Cyclonus (Armada)
Demolisher (Armada)
Starscream (Cybertron, small version)
Thundercracker (Armada)
Skywarp (Cybertron)
Scrapmetals (Cybertron)
Rampage (Beast Wars: Transmetals)
Quickstrike (Beast wars: Fuzors)

Next, Episodes that have been scripted thus far:

Episode 1
Episode 2

Now for current set-building progress:

Cybertron set completion: 0% (not started)
Char set completion: 0% (not started)

Possible future TFs:

Depthcharge (Beast wars)
Constructicon Devastator (Classics)
Rodimus (Undecided)
Thunderblast (Cybertron)
Soundwave (Cybertron)

lastly, equipment required:

Camera tripod (needs to have a screw-top part, PM me if you can help.)

Desk lamp

Coloured light filters.

Yeah I used Movie Maker. I pretty much just shortened all the clips as much as possible, without throwing in any slow down effects.

You got an awesome line up of TF's man. way more than I have.

bah, most ppl on here have way more than that. My collection used to be huge when I was younger, I had tonnes of BWs, but my mother sold them all at some point.