Industry Role: Stop Motion Animator
Being a Stop Motion animator interests me, it is detail oriented and requires a lot of patience. I find that animating is a bit like being an actor. I studied drama at sixth form and enjoyed being able to express myself and create new worlds. With stop motion animation you are using inanimate objects, moving them slightly and taking pictures to give the illusion of life. There is something very unique and magical about this approach.
I looked at Screen Skills to see the ways into this career path. Animating falls under the production department. As an animator you are given the puppets and the story and it is your job to bring them to life through movement. I find making animatics challenging so actually having one to work with would take away a lot of the pressure I put on myself. I have discovered that stop motion can be quite painful for your back if you don’t take regular breaks. I was given some advice by an animator that swimming, in particular front crawl is very good as it stretches your muscles in the opposite direction, opening them up.
Ways of getting into the industry would be starting as a runner or junior animator and working your way up the ladder. As Stop Motion is quite a small world, everyone knows each other, so networking is also crucial as you may be recommended to other people. Most animators who work in Stop Motion are freelance. This would give me the opportunity to carry on making and selling my ceramics, potentially as a part time job.
I watched the LIAF Aardman Animation Industry Event and there was something that one of the panellists said that stuck out to me, ‘every single shot is a problem that needs to be solved’. This, in my opinion sums up Stop Motion perfectly; no matter how much you plan, you are always going to be faced with new challenges. Although it can be difficult and frustrating, it is also very rewarding when you find a way around it.
Chip and Tomato Ketchup Disco scene final shot. This whole film was a series of challenges, from which I learnt so much. Although I found it very hard, I already miss animating these characters.
I really enjoyed working as part of a team on The LIAF, ‘Why Not’ project.