STARTING POINTS FOR ANIMATION IN SCHOOL
CLASSIC STORIES
That play, those stories, that poem they have just done in English. Use those recordings that someone has already made for speaking and listening. It doesn’t have to be War and Peace- Try jokes or limericks.
That play, those stories, that poem they have just done in English. Use those recordings that someone has already made for speaking and listening. It doesn’t have to be War and Peace-
KIDS OWN STORIES
Don’t waste good animation time thinking up stories when there are probably exercise books full of them in your school already just waiting to be brought to life.
Don’t waste good animation time thinking up stories when there are probably exercise books full of them in your school already just waiting to be brought to life.
READY MADE ART
If you have a batch of art work on some sort of theme then you can probably use it as a basis of an animation. If it is 2D work imagine it shown in a sequence with a commentary or dialogue or sound effects. There may be scope for digitally cutting and pasting different things together. You can invent a story even if there wasn’t one there to start with.
If you have a batch of art work on some sort of theme then you can probably use it as a basis of an animation. If it is 2D work imagine it shown in a sequence with a commentary or dialogue or sound effects. There may be scope for digitally cutting and pasting different things together. You can invent a story even if there wasn’t one there to start with.
When a child writes or hears a story, they start to make pictures in their mind, lets tap into these.
ABSTRACT ANIMATIONS
Drawing directly on computer you can forget about stories or figures altogether. Experiment with changing shapes colours and patterns. This is a great no ‘fail’ exercise for kids that lack enough confidence to draw anything recognisable. Repeat some of the sequences, add some disco music, and you are there.
MUSIC Start off with a piece of music as the main idea and make up animation to go with it, action, dancing, abstract shapes. A group of Yr 9 boys who had their own band made an animation featuring their own music and a band of little Plasticine characters, who get famous.
SEASONAL THEMES
Kids can all make a short animation on a certain theme and then you can join them altogether to make a short movie with music and sound effects. We do a Halloween movie every year. Some of the music might get used again but the screams and witches cackling is all fresh.
Kids can all make a short animation on a certain theme and then you can join them altogether to make a short movie with music and sound effects. We do a Halloween movie every year. Some of the music might get used again but the screams and witches cackling is all fresh.
ACTION
Leave worrying about about a complete story and just go for animating some actions. Sometimes stories suggest themselves as you go along.
Leave worrying about about a complete story and just go for animating some actions. Sometimes stories suggest themselves as you go along.
CINEMA HITS
Get a DVD of a popular animated movie suitable for the age and interests of your students. Disney, Pixar, Wallace and Grommit, Tell them they are going to make their own episode. Don’t confuse then with stories about the thousand of animators that spent years on each one. If they have enthusiasm and ideas they will produce good creative work.
Get a DVD of a popular animated movie suitable for the age and interests of your students. Disney, Pixar, Wallace and Grommit, Tell them they are going to make their own episode. Don’t confuse then with stories about the thousand of animators that spent years on each one. If they have enthusiasm and ideas they will produce good creative work.
READY MADE DIALOGUE
Start off with a soundtrack. And then get drawn or photographed figures to do the talking on the animation. Do your own Creature Comforts animation.
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