Camera Instructions

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Claymation Video Production
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What is it?

• Claymation style movies are a large collection of
  still images where the characters are moved
  slightly with each successive shot.
• These shots are best taken with a still digital
  camera and imported into iMovie.

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• Video for non professionals runs at 25 frames
  per second but a speed of 12 frames per second is
  adequate for animation.

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Camera Instructions

• Digital Still Camera
• MVC-FD85/FD90

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Install Battery Pack

• Open the battery cover. Slide the battery cover
  in the direction of the arrow while pressing the
  PUSH button.
• Install the batter pack. Insert the battery pack
  with arrow mark facing toward the battery
  compartment.
• Close the battery cover.

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Remove the Battery Pack

• Open the battery cover. Slide the battery eject
  lever rightward.
• Remove the battery pack.

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Insert Floppy Disk

• Check that the write protect tab is set to the
  recordable position for recording.
• Insert the floppy disk until it clicks.

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Taking Pictures

• Slide the power switch to the right to turn on
  the power and insert a floppy disk. This camera
  stores images on a floppy disk. The appropriate
  diskette should be 3.5 inch size, 2HD (1.44 MB),
  and formatted (MS-DOS).

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Notes

• This camera does not have a manual mode.
• If the disk is it formatted, the camera will
  format the disk automatically. If the disk is not
  blank, all files will be erased.

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Taking Pictures

• INSERT a floppy disk until it clicks. To remove
  the disk, slide the EJECT LOCK to the left and
  slide down the DISK EJECT LEVER.
• Set the PLAY/STILL/MOVIE selector to STILL.

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Taking Pictures

• Press and hold the shutter button halfway down
  and check the image. A green light flashes
  indicating the camera is automatically adjusting
  the exposure and focusing the captured image.
  When these automatic adjustments finish the light
  will stop flashing, then lights up, and the
  camera is ready to record.

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Taking Pictures

• If you like the image, press the shutter button
  fully down and "RECORDING" will appear on the LCD
  screen. If you do not like the image, release the
  button and try again.
• While the image is being recorded, do not shake
  or strike the camera (nor should you turn off the
  camera, change the position of the MS/FD
  selector, or remove the floppy disk/battery pack).

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Number of Pictures

• On the current camera setting, you will be able
  to take 30 pictures with an image size of 640 x
  480. This is the only setting I would like for
  you to use.

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Previewing Pictures

• Set the PLAY/STILL/MOVIE selector to play.
• Press the up arrow control button to display the
  menu bar.
• Select the desired still image with the control
  button.

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Claymation Process
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Filming

• Create a staging area on top of a lab table.
• Place the lights where they will light up the
  area where the action is going to take place but
  so that shadows are not created.

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Limit Your Light Sources

• You want adequate lighting that is bright enough
  to let you see what you are video taping with the
  amount of detail you want. If the light is too
  dim or dark, you won't be able to see much on
  your video tape.

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• In general, you don't want the source of light
  to come from behind your subject. If a light
  source is behind an object, it will seem dark and
  you may not be able to see what is going on, or
  the details of the object.

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• Position the light source in front or above the
  subject. Ideally you will want your light to come
  from where the camera is set up - this will
  prevent shadows on objects. If you have a light
  on your camera, you might use this along with
  other light sources (like lights in a classroom,
  or natural sunlight).

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• If there isn't enough light available, try using
  the "gain" or "backlight" button. This will let
  the camera work with less light, however the
  video may not look as clear.

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Background Set

• Use a piece of poster board is to make the
  background set. You may use any type of art
  material to decorate the sets.

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• Use the zoom button on the camera to include as
  much of the background set in the picture frame
  as possible.

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Tips!

• Keep the camera as still as possible, the
  slightest movement by the camera from one picture
  to the other can make the video very jerky.
• Be sure the edges of the backdrop don't show.

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Props

• Props can be created from scratch or brought in
  from home.
• Examples
• Trees are imitated by adding twigs to a lump of
  clay.
• Match box cars work well when a car is needed for
  the set.
• Doll furniture is effective.

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Characters

• The most successful characters ranged from 4 to
  7 inches tall.

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• Use wire inside the taller characters to give
  the sculptures added support. The wire often
  controls unwanted drooping during the filming
  process.

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• Place the characters in the first position and
  take a picture.
• Move the characters to the next position using
  small incremental steps. (The simplest of
  movements needs to be broken into 3 to 6 steps.)
  Each movement is recorded as a single frame.
• This process continues until the entire
  storyboard is acted out.

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Dress Rehearsal

• Important Step!
• Make sure you do a dry run of your story without
  taking any pictures. Remember that you will be
  stopping to take a picture with every change that
  you make on the set.

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Video Production Tips

• Take a few practice shots to be sure that
• the edges of the backdrop don't show
• the camera isn't moving from shot to shot

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• The figures are large enough to be seen (when the
  movie is converted to QuickTime, the screen is
  much smaller than the monitor and very small
  figures are hard to see so it's better to use
  larger figures and zoom in more on the subject of
  the movie)
• The lighting is good

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Keep Camera Still

• The slightest movement by the camera from one
  picture to the other can make the final video
  very jerky.

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• Mark the position of the digital camera so that
  you can maintain a constant frame of reference.
• Use a tripod and be sure to keep the camera as
  still as possible.

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• The more increments of movement and pictures
  taken, the more natural the movement of your
  characters appear on video.

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Deleting Images

• Set the PLAY/STILL/MOVIE selector to PLAY, then
  display the image to be deleted.
• Select DELETE and then OK from the menu.

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Transferring Images to a Computer

• Remove the floppy disk and place it in the
  computer.
• On the hard drive, create a file with an
  appropriate name to store your images.

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Transferring Images to a Computer

• Copy the floppy disk contents to the hard drive.
• The images will be numbered in sequence of
  recording, with the file name such as
  MVC-001f.jpg. Rename this file name to be
  meaningful (e.g., rename MVC-001f.jpg to jim.jpg
  or MVC-007f.jpg to glass01.jpg).

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Credits

• All photos taken from
• www.soe.purdue.edu/ trc/Resources/welcome.htm
• Because I only have one camera I was unable to
  take the pictures myself.

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• www.tech4learning.com
• http//www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2003/06/13/d
  v_tips.html