Documentary Roles, Research and Designing the Stop-Motion Backgrounds

This week we sorted out everyone's roles in the group. The pre-production will be split up with me and Daisy working on designing and building the stop-motion sets. Madgie and Harry are going to be working on making and testing the collage elements. 

I researched in more depth, the flora and fauna that lives in the Indonesian rainforest. 

I then got to work on designing stop-motion mechanisms that we could use to easily control the movements of the foliage in the forest, especially as the plants are going to be so close to one another.

• The gaps between each setting were too great due to there only being four corners that could get caught on the screw
• The string didn't stay attached to the edge of the cardboard so turning the cardboard had no effect on the plant

• By weaving the string in between the skewers, this kept it from falling off
• This offered more minute settings compared to the square piece of cardboard but still not minute enough that it would make the plant's movements look realistic
• The skewers were very fragile and couldn't withstand the tension on the string

• This method offered an infinite number of settings, where the string could be minutely pulled tighter/looser, therefore creating realistic movement in the plant
• The friction between the large cardboard tube and the toilet roll tubing was able to withstand the tension of one branch
• The large cardboard tubing could hold many strips of toilet roll cardboard
• Thicker strips of toilet roll tubing could support larger branches
• This is the method I opted for

With the mechanisms designed, I compiled a background layout plan for two different shots we will be doing. These designs will help me see what materials we'll need to buy.

What Went Well

• Everyone is happy with the job roles and we all know what we are doing each week
• The research will influence the design of the plants we make for the background
• Testing different stop-motion mechanisms was good fun and I have come across a method that I think will work well
• The basic background designs give a good indication of the materials we'll need to buy

Criticism

• Using the string does mean that this will need to be painted out in post-production, however it will be easier than having to animate by hand amongst very tightly packed foliage
• The test was on one plant but may get complicated when we introduce multiple plants to one scene