A Colossal Workshop: Intro to Stop-Motion Animation with Clifford Beddy

Animator Clifford Beddy joins Colossal for a workshop on the basics of stop-motion animation. In this two-hour session, participants will follow a playful storyline about a mouse and its quest to obtain a hunk of cheese, using everyday materials. He will teach the necessary techniques for planning, lighting, tools, movement, textures, characters, and sound that can be used for future stop-motion projects.

When: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST on April 22, 2023

Required materials:

• A smartphone or tablet with a camera.
• Stop Motion Studio, available for iPhone, iPad, macOS, Android, Windows, Chromebook, and Amazon Fire devices. The free version of the app will work, too, although the upgrade offers more features. If you’re comfortable with another app, feel free to use that instead.
• A tripod, stand, or something heavy to hold your device in place.
• A lamp or light to brighten your workspace—try to work in a spot with as little natural light as possible.
• Characters made in advance of the session.
• Basic desk accessories like scissors, pens, a stapler, a keyboard, paper clips, books, etc. to be used as props.

Optional materials: 

• A white backdrop (white paper on a hard surface, foam board, etc.) to help reflect light onto the scene.
• A way to activate your camera without touching your device. Some phones allow users to take photos with the volume button on their headphones or through voice commands.

Attendees will receive an email prior to the event with the Zoom link, materials list, and Clifford's examples for potential characters.

About Clifford Beddy

Clifford is a stop-motion animation artist from South Africa. He makes creative videos with modeling clay, food, wool, and real objects. Before working with stop-motion animation, he held a variety of jobs around the globe, including making personalized jigsaw puzzles, editing wedding videos, teaching English in Asia, and screen-printing in Canada.

Giving Back

10% of the proceeds for this workshop will benefit the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation, which is working on the front lines of medical crises in Syria.