I Love YouTube: Stop Motion Animation

Who doesn't love stop motion animation? Who doesn't get a special little thrill when they see stuff that's supposed to remain still actually shuffle across the counter of it's own accord in a stuttery dream-like way? If you guessed 'No-one' you're absolutely right. For proof, let's turn to youtube...

There are so many home-made lego and action figure stop motion videos on youtube that one can probably count on the next generation of animators to be seriously ass-kicky. It's never been easier for the average kid with a web cam (or camera phone) to spend the afternoon experimenting with this brand of filmmaking, meticulously moving his or her GI Joes around by the tinest increments and snapping a photo with every change. Stop motion is the gateway filmmaking technique that gets cameras into the hands of kids at a very young age and blows their imagination wide open to the possibilities of creative story-telling.

The following clips I found on YouTube demonstrate the creative heights one can reach with little more than the equipment they already have (and the occasional piece of free software they found on line). Enjoy! And be inspired...

Iron Man v. Bruce Lee

Simply incredible attention to detail. Technically speaking, this is the best home-made stop-motion animated action figure video you'll see online.

 

Microscopic Stop Motion

Mmmmmmmmmm, Nokia N8. Me wanty...

 

Lego Fever

Wow, the lego animation in this one is so smooth. The computery and hipstery elements I can do without though...

 

Deadline

Taking the 8-bit graphic template into the 2D post-it note world seems like a no brainer... Bravo

 

Last Leaf

OK GO are pretty much THE masters of innovative music videos, further support for this being this crazy but beautiful animated toast video.