StopMotionAnimation
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The eerie stop-motion game that's 'better than sex with Jesus'
When I first talked with Anders Gustafsson and Erik Zaring in 2012, they promised their creepy, psychedelic, stop-motion game, The Dream Machine, was going to be "better than sex with Jesus." They had a lot of work ahead of them -- they were building the game by hand, with physical materials, and the stop-motion process was inherently time-consuming. Plus, they had to wrangle episodic installments of an intimate yet sprawling story inspired by LSD trips and theories of alternate realities. Five years later, as the sixth and final installment of The Dream Machine finally lands on Steam, I ask Gustafsson and Zaring if they think their game delivers on its sacrilegious promise.
Smoovie for iPad: A stop-motion app for kids (and adults young at heart)
I recently spent some time with Smoovie for Mac, a kid-friendly, stop-motion video app. I really loved it, but I thought I'd check out the iPad version, too. I had a sneaky suspicion Smoovie and the iPad were a match made in heaven, and I think I was right! Smoovie for iPad is just as easy to use as the Mac version, if not easier. Because of the iPad's built-in camera and portability, it's so mush simpler to make a stop-motion video around the house or even outside -- get down on the floor or right up to the dog's nose. And of course, the iPad's touch screen makes Smoovie that much more intuitive to operate. There's just something fantastic about not having to worry about transferring photos, cables or being limited to one space with Smoovie on the iPad. It's an all-in-one package. And for kids (and adults), that just makes it all the more inspiring and fun to use. Of course, using Smoovie on the Mac does have its benefits, too. For one, you're not tied to the limits of the iPad's camera or storage. But ultimately, Smoovie is about having fun, not creating a Hollywoord blockbuster. Smoovie for iPad costs US$4.99 and is available from the iOS App Store now.
iStopMotion 3 for Mac released, can now use iPhone or iPad as remote camera
Our buddies at Boinx have just announced the availability in the Mac App Store of iStopMotion 3 for Mac. The new release of the stop motion animation app comes with a drastically reduced price point as well -- iStopMotion 3 will be available for a limited time for US$29.99, with a regular price of $49.99. That's down from the $499.99 price tag on iStopMotion 2 Pro. That lower price doesn't mean that iStopMotion 3 has fewer features; in fact it actually has all of the capabilities of the previous version plus a bunch of new ones. The app has a new look and support for Retina displays, integration with Final Cut Pro X, and is compatible with OS X Mountain Lion. One of my favorite new features? The ability to use an iPad or iPhone as a remote camera for the app. To use your iOS device as an HD camera, you just need to download the free iStopMotion Remote Camera app from the iTunes Store. We'll have a full review of iStopMotion 3 for Mac soon; in the meanwhile, be sure to check out the press release below for more details and consider picking up this awesome app at an unbelievably low price. Show full PR text iStopMotion 3 Launches With Support For Using iPhone As A Camera New Mac version allows users to create stunning HD stop motion and time lapse videos using their iPhone as a camera, sports a new look optimized for the Retina display and more; Introductory price of 29.99 USD ends August 31st Puchheim, Germany – August 22, 2012 – Today, the brand new iStopMotion 3 is coming to a Mac near you, with the added ability to create beautiful HD movies using an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch as a camera via the free iStopMotion Remote Camera app. Its new look is fully optimized for the MacBook Pro's riveting new Retina display. iStopMotion 3 also has enhanced app security by being sandboxed and signed with DeveloperID. It is localized in English, German, French, Japanese and Russian. All this plus all features from the previous iStopMotion 2 Pro (formerly priced at 499.99 USD), iStopMotion 3 is available for just 49.99 USD, with a limited-time-only introductory price of 29.99 USD. "When we were kids, we made stop motion movies in the backyard with my father's Super-8 camera. We waited anxiously for weeks for the film to come back from processing, till we could see the results. Today, we want to build the best stop motion animation app out there to make it as easy as possible for stop motion enthusiasts like ourselves to create films they love," comments Oliver Breidenbach, CEO, Boinx Software. "That's why we decided to consolidate previous versions of iStopMotion - which cost up to 500 USD - into one powerful package and offer the full-featured product at a rock bottom price. It's important to us that all stop motion filmmakers, young and old, have access to the best tools for creation out there." Support for the iStopMotion Remote Camera Taking a cue from its sister app, iStopMotion for iPad, the newest version of iStopMotion for the Mac adds support for using an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch as a versatile HD camera for creating stop motion and time lapse videos. Available free of charge from the App Store, iStopMotion Remote Camera transmits a live video feed and supports 1080p remote capture with the iPhone 4S and the iPad (3rd gen), and 720p with iPhone 4, iPod touch (4th gen) and iPad 2. Additional New Features in iStopMotion 3 A brand new look optimized for Apple's new Retina display Enhanced app security with sandboxing and signed with DeveloperID Integration with Final Cut Pro X Compatible with OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Changes From Previous Versions To create the best stop motion animation and time lapse movie making package, Boinx has consolidated all previous versions into one iStopMotion, bringing all the animation features from the former Pro version (previously priced at 499.99 USD), including the ability to create HD movies, to the unified version, all for one fantastically low price. iStopMotion 3 Pricing and Availability - Special Introductory Price for a Limited Time Only! iStopMotion 3 is now available both from the Mac App Store and the Boinx Website for 29.99 USD. This special introductory price ends August, 31st, 2012. Beginning September 1st, 2012, the price will be 49.99 USD. It is localized in English, German, French, Japanese and Russian. Because iStopMotion 3 has been updated to include all features of previous versions, discounted upgrades and updates from previous versions are not available. Volume Licenses for Education Special multi-seat licensing is available for educational institutions. Get your quote here! iStopMotion 3 requires OS X 10.7.4 Lion or newer.
Charlie Kaufman's stop-motion project, Anomalisa, turns to Kickstarter for funding
There are few more bizarre or successful pairings in cinema than Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman. Now, the two aren't teaming up again (at least not just yet), but the writer of Adaptation and Being John Malkovich is teaming up with stop-motion studio Starburns Industries on a new project called Anomalisa. The animators, whose past credits include Moral Orel, don't want any interference from the traditional studio system and have turned to Kickstarter to fund the film. The roughly 40 minute feature will follow a motivational speaker whose life has become "hollow and meaningless." Sounds like a right, fun romp! There's little doubt that the movie will get made -- it's more than half way to its $200,000 goal and there's still more than 50 days left to the funding period. Kaufman is hardly the first big name in Hollywood to turn to crowd-sourcing, but he's part of a growing trend of artists bucking the traditional system and sustaining themselves and their craft with direct support from fans. Check out the plea for funding after the break.
Halo LED spraycan lets you make grafitti the cheap, legal way
If you're down with the latest freshness, like we know you are, you'll already be aware of light writing and the radical imagery that can be created through the use of long camera exposures and stop motion animation. Well, get ready to do your thing with even more style, thanks to the Halo LED spraycan -- a DIY project by Aissa Logerot -- which not only looks like the primary tool of al fresco art, it even recharges itself when shaken. While not quite as sophisticated as the Light Lane, this definitely makes our list of light-based paraphernalia we'd like to see more of. You'll find a few more shots after the break, plus a video of a well-known ad campaign featuring the light writing technique.[Via Cool Hunting]
Hands on with Watch It Change
Watch It Change from Anglebar Solutions offers a stop-motion-animation studio for your iPhone. With it, you can snap a series of images, one at a time, making small changes between each shot. This morning, I sat down with my iPhone and Watch It Change and used it to bring my Mac's mouse into "life". As I slowly moved the mouse, I used the software to capture each shot. Although Anglebar sells a stand for the iPhone, I used a business card holder to keep my phone in a single position and that worked out fine. I was able to frame my shots and tap the onscreen buttons without jogging my phone's location or losing its steadiness. Follow the jump for my overall feedback about this iPhone application.
