“I love it when process does not call attention to product,” I wrote in my last post, commenting on The PEN Story. So it’s interesting to see that this is exactly what seems to have gone wrong with PEN Giant, the follow up to The PEN Story. Don’t get me wrong, I’m impressed as hell by what the creators accomplished (check out the “making of” video below), but then again that’s the problem. I’m distracted with the techniques to the point of not simply diving into the joy of the story — as I did with The PEN Story.
What’s Your Take?
Which PEN story do you like better and why? Do you agree/disagree with me about technique overpowering the storytelling experience?
Here’s a wonderful stop-motion piece that will put a smile on your face and inspire you, even if you have no interest in the Olympus PEN camera.
Pretty sweet, right?
I mean, obviously this was really tricky to produce (apparently the final was shot all in-camera, no postproduction) but it doesn’t feel tricky. It feels fresh and cute and honest and. . .simple. I love it when process does not call attention to product.
On Monday I shared my tango-dancing salt and pepper shakers. How did I produce this short? Basically, I hit record on my Canon G9, set to the time-lapse video mode, and then moved my characters around like a madman — for a little more than a half hour. That’s about it.
That said, I’ll now share the some specifics of my time-lapse-stop-motion video creation workflow, as I think it is interesting. I also think that my little piece is successful because, although I started it simply to play around with technology, I ended up focusing on a story. This kept me focused, gave me motivation both to create and share, and gives my piece any value that it may have.
My Time-Lapse-Stop-Motion Experience
After finishing watching the original “Clash of the Titans” movie earlier in the day, I was pretty eager to play with stop-motion, which is something that I have never done, but which I’ve been dying to try since, well, probably about the first time I saw “Clash,” nearly 30 years ago.
While I had never tried stop motion, I’ve been recording all kinds of time-lapse movies since getting my G9 and discovering this wonderful feature. So before I went through the trouble of making a stop-motion movie, I decided to use this feature — recording a still every two seconds — to get a sense of what a stop-motion piece would look like.
Quickly setting up my camera on a tripod on the kitchen table and hitting “record,” and moving the objects at hand around, I ended up with this:
Last month I shared some time-lapse photography inspiration.Today I share a delightful example of how wedding photographer Sarah Yateshas put stop-motion technology to work to create a wonderfully creative multimedia piece from one of her wedding engagement sessions.
i’d been wanting to make this video since before we did their photos, but was totally overwhelmed with where to start (seriously, the stack of 500 4X6 prints were taunting me for MONTHS!). yesterday, with the help of my awesome new assistant jack, we finally pulled it together. (thank you jack!) i am so happy to finally be able to share it! enjoy! xoxo
Indeed, it is Yates’s creative use of prints in her time-lapse/stop-motion piece that gives it a truly unique feel. Like all great visual communications, the idea is simple, but it is executed with excellence that conceals the amount of effort that went into producing it. Continue reading “Delightful Stop-Motion Engagement Photography Session”
Unfortunately, the “10,000 Words” post doesn’t deliver as much as I had hoped on the ways to create time-lapse photography, although there are a few links. The site’s previous entry also offers a few time-lapse photography tips and links, but nothing super substantial.
Are You Time-Lapsing?
Have you been bit by the time-lapse bug? Have a time-lapse video to share? Know of any instructional resources that are better than the ones featured in “10,000 Words”?
OF COURSE something DID happen, Chase! You’re Chase Jarvis, Man. Who the hell else “unwinds with the mission of having a darn good time” with more than 600 “clients, business friends and co-collaborators” during his holiday party that features “a photo booth using state-of-the-art camera and lighting equipment and captured 21,112 photographs in under 5 hours”???
Em, that would be. . .no one else but Chase Jarvis.
If that weren’t enough, Chase gives shares all of his 21K photos with us in his latest “Frames” series installment– “Chase Jarvis FRAMES: 21,112 Party Pictures” — so we can be amused, impressed, inspired or maybe just irritated by the gall of this guy having too many buddies and collaborators to fit in the Airbus A380 he rented to give joy rides during the party.
Talk about blurring the lines between still and motion! Definitely get inspired. . . even if you hate parties.
Next Up: “Ethan Frames: Holiday Party of One in Five Depressing Pictures.”
