A BOX studio

We use an animation BOX when working with cut out animation, because it gives a protected area to work in. The box is made of veneer and the video camera is placed on top of the box faceing downwards where the animation is made. Cut out animation is made with paper puppets and suitable fore all ages it is easy and FUN!! And when working with animation fun is a key word. Making an animation is a lot of work and demands patience of the makers.

What equipment is needed?

No big budget films. There are as many ways as users and how match money can be spent. All that is really needed to make an animation is a Still camera and a stand to get a steady image with and that will get you started. I recommend using a Video camera and a computer because different techniques can easily be combined. The video camera can be connected trough USB ore Fire Wire (IEEE 1394) interface, Fire Wire give you a better image. When buying a video camera (DV) it should be one with a Fire Wire port same goes fore the computer. Some video cameras have an animation and dubbing function that means that an animation can be done with the video camera alone. And in the end sometimes pen and paper is the best tool to make simple animation with like a flip book. If interested best way to get started is to find out how it’s done.

CUTT!!! We need permission!

When working with film, animations ore just taking a picture we need permission from parents and it needs to be in writing. We use a form that asks fore permission to copy and share made material to others and to publish films on kindergartens own homepages. This is to protect children’s identity. With films that are made at the kindergarten we keep all rights to use made material fore educational purpose.

Is media education difficult?

Is media education so easy that a dog knows how?

It is and should be just as difficult as you vaunt to make it. Media education is not all about technical equipment you can do so much without it.

Get destructive with newspapers.

With all the respect newspapers deserve we can get just a little destructive and use them fore activities like searching fore letters ore make a bowl with glue and shreds of paper (pictures). One fun situation from when we made bowls was when two children sat and worked and one of them says “there is Tarja Halonen” one a shred of paper “is that really her” the other one says. To use news papers and discuss today’s news off course everything can not be discussed something should not be discussed and everything that is shown ore the topics that are chosen must be discussed. Depending on the age of the group the way must be thought trough before taking the method in use and in front of the group.

Story board

Making a story board is important. To visualize and put the story in order makes it easier when filming. Fore children the story board makes a good base for filming and whit animations the storyboard often looks the same as the finished animation. We use an A3 paper size with six squares where the story unfolds sometimes it takes many papers before the story is finished. Children at the age of five and six are able to make an story board by them self and understands the importance of story board when filming.

Media muffin in Vaasa 10.10.2007

Participants in Media muffin among many other things gat to make an animation. The purpose was to show how an animation is done and tell how to work with children and youth making animations. Here is the result. You can find more information about Media muffin at www.mediakasvatus.fi .