Stop Motion Animation

Introduction

In today’s world, promoting your business visually can take many forms—from stop motion and animation to time-lapses and illustrations. At Meld, we delight in finding innovative and creative ways to tell our clients’ stories. Our recent stop motion ad for the national food chain Sushi Hub is a prime example of effective and engaging storytelling. Here’s a look at the five stages that made this project a success.

Stage 1: Storyboard

A clear and detailed storyboard is crucial for any video project, especially stop motion animation. It involves outlining each scene with full layouts, timings, animations, and music. An accurate storyboard prevents issues later in the project. For Sushi Hub, our storyboard was filled with intricate illustrations that captured the story’s essence, streamlining the production process.

Stage 2: 2D Animatic

Animation is labor-intensive, so thorough preparation is key. After creating the storyboard, we produced a 2D animatic—a rough draft of the video. This consisted of storyboard panels timed with a soundtrack and effects, providing a preview of the final product. For Sushi Hub, the animatic helped us plan the movement of food and props and determine the necessary shots.

Stage 3: Production

Production is where the magic happens. Stop motion requires patience and precision. For Sushi Hub’s 30-second ad, we shot over five days, capturing more than 1,200 photographs. Our team of five animated over 100 ingredients, with each item being moved and photographed over 100 times. Day three focused on food styling, showcasing each ingredient to enhance the animation’s appeal.

Stage 4: Post Production

Post-production ties everything together with photo editing, video editing, and sound development. This stage is as involved as production, with photo editing being particularly time-consuming. For Sushi Hub, our team of designers and editors worked extensively to create a polished final video, ensuring that all 1,200 images and 100 ingredients contributed to a standout result.