Puppet animation with Dragonframe

About this course

Participants plan and storyboard a short animation, design and construct an articulated 2D cut-out puppet, then animate it with a DSLR camera and Dragonframe. The course examines character, timing and movement through demonstrations and guided practical exercises. Participants import their clips into Premiere Pro, composite the animation, add sound effects and music, and prepare the finished sequence for export using a suitable format and codec. Teaching includes group and individual assistance, handouts, sample clips and examples of professional stop-frame puppets.

What you'll learn

• Create a storyboard for a short animated sequence
• Design and construct an articulated 2D cut-out puppet
• Animate a puppet using frames, timing and movement
• Film an animation with a DSLR camera and Dragonframe
• Import clips into Premiere Pro and add sound and music
• Select an appropriate format and codec for exporting the finished work

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for beginners, including learners with no previous animation experience. It may also suit people developing existing animation or puppet-making skills, as well as digital animators exploring traditional puppet construction and animation. Participation involves practical exercises with both group and individual assistance.

• No previous animation experience is identified as necessary
• Suitable for learners refining animation or puppet-making skills
• Digital animators can use the course to explore traditional puppet-making techniques

Before you go

• High-definition cameras and professional equipment and software are available for use during the course.
• Participants are advised to bring a memory stick or portable hard drive for storing their work.
• The computers are Apple Macs. PC-formatted hard drives can be read but not written to.