Stop-motion animation uses stills of objects to create the illusion of movement. Each still has the object in a slightly different position to simulate motion. This allows animators to make toys, clay or other objects appear as if they are moving. Since a silent animation might be boring and sounds can contribute to the narrative of the animation, animators can take advantage of recording hardware that plugs directly into a computer and record sound effects that can be synched to the animation movie to provide sound.
Instructions
1. Plug a microphone into a computer or use the computer's built-in microphone. Alternatively, use a recording device that produces an MP3 file and move the file to your computer.
2. Choose a recording program to record the sounds you produce. Most recording programs have a red circle to identify the recording function. Alternatively, get a digital recorder that will record sounds and turn them into MP3s and load them directly to your computer.
3. Create the sounds for the sound effects for the stop-motion animation close to the microphone. Stop the recording once you have the sound effect you want.
4. Press "Play" and listen to the recording to decide if you are happy with the results. If you are not, delete the original recording and try again.
5. Load the animation into a movie-editing program that lets you dub sound effects over the animation. In many programs, you can position the sound effect exactly where it would logically occur in the animation.
6. Pay attention to the sounds you hear every day. These sounds might not be noticeable because you are so familiar and them, but they might play a role in the stop animation. Sounds can be created with objects found outside and within your home. For example, the sound of a punch striking a body can be created by hitting a soft stick and newspaper together. Breaking wood in half and replaying the sound in slow motion can sound like an earthquake. Closing a file cabinet can create a sound like an elevator. Bring a small recorder with you and record any interesting sounds you hear to later incorporate into the stop-motion animation
