6. The Stop-Motion Animation Process
6.3. Taking note on what makes an animation appear Stop-Motion
Stop-motion or "model" animation, which includes clay animation, strikes a cord in the human psyche with strong physical identification. Here is a form of animation that has the ability of all other forms of animation. It can tell stories through character, conflict and resolve, and visual interest satisfying the audience's psychological identification needs. Yet it relies on photography to reveal physical reality. The added benefit is that there is something very fundamental about the physical reality of actual models, puppets, lighting and imperfection that we can identify and understand as humans. This imperfection is in fabrication and animated movement. Successful stop-motion films celebrate their imperfections. For example, there is a joy in seeing the fingerprints of the artist in a clay animated film. When computer animation incorporates the imperfections of movement and physical flaws that are inherent in model animation, then it can successfully touch its audience. This imperfection is what we are as human beings. We are made of infinite textures. We understand that there is no perfect symmetry in our lives. We all have "flaws" and we struggle to work with what we have as humans. Animation can take us away from these imperfections of our world. It can allow us to escape our reality and inspire us but we can never ultimately deny our human nature. This is the strength and advantage of physical stop-motion animation. Through new technology such as advance fabrication materials like silicone, "frame grabbers", digital cameras and composite layering , stop motion has the ability to strive for more perfect movement and fabrication but it can never ultimately deny its real physical qualities and limitations. It is very much like us as humans. We strive for higher goals and fantasy often reaching quite high but we are always working in this real and physical world.
Traditional Stop-motion easily portrays to a viewer that it is Stop-motion due to the fact it shows that imperfection feel to the animation. As I mentioned before, Ray Harryhausen's addition of jerky stop-motion on Talos (Jason and the Argonauts (1963)) made it look more bizarre and in some instances unique. Through Talos, Ray showed that quintessential feeling of stop-motion on bringing lifeless objects to life and showing more of a fantasy essence.
From 3:00 you can see the awakening of "Talos", which clearly demonstrates "Jerky Stop-motion".
