What exactly is stop motion animation? SMA (An abbreviation) is a form of animation that anyone can do! It is the same technique used in professional movies and shows such as "Chicken Run","Wallace and Gromit" and "Davey and Goliath". It is so simple, I don't know why I didn't think of it (Oh, yeah, it was already invented before I was born)!

The actors in your movies are only Lego men! What you do is set up a scene made out of Lego complete with minifigs (or you could use any other kind of toys, like Playmobil or action figures) then you set up a camera such as a web cam. Using a software kit which you can buy online from a variety of sources (more on that later) you take a frame (SMA jargon for picture), then move your actor, then take a frame, then move your actor, then take a frame, then move your actor, then take a frame, then move your actor, then take a frame, then move...... Finally you have a complete series of pictures and then your software comes into play. As soon as you hit the save button the software saves it as a movie. If you hit play then it plays your actor walking or leaping or doing a somersault or anything else in the world.

The next step is to open Windows Movie Maker, a program on all Windows XPs. Once open, you import files from "My Documents" and start working. You splice and connect clips, and add transitions between clips. You can also add "effects" such as making a movie seem "old" or change colors. Also, you can add titles and credits! And don't forget the sound! Finally, when you're done, you "Save Movie File" and your movie is DONE!!!

Stop Motion Animations are fun to make. But the best part is watching them. I own a studio called Soaring Eagles Productions and I've made several already, such as "The Great Escape", a movie based on Star Wars, and "In a World Of Robots", about a man who discovers a robot civilization below the earth. A friend of mine, Joe McGarvey, has made some good ones too. Want to find out more, or thinking of buying? Check out WWW.NRPRODUCTIONS.COM , a Christian studio run by two young men. I bought my software from them pretty cheaply. Want to see some movies? Check out www.LEGO.COM and click "PLAY" then click "Comics and Movies" where some SMA movies. On www.Brickfilms.com there are some neat "flicks"(search this site with PARENTAL GUIDANCE!)

You can do almost anything with Stop Motion. Perhaps the cheapest animation available, anyone can do it. I've enjoyed every minute I've used it. Well, almost every minute. Not the minute I dropped my Lego set on the floor and it smashed. Or the time the power went out in the middle of a complicated maneuver. But generally I have enjoyed STOP MOTION ANIMATION. Shayne

Girl City

Ask Razzy!

Dear Razzy,

My younger neighbors keep spying on me and spreading rumors about me! Help!

NOT neighborly

Dear NOT,

My advice is to just ignore them. Hopefully they will stop soon when they see you aren't interested in their lies. But if they persist in trying to ruin your social life, I would definetly confront them and tell them that it is not o.k. to treat you like that. Good luck!

Razzy

My Playlist

Here is a countdown of some of my new favorite songs that i am listening to now. Have you heard any? Try them out- They Rock!

#10 Jump5: "Summer Song"

#9 Natasha Bedingfield: "Unwritten"

#8 Aly & AJ: "No one"

#7 Jump5: "God Bless the U.S.A. "

#6 Miley Cyrus: "Life's What You Make It"

#5 "Natasha Bedingfield: "Wild Horses"

#4 Aly & AJ: "Walking On Sunshine"

#3 Hannah Montana: "True Friend"

#2 Jump5: "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride"

#1 Miley Cyrus: "Rockstar"