[MacDV] Using iMovie(HD?) to make a stop motion project

[Derek Roff]

I have some doubt that I understand what you mean by "stop-motion" in 
this case.  I'm used to stop-motion meaning simulating motion of 
static, inanimate objects (toy cars, books, furniture, clay figures, 
etc), by taking one frame, moving the object a small amount, taking 
another frame, moving the object again, and so on for a painfully long 
time.  Filming the fluid movements of dancers is starting from the 
other direction, and I'm not clear on the look or result that you are 
going for.  Can you tell us more what you are aiming for?

In any case, iMovie 6 will allow you to select any frame, and export 
it, or turn it into a still frame to be used further within iMovie 6. 
The still frame can be given any desired duration.  Each frame takes 
only a few seconds to make, but if you are building up a video sequence 
out of single frames, running at 30 frames per second, it takes forever 
to get any significant screen time.  iMovie 6 doesn't offer you any 
support or automation for this kind of task.

If your goal is to select a frame out of each chosen quantity, for 
example every fourth frame, every tenth frame, every four hundredth 
frame, then BTV Pro can help you do that. 
<http://www.bensoftware.com/btv/>  This is good for time lapse video of 
flowers opening, clouds moving, or buildings being built.  It offers a 
few other batch or automation options that might be helpful.

Derek

> My daughter has a long term project that involves making a
> stop-motion video of a dance performance she's choreographed.  My
> thoughts are to tape a performance, probably in a dance studio, or
> maybe on a stage if she gets permission, and then use iMovie to
> select frames for the stop motion frames and copy them over the other
> frames to create a stop motion effect.

Derek Roff
Language Learning Center
Ortega Hall 129, MSC03-2100
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
505/277-7368, fax 505/277-3885
Internet: derek at unm.edu