| This guide features the 10 best stop motion ideas and animation examples to spark your next project. Explore creative stop motion animation videos, stop frame animation ideas, clay animation examples, and easy stop motion ideas for beginners used in ads, social media, and commercials. You’ll also learn what stop motion is, how to do stop motion videos, and how brands use cool stop motion animation to deliver memorable stories. |
Before we take a look at the top stop-motion animation video ideas...
Check out our best stop motion animation videos compilation here:
With that out of the way...
Welcome to the fascinating world of stop motion!
This unique and creative form of animation brings inanimate objects to life, frame by frame.
Stop motion offers boundless storytelling opportunities, from claymation masterpieces to dynamic Lego narratives.
Its charm lies in its handcrafted feel and the tangible quality that digital animation often lacks.
Whether you're animating industrial machinery, showcasing product features, or illustrating complex processes, stop motion serves as a versatile medium capable of bringing any concept to life in a captivating and informative manner.
In this blog, we’ll explore what is a stop motion video, and also go through some creative stop motion ideas and examples to inspire your next project.
Stop motion video is a straightforward yet time-intensive technique. It involves physically moving objects in small increments and capturing each movement with a camera.
The ‘objects’ in question can vary from clay, cutouts, and puppets, to even live people, allowing for a wide range of creative possibilities. Each movement is captured as a frame (picture), and when these frames are played back in sequence, the objects appear to move.
Typically, 12 frames are needed to create one second of video. Therefore, a one-minute stop-motion video requires 720 frames, highlighting the thorough work involved in manipulating objects and taking numerous pictures.
So, if you are having trouble generating ideas for motion videos, I have got you covered.
Coming up with fresh, engaging stop-motion concepts can be challenging, but this imaginative technique lends itself to creative storytelling in so many ways.
Let’s check out some stop motion movie ideas and stop motion video examples that are easy to follow and highly relatable to target audiences.
You can use simple daily-life items and arrange them frame by frame to create a stop motion video. You can use things like used bottles, threads, household items like bedsheets, toys, etc., as characters to create a stop motion video.
You can take a series of photos of the objects as you make them have small movements. You can then play with the sequence of these pictures to create a visual illusion of movement.
For instance, check out the video from Bellroy above. It gives you a look at how stop frame animation ideas can take shape using such simple objects like used and crushed plastic water bottles.
The video uses a white background, sound effects, and jump cuts to showcase the transformation from used plastic bottles to Bellroy's backpacks.
The way the video shows each step of the process—the appropriate sound effects as the bottles are shredded to pieces, the hand drawing in strings of thread from these shreds, the thread rolls being rolled out and cloth emerging under it, or the way accessories and elements keep getting added to the bag as the hand draws them— all these things make this video quite a creative ad.
You can use your favourite snacks, fruits, or veggies, and use toothpicks or sticky tack to manipulate their movements and create motion. This is one of the best stop motion ideas for beginners.
You just need your food items and some other "character" objects in frame to create a budget stop-motion video.
For instance, check out this brand video from Sapadilla. It is one of the best stop animation examples showcasing how fruit slices and their movements can be used to advertise a brand. In the video, the voiceover introduces you to Sapadilla as a brand providing eco-friendly cleaners and soap.
The stop-motion animation of the grapefruit slices, lime wedges, rosemary, mint leaves, and lavender sprigs around the product bottles further highlights the fact that the products are eco-friendly.
The scene of all these fruit and herb pieces filling the screen and creating a bottle shape, along with the hand adding natural oil blends to it, showcases how the brand is transparent about their product and its ingredients.
Talking about some video specifics, the video is mostly live action. Every scene is shot against a wall-tiled floor, and the camera is set to shoot from the top angle to perfectly capture the movement of the fruits. Though mostly live action, there are some 2D motion graphics video production elements in the video like the white drop animations or the white sparkle animations.
With its simple storyline and clever motion techniques, the video clearly demonstrates how brands can use stop motion animation in advertising to create something both engaging and visually memorable.
Claymation is among the most popular stop animation video ideas. In it, you use malleable clay and create characters or objects out of it. Then you take a series of pictures of the object/character as you make small adjustments to their positions. Now, by playing the pictures rapidly, you create an illusion of fluid movement.
For instance, see this claymation explainer video from Deskvana to understand the offering of this video style better. This short commercial opens up in an office setting, where you see characters working in an office setting.
In the setup, all the characters, their work desks, desktops— all are made up of clay. Using the malleable clay, the tutorial video showcases the changing setting as well as the expressions of the female figure.
The way each scene changes fast, the widgets made out of clay appear and disappear from the screen, or the way her desk transforms to a peaceful place filled with plants when she starts using Deskvana all make you quite curious about this solution.
Also, the way the brand used clay to create this expressive character and the super detailed surroundings is what makes this one of the best clay animation examples to learn from.
Yes, you can actually use Lego bricks and figures to make amazing stop motion content. You can create the whole scene’s setting using Lego bricks and then showcase the movement of Lego figures inside it.
Using appropriate voiceover or voiceovers along with correct light and shadow techniques, you can perfectly tell your story. You can see the stop motion animation advertisement example used above to see how British Telecom used Lego to replicate the storyline of its already existing live-action TVC.
See how the whole scene takes place inside a closed setup. The faces of the Lego figures were illustrated and animated in 2D.
6. How Paper Cut-Outs Can Create a Powerful Stop Motion Commercial
You can create all sorts of characters or settings out of paper. You can also use split pins to attach parts to the characters or objects and facilitate their movements on screen.
For instance, see this paper cut-out stop motion animation video from Honda. In this stop motion commercial, you see the origin story of Honda—how it started with manufacturing motors, then bikes, and now being involved in automobiles and aircraft.
This entire video uses thousands of drawings, paper cut-outs, and hand movements to create the illusion of movement on screen.
The scenes where the paper bike drawing is navigating through tough mountain terrains, the shift from old yellow paper while talking about Honda’s past to new white ones while talking about the present and future—these symbolic details and the four months of work put into this video make it one of the best stop motion videos out there.
In whiteboard stop motion videos, you draw, erase, and redraw sequences to create movement. The same happens in chalkboard stop motion, making them great for beginners exploring stop motion easy ideas without needing complex setups.
Let's understand the offerings of this video idea with the RBS video example above. This is a whiteboard stop motion video. In it, you see hand-drawn illustrations like characters, furniture, and documents appearing on a whiteboard. Their movement isn’t fluid, and you can feel the small breaks between the scenes.
The cut-off of the hand in the video easily manipulates things like the lamp or text blocks in the frame to bring about a sense of movement in the video.
This is an animated whiteboard marketing video so the movements are subtle but in traditionally hand-drawn whiteboard videos, the changes will be more evident — you’ll actually see the scenes being erased, the rawness of the lines, and the frame-by-frame redrawing process.
In these stop motion animation videos, puppets with movable joints are used as the main characters. These puppets are often made of fabric, foam, silicone, rubber, or wire armatures. They are posed frame by frame, just like other objects, to create lifelike movement.
Check out the charm of puppet stop motion videos through this example from Mailchimp. Mailchimp created an “All in a Day’s Work” series where they showcased the struggles of small business owners using such puppet characters in a closed setting.
The faces, hair, and hands of the characters in this video have a soft, fibrous, fuzzy look, which is characteristic of needle-felting. Most puppets used in this video seem to have a wire armature inside for movement, while the outer appearance is wool felt.
The way this cool stop motion animation video uses the movement of the puppets and their expressions to portray different struggle stories is quite creative. To tell a relevant story with no dialogues, just laughter and expressive characters, is a big feat and shows how to convey more with less.
In this type of stop motion, the artist creates movements by adding more layers and details to their paintings, or sometimes even making real-life objects appear like things straight out of a Van Gogh painting. This approach is one of the most expressive forms of stop motion drawings.
Like in the video above, you see how the table setup at the start looks like a painting and how the wood panels appear on screen as if they were painted with watercolors.
The transitions between one scene and another and the break that we viewers feel make us aware of how the artist is drawing each frame and using it to create this transition.
The robotic movement of the man opening the painting, the matches scene, and the sunflowers being watered all have a mechanical motion to them, which is a signature of stop motion videos.
Stop motion doesn’t always have to be live action. You can mix 2D animation video production storytelling with bits of live-action stop motion to create a hybrid video that perfectly highlights your brand’s offering.
For instance, in the video for Prime Child Care, Broadcast2World mixed these two styles to highlight the struggles of running a childcare business and how Prime Child Care has a comprehensive solution for that.
Starting off, you see the stop motion of a real hand arranging some paper cubes, and then a ball messes with the arrangement. This shows the unexpected troubles of running the business. Then you see hands arranging the cubes again, and now they remain in place, and the Prime Child Care logo appears on the cubes.
The scene transitions from the logo in live action to the logo inside a 2D tablet. Now, using 2D animated elements with live-action elements like the real hand, the video shares more insights about the brand’s offerings. You too can experiment and try mixing 2D animation with stop motion like this.
In such videos, you use 3D physical models instead of flat drawings or paper cutouts. Just like other stop motion animation ideas, the objects are moved in tiny increments and photographed frame by frame to create the illusion of smooth motion.
In this stop motion 3D animation video, you see 3D stylized wooden figurines in motion to showcase how Emirates deals with naughty kids.
The 3D animation video production uses stop-motion movement of the figurines and adds 2D animated lines to draw their movements and facial expressions. Such mixed-media usage, where you see different styles interacting together, makes you curious enough to watch till the end.
The interaction between the loosely drawn hand and the 3D figure of the Emirates plane, while the background states how Emirates should be your first stop for flying with family, shows the accommodating nature of the airline.
For shooting stop motion videos, you don’t need a professional studio. As a beginner, with the right planning and a few basic tools, you can brainstorm and bring objects, drawings, or even small models to life, frame by frame.
Stop motion animation videos have a unique charm that’s hard to ignore and can’t be found in other video styles. Here’s why it’s such a powerful tool for creators and brands:
In the world of digital videos, stop animation videos appear to have a distinct handmade feel to them. Their movements and the cuts between them are hypnotic and too hard to ignore.
So, whether you run a restaurant, a boutique, or a B2B tech company, you can use stop motion animation to create eye-catching videos. For instance, you can create engaging claymation explaining your SaaS offering.
You can bring almost anything to life—be it the cookie lying on your dining table, toys, paper cutouts, or everyday objects—anything can become a character. This freedom of creation lets you tell your story in fresh, unexpected ways.
Stop motion has a nostalgic, warm quality. When viewers relate to the little characters, puppets, or the moments you create, your video sticks with them long after they’ve watched it.
There are no rules. New trends and ideas pop up every day. You have endless ways to experiment, invent, and express your style.
Short, quirky, and memorable—stop motion videos perform extremely well on social media. They help your brand stand out and feel approachable among the brands that are still trying the same kind of content and video styles for reach. With the right keywords and SEO, your videos can reach even more people.
For beginners, stop motion is easier than ever to try at home. All you really need is a smartphone, a steady stand or tripod, and consistent lighting so your shots don’t change between frames.
Just go ahead and pick a few props you’d like to animate, set up your scene, and you’re ready to begin. The only real challenge is patience, as stop motion takes time because every tiny movement has to be adjusted and photographed with care.
If you decide to go with the standard 24 frames per second, you’ll need close to 1,440 photos for a one-minute animation. But you don’t always have to take a new picture for every single frame.
Often, animators shoot in “twos” or “threes,” meaning they repeat the same image for 2–3 frames during slower movements. For faster actions, however, you’ll need more unique frames.
In today's competitive market, the need for stop motion animation is clear. It offers a distinctive and memorable way to communicate your brand's message.
By utilizing stop motion, businesses can create engaging and visually appealing content that captivates audiences, enhances brand recognition, and drives customer engagement.
Investing in stop motion animation and experimenting with stop motion ideas is not just about creativity; it's a strategic move to differentiate your brand and connect with consumers on a deeper level.
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