It is a resource used in animation that consists of giving motion to static objects through a succession of still images. It requires a lot of work and patience, since it is done frame by frame, with small changes of figures or malleable materials such as plasticine, paper cutouts and sand.
Among its pioneers is the Spanish Segundo de Chomón, author of the films The Haunted House (1906) and The Electric Hotel (1908). In the United States, Willis O'Brien used this system in King Kong (1933), whose findings would be followed, for example, by Ray Harryhausen (1920-2013), considered a genius of special effects.
In the 70s the go motion variant was invented, in which the photos are taken of moving objects, a slight distortion that adds realism to the scene. It was first used in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Later, Tim Burton would vindicate the stop motion technique with The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), The Corpse Bride (2005) and Frankenweenie (2012).
The British studios Aardman have also reaped successes such as Shaun the sheep, series and film (see photo). The Spanish contribution has an interesting example in the feature film O Apóstolo (2012), which enjoyed great international repercussion.
Image: Aardman.
