We wanted to use a human-like figure when attempting our stop motion as it would allow us to shape the model into poses that could reflect that of a superhero. We did originally think about possibly using plasticine for our stop motion. We've used it before and know it has the capabilities to be transformed into a number of shapes and positions. In the end we decided against it we liked the look of the model we discovered through a friend. I'd never seen anything like it being used in stop motion before, and we wanted to be the first to use it within a film. The model it's self is made of wood and is constructed of 16 body parts (head, legs, arms and torso) that are connected together by smaller wooden parts which are carefully shaped to allow the model to moves it's limbs in movements that replicate actual human movement.
To make the link between the model and superhero references we used an old one of Jack's socks to create a makeshift cape for the model. The idea with this was also to make it look like the model had crafted the cape himself through things he'd found in the bedroom.
When carrying out the stop motion I found that using tape was vital to hold the model and the camera in position. If the camera or base of the model is moved at any time, the whole sequence has to begin again so as not to get any jittery movements when we combine all the shots together.
I took photographs of the small set we used before and after shooting, so that if we need to come back and shoot again, we would know exactly where everything was placed. This helps us reduce potential visual errors in the film.
My favourite pose was the 'superman flying' pose which looked quite effective with the cape.
