Call of Duty Mega Bloks Stop Motion Animation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: What software do you use to make your videos?
A: I use Windows Live Movie Maker to create my animations.
Q: What camera do you use?
A: The camera I use is a Canon EOS Rebel T3i.
Q: What software do you use to edit your videos?
A: All effects are done manually without the use of editing. I occasionally use Photoshop to do minor things such as color correcting certain frames.
Q: How many Frames Per Second do you use?
A: Most of my stop motions run at 0.09 - 0.06 seconds per frame.
Q: What music is in the video?
A: Music: Sorry, I don't know what this song is called. :/
Q: Where do you get your sound effects?
A: Here's a link to Sergeant Major Avery Johnson's Channel. He takes sound effects directly from the Halo games, so all the sounds are authentic! / channel
Q: How do you get figures to walk?
A: I frequently use an adhesive material called "sticky tack" whenever I am positioning a figure to walk or when I'm having trouble balancing it.
Q: How did you get so good? How do I improve?
A: The ONLY way to improve your stop motions is to continue practicing. I've been doing stop motions (off and on, mostly off) for about 3 years to get to my current capabilities.
Here (below) are a few key beginner mistakes and fixes.
1a. Light flicker - individual images' lighting doesn't match perfectly, therefore, when the pictures are played quickly together, it appears as though the stop motion is flickering.
2a. How to fix the issue:
- Close off all sources of light (especially natural light from the sun).
- Position a lamp pointing onto your stop motion set.
- Added benefit -- Lighting is a principle element of composing intriguing stop motions.
1b. Unnecessary or unwanted camera movements that cause the stop motion to appear as if it is violently shaking.
2b. How to fix the issue:
- Use a tripod to hold your capture device. A tripod also enables you to position your camera from (almost) any angle.
- If not a tripod, then tape your camera into place
- If not tape, then use a form of sticky tack or similar substance.(tape/sticky tack may damage or leave residue on certain surfaces, use your personal discretion to decide if it is necessary).
1c. Not implementing properties of physics - To make a stop motion appear real, you'll have to apply the concepts of real life to it.
2c. How to fix the issue:
- You don't need a Master's Degree in physics.
- Understand that objects accelerate and decelerate (in stop motion, this is occasionally referred to as "easy-in and easy-out)".
- An object moving slow requires MORE images and as it moves faster (hence accelerates) it needs LESS pictures. When the entity comes to a stop, slowly take more and more images until it is no longer moving.
- This is unrelated to acceleration and deceleration, but figures shouldn't perform an action that requires force without some sort of
prior action to prepare for it. For instance, if a figure jumps it shouldn't simply propel forward. First, it must bend its knees and then swing its arms backwards in order to prepare to thrust itself into the air.
If you have any other questions and things of that nature, please leave a comment below! :D
-Dawson

[@TimotheosFraser]

I like how you ended the video with a smiley face.... Fits the atmosphere perfectly! Awesome video!

[@AxiologyStudios]

I agree. >:D

[@honeyb4dger115]

"Blood and Violence" AKA Red Marker XD

[@AxiologyStudios]

I had a subscriber suggest that I should make a stop motion using silencers. I happened to have this stop motion laying around... So... Enjoy...? :P

[@AxiologyStudios]

I don't like the fact that I have to use my phone to take pictures to upload... And, I don't have anything to take a picture of. >.>

[@AxiologyStudios]

Certainly, I am always open to questions! Just ask away! :)

[@AxiologyStudios]

Probably not for a long time. I'm trying to figure out how to write the story, and I just stared my college classes and have absolutely no time for any extra activities beyond schoolwork. I'll post a compilation of "tests" soon to keep you entertained while you wait. :P

[@Vibinviben]

thank you so much for uploading this, and you sir, you never cease to amaze.

[@AxiologyStudios]

Your welcome Piniples, I'm glad you enjoyed! :D

[@FatBird]

the part at 0:27 with the silencer....oh my god that was juicy(staying PG over here)

[@steventan2754]

I like how the enemies don't immediatly drop dead, looks more realistic.

[@AxiologyStudios]

Thanks Steven! Speaking of realism, I just noticed that I forgot to add voice / death sound effects... :P

[@steventan2754]

No problem, I watched it muted just to focus on the stop motion itself.

[@jiffyjelly1]

I'm so happy that this exists.

[@eunicescarlettbrown5939]

my most favorite cod stop motion video

[@AxiologyStudios]

Thanks! This is my favorite too! (I'm not biased at all, haha).

[@channelgrantito7662]

The wait was long. Was it worth it? Yes, as always.😂 Another great animation! If I could request something, could you do a Promethean test? That'd be awesome.

[@AxiologyStudios]

A Promethean Knight? I have one of those somewhere... >.>

[@channelgrantito7662]

I meant crawlers and watchers, but if you could do more knights that'd be neat

[@coringutteridge1091]

Cleaning the red marker must've been fun

[@MegaTitanStopMotion]

Very good as usual, waiting for the next video to come

[@eliforman5612]

Always glad to see you post a video, great work as usual. :)

[@tictactime5805]

That's SO realistic!!

[@vincentnguyen9481]

You there, wanna know how he has such smooth "stopmotions" its because... Theyre alive!

[@AxiologyStudios]

Haha. :P

[@Voro_Rogarai]

Nicely done Axiology.

[@MilesRoseProductions]

Very smooth stop motion, the moving camera shots must have been difficult. I like how you you made the blood effects too. Great job!

[@seanbucks8523]

i love how he put "aka red marker"

[@AxiologyStudios]

Thanks! :P

[@animatingbanana1887]

I really liked the terrain in that officer nmpb halo stop motion I hope you use that in your next odst stopmotion

[@AxiologyStudios]

Thanks! I'll try to think of some way to incorporate it in future stop motions. :)

[@animatingbanana1887]

Axiology Studios yay! my heart burned when I first saw this video these really excite me and I liked playing as rookie in halo odst because he was isolated in a city and I thought it was cool so I hope you keep using terrain like that

[@AxiologyStudios]

I don't think heartburn is a good symptom to have when watching my videos... Maybe you should see a doctor about that. :P

[@stevenstudios3511]

This was awesome! I would love to see more call of duty videos like this. Keep up the great work!

[@KarmaDMZ]

OMG THA THAT WAS THE BES TSTOP MOTION EVER! im so happy your doing these again! also rip the bricks you painted ;(

[@AxiologyStudios]

Those bricks are in a better place now... ;') (actually, they're lost in a pile of random pieces I don't use... Eh... Sorry to break your heart.) :P -Dawson

[@KarmaDMZ]

haha best comment ever dude! nice video though. if you have some peices or figures you dont use im allways ready....i only have 26 figures in total some of them are zombies...im looking for some more dersert troops and some jungle troops so they can fight...

[@AxiologyStudios]

Sorry, my children aren't up for adoption. :d

[@KarmaDMZ]

+Axiology Studios plsss i need more for my stop motion 😫

[@AxiologyStudios]

Ah, don't we all... xD

[@pranav2674]

you are such a good animator :D

[@LocoMotion99]

Amazing animation man, love it!

[@girdkids7135]

you are the best mega bloks stop motion animator I have ever seen

[@AxiologyStudios]

Thank you! It's taken years of practice! :)

[@girdkids7135]

+Axiology Studios ur animation is so good! I've seen so many animators and none of them get the movements as good as you!

[@AxiologyStudios]

I'd suggest searching KZbin for "Mega Titan". He makes some amazing Mega Bloks stop motions which I'm sure you'd enjoy!

[@girdkids7135]

+Axiology Studios yep his are really good too. I liked the setup for his Chernobyl bid.

[@girdkids7135]

+Gird Kids sorry spelling error, I meant vid

[@BladeswolfParadox]

This is really well done

[@thelemmingtrain7974]

Great work can't wait for the next one!!! Oh by he way could you do another ODST stop motion?

[@AxiologyStudios]

Definitely! That's been a common request, so I'll get to it when I have the opportunity! :)

[@thelemmingtrain7974]

Right can't wait!

[@uncleinthecloset]

when you try to fullscreen but accidently end the video

[@MOON-pn7qk]

love your vids keep it up

[@hikarii2sickk]

Spent my whole life waiting for another video. #WorthIt

[@AxiologyStudios]

You're 2 months old? (wink wink) :P

[@hikarii2sickk]

+Axiology Studios Are you planning on making another ODST animation, but instead of elites, you could have brutes instead? That'd be great!

[@AxiologyStudios]

I only have one brute figure and have been searching my stores for quite some time to find more. They appear slightly puny... Possibly malnourished. Which means I might have to make a custom brute which is larger, and / or / also play with camera angles to make them appear more immense. Regardless, I will make a brute stop motion when I have the chance! :) -Dawson

[@hikarii2sickk]

+Axiology Studios Awesome! I'm thinking about making an ODST animation with a single figure, but with 4 of my new articulated brutes. It's going to be inspired by your Feet First Into Hell animation. :)

[@AxiologyStudios]

That's great to hear! Have fun making it!

[@ajdeebossaj5525]

nicely done

[@chip6665]

Wow sooo good

[@michelleskala3255]

Good job on the reloading, never seen a stop motion maker use that. And I know this is too much to ask, but can you make a longer stop motion,just saying, because these are awesome.

[@AxiologyStudios]

I have a collection of old stop motions that last about 5 minutes... But, they're quite horrible, and probably not exceptionally entertaining to watch. I might post them just to illustrate that improving takes time and practice. :P Also, could you specify how long of a stop motion you'd prefer? People often tell me to make my stop motions longer, except I don't know if a 3 minute stop motion would work, or if they're thinking 15 minutes (15 minutes would presumably take me a year to complete. xD ). Thanks for the continued support, I appreciate your feedback! -Dawson

[@michelleskala3255]

3 minutes or 4 minutes is fine, I love the stop motions because they're really good. *P.S - You dont have to make something long if it takes a long time :D*

[@braandooonnn]

Totally unrelated to Call of Duty, but I wanted to know if you plan on purchasing the new Honor Guard figure to upgrade your own? Personally I don't think it looks too bad, but the helmet is slightly big. I plan on just taking the head and helmet off and replacing it with an old honor guard head. Also any Halo Wars 2 stop motion planned? I hope everything is going well for you Dawson, keep up the good work.

[@AxiologyStudios]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment Brandon! I'm doing fine myself! :) If they ever show up, I'm planning to buy one of the honor guards and customize it. One of my dreams has always been to have the figures to proper scale. That is to say, I'd love it if the marines were smaller than Spartans, the Elite larger than the Spartans, and Brutes bigger yet... I think you understand the pattern. I've wanted to create stop motions that show how ferocious the Covenant could be, but it's difficult when the marines are essentially the same size as the Brutes. Regardless, my point of mentioning all of this is that I may attempt to use the Honor Guard's helmet size to my advantage by making the rest of the figure proportional to it. I don't have any plans for Halo Wars 2 stop motions yet, but I'd love to make some. Unfortunately, I haven't found any Halo Wars 2 sets. If I manage to come across the package of 4 Halo Wars marines then I'm going to buy that and possibly make a small stop motion with those figures. If I use the Halo Wars 2 Brutes, I'll try to get creative with camera angles to make them appear larger. I'll see how it goes if I ever buy one. Thanks again, I hope you're doing well. I'll try to post something soon. :D -Dawson

[@energybrickfilms2002]

Yo this is awesome

[@axolotstopmotion]

AWESOME

[@stopmobro4332]

Cool!

[@josstinlandin1920]

Nice

[@scorchanimations9989]

Muy bien

[@jobordeaux5458]

Bro nice

[@imnotoriginalaha3824]

Yesz

[@wishcoincrab7096]

please do some mega bloks destiny stop motion!

[@AxiologyStudios]

Soon I'll post some very basic "tests" (firing weapons, walking, etc.). :)

[@dylanclaeys6084]

if you decrease the time it takes to make each video while keeping the good quality, I guarantee you will gain more subs.

[@AxiologyStudios]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll try to publish videos more often. :)

[@cheesecake7142]

You should do an escape from tarkov video

[@AxiologyStudios]

Thanks for the idea! Even though I call this a "Call of Duty" stop motion, it can be interpreted as any form of game because the figures don't have any specific names or things that tie them to the CoD franchise. Take care! -Dawson

[@novafilms83]

can you show the process fo you editing a video at some point, because on movie maker theres a problem for me when i try adding multiple sound effects close together

[@AxiologyStudios]

Hello Nova! I don't have any recording software to take a video of me editing my videos. Though, I will say, that I too have _many_ issues with Windows Live Movie Maker. If you add a sound effect, you have to start at the beginning, and and sounds after another. If you do them out of order, then they'll delete each other. Maybe search KZbin or Google for answers, as I am no expert. Also, I've decided to try new programs, so I'm currently learning to use Hitfilm 4 Express. I'll use Windows Live Movie Maker to turn my images into a video, then moving them to Hitfilm to edit and add sound effects. Let me know if there's something else I can help you with! -Dawson

[@novafilms83]

Axiology Studios i use hitfilm too for effects :)

[@novafilms83]

Axiology Studios ive kind of figured out a good way to fix it, download audacity and make all the sound effects into one file, then you just add the completed soundfile into movie maker

[@AxiologyStudios]

That's a great idea! I'll probably try that out once I get back to making stop motions again! :)

[@UnfriendlyPorcupine]

What did you use for the blood? Is that ketchup or something like that?

[@AxiologyStudios]

It's red marker. :)

[@UnfriendlyPorcupine]

Does it wash off well.

[@AxiologyStudios]

It depends on how quickly you wash it off. If you leave it on too long, it will leave a permanent pink color. Also, I used a very cheap red marker. I certainly wouldn't suggest a sharpie, as that will be more permanent. Let me know if you have other questions! :)

[@lelibertin9979]

Where did you bought the natural scenery from others videos ?

[@AxiologyStudios]

Hello Moaner31! All of my stop motions are custom built using only Mega Bloks (now called Mega Construx) pieces. I don't have any specific places that I buy my parts from, I have just accumulated them over the years of buying various Mega Bloks sets. Let me know if you need any other information! Take care! -Dawson

[@lelibertin9979]

Not for the instant, thank you very much !

[@dega2446]

You use a camera pro or smartphone?

[@AxiologyStudios]

I actually don't use a phone for my stop motions. Instead I use a Canon EOS Rebel T3i camera. With that said, you can certainly make great stop motions with a phone, as there are plenty of nice stop motion apps. One I'd suggest using is the official Mega Construx stop motion app. It has some great features such as onion skinning and motion curve drawing! I hope that helps! -Dawson

[@dega2446]

Axiology Studios oh,good answer

[@animatingbanana1887]

does the red marker ruin the figures?

[@AxiologyStudios]

It depends on what marker you have. I used a generic cheap red marker, and it didn't ruin the figures _as long as though you wipe it off within a minute or so after applying_. If you wait too long before wiping it off, then it'll leave a faint pink tint to the plastic. Also, I can't guarantee that the marker you use will work the same as mine. If you want to try it out then I'd suggest using your least favorite figure and seeing how it works. Have a nice day! -Dawson

[@woozproductions3023]

Where did you get the sounds for the gun?!

[@woozproductions3023]

(Supersed sound)

[@excelsior9359]

Does the red marker come off or are you now stuck with red marker on your pieces?

[@AxiologyStudios]

If I leave it on too long it will tint the light colored figures pink, but I normally wipe it off immediately after I'm done with the stop motion scene. Hopefully that answers your question, let me know if you need anything else! :) -Dawson

[@excelsior9359]

Axiology Studios thanks, on your muzzle flashes how do you get the light so perfect I keep trying but it never turns out quite right?

[@AxiologyStudios]

To make the muzzle flash, I use a translucent yellow 1 x 1 round piece, sticky tack, and a flash light. I apply a small amount of sticky tack to yellow part, then attach it perpendicular to the gun barrel. I then turn on a flashlight that can focus its light to a fairly small area. Finally, point the flashlight onto the yellow piece, and take a picture. If you need further clarification just let me know. -Dawson

[@excelsior9359]

Axiology Studios how small of an area does the flashlight focus to? Do you put a filter on the flashlight? Lastly does the flash only last one frame?

[@AxiologyStudios]

I'd say, on average, the light is about 2 1/2 inches in diameter (~6 cm). Though I should mention that I don't have any specific distribution of light that I always use in every shot. Occasionally I will change the light's angle, size, and brightness depending on the circumstances, so don't put too much emphasis on making it perfect. Although it's a good idea, I don't use any filters on my flashlight. Instead, I simply use a light which has a warm feel to it. That is to say, the light is ever so slightly tinted yellow/orange. Your assumption is correct, the flash lasts one frame. If the gun is fully automatic then I take one frame without the flash, then take another picture with the flash, and continue that pattern. Keep experimenting to find what suites your stop motions the best! :) -Dawson

[@zpopper149]

where did you get them?

[@AxiologyStudios]

Get what? The figures? I think they're a "pop-n-swap" I did between some random guys. The pilot helmet came from the COD "Strike Fighter" building set. If you're curious about the weapons, the rifle came from an old Amazon exclusive Mega Bloks Terminator "Genysis T-1000" figure pack. I think you can still find them on Ebay and other places if you look. Let me know if you have other questions, thanks!

[@toysstudios3713]

@@AxiologyStudios hi where did you get the mega block with the withe and black face its cool. Also can you make a video on how to maje a stop motion explaining how you do it, what things you use, etc.

[@AxiologyStudios]

​@@toysstudios3713 ooooh wow, I didn't watch the video, so I mistakenly thought you were asking about some other figures people often ask about 😂 These figures came from some completely different sets. A couple figures are from the "mega bloks call of duty covert ops unit" set. Including the guy with the cool white markings on his mask!

[@toysstudios3713]

@@AxiologyStudios thank you

[@toysstudios3713]

@@AxiologyStudios ¿could you go see my stop motions and tell me if i'm doing it right?

[@tmapaman7080]

Do you have xbox live?

[@AxiologyStudios]

Unfortunately, no. I don't have time to play video games often enough to make it worth buying the live membership. :I

[@tmapaman7080]

You're in college, right? What do you major in? (I'm just curious)

[@AxiologyStudios]

Yes, you're correct. I'm going to college and my next semester happens to start in a week or so. I actually haven't decided on a specific major. Currently, I am finishing the last credits I need for a general associates degree... Sooner or later I should choose something, but I find it difficult since I don't necessarily have an understanding of what working in different fields would be like. Take care! :) -Dawson