Why Stop Motion is Underrated | Video Essay

[@TonyQuinn]

Stop-motion is my favorite animation style. I find it more immersive than other forms, and it’s just so darn charming.

[@StampMotionFilms]

Right? It's the most amazing art form. I am a stop-motion animator myself and I have high hopes for the future of this medium. I'm working on some really cool stuff.

[@TonyQuinn]

Stamp Motion Films I didn’t fully see the beauty of it until I saw Kubo and The Two Strings; what a magnificent experience that was. And that’s super cool! I wish you the best of luck 😃.

[@StampMotionFilms]

Ah yes, Kubo. A spectacular masterpiece. The time lapses of the animators animating that movie is mind-blowing.

[@al-kazaz9032]

Tony3Productions kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5vUfIKfoNeeidE

[@everythingineedisonthegrou5003]

Applause😜🤗

[@ch33sytac05]

Isle of dogs is the perfect example of how stop motion films are highly underrated

[@o3oq]

Ch33sy_ Taco isle of dogs was great 👌👌

[@shilzat1883]

Yeah,and the isle of dogs was cute and awesome

[@galaxytoons4608]

Ikr and it is an awesome film I ever seen!!!

[@slowwagon9826]

Mr Fox ?

[@GuyNamedBarry]

Especially the sushi scene

[@clarissacota2047]

I saw the title and clicked that like button right away. Absolutely ADORE stop-motion. It's a wonderful medium that needs more respect and attention!

[@StampMotionFilms]

I'm a stop-motion animator! :)

[@pest9448]

Same here

[@richbrownsberger5452]

Stamp Motion Films same!

[@Xenderman]

@@StampMotionFilms Same, only I use minecraft as my studio.

[@historyarmyproductions]

It does. Im biast, cuz I'm a stop motion animator, but still.

[@LegoAnimations6370]

As a Stop-Motion maker I know the struggle when making something so lifeless object like a Lego minifigure come to life by taking picture after picture and then watch about 6000 pictures by scrolling them within speed of 25 pictures in a one second. Combining the story, props, the scenery, characters and the editing you'll get... A video which no CGI or computer animation can be compared when it comes to details!

[@okcomputer6861]

I remember I made a stop motion film for film studies class in grade 10 (I've been graduated for a few years now) and I got a solid 60% on the project! I spent hours into planning, set design, filming, and editing however I was heavily critiqued for using a 'nonconventional' film medium, stop motion really is underrated.

[@sofiipote7]

WHAT that's ridiculous. Teachers can be such idiots sometimes..

[@okcomputer6861]

A guy with some clay lmaoooooo

[@haobinversed]

lol my art teacher would totally act the contrary, she LOVES students pushing the limits within art, unconventional ways of thinking and creativeness. Wow, im realising im lucky

[@hiilikemovies9787]

I did to but I got a 96% we had a really arty teacher and she loved how I worked outside the box

[@mysteriousskin]

Kubo and the two strings is one of the most underrated stop motion films oh my god it’s perfect

[@johngddr5288]

its not. The ending was underwhelming and didn't make sense.

[@jackbinger4821]

🍒 Rooney Mara is in it so you know it's gonna be great.. but yeah, Kubo was such a creative film

[@MasterBonesRSSLN]

@@johngddr5288 I liked it

[@johngddr5288]

@@MasterBonesRSSLN I liked it too.

[@MasterBonesRSSLN]

@@johngddr5288 my guy

[@kevyncc]

I really like Stop Motion too.

[@StampMotionFilms]

I'm a stop-motion animator! Check my channel.

[@1dot154]

Over Power same

[@jamesobrien4993]

I'm currently working on a stop motion animation, you should check it out when it's done

[@LTSTHE1ST]

Over Power mee two

[@kenkaneki7060]

I don't like stop motion I LOVE IT!!!!!!♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️

[@adriannimmermehr]

Modern stop motion films contain tons of CGI. Laika went from using CGI for the smoke in Coraline to about 60% of things on-screen being CGI in Kubo. Often it's the clever combination of techniques that make a film shine. I do agree that stop motion helps to keep a film grounded, e.g. the camera in 3D animation films is often way too busy and the constant turns can be nauseating. With stop motion or 2D, animators are forced to be more restrained and that's often for the better.

[@user-qv2mc3dw5o]

That’s only really Laika. I think with other studios, especially Aardman, rely a lot less on cgi even nowadays.

[@shadowwolf9467]

Actually the fog in Coraline was real footage blended in with animated scene.

[@Tyler_W]

Quality stop motion is timeless because it looks good regardless of whether it was made today or decades ago.

[@Br0wnEyedQueen]

Perfectly worded Karsten! Stop-motion is such an amazing bridge between animation and live-action filmmaking, you can actually have your character sit on your desk, you can shake their hand, you can help them express themselves, I just love it. I don't have the well-enough structure to say how I love this medium like you have.

[@michaelrennie1320]

Omfg I've been waiting for so long to hear someone on this platform talk about the greatness of stop-motion animation and you really hit the nail on the head with this one. There is an organic, personal and tactile feel to stop motion animation that I love and appreciate. Its a remarkable art-form and I'm so pleased that it still has a loyal audience.

[@maplestreetmovies]

I love stop motion. Saw Isle of Dogs recently and thought the movie was pretty good, but it being stop motion made it so much better.

[@leothomas7904]

as an animator who works a lot with stop motion, i agree. it involves tons of problem solving, experimentation, attention/dedication to detail, and patience.

[@GogiRegion]

I used to make stop motion as a kid, and my god, it takes so much time and effort, and I think that trying to do something like that will really increase your appreciation of the art.

[@LittleBigNuke44]

As a person that used to make stop motion animations, this is my favorite video out of this channel.

[@pks8459]

Fantastic Mr. Fox is such a great movie

[@xavierperez4366]

ah that train chase scene from the wrong trousers...that will never get old😭😭😭

[@toastedbread4271]

I love stop motion, Chicken Run is a great movie as well. Not to mention, Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, All of the Rankin Bass films (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is coming to town, The year without a Santa Claus, etc.) And so many more.

[@eftorq]

I watched isle of dogs only two days ago, because it wasn't that easy to see it on a big screen where I live. I was blown away by the movie and it's one of my favorites now. I couldn't believe that it hasn't gone main stream in my local cinemas!

[@josh.0220]

I like your little face in the corner of the video

[@yeppe9855]

It’s the watermark

[@starvingmosquito8851]

Thank you, really I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that stop-motion should be appreciated more

[@trixxartarchive7705]

I recently gave Coraline a rewatch and it still astounds me how good the animation is. Especially in the last third where there's a lot of movement.

[@art3mispants792]

Limitations often push someone to be more creative, thats what i found in stop motion that makes it unique

[@TheApoke]

This was a great video, but the weakest argument made was at 3:40, because a 2D animation and live action movies can be made by one artist, and not need to worry about actor's interpretation. Plus if a stop-motion film has voice actors, then it's no longer made by one person, and is no longer in its "most authentic form".

[@Jekkyboi]

Yeah that point made no sense at all

[@TheAlienzproduction]

Yeah, it still is an interpretive art. But instead of having the actors interpretation you have the animator's interpretation, so the animator is like the actor via puppetry and animating.

[@TheApoke]

Yeah, but you could say the literal same thing about 2D or 3D digital animation if it's done by one person.

[@TheAlienzproduction]

TheApoke I agree.

[@ReyhanJoseph]

@@TheApoke I feel the exact same way

[@katattqck]

“do you think a depressed person could make this?!”

[@jackbinger4821]

neon neighbor this is my fav comment of all time

[@tunacap]

I like making stopmotion and im not depressed

[@jackbinger4821]

The. Motions it's a parks and rec reference LOL

[@idgaf2666]

yass

[@23Raymond]

Down in the place where you-

[@sidneyorin4555]

I love stop motion and it adds a unique charm to it, just like animatronics

[@wynhughes2327]

The fact that you didn’t even mention Mary and Max... It’s a masterpiece

[@zacktomato3551]

People who do stop-motion should be given more attention, like me and all the other small stop-motion channels on youtube, we put a lot of effort in our work even though it's a small low quality animation and I think that's why this kind of work needs to be noticed

[@KnextGen]

I feel the same way.

[@iolaroxs]

Hey, I just wanna say your KZbin channel content is really good and I get excited whenever I see you’ve posted a new video. Keep making good reviews :)

[@megathot3734]

Honestly, I absolutely LOVE stop-motion. One of my most favourite films of all time (Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline and Kubo) are stop motions and I can't tell how much I apreciate the work and effort the people in Laika and other studios put into the animation.

[@calebxw4487]

life of zucchini is so good and nobody talks about it!!!

[@tinylol]

ZUCChini

[@houston-coley]

Whelp, time to delete "video about stop motion" from my idea list.

[@vollmar98]

try to make a better one

[@janaekelis]

HoustonProductions1 you can still make it tho

[@pks8459]

Still make one!! Seeing different people’s opinions are always great

[@KAMIKAZEE3421]

If your way of thinking is always like that you'll never create anything.

[@TheFlashStickman]

HoustonProductions1 no! Still make it! It'll just help to give stop motion more exposure.

[@Allythespacecat]

I study animation, and stop-motion (especially set building and prop making) is my personal favourite thing to do. This video really sums up what is so special about stop motion! I did an internship on Isle of Dogs and seeing all the love and patience that goes on behind the scenes is on a scale that is difficult to comprehend. Awesome video!

[@picorules]

Corpse Bride was one of my absolute favourite movies growing up. I remember watching the behind the scenes footage and being in disbelief about the insane amount of time that went into making it. It was at that age in childhood where any measure of time larger than a day seems unfathomable.. Thanks for another great video!

[@DTBluesreviews]

I’m a big fan of animation and stop-motion is my second favorite style of animation there’s just so much heart and time that goes into it I can’t help but enjoy it

[@vuppet5684]

I have to highly agree with this. It takes so much time to do and the amount of effort put into movies like stop motion ones is just remarkable. I wish stop motion would be recognised and praised more

[@annietee8238]

Stop motion is the longest thing... it takes time and effort and creativity and this should be so appreciated

[@moviesmagicandmore12]

3:50 except it isn't just a filmmaker and his puppet. You have several animators working on several scenes at the same time on different sets, with the director overseeing it, exactly like in normal animation (2d or 3d).

[@StunClubSoda]

The feel of stop motion is just so understated. Glad you made a video about this!

[@niamhdoesart]

I've always loved stop-motion, but one film that really made me appreciate it was Mary and Max, it's this Australian movie and it made me realise that you don't need to be a kid to enjoy stop motion and I've since gone back and fell in love with stop motion films I used to watch as a child, and can really appreciate them as an adult, this is a great video as always!

[@nerdsquid9951]

As a Stop Motion animator I have to say this video was amazing! 👍🏽

[@moviemastermarco7690]

All these movies are great but Robots is a masterpiece.

[@saltedorgans5994]

I agree with this video 100% Probably me just being completely in love with hand made objects but I love how everything is made by scratch and that it actually exist! I remember one day at universal studios I got to see the dolls of Coraline and many more. Watching these types of moves makes me want to try and make a character doll of my own

[@reviewmegamind6154]

You made a grammatical error in the title, it should say Megamind, not stop motion.

[@TheGrouchytiger]

Review Megamind true

[@ReforixGaming]

Thought the same thing

[@bestmartyworld7711]

PapaRamen He kinda did review iton his Does it whip! podcast

[@nicholasross5265]

*you mean robots

[@kimuires]

Nicholas Ross FRIGGIN YES

[@iilej3749]

I love your intro so simple yet creative and you know what the best part is? You dont use it to pad your video its like 5 seconds and I never get tired of it great idea!

[@WiloPolis03]

Kubo and the Two Strings and the Shaun the Sheep Movie are some of my favorite movies of all time. Actually no, Laika and Aardman are just my favorite animation studios

[@StampMotionFilms]

As a Stop-Motion Animator, I think it's awesome to be seeing people talk about it more. I have high hopes for my future in this medium and I hope to create amazing films one day. I am very ambitious about my projects and I feel like we've barely scratched the surface of what is possible with this amazing art. I can't wait to see what the future holds for stop-motion!

[@rebeccac324]

I love your channel sm! I’ve always loved stop motion, especially fantastic mr fox and Shaun the sheep (they were both my childhood, seeing Wes come out with another stopmotion film made me so happy). I recently saw a town called panic and my life as a zucchini and it was hilarious, another great example of the magic of stopmotion.

[@the0412]

As a stop motion lover/"animator" myself, I have to say it's my definite favorite style of animation, and I think it's a real shame these movies are so underrated..

[@eliza-collier3450]

Karsten deserves not only more subcribers but also more recognition for his videos. Why, you say? Well people probably just think his videos are simply edited and might even go the stretch of saying his videos aren't of high quality as most of his clips are not his. To those people, think of his writing of the dialogue of his videos. They're honest, easy to take in and also he gives us his opinion without causing you all to get butthurt. Now, you go and analyse a film without pouring your bias into it and without attacking the things other people love. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

[@SelflessPride]

correct me if im wrong but i believe The Lego Movie, the first one at least, was made with mostly computer animation but with the look and feel of stop motion. and i think although it's not a seemless mesh of the two, they did a pretty good job. what're your thoughts?

[@newfoundbland]

Thanks a lot man. I make stop motion with many different things. ( But I only Post My Lego Ones ) Sometimes when I see the finished product I am very proud and can't wait to post it. But when it is posted I start thinking if anyone will actually watch something like that even if it took hours of work. This video really helped me realize that stop motion is an amazing thing.

[@thema1998]

I haven't seen too many stop-motion movies but I do appreciate its aesthetics. I wish that more people did too.

[@danimations1440]

Thanks for making this, I love stop motion films, especially Wallace and from it, it actually inspired it to make my own channel

[@internetgirl4617]

Every stop motion film I’ve watched has been a masterpieces just so beautiful, fantastic mr fox is so so so underrated, I just love how stop motion pushes the limits and I wish it was more popular

[@darkraysofsunshine3113]

Haven't even watched the video yet, but I agree. I was so hyped when I saw that Isle of Dogs was coming out seeing as it's stop motion movie. Was upset that I wasn't able to see it as soon as it came out. 3 months later only 1 theater in my state plays it and I'm still waiting

[@CrowJams]

On the topic of underrated animated movies- I would LOVE to see you talk about Rango. Loved this video :)

[@pip-pip5029]

this was a really nice video, I love stop motion films too and its nice to see them appreciated :)

[@lilboybloo]

Its why Coraline is one of my favourite films of all time. Stop motion doesn't get enough praise, so much talent and effort is put into it. It's just so cool

[@bbloomfield6497]

Water in stop motion is often done with plastic and cling wrap.. that was my ah-ha moment when I was younger. Surprised by the lack of Kaufman's "Anomalisa" in this video.. a stunning stop animated film everyone should check out

[@storydevice]

I never really thought about the timelessness of stop motion compared to other types of animation. Cool!

[@crookedrooffilms]

I was a little beat down a little after getting rejected for jobs in filmmaking for obvious reasons but doing stop motion has made me feel so much better, I've never had this much fun making something

[@Thomas_of_the_forest]

Haven't watched yet, but I have to say that even people who aren't film enthusiasts find they idea of stop motion clearly time constraining and appreciate the time it takes to make

[@KohanKilletz]

As a KZbin Stopmotion Animator, I am pleased to no end with with your video!

[@brycekaminski9735]

I think this is one of your best videos to date solid job

[@monsermoran]

Chicken Run is my favourite movie and when my godfather gave me Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit I was over the moon. You can just feel the passion of the work when you watch the movie and even more so when you see behind the scenes of it all. You see the time and effort put into making everything work and it makes me excited to see more. Thanks for the video Karsten it was as great as always

[@fatimaa1610]

I LOOVEE stop-motion animations. I watched a video about the movie Early Man behind the scenes and I appreciated the hard work they did.

[@oof-rr5nf]

Stop motion animation is being appreciated and I AM LIVING FOR IT That shit is my jam! The mere thought of Mary and Max makes me happy/sad.......

[@dragonskunkstudio7582]

Those At-AT walkers in The Empire Strikes Back are amazing. The Terminator, the original was stop motion at the end. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the roller coaster like ride in the mine shaft. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, so many.

[@ashieslashee]

Love the fact on how on the thumbnail you use a Jack Skellington photo from Kingdom Hearts

[@TrevPigbird]

Thanks for the support of stop-motion, lovely little video.

[@danobrien7658]

Fantastic Mr Fox is also my favourite film! I love all stop animation especially chicken run and Wallace and Gromit because I think using clay the make a film is so inventive! Great video, keep it up!

[@stareditsonyoutube]

when I was little and used to watch stop motion shows and movies,I had always though it was just really cool animations.

[@cicidiaries]

I loved Kubo and the Two Strings. It was also extremely fascinating since before I saw it I went to Univeral Studios Hollywood and they just so happened to show some super awesome clips of how the stopmotion was used to create different effects.

[@ChalkyLoki]

Heck yeh! Stop motion is an incredible style of film and I love it to pieces :)

[@fatmario8244]

Love stop motion! I’m in the making of one!

[@SoggyBean]

Ahhh I love that you included clips from My Life as a Zucchini! Such an underrated movie.

[@gameraddy9926]

I was just telling my friends how Stop-motion is underrated nowadays because it's overshadowed by 2d and 3d animation.

[@Anthon1996]

Stop motion is easily my favorite animation style. I used to make stop motion films when I was a kid.

[@calebbustin8894]

Something else to consider is that with the amount of time and effort required to create anything in stop motion, it means everything is intentional. It also requires intense amounts of passion and dedication to make a stop motion film, which comes through in the story as well.

[@Slateside]

Wasn't to big on Stop Motion as a kid, but as an adult I'm becoming a pretty big fan. Fantastic Mr.Fox, Mary and Max and Isle of Dogs have become three of my favorite movies. Hell Mary and Max is probably my favorite animated movie. I also saw My Life as a Zucchini recently. It was pretty good.

[@samsoftball77337]

it's about time someone talked about this!!!

[@mannyfoxx9848]

Oh stop motion. That form of film was in my childhood!😁 absolutely love it ♥

[@RobertJW]

I think you’d really enjoy the Leunig Animated collection of minute-ish long shorts, animated in stop motion from cartoonist Michael Leunig’s artworks.

[@basedbattledroid3507]

I'm still gobsmacked after finding out that Kubo and Coraline were both Stop-Motion. I had little suspicions, but I generally thought they were computer-animated, everything so intricate... fucking hell those designers and animators worked so hard... Anyway; I totally agree. Every Aardman film I've ever watched, especially Wallace and Gromit, has never aged on me. Every time I watch one: it feels like I'm watching it for the very first time, and I can't really say that for any other films. And yes: The bizarre feeling when you realize that this animation is actually made from physically tangible objects being filmed like people, mind-moving. Even my niece and nephew, who can't stand 2D animation or anything "old"... one of which had the Gall to say that Lady and the Tramp "Looks ugly"... ...Even they both like Stop-Motion.

[@gracie-xd4ll]

THANK YOU!!! I HAVE ALWAYS TOLD PEOPLE THIS BUT THEY DONT APPRECIATE IT LIKE I DO!!

[@i_7274]

Fantastic Mr fox and Coraline will always be my favourite stop motion films

[@Justatinyamount]

I totally agree. Stop-motion is the best form of animation and makes for fantastic films. What do you think of the trend in stop-motion films becoming slicker and closer to the computer generated style, such as Laika's preference of 3D printing their puppets? Wes Anderson continues to buck the trend.

[@metareaperh5349]

I really love stop motion I've always had an adoration for since my childhood

[@mythicalcoffee8020]

Growing up I've watched nothing, but stop motion movies and I've loved them ever since!!

[@MikeRMProductions]

I do Lego Stopmotions on my channel and I happen to agree that not only is stopmotion animation tough to work with, but it doesn't get much respect which I find disappointing. It takes a lot of time to patience to animate with objects so I hope it gets a similar amount of appeal to people

[@thetramp123]

Uh stop motion has teams of animators just like hand drawn animation. Wes Anderson or Nick Park aren't moving every single piece on each set themselves on their features. They have productions broken into sets with different stop motion animators working together.

[@user-qv2mc3dw5o]

He never denied that.

[@VaranTheGreat58]

Within Stop-motion animation, only one name matters: Ray Harryhausen. Go check out his work if you're truly a fan of this form of animation.

[@SeanMeade794]

My Life As A Zucchini is one of my favorite movies :~) really happy to see it in your video

[@frankditullio4689]

Although I think it would be safe to say Laika has broken those "boundaries" after Kubo...

[@jackphillips5238]

3:38 I love that the one example of a live action movie is mamma mia 2

[@dollpartsart]

Coraline is one of my favorite, if not my single favorite animated film. It’s a joy to watch.

[@samwallaceart288]

3:46 This is very misleading. I've heard accounts that Wes Anderson was absent from set for most of Mr. Fox's production, leaving the animators and cinematographers pretty much to work by themselves, communicating only by phone call. To be fair, this account only comes from a single disgruntled employee. But the fact that Wes Anderson has sole director's credit without even mentioning the lead animator, who ought be considered equivalent to a director leading actors. Mark Gustafson, the animation lead, should be at least credited as Co-Director, but as it is he doesn't even show up on the movie's front IMDb page. You have to click "Full Cast and Crew" and scroll down 3 screens' worth to find the names of the people who supervised the building of sets, puppets, and animation.

[@daedatlas]

love how u make videos btw and i totaly agree with u

[@Anitations]

Several good points made here about the seemingly timeless feel of the medium, and how materials familiar from normal life are apparent in the picture. However, the stop motion films explored here fall within a 25 year window, so it’s easier to believe there is a timeless feel. No mention of the King Kong films from the 1930s? And with modern studios such as Laika, shots are planned out in CG animation, and character faces 3D printed frame by frame, some oldschool stop motion animators call them “3D printed films” rather than stop motion. Heck, in the ballroom scene of “Box Trolls,” most of the background dancers were entirely 3D rendered; not physical puppets. With such foresight and planning in CG used in for stop motion production, the movement quality becomes cleaner (and too clean, some would say). Stop motion is probably one of the most tedious film making processes ever. Without CG animation tools, stop motion is limited to “straight-ahead” method of animation, which makes retakes and adjustments either time-expensive or downright impossible. To many filmmakers, this is unacceptable. When the production of Jurassic Park went from stop motion to CG, the old animators were kept onboard to coach the CG animators on animal motion. Since then, it’s been a hard method to sell from a pragmatic standpoint.

[@noahsmith3581]

Could you send me a link or something to where they're called 3D printed films? I'm not accusing you of making it up, I'm just wondering.

[@Anitations]

This was from several conversation I've had with veteran stop-motion animators and animation historians through the years ever since Laika released "Coraline" (2009), as I make a point to ask their opinions on 3D fabrication as applied to stop-motion animation. Among those attached to "Nightmare Before Christmas" and before, it's not hard to find a bit of grumbling. Much like how the late 90s saw the rise of CG animated film with the likes of Toy Story and Antz, many 2D animators lost their jobs and even careers. No surprise to find hard feelings among those folks who cannot make the transition, lamenting how "the craft has lost its charm." With computer aid used to plan shots, it is argued that the stop-motion animator loses a degree of freedom and the requirement for intuition, left to mimic what is already been predetermined in the CG draft. To avoid endangering any careers, I won't name anyone specific (animation industry has little tolerance for naysayers, which is why some bad films still manage to get made). I also want to clarify that I am not in agreement with calling Laika titles "3D printed films"; I just understand the frustration.

[@noahsmith3581]

Alright, thanks!