ArtDes 220, Sec02.-TMP III: Time
Fall 2008
Prof. Heidi Kumao

FRAME THIEF TIPS

How to shoot stop-motion using a video camera, your laptop with Frame Thief software, and a firewire cable.

1. Attach camera to laptop using firewire cable. Turn camera on to CAMERA MODE.
digital video
2. Open FrameThief software

Create a New Animation and create a folder for all the stills you are going to shoot. They will be automatically numbered: your_title001, your_title002, your_title003, etc.

 
3. In Frame Thief change some settings in the PREFERENCES:

frame thief preferences

 
4. Set the RESOLUTION preference for DV NTSC video

resolution

 
5. Set the Resolution Presets to NTSC DV video

frame thief

 
6. Set the QUICKTIME VIDEO FEED to "DV Video" and the Feed Mode to "Record"

quicktime feed

 

7. To use a video camera as the main FEED: click on Video Source (see above) and go to SOURCE.
Change the source to your video camera.

If you want to use the built in camera in your laptop, don't change anything.
Now you're ready to shoot your animation frame by frame!
For more links and info please see my Web Resources page for Flipbooks, animations, video art, performances...