If you’ve ever seen a Claymation film (Wallace and Gromit, anyone?) then you have already experienced stop motion animation, though maybe you didn’t know it.
Stop motion, one of the most popular ways to create social media content and product videos today, is an older technology. However, it’s getting new life in the e-commerce and marketing world, where you can use it to bring products to life like never before.
Eye-catching and memorable, it could be just the thing to catapult your biz to the next level. But … what is stop motion? Why is resurfacing and trending today? And do you really need it in your own business?
Today, we’re going to answer those questions and provide you with stop motion ideas that will bring customers flocking. Read on!
What Is Stop Motion?
Despite its name, stop motion animation is not animated in the classical sense. Rather, it’s a combination of photographs that gives the impression of movement where none actually exists.
Adobe explains it best: “Stop motion animation is an advanced flipbook-style form of animation. It involves photographing and then physically manipulating objects within your frame. As each frame is played in sequence, the technique creates the effect of an object moving itself.”
Perhaps most importantly, adds the famed design company, “Stop motion animation is a technique whose secret lies between each frame of the action.” In making slight adjustments to the positioning of an object (the entire idea behind Claymation) before photographing it, then combining those photographs into a video, you make it appear as though that object has its own agency.
Overall, it’s a really neat trick – and can lend some serious magic to your product listings.
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Why Is Stop Motion Animation a Thing?
Stop motion animation can make characters appear to move through a house or pet a dog … But what on earth does it have to do with you and your company?
The basic idea behind stop motion is that your products appear to move without anyone having to interact with them on camera. It brings the product front and center without the distraction of a person, allowing your prospects to insert themselves into the picture. It’s the same reason we stage homes for open houses, yet get the personal pictures off the walls – so that potential buyers can feel like it’s their home, not someone else’s.
At its essence, stop motion lets you bring your products front and center, giving them the chance to shine without distraction. Some stop motion benefits from simple interaction with a human hand or a model, of course, since they only come to life when a person picks them up.
More than anything else, though, the focus is on your product. So what exactly can you do with this technique? Here are some stop motion ideas to get you going.
Ideas to Use Stop Motion in Product Listings & on Social Media
Stop motion is one of the most versatile pieces of content, so let’s take a look at some of the most popular stop motion ideas.
Unboxing
Subscription boxes are becoming more popular by the second. Now, you can get a box for everything from yummy snacks and pet treats to art supplies and books.
If you have a subscription box business, there’s nothing more entertaining than an unboxing video. There’s nothing like watching a box open and its goodies pop out and arrange themselves neatly on a beautiful surface to make a buyer want to jump on board.
Many business owners choose to use stop motion to show potential customers what’s inside or past boxes (as you typically want to keep the current month a surprise). If you offer evergreen boxes, you might choose to show what’s in them, for the sake of the circumspect customer.
Unpacking
Similar to unboxing, unpacking videos are a fabulous use of stop motion animation. They show your product in use, but rather than putting the innards on display as with unboxing, you’re putting the container itself front and center.
This is a popular choice for companies that sell luggage or backpacks, allowing prospective buyers an up-close look at how the item works. You can unzip and unsnap, unroll and unclasp to your heart’s content, all while showing off the beauty and craftsmanship of your product. This is also a great way to demonstrate special features such as:
- Hidden compartments
- Laptop pockets
- Clasps or carabiners
- Adjustable straps or handles
… and so forth. As with all types of stop motion, you can create an effective video either by leaving the product on its own, or by using a hand model or full-body model to demonstrate it.
Product Creation
Turn veggies into juice, knit a section of scarf, or assemble a simple piece of jewelry using stop motion. Customers love to see how the sausage gets made – especially that high-end plant-based sausage that tastes just like the real thing.
With a stop motion video, you can transform raw ingredients into finished products using photography and editing tricks. Voilà: a simple video brings just that much more magic to your product.
Human Interaction
Finally, many companies choose to use a model to show off their wares. If you want to show an interactive aspect of your offering – say, the way shampoo foams or how a colored pencil looks on paper – then the easiest way to do it is to have a real, live person model how it works.
Modeling can be a little tricky, though, as finding and booking models involves contracts and studio space and often a skill set that small businesses do not possess. If you’re set on having human interaction be part of your social media marketing and product listings, though, there are certainly companies (like soona!) that can help with that.
What’s the Right Complexity for Stop Motion Animation?
The last question most business owners have before taking the plunge and employing stop motion ideas in their business is about complexity. Just how many photos do you need, and how long should your product video be, in order to bring your idea to life?
Happily, this is an area in which there’s tons of flexibility! As we said above, stop motion has been used to make entire movies, so the sky’s the limit. However, customers have limited tolerance when it comes to watching an ad, so you’ll want to keep yours shorter than that by a long shot.
Most stop motion marketing pieces are between 4 and 60 photos. The former is what we’d call a GIF, a simple looping video that shows one basic feature. Longer videos, some of even more than 60 photos, are better for complex kits or other items with lots of parts.
At the end of the day, your product and instincts will determine what’s right for you.
Let soona Make Your Stop Motion Ideas Reality
If there’s a downside of stop motion animation, it’s this: it takes a lot of time and effort to create a good video. From finding a beautiful space with great natural light to sourcing props and staging your product, there’s a lot of setup. And that’s before the photography and editing come in.
If you have all these skills yourself, wonderful! But if it’s the kind of project for which you could use a little help, we’ve got good news for you. soona is here to help with a variety of packages and price points to turn your product into a star.
Ready to transform your idea into a reality? Chat with us to learn more today!
If you’ve ever seen a Claymation film (Wallace and Gromit, anyone?) then you have already experienced stop motion animation, though maybe you didn’t know it.
Stop motion, one of the most popular ways to create social media content and product videos today, is an older technology. However, it’s getting new life in the e-commerce and marketing world, where you can use it to bring products to life like never before.
Eye-catching and memorable, it could be just the thing to catapult your biz to the next level. But … what is stop motion? Why is resurfacing and trending today? And do you really need it in your own business?
Today, we’re going to answer those questions and provide you with stop motion ideas that will bring customers flocking. Read on!
What Is Stop Motion?
Despite its name, stop motion animation is not animated in the classical sense. Rather, it’s a combination of photographs that gives the impression of movement where none actually exists.
Adobe explains it best: “Stop motion animation is an advanced flipbook-style form of animation. It involves photographing and then physically manipulating objects within your frame. As each frame is played in sequence, the technique creates the effect of an object moving itself.”
Perhaps most importantly, adds the famed design company, “Stop motion animation is a technique whose secret lies between each frame of the action.” In making slight adjustments to the positioning of an object (the entire idea behind Claymation) before photographing it, then combining those photographs into a video, you make it appear as though that object has its own agency.
Overall, it’s a really neat trick – and can lend some serious magic to your product listings.
{{studio-ad="/external-components"}}
Why Is Stop Motion Animation a Thing?
Stop motion animation can make characters appear to move through a house or pet a dog … But what on earth does it have to do with you and your company?
The basic idea behind stop motion is that your products appear to move without anyone having to interact with them on camera. It brings the product front and center without the distraction of a person, allowing your prospects to insert themselves into the picture. It’s the same reason we stage homes for open houses, yet get the personal pictures off the walls – so that potential buyers can feel like it’s their home, not someone else’s.
At its essence, stop motion lets you bring your products front and center, giving them the chance to shine without distraction. Some stop motion benefits from simple interaction with a human hand or a model, of course, since they only come to life when a person picks them up.
More than anything else, though, the focus is on your product. So what exactly can you do with this technique? Here are some stop motion ideas to get you going.
Ideas to Use Stop Motion in Product Listings & on Social Media
Stop motion is one of the most versatile pieces of content, so let’s take a look at some of the most popular stop motion ideas.
Unboxing
Subscription boxes are becoming more popular by the second. Now, you can get a box for everything from yummy snacks and pet treats to art supplies and books.
If you have a subscription box business, there’s nothing more entertaining than an unboxing video. There’s nothing like watching a box open and its goodies pop out and arrange themselves neatly on a beautiful surface to make a buyer want to jump on board.
Many business owners choose to use stop motion to show potential customers what’s inside or past boxes (as you typically want to keep the current month a surprise). If you offer evergreen boxes, you might choose to show what’s in them, for the sake of the circumspect customer.
Unpacking
Similar to unboxing, unpacking videos are a fabulous use of stop motion animation. They show your product in use, but rather than putting the innards on display as with unboxing, you’re putting the container itself front and center.
This is a popular choice for companies that sell luggage or backpacks, allowing prospective buyers an up-close look at how the item works. You can unzip and unsnap, unroll and unclasp to your heart’s content, all while showing off the beauty and craftsmanship of your product. This is also a great way to demonstrate special features such as:
- Hidden compartments
- Laptop pockets
- Clasps or carabiners
- Adjustable straps or handles
… and so forth. As with all types of stop motion, you can create an effective video either by leaving the product on its own, or by using a hand model or full-body model to demonstrate it.
Product Creation
Turn veggies into juice, knit a section of scarf, or assemble a simple piece of jewelry using stop motion. Customers love to see how the sausage gets made – especially that high-end plant-based sausage that tastes just like the real thing.
With a stop motion video, you can transform raw ingredients into finished products using photography and editing tricks. Voilà: a simple video brings just that much more magic to your product.
Human Interaction
Finally, many companies choose to use a model to show off their wares. If you want to show an interactive aspect of your offering – say, the way shampoo foams or how a colored pencil looks on paper – then the easiest way to do it is to have a real, live person model how it works.
Modeling can be a little tricky, though, as finding and booking models involves contracts and studio space and often a skill set that small businesses do not possess. If you’re set on having human interaction be part of your social media marketing and product listings, though, there are certainly companies (like soona!) that can help with that.
What’s the Right Complexity for Stop Motion Animation?
The last question most business owners have before taking the plunge and employing stop motion ideas in their business is about complexity. Just how many photos do you need, and how long should your product video be, in order to bring your idea to life?
Happily, this is an area in which there’s tons of flexibility! As we said above, stop motion has been used to make entire movies, so the sky’s the limit. However, customers have limited tolerance when it comes to watching an ad, so you’ll want to keep yours shorter than that by a long shot.
Most stop motion marketing pieces are between 4 and 60 photos. The former is what we’d call a GIF, a simple looping video that shows one basic feature. Longer videos, some of even more than 60 photos, are better for complex kits or other items with lots of parts.
At the end of the day, your product and instincts will determine what’s right for you.
Let soona Make Your Stop Motion Ideas Reality
If there’s a downside of stop motion animation, it’s this: it takes a lot of time and effort to create a good video. From finding a beautiful space with great natural light to sourcing props and staging your product, there’s a lot of setup. And that’s before the photography and editing come in.
If you have all these skills yourself, wonderful! But if it’s the kind of project for which you could use a little help, we’ve got good news for you. soona is here to help with a variety of packages and price points to turn your product into a star.
Ready to transform your idea into a reality? Chat with us to learn more today!
