Image Processing Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig 7.1 a traditional Oxberry
animation stand. Courtesy of
Oxberry LLC.
Most independent downshooting artists make custom stands, which
can be as simple as a mounted piece of glass placed in front of a camera
on a tripod. Many artists cannibalize old stands and cobble together
parts, depending on their needs. It is not necessary to have a moving
table or camera, especially these days with postproduction options. So,
analyzing your needs and building something appropriate is a manageable
proposition. When I shot the Penny Cartoon for Pee Wee's Playhouse in the
early 1990s, I put together a stand out of 2” × 4” boards of wood with a
glass shooting surface and a mount for a camera. It worked beautifully and
serviced my needs quite readily. The camera was locked in position, with the
lens pointing downward onto a stationary glass surface. All the motion was
created by animating the models and materials across the glass. Neither the
camera nor the table needed to move.
The table that holds the objects, cutouts, or various materials to be
animated can be a hard flat surface of wood or heavy solid plastic, but the
great majority of shooting surfaces on downshooters are made of glass.
This allows for light to be transmitted from underneath, which can be used
for mattes and other silhouetting techniques, like sand animation. The glass
also allows for objects on the glass surface to be shot with no shadows
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