Rhythm and Flow - Frame-by-Frame Stop Motion: The Guide to Non-Traditional Animation Techniques - page 122

big difference in creating picture and sound tracks. It is also important to
note that you need to record the sound track at a rate that you will use for
animating, so the picture and sound do not lose synchronization. If you are
shooting at 30 frames per second (fps), then you must record at that rate.
If you chose to stick to a film rate of 24 fps, then record at 24 fps. Import
that sound track into a program, like Dragon or even Final Cut, that allows
you to import sound tracks, shows a waveform for the sound, and has the
ability to count every frame and its associated sound in the whole timeline.
Our website lists several programs that are good for sound breakdown.
Create a log sheet (illustrated in Figure 9.1). Start stepping through
the music track with the forward arrow key frame by frame and locate
each sound and the beat or rhythm of your composition. I find wearing
headphones really enhances this activity. Write down the sounds and
their placement by their associated frame number on the log sheet. The
waveform helps you see the dynamics in the music and the regular patterns
like the beat. Some sound reading programs, like Magpie Pro, print out a
waveform right on their existing log sheet format. This is convenient but
not necessary. Once you have your whole music track broken down into
frames and recorded on your log sheet, you are ready to animate.
You can use any of the alternative stop-motion techniques, but one of
the easiest approaches is to work on a flat surface with objects. Similar
to other exercises, you need a digital video or still camera, a tripod, a few
small lights, and a solid, stable tabletop. If you use a program like Dragon,
then you need to import or load your sound file into the audio timeline.
The nice thing about using Dragon is that you have your sound file on the
desktop with a total frame count and waveform. The sound automatically
syncs up with your picture frame, and you can proceed to animate to your
sound track.
Try to choose objects that are related thematically or visually to the style
of the music you are using. For example, if your music has a Japanese
flavor, then you might consider animating chop sticks and ningyo dolls;
if your music leans toward hip-hop, then you might animate sneakers
and baseball caps; if your music is light and floating, you might animate
feathers and paper. I think you get the idea. Keep in mind the things
that you are interested in animating and let them influence your choice
of music when you create the track. The objects can be pulled in and
out of frame based on the beat and sound of the music. You can move
and place your objects around the frame in a way similar to the look of
the waveform, with lots of activity when the waveform is large and less
movement when the form is small. I find it is helpful to assign a particular
object to a particular sound or instrument for clarity. Have fun with this
exercise. It takes more time to animate this way because of the constant
reference to the sound track. I am sure you will be pleased with the results.