Instructify

May 28, 2010

If we really believe in the axiom of “learning by doing,” then teaching the concept of stopmotion moviemaking should begin with a program like Pivot Stickfigure Animator. Pivot is a freeware program for PCs (an alternative freeware program available for all platforms is called Stykz) that is deceptively simple to use. Users are given a stickfigure to start. By moving the figure and adjusting its various body parts, users create a stopmotion movie, frame by frame.

The program comes with a folder of other characters, including the very popular elephant and the entire alphabet of letters. Options include changing the size and color of each character. Along the top of the screen, the user can see each frame of the movie as it is added. Although the background begins as white, users can create their own backgrounds in a program like MS Paint and then import it into Pivot. Once a movie has been completed, the entire thing can be be saved as an animated .GIF file, which acts as a video.

In The Classroom

Pivot is one of the most engaging programs that I bring out to my students. They love to use it and they love to share it. In the first days of school, I often use Pivot with my homeroom students to create short movies that use the letters of their names. This activity gives them a taste of some simple technology and starts them on the movie-making path. One word of caution: almost every boy seems to want to make a Pivot movie with violence, so I let them know right from the start that depictions of violence will not be allowed (ignore the moans and groans). I then give them some direction for the movies, such as the name idea, a stickfigure dance party, or a movie that has some aspect of juggling in it. If you are ambitious, the final .GIF movies can be brought into MS Moviemaker, where students can add titles, music and even dialogue.

Pivot Stickfigure Animator

Stykz