Meet Gavin: One Frame at a Time

Every filmmaker has a story—and this month we're shining the spotlight on 17-year-old Gavin, whose passion for stop-motion animation has been bringing everyday objects to life, frame by frame. Let's get to know him!

How It All Began

Gavin first became interested in stop-motion when he received his very first phone for Christmas. He discovered a feature that allowed him to make his own GIFs using a series of frame-by-frame photos he had taken; that simple feature sparked something bigger: a fascination with bringing objects to life through stop-motion. His very first stop-motion film starred a Sonic the Hedgehog toy, carefully repositioned with each image to create the illusion of running. Sometimes all it takes is getting creative with the objects you have around you!

We asked Gavin what stands out to him about stop-motion, and he told us how he enjoys having such a “controlled environment.” When it comes to stop-motion, most often (though not always), you are working with inanimate objects and figurines. In stop-motion, the filmmaker is in complete control. Every movement, expression, and detail is carefully crafted by hand. There are no unexpected actor choices to adjust to and no weather delays to worry about—just the animator, the objects, and the story they want to tell.

Bumps in the Road

Every art form has its difficulties, and Gavin shared with us a few of the challenges that come with making stop-motion. While animating, Gavin often finds himself trying to defy gravity. Making an object appear to jump, fly, or move naturally requires careful planning when you only have one frame at a time to capture the action. Additionally, it can be tricky to see the movements in increments rather than as one fluid motion, which is why it is so important to visualize the big picture.

“It’s only when you’ve actually made a stop-motion film that you know how excellent it feels to finally complete it.”

Stop-motion can be a very time-consuming art form that requires a certain level of determination and patience. This is something most people are not aware of when they see movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, and Fantastic Mr. Fox. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. When audiences forget they're watching stop-motion, it's a testament to the animator's skill in creating smooth, believable movement.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) Coraline (2009)

Creative Process

When finding inspiration for a storyline or a new project, Gavin’s inspiration often comes from the things that have been part of his life for years—movies he grew up watching, comic books, and even old toys sitting on his shelf. For him, great ideas often begin with something familiar and a question: “What story could this tell?”

In the past, when creating a new project, Gavin would pick a character he liked and a general storyline idea and then just throw it all together in whatever way felt right.

Gavin has recently completed one of our most popular courses, Intro to Filmmaking (ITF). In ITF, we teach students about the importance of having a plan for their production. We asked Gavin how his creative process has changed since taking ITF. Gavin told us that he has built new habits of visualizing the full picture before he takes a single photo. This means placing his characters in order of appearance, gathering props, setting up his backdrops, and even testing camera angles—all before shooting.

“My first films were just ideas tossed together… my newer films have a plan and actually look like they have a storyline that they follow.”

Current Growth

We asked Gavin if taking Intro to Filmmaking has had any impact on his stop-motion films in terms of storyboarding or technical skills. Gavin said that since being in the course, he has learned to ask himself, “What do I want the impact of my movie to be?” At first, stop-motion was simply a hobby—he enjoyed creating random little stunts and experimenting with movement. But in his most recent project—a Transformers stop-motion animation—he gave his character an underdog story, which made it stand out from his earlier projects because it had more emotional meaning.

Learning to focus on the story behind the animation has been one of Gavin’s biggest takeaways from Film School 4 Teens, and it has helped him grow as a filmmaker. Now, his films are longer and have stronger, more consistent plotlines.

In the future, Gavin plans to continue making stop-motion projects, but he says that since teaming up with his friends to complete his final short film for Intro to Filmmaking, he has become interested in working on more live-action film projects moving forward and branching into new genres of filmmaking!

Advice to Future Filmmakers…

“Stop-motion creators should never just stick with the niche stop-motion stuff. At least try one or a few live-action films. As nice as it is to have a lot of control over elements in stop-motion, it is so rewarding to have a team you’re working with, have actors, bloopers, and people you can interact with. Don’t be afraid to try it out. Always expand and look for new horizons. Even if you go back to stop-motion, having done live-action films will make your stop-motion films even better.”

If you’re looking to get outside your bubble and expand your abilities, check out Intro to Filmmaking, a 16 week course that covers the basics of film, start to finish. Or take a look at any of our other dynamic courses right here!

Check out one of Gavins stop-motions here!