Stop-Motion Filmmaking Lab

Design. Build. Animate. Film.

In this creative, hands-on filmmaking workshop, students design a mini production from the ground up—building sets, characters, and short scenes before bringing them to life through stop-motion animation. Students learn how filmmakers create the illusion of movement frame by frame, and how small choices in timing, lighting, and camera angle shape the story on screen.

Participants will plan a simple story, create props and characters, then capture a sequence of frames to produce a short animated clip. Along the way, students experiment with core animation techniques such as smooth motion, walking cycles, object movement, and simple “special effects” (like disappearing/reappearing objects or magically moving items). They’ll also learn practical filming skills including stable camera setup, consistent lighting, and pacing so their final animation looks polished and intentional.

This workshop is welcoming to all experience levels and emphasizes creativity, collaboration, and iteration—students test, adjust, re-shoot, and refine as they go. The session concludes with a mini screening where students share their short films and discuss how they created motion and storytelling through design decisions. Lunch is included.

Guardians are required to complete our waiver before the first club meeting--if they haven't already done so for a different SPARKGROUNDS event. All events are led by professionally trained and insured staff who have passed a Level 2 background check. Students can withdraw from a class series at any time simply by emailing us and prorated refunds are always provided automatically.

This SPARKGROUNDS event is available for direct pay through Florida's Step Up FES-EO, UA, and PEP scholarships. Find events in the Marketplace by selecting 'find providers' and searching for 'SPARKGROUNDS.'