Using Activstudio as an animation factory!

[Rosie MacAlpine]

I've been to a couple of Professional Development sessions recently, about how to use animation software in the classroom. I decided to see if the Flipchart Recorder would be any good for this.

Well, I think it does a great job! {}After a bit of experimenting, I found the following things most useful:

- Put each frame of your animation on a different page. Then when you record your animation, just keep clicking the page turn button to go to a new page.
- make an action object that will duplicate page after current page. Then you can make your scene, duplicate, move your character, duplicate... you get the idea.
- Leave text etc on several pages so that it can be read slowly

I think the ability to duplicate pages easily makes this a really easy way of exploring animation with a class.

I've attached the final animation I made + the flipchart I used to record it. Play back at 0.5.

Secondary teachers could also use this to make simple science animations etc - e.g. molecules vibrating, magnets attracting/ repelling.

[cmansell]

This is great! Thanks a lot. This now means I have to spend lots and lots of time using this idea in my flipcharts!!! Oh, Well, there go the lesson plans.
ha ha.

Craig

[mrjdallen]

Great idea

[BenPosner]

That, my dear Rosie, is an amazing use of the software! I think I might have to show that off in the future; is that ok?

~Ben

[excelteacher]

Never in my wildest dreams would I have considered using Activstudio for animation. THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!![clap][clap][clap]

[Rosie MacAlpine]

Thanks everyone! :) Please feel free to share, Ben, and anyone else that is interested.
The Activstudio story resources are great for this as they have characters in different poses etc. But I think it would be lovely with hand drawn characters created by a class.
Like all animation, it's a bit time consuming. But being able to duplicate the page with an action button really sped up the process.
One hint: remember to save your original before you convert it to a flipchart recorder file - otherwise you lose it!

Just another hint I thought of: When moving characters from the background to the foreground, increase their size every few moves to make it look like they are getting closer.

[davidlloyd]

I can see lots of collaborative learning here. Each group in a class working on a different character, designing and creating the image, developing the character's characteristics and then the whole class weaving the story together, story boarding and then animating it. Fabulous.

[lexington02420]

Hi Rosie,

Your gingerbread flipchart was fun. Where do you get the flipchart recorder application to play it back as a slideshow?

Thanks,
Nan
Carlisle, MA

[davidlloyd]

The Flipchart Recorder is in the Toolstore: Main Menu > Customise > Toolstore. It looks like a video camera.
Have fun with it.

[John Self]

This is great Rosie

The renewed Primary Frameworks in the UK have ICT implications and using animation to inform/enhance creative writing is one of them. Those who cannot afford expensive camera equipment will fing this techniques really helpful and time saving

[tcampbell]

Some vector clipart comes pre-made poseable so that you can move it around and animate it. You can also import images you have drawn from other app's and import them as pieces..arms, body, etc.

[Laura OHalloran]

Rosie - this is fab!

A bit late to this thread but I will definitely be making use of this to show teachers what can be done. I like David's idea of this being a collaborative project with groups of pupils working together. A great reason to have the software available on all school computers - and at home!

Thanks

Laura +wave+

[kellyandbryan]

I think this flipchart is wonderful! You did a wonderful job!