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Get the skills you need for a successful career in the animation industry. Whether you’re starting your journey or looking to specialise, our programmes give you the skills, confidence, and portfolio to thrive in the global animation space.

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Diploma in Digital Animation
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Short Courses

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Discover the School

Whether you thrive in the vibrant energy of a city campus or prefer the flexibility of online learning, The Animation School provides a range of options to suit your needs. Explore our world-class campuses in Cape Town and Johannesburg, or study from anywhere through our online option.

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Take the first step towards your career in animation with our complete guide to applying for the Diploma in Digital Animation and short courses.

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With a singular focus on animation, we offer a range of programmes shaped by the latest industry standards and delivered by passionate educators committed to helping students succeed.

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Intro to
Stop Motion Course

Learn the art of stop motion in this beginner-friendly short course. Over six weeks, you’ll plan, build, and animate your own short stop-motion animation using simple materials and your smartphone. In this introductory stop-motion animation course, you’ll learn how to:

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    Create storyboards and thumbnails to plan scenes
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    Design and build basic puppets with clay and wire
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    Apply key animation principles to your setups
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    Set up, light, and film scenes in two shooting styles
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    Composite simple animations in Stop Motion Studio
About the course

We’re currently updating the course schedule for The Introduction to Stop Motion short course.

If you’re interested or would like more information, please reach out to us directly.

Email us at online@theanimationschool.co.za and we’ll send you everything you need to know — including upcoming start dates, course details, and how to register.

Programme

What’s Covered in the
Intro to Stop Motion Course

Learn the skills involved in stop motion movie production through hands-on exercises. Over six weeks, you’ll storyboard, shoot, and edit a short stop-motion animation—all using your smartphone.

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Stop Motion Overview

Discover the rich history of stop motion animation and review iconic examples of stop motion to observe its evolution. Learn about different media and techniques, including claymation and shadow puppets.

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Animation Principles

Get to know the 12 principles of animation and how they apply to stop motion. This course focuses on core principles like squash and stretch, timing and spacing, ease in and ease out, and arcs.

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Planning and Preparation

Good stop motion starts with planning. This course teaches you how to storyboard and thumbnail scenes to bring structure and clarity to your animation workflow.

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Puppets and Support Rigs

Design and build simple stop motion puppets using clay and wire. Learn how support rigs help keep characters stable during complex or mid-air movements.

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Shooting Setups

Experiment with different shooting styles (top-down and side-on) to bring your story to life. Learn how background, lighting, and camera setup impact the look and feel of your stop-motion animation.

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Basic Compositing

Learn basic post-production techniques to polish your animation. You’ll edit out wire rigs, add title cards, and prepare your claymation scene for export.

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Why study at The Animation School?

Gain In-Demand Skills From the #1 Animation School in Africa

Ranked among the top 11 animation schools worldwide in 2025, we offer a practical, industry-driven curriculum that makes our graduates highly sought-after. Our students consistently win top awards both locally and internationally, and 80–90% of graduates go on to work for leading animation studios worldwide. 

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Do You Have Questions About the Intro to Stop Motion Course? 

Find answers to common questions about the Introduction to Stop Motion short course. 

Still have questions? 

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Yes. Students who attend all sessions and complete the required exercises will receive a certificate of attendance from The Animation School. A formal assessment is not included as part of the course.

This course is for anyone curious about stop motion, whether you're a high school learner (Grade 8–12), a diploma student or graduate, a creative professional, or just eager to try something new. No experience is required, only a willingness to experiment.

The Introduction to Stop Motion short course costs R3,900. If you’ve previously completed a short course through The Animation School, you qualify for a 10% discount.

There are currently no bursaries available for short courses. 

This course uses Stop Motion Studio, a free stop-motion animation app. You can download Stop Motion Studio from the App Store or Google Play Store.

 

A pro version of the Stop Motion Studio app with extra features is also available as a once-off purchase for R120. This is entirely optional—the free version is sufficient for this course.

In addition to the Stop Motion Studio app, you’ll need a smartphone and a
stable internet connection to join video calls.

 

You’ll also need some wire and modelling clay to create simple puppets. Stop motion animators tend to use oil-based plasticine modelling clay such as Plastilina because it remains pliable for a long time. Aluminium wire is preferred for creating puppet armatures and rigs because it’s strong, flexible, and holds its shape well.

 

You may also want a sturdy stand or tripod to hold your smartphone camera in position while you shoot scenes, although many students use items like books to prop up their phones.

The Introduction to Stop Motion course is delivered entirely online over the course of six weeks. Live classes take place on Thursdays from 17:30 to 19:30 and are taught by experienced animation facilitators.

 

In addition to these weekly online classes, you’ll need to spend around three hours per week watching lectures and completing practical exercises on your own.

 

The next cohort starts 7 June 2025.

Simply complete the registration form at the top of this page, submit it, and make the necessary payment.

If you’re serious about pursuing a career in animation, consider applying for
our Diploma in Digital Animation. It’s a full-time, three-year qualification that
prepares you for work in the animation industry through hands-on training,
studio production experience, and professional development. Many
students use the Introduction to Stop Motion course as a first step before
committing to full-time study.

Ready to Discover the Magic of Stop Motion? Register Today

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Complete the registration form and pay the registration fee

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Join the next class starting on 7 June 2025
Register now
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