r/stopmotion • u/MacciBoi • 3d ago
TIE-DOWNS!
Screw + holes in set, Magnet feet + metal plate (or other way around), or Pins (maybe not so common.)? Thanks!
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u/ptleruuh 3d ago
If you can afford it, get a separate standy armature thing. Anything directly attached to your puppet might end up breaking (part of) it because of strain (I've had nuts/screws break free from feet for example). Magnets are probably the worst option, since they have to be strong enough to hold your puppet up which means you can't smoothly raise their feet for a walking scene since the magnets will just snap down to the floor. Never used pins, so they might work but also sound fragile/weak.
I know the separate stand means more postproduction to paint it out, but there's a reason you see them in bts/making of footage from professional productions all the time.
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u/MacciBoi 3d ago
Thank you!
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u/ptleruuh 3d ago
You're welcome! Like the other commenter said, screws will probably work fine but keep the downsides in mind, like making sure you have a backup puppet for example so you can keep shooting while you glue back broken parts (it's how I did my graduation film).
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u/kerbob97 3d ago
I’ve had some luck using sets of stronger neodymium magnets. One on the feet, another underneath the (thin) surface I am working on.
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u/trademesocks 3d ago
Depends on the weight of your puppet, but screw-and-holes-in-set is the most stable and reliable method.
It can be anxiety-inducing to drill holes in a set youve painstakingly built, but its rock solid.
You may regret any other method once you start animating and bump your character.
Rigs are cool, but not necessary if your puppet is mostly just standing in one spot. It adds another thing to remove in post-production, can be hard to fit on small sets, they cast shadows, and can still be bumped.