Michael Parks: Recent Episodes
Michael M. Parks
Animation and live-action shorts. I've been working in film, video, and animation for twenty years, including stop motion, freelance video, and eight years at Pixar. Throughout that time as well as before, I've worked on my own projects, including stop motion tutorials and shorts. Tummy the Talking Stomach and all puppet videos are copyright Helpful Bear Productions. Animation copyright Michael Parks. http://MichaelmParks.com
1993 habe ich einen Animationsfilm gedreht, mit dem ich live vor Publikum interagierte. Als Demonstration der kreativen Möglichkeiten von handgezeichneter und Knetanimation gab ich der Figur...
If your stop motion characters need to up and shoot each other, this is the tutorial for you! This animation how-to presents some simple techniques and principles for creating believable, high-energy gunshot effects in-camera. No compositing is needed to give your hand guns, machine guns, or laser guns some flash and pop.
Music from Hooksounds: “Chronicle of Heroes”, “Heroic Epic”, and “Voyage of Dreams”.
Please go to https://www.hooksounds.com/ref/mparks/ to find music for your video production.
Please see my other tutorials on camera moves, whiteboard animation, animating to music, dancing, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Software: Dragonframe for stop motion. After Effects for compositing. Premiere for editing.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video apply to animation recorded with a mobile device.
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III) and armature wire: Arts/craft stores like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
I made the latest Kevin Claything Adventure, Make Waves, simply because I wanted to animate clay fish. Lots and lots of clay fish. But with limited shooting space and not a whole lot of time to make a grand epic, I needed to come up with a way to ...
The Adventures of Claything continues as Kevin takes to the seas to explore the artistic possibilities of the deep. But as with most of his artistic endeavors, this get a little out of control.
Story and Animation: Michael Parks
Kevin Design: Gilbert Banducci
Fish Designs: Alana Parks
Music by Hooksounds: “Waiting for Santa”, ”Halloween”, and “Sparkling Trace”.
Please go to https://www.hooksounds.com/ref/mparks/ to find music for your video production.
Check out my stop motion tutorials on how to animate clay, animate to music, dancing, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Clay: Van Aken Plastalina, Sculpy 3
Software: Dragonframe, After Effects, and Premiere
Camera: Canon Rebel
Clay Animation Short: Make an Enemy
Sometimes art doesn’t go as planned. Certainly for Kevin Claything, a malfunctioning pen can only lead to trouble. I made this Claything short in 2019. I’m bringing the series to this channel just to have them together with the rest of my videos as I work on a new Claything adventure.
Please see my stop motion tutorials on how to animate clay, to music, dancing, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Clay: Van Aken Plastalina, Sculpy 3
Software: Dragonframe, After Effects, and Premiere
Camera: Canon Rebel
Credits:
Story and Animation: Michael Parks
Kevin Design: Gilbert Banducci
Music: Michael Brennon
This is Kevin Claything, and this is how he saves a few bucks on pet adoption. I made this Claything short in 2019. I’m bringing the series to this channel just to have them together with the rest of my videos as I work on a new Claything adventure.
Please see my stop motion tutorials on how to animate clay, to music, dancing, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Clay: Van Aken Plastalina, Sculpy 3
Software: Dragonframe, After Effects, and Premiere
Camera: Canon Rebel
Credits:
Story and Animation: Michael Parks
Kevin Design: Gilbert Banducci
Pet Design: Alana Parks
Music: Michael Brennon
Kevin Claything is back, and this is how he makes a friend. I made this Claything short in 2011 as a proposed promo video for Copic Markers. I’m bringing the series to this channel just to have them together with the rest of my videos as I work on a new Claything adventure.
Please see my stop motion tutorials on how to animate clay, to music, dancing, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Clay: Van Aken Plastalina, Sculpy 3
Software: iStopMotion and Final Cut Pro
Camera: Canon GL2
Credits:
Character Design & Producer: Gilbert Banducci
Animation and Editing: Michael Parks
Music: Michael Brennon
This is Kevin Claything, and this is how he made his face. I made this Claything short in 2011 as a proposed promo video for Copic Markers. I’m bringing the series to this channel just to have them together with the rest of my videos as I work on a new Claything adventure.
Please see my stop motion tutorials on how to animate clay, to music, dancing, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Clay: Van Aken Plastalina, Sculpy 3
Software: iStopMotion and Final Cut Pro
Camera: Canon GL2
Credits:
Character Design & Producer: Gilbert Banducci
Animation and Editing: Michael Parks
Music: Michael Brennon
michaelmparks.com
The clay animation shorts featured in this tutorial are from my other channel, The Claything Adventures: https://www.youtube.com/@TheClaythings
Making an animatic is your ticket to a well-planned stop motion production. Work out timing, editing, basic composition, and story before you get to work on creating characters and animating. Editing your storyboards into a video is the best way to fully plan out an animated movie. This tutorial gets into the how and the why of animatic production.
Music by Hooksounds: "Fun Days are Here"
Please go to https://www.hooksounds.com/ref/mparks/ to find music for your video production.
Please see my other tutorials on camera moves, whiteboard animation, animating to music, dancing, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Software: Adobe Photoshop and Premiere. For stop motion, I use Dragonframe.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But if you're not there yet, a good option is a camcorder that can run a live video signal to your computer. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video will also apply to animation recorded with a mobile device.
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III) and armature wire: Arts/craft store like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
This short, shot in Super8 in 1989, was something of a salvage job. I shot an entire short in black and white, unable to preview as I shot. It was about a guy having trouble writing a novel. What he wrote would appear around him and change as he changed his ideas. When I got the film back from the lab, almost all of it was out of focus. So to salvage the project, I make a much simpler movie preview spoof. Admittedly some gags fall flat, or may not be understood (Reagan turns into George Bush), but it's just supposed to be nonsense humor.
It's practically a rite of passage for young animator/filmmakers: We take our action figures into the backyard and blow them up. We horribly abused our G.I. Joes and Mego action figures for the sake of our art. If you want to call it that. This one was shot on Super8 in 1986.
I would tell you how we did the explosions, but then you'd go out and try it yourself and I'd get the blame for your injuries. So you have to figure it out yourself. But that's part of the rite of passage anyway.
Originally the soundtrack was made up of James Horner's score for Aliens. There would be too many sound effects to record in the only way I could at the time (foley style recording right onto the film using the movie projector). But when I recently digitized the film and cleaned up the visuals as best I could, I went sound-effects-crazy and edited in the effects. I also replaced the music with royalty-free cues from HookSound.
Music:
Bringer of Death Epic Dramatic Hybrid by Damir Agovic
Warp Speed Nazar Rybak
Find at HookSounds: https://www.hooksounds.com/ref/mparks/ using that link to support this channel.
From the archive: My first large-scale clay animation short, completed in 1987. Shot on super8 film, the audio, including an original score by David Hawley, was recorded onto the film using a movie projector that could record onto the magnetic strip on film. I recently used a digital converter to digitize it and cleaned up the audio and video as best I could.
Digging into the archive: This is the first clay animation short I made while in high school (1985) after a series of practice films. A friend, David Hawley, was in a band and recorded this song one weekend just for the fun of it, and I made this music video on super8 film to go along with it.
If you can't make out the lyrics, they are:
I like Pepsi, yes indeed.
Cave people don't live in trees.
It wasn't meant to make sense.
A hand-drawn animation project I did at San Francisco State University in 1991, re-shot in hi-dif. I went seriously old-school for this, with no layers so the background if re-drawn for each frame. Then each drawing was colored with Prismacolor.
A good soundtrack will make or break an animated movie. In this tutorial, we will look at the art of creating great sound effects, including downloading, creating unique sound effects, foley, music, and editing.
Please see my other tutorials on how to animate to music, dancing, make a puppet, camera moves, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Software
Animation: Dragonframe
Audio Recording: Audacity and Quicktime Player
Editing: Adobe Premiere Pro
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But if you're not there yet, a good option is a camcorder that can run a live video signal to your computer. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video will also apply to animation recorded with a mobile device.
Links
Free Sound: https://freesound.org/
Free Sound Effects: https://www.freesoundeffects.com/
Sound Bible: https://soundbible.com/
Audacity: https://www.audacityteam.org/
Free Stock Music: https://www.free-stock-music.com/
FILMSTRO: https://filmstro.com/music
Stop Motion Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF5sj9MWBYQ&list=PL44F7344428AB62FC&index=15&t=27s
Be My Guest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyWgXD_ULS8&list=PL9272B3B44F908616&index=1&t=2s
Shopping for Puppet-Making:
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III), armature wire, cotton batting to build up puppet: Arts/craft store like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
Armature kit: stopmotionstore.com
Puppet clothes (Barbie/Ken clothes: dept store, ebay, amazon.com
16-gauge aluminum armature wire (from an art store or Amazon, not the hardware store)
Pre-wrap (Sporting good or drug store)
Cotton batting or foam (quilting supplies from craft or sewing store)
For the head, aluminum foil or wood ball (craft store)
Just about everything here can be found on Amazon if you don't have all these kinds of stores in your area. You can also get animation supplies from stopmotionstore.com.
Whiteboard-style animation can be done on an app these days, but there are some effects you might want to get with it that still call for a camera, a real whiteboard, and a few actual pens. That's what I get into in this tutorial. Whether it's just to get that hand-made look to the animation or to combine it with pixilation or stop motion, here is a look at how to create real-world whiteboard animation.
Please see my other tutorials on how to animate to music, dancing, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Music by
Mixaund: www.free-stock-music.com/artist.mixaund.html
Software: Dragonframe and Stop Motion Studio. iStopmotion (Mac and mobile) is a good frame-capturing app for the price. I understand iKITmovie is a good free option for Windows. If you have a favorite stop motion app, please tell us about it in the comments. Edited using Adobe Premiere.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But if you're not there yet, a good option is a camcorder that can run a live video signal to your computer. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video will also apply to animation recorded with a mobile device.
www.michaelmparks.com
Do you have a story to tell? You may be excited about getting down to animating your tale, but if you want your viewer to get pulled into the narrative and fully understand what is happening and why, it would be wise to invest some time developing the story. This tutorial will guide you through storyboarding, animatics, shot planning, shooting and editing.
Please see my other tutorials on how to animate to music, create smooth camera moves, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Music by
Mixaund: www.free-stock-music.com/artist.mixaund.html
Software: Dragonframe and Stop Motion Studio. iStopmotion (Mac and mobile) is a good frame-capturing app for the price. I understand iKITmovie is a good free option for Windows. If you have a favorite stop motion app, please tell us about it in the comments. Edited using Adobe Premiere.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But if you're not there yet, a good option is a camcorder that can run a live video signal to your computer. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video will also apply to animation recorded with a mobile device.
Shopping for Puppet-Making:
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III), armature wire, cotton batting to build up puppet: Arts/craft store like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
Armature kit: stopmotionstore.com
Just about everything here can be found on Amazon if you don't have all these kinds of stores in your area. You can also get animation supplies from stopmotionstore.com.
The key principle to animation is timing. Have you ever taking a huge amount of time to animate something, only to play it back and have it fly by too fast? Or possibly even too slow? The solution is to carefully plan out how long an action should take, even if the action is exaggerated and the movement is stylized. This tutorial explores methods for planning out the timing of a stop motion scene.
Please see my other tutorials on how to animate to music, dancing, make a puppet, cut-outs, lip sync, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Music by
Mixaund: www.free-stock-music.com/artist.mixaund.html
PeriTune - Royalty Free Music Material https://peritune.com/
Stopwatch Photo by Stanislav Remnev on Unsplash
Software: Dragonframe and Stop Motion Studio. iStopmotion (Mac and mobile) is a good frame-capturing app for the price. I understand iKITmovie is a good free option for Windows. If you have a favorite stop motion app, please tell us about it in the comments. Edited using Adobe Premiere.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But if you're not there yet, a good option is a camcorder that can run a live video signal to your computer. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video will also apply to animation recorded with a mobile device.
Shopping for Puppet-Making:
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III), armature wire, cotton batting to build up puppet: Arts/craft store like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
Armature kit: stopmotionstore.com
Puppet clothes (Barbie/Ken clothes: dept store, ebay, amazon.com
16-gauge aluminum armature wire (from an art store or Amazon, not the hardware store)
Pre-wrap (Sporting good or drug store)
Cotton batting or foam (quilting supplies from craft or sewing store)
For the head, aluminum foil or wood ball (craft store)
Just about everything here can be found on Amazon if you don't have all these kinds of stores in your area. You can also get animation supplies from stopmotionstore.com.
michaelmparks.com
Camera movement is a great way to enhance the visual impact of your animation, and at times it's absolutely necessary to follow the action. But how to you create a camera rig that will move the camera smoothly without spending a fortune? I found several methods using some things I already have on hand, and maybe you can, too. If you don't already have the materials hiding in the garage, there are still possibilities involving a $10-$20 trip to the hardware store. This tutorial will also look at the principles of creating visually dynamic camera moves.
Please see my other tutorials on how to make a puppet, sets, Lego animation, cut-outs, lip sync, facial animation, dance, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
Music by Mixaund: www.free-stock-music.com/artist.mixaund.html
Software: Dragonframe. iStopmotion (Mac and mobile) is a good frame-capturing app for the price. I understand iKITmovie is a good free option for Windows. Stop Motion Studio is a good mobile app. If you have a favorite stop motion app, please tell us about it in the comments. Edited using Adobe Premiere.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But if you're not there yet, a good option is a camcorder that can run a live video signal to your computer. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video generally need a frame-capturing method that can show a line-up movie so you can time out and line up the action to the live-action plate.
Just about everything discussed here can be found on Amazon or a hardware store. You can also get animation supplies from stopmotionstore.com.
michaelmparks.com
Modern feature films may not want to use stop motion for their creatures and effects, but we can still have some fun combining our real-world creations with live-action video. My green-screen tutorial explains how to composite stop motion on top of a live-action video, but this one explores how to have your stop motion creations interact with live action.
Please see my other tutorials on how to make a puppet, sets, Lego animation, cut-outs, lip sync, facial animation, dance, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
Music by Mixaund: www.free-stock-music.com/artist.mixaund.html
Software: Dragonframe. iStopmotion (Mac and mobile) is a good frame-capturing app for the price. I understand iKITmovie is a good free option for Windows. Stop Motion Studio is a good mobile app. If you have a favorite stop motion app, please tell us about it in the comments. Edited using Adobe Premiere.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But if you're not there yet, a good option is a camcorder that can run a live video signal to your computer. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video generally need a frame-capturing method that can show a line-up movie so you can time out and line up the action to the live-action plate.
Shopping for Puppet-Making:
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III), armature wire, cotton batting to build up puppet: Arts/craft store like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
Armature kit: stopmotionstore.com
Puppet clothes (Barbie/Ken clothes: dept store, ebay, amazon.com
16-gauge aluminum armature wire (from an art store or Amazon, not the hardware store)
Pre-wrap (Sporting good or drug store)
Cotton batting or foam (quilting supplies from craft or sewing store)
For the head, aluminum foil or wood ball (craft store)
Just about everything here can be found on Amazon if you don't have all these kinds of stores in your area. You can also get animation supplies from stopmotionstore.com.
Sometimes a stop motion character has just gotta dance, and it's up to you to show them the steps. Here we'll look at the steps and techniques for achieving smooth, graceful movement to the beat of music.
Please see my other tutorials on how to make a puppet, Lego animation, cut-outs, lip sync, facial animation, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
Music by Mixaund: www.free-stock-music.com/artist.mixaund.html
Software: Dragonframe. iStopmotion (Mac and mobile) is a good frame-capturing app for the price. I understand iKITmovie is a good free option for Windows. Stop Motion Studio is a good mobile app. If you have a favorite stop motion app, please tell us about it in the comments. Edited using Adobe Premiere.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But if you're not there yet, a good option is a camcorder that can run a live video signal to your computer. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video will also apply to animation recorded with a mobile device.
Shopping for Puppet-Making:
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III), armature wire, cotton batting to build up puppet: Arts/craft store like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
Armature kit: stopmotionstore.com
Puppet clothes (Barbie/Ken clothes: dept store, ebay, amazon.com
16-gauge aluminum armature wire (from an art store or Amazon, not the hardware store)
Pre-wrap (Sporting good or drug store)
Cotton batting or foam (quilting supplies from craft or sewing store)
For the head, aluminum foil or wood ball (craft store)
Just about everything here can be found on Amazon if you don't have all these kinds of stores in your area. You can also get animation supplies from stopmotionstore.com.
Put your stomach to the test!
www.michaelmparks.com
A little twist on "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast as this guy takes to the kitchen to welcome a guest with his unique approach to preparing what only he could call "food." A stop motion/clay animation music video.
Interior stop motion set detailing and shooting is covered in this tutorial as I finish making a miniature kitchen. The principles and techniques apply to just about any structural set need, as part two explores methods for making props, decorating the set, and shooting scenes. This is low-budget filmmaking with suggested alternatives for even smaller budgets. But we also look at creativity and style to make the best of whatever materials we have on hand.
Please see my other tutorials on how to make a puppet, Lego animation, cut-outs, lip sync, facial animation, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Music by Mixaund: www.free-stock-music.com/artist.mixaund.html
Just about everything I used to make the set featured in this video was purchased at Michael’s, an arts and craft store. Most of it can also be purchased on amazon. Some of the miniature props are doll toys available on eBay.
Interior stop motion set construction is covered in this tutorial as I build a miniature kitchen. The principles and techniques apply to just about any structural set need, as part one explores methods for planning a set, creating the structures, and painting. This is low-budget filmmaking with suggested alternatives for even smaller budgets. But we also look at creativity and style to make the best of whatever materials we have on hand.
Please see my other tutorials on how to make a puppet, Lego animation, cut-outs, lip sync, facial animation, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Just about everything I used to make the set featured in this video was purchased at Michael’s, an arts and craft store. Most of it can also be purchased on amazon. Some of the miniature props are doll toys available on eBay.
Time to step away from the stop motion animation stage and animate real people in the real world! All you need is some willing participants who are good sports about doing strange things... one frame at a time. Pixilation involves having your actors move a little bit for each frame while objects around them are animated as well. The example animation, which runs about a minute, was animated in about two hours. And it can be done with a device running a stop motion app like Stop Motion Studio.
Then have a look at my other tutorials on how to make a puppet, Lego animation, cut-outs, lip sync, facial animation, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Software: Dragonframe. iStopmotion (Mac and mobile) is a good frame-capturing app for the price. I understand iKITmovie is a good free option for Windows. Stop Motion Studio is a good mobile app.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need.
Let's take a break from pushing puppets (you've earned it) and take a look at the work of the animation pioneers. Come on, it will just take five minutes. Animation has always involved innovation as artists discover new ways to bring their creations to life. We'll start with some highly inventive silent movies, and then watch the art form develop through such classics as King Kong, Gumby, the works of Ray Harryhausen, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and maybe even Robot Chicken. Then you can see what new inspirations hit you.
Then have a look at my other tutorials on how to make a puppet, Lego animation, cut-outs, lip sync, facial animation, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Software: Dragonframe. iStopmotion (Mac and mobile) is a good frame-capturing app for the price. I understand iKITmovie is a good free option for Windows. Stop Motion Studio is a good mobile app.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need.
Material for hands: Sugru from Amazon or Target
Shopping for Puppet-Making:
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III), armature wire, cotton batting to build up puppet: Arts/craft store like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
Puppet clothes (Barbie/Ken clothes: dept store, ebay, amazon.com
16-gauge aluminum armature wire (from an art store or Amazon, not the hardware store)
Just about everything here can be found on Amazon if you don't have all these kinds of stores in your area. You can also get animation supplies from stopmotionstore.com.
Sugru isn't sponsoring this. I just like the stuff.
At last there is a way to make hands for your stop motion puppet without having to make a mold or deal with liquid latex or even clay. Okay, so a package of the stuff that includes all the needed colors is $16, so it's not cheap. But I think it's worth it considering how much faster the puppet-making and animation will go. It takes about an hour to make the hands (including making the wire fingers) and then 24 hours to set up. See what you think and let me know in the comments if you try out this method.
Please see my other tutorials on how to make the rest of the puppet puppet, including the armature and the clothes. I've also done tutorials on Lego animation, cut-outs, lip sync, facial animation, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Shopping for Puppet-Making:
Sugru: Amazon, Target
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III), armature wire, cotton batting to build up puppet: Arts/craft store like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
Armature kit: stopmotionstore.com
Puppet clothes (Barbie/Ken clothes: dept store, ebay, amazon.com
16-gauge aluminum armature wire (from an art store or Amazon, not the hardware store)
Epoxy putty (Hardware store)
Pre-wrap (Sporting good or drug store)
Cotton batting or foam (quilting supplies from craft or sewing store)
For the head, aluminum foil or wood ball (craft store)
Just about everything here can be found on Amazon if you don't have all these kinds of stores in your area. You can also get animation supplies from stopmotionstore.com.
Here's a simple trick or two for creating stop motion explosions. Well, it may not be all that simple to get all participants to cooperate, but if you can keep your characters under better control than I can, you should be able to blow them into tiny pieces one frame at a time.
Please see my other tutorials on how to make a puppet, Lego animation, cut-outs, lip sync, facial animation, and other stop motion subjects: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL44F7344428AB62FC
Franklin rig by Artella Virtual Studios
Mery rig by meryproject.com
Explosion reference from Funker Tactical
Software: Dragonframe. iStopmotion (Mac and mobile) is a good frame-capturing app for the price. I understand iKITmovie is a good free option for Windows. Stop Motion Studio is a good mobile app. If you have a favorite stop motion app, please tell us about it in the comments.
Camera: I'm using a DSLR. But if you're not there yet, a good option is a camcorder that can run a live video signal to your computer. But these days a mobile device with a camera running a stop motion app is all you need. The principles discussed in this video will also apply to animation recorded with a mobile device.
Shopping for Puppet-Making:
Clay (Van Aken, Sculpy III), armature wire, cotton batting to build up puppet: Arts/craft store like Hobby Lobby or amazon.com.
Armature kit: stopmotionstore.com
Puppet clothes (Barbie/Ken clothes: dept store, ebay, amazon.com
16-gauge aluminum armature wire (from an art store or Amazon, not the hardware store)
Epoxy putty (Hardware store)
Pre-wrap (Sporting good or drug store)
Cotton batting or foam (quilting supplies from craft or sewing store)
For the head, aluminum foil or wood ball (craft store)
Just about everything here can be found on Amazon if you don't have all these kinds of stores in your area. You can also get animation supplies from stopmotionstore.com.