How to Create Stop Motion Movies on iPhone or iPad

King Kong. Jason and the Argonauts. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. These are just a few classic films made via stop motion technology. In such movies, the filmmaker gives life to inanimate objects by shooting a few frames at a time while moving objects in between shots in order to mimic life. In the finished film, objects appear to move on their own.

You can make your own stop motion films; all you need is an iPhone or iPad, a tripod, the right software, and a bit of creativity. Let's look at how to create stop motion movies via your iPhone or iPad.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.

Find the Right Tripod

You can shoot stop motion films with just about any iPhone or iPad. I prefer to use an iPhone, since it's smaller, easier to maneuver, and fits better on most tripods. The result is the same, though.

Your first stop should be to a retailer to find a good tripod. You can check out Best Buy or other brick-and-mortar stores or browse the virtual aisles of online retailers. I scoured Amazon for tripods with legs that could shrink or bend significantly so I could shoot on the floor, if necessary. And I wanted one with a remote control so I wouldn't have to touch the iPhone each time I wanted to shoot. I finally purchased this one.

Finding the Right Software

Next, you want to find the right software to help you shoot your stop motion pictures. You can get by using the built-in camera features for Photo or Video mode, but the results will be uneven. Your best bet is to use an app specifically designed for stop motion shooting.

A few different apps in the App Store offer the ability to shoot stop motion footage, but I use Stop Motion Studio because you can control the frame rate at which you shoot, adjust the lighting and other conditions, and spruce up your video with themes and other effects. The basic app is free; for $4.99 you can add a feature pack with themes, special effects, and 4K ultra high-definition video.

Editing Your Video

After you've shot your masterpiece, you can edit it, tweak individual frames, and add text and audio.

Finalizing Your Video

You can then save your film as a straight video, an animated GIF, or a flip book. You can share it via YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, and other sites and services.

Get Inspired

Looking for an idea? The Stop Motion Studio app includes a gallery of other films people have created to see if inspiration hits you. Break a leg!

Spider-Man in Action

Here's a quick Spider-Man clip I captured.

About Our Expert

Lance Whitney

Contributor

My Experience

I've been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I've written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I've also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.

My Areas of Expertise

I've used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I'm well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I'm always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that's become another key area for me.

The Tech I Use

My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it's time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.

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