In my practical work i conducted different stop-motion tests in order to better understand why stop-motion is
so effective as a horror media. I used plasticine as well as an artists manikin to do different tests and see what
peoples responses would be and which they would perceive as the most unsettling. I explored this in order to see
how far the theory of the uncanny and uncanny valley applies to stop motion, and what this means in terms of how
we perceive it. From the responses i got, i was able to determine that the plasticine models, particularly the test i
did in which the plasticine transforms into a tentacle like object, were perceived as the most unsettling. When I
asked why this was the most unsettling, the answers i got ranged from the fact that the actual shape of the
plasticine was disconcerting, to the tentacle like motion and the jerkiness of the stop-motion itself. There were
also observations that the human anatomy-like shape of the plasticine evoked discomfort. There was some
discomfort expressed with the manikin stop-motion tests i did as well, some feedback I got was that it appeared
creepy because it shouldn’t be moving and its movements were unnatural and jerky, and made it appear as though
the model were haunted. This reinstates the article in which Matt Kim suggests that “Stop-motion is simply an
evolution to puppetry, eliminating the presence of the puppeteer. Unfortunately, that also makes the puppet appear
autonomous, maybe even haunted.”(2016)
so effective as a horror media. I used plasticine as well as an artists manikin to do different tests and see what
peoples responses would be and which they would perceive as the most unsettling. I explored this in order to see
how far the theory of the uncanny and uncanny valley applies to stop motion, and what this means in terms of how
we perceive it. From the responses i got, i was able to determine that the plasticine models, particularly the test i
did in which the plasticine transforms into a tentacle like object, were perceived as the most unsettling. When I
asked why this was the most unsettling, the answers i got ranged from the fact that the actual shape of the
plasticine was disconcerting, to the tentacle like motion and the jerkiness of the stop-motion itself. There were
also observations that the human anatomy-like shape of the plasticine evoked discomfort. There was some
discomfort expressed with the manikin stop-motion tests i did as well, some feedback I got was that it appeared
creepy because it shouldn’t be moving and its movements were unnatural and jerky, and made it appear as though
the model were haunted. This reinstates the article in which Matt Kim suggests that “Stop-motion is simply an
evolution to puppetry, eliminating the presence of the puppeteer. Unfortunately, that also makes the puppet appear
autonomous, maybe even haunted.”(2016)
I found that by speeding the framerates of the tests, the feedback i received changed. When the tests were sped up
to 24 frames per second, the general feedback was that this was more unnerving, as the objects moved in more
erratic and convulsive ways. However speeding the framerate to 48 frames per second almost everyone I asked
agreed that this was too fast to distinguish any real movement or to have time to react to what was happening on
screen.
to 24 frames per second, the general feedback was that this was more unnerving, as the objects moved in more
erratic and convulsive ways. However speeding the framerate to 48 frames per second almost everyone I asked
agreed that this was too fast to distinguish any real movement or to have time to react to what was happening on
screen.
From my practical work i feel i am able to conclude that stop-motion appears to most people as unnatural and
unsettling, however this can be due to a range of factors from the character design, textures used, motion
performed and the smoothness of the animation itself. My findings are in keeping with the uncanny
valley theory; the relationship between the degree of an object's resemblance to a human being and the emotional
response to that object. Because the objects I made out of plasticine were strangely familiar, vague shapes, and
not just the familiarity of the artists model, I feel they elicited the more negative and unsettled effect in viewers.
If given the time and opportunity, i would like to apply more different effects to my stop motion tests, and
conduct more tests. I would also like to have shot the tests in different locations to observe how this may have
changed how it is perceived by others. I feel that my findings have proved that stop-motion is an inherently
uncanny and effective horror media, however I would have liked to have carried out more tests in order to
reach a clearer conclusion.
unsettling, however this can be due to a range of factors from the character design, textures used, motion
performed and the smoothness of the animation itself. My findings are in keeping with the uncanny
valley theory; the relationship between the degree of an object's resemblance to a human being and the emotional
response to that object. Because the objects I made out of plasticine were strangely familiar, vague shapes, and
not just the familiarity of the artists model, I feel they elicited the more negative and unsettled effect in viewers.
If given the time and opportunity, i would like to apply more different effects to my stop motion tests, and
conduct more tests. I would also like to have shot the tests in different locations to observe how this may have
changed how it is perceived by others. I feel that my findings have proved that stop-motion is an inherently
uncanny and effective horror media, however I would have liked to have carried out more tests in order to
reach a clearer conclusion.
