Some experiments

All of these videos are filmed on my iPhone - a little wobbly as I was using my other hand to work the record player, spin the phenakistoscope and draw. However, I'm pretty impressed with the quality of the iPhone video (should be for the price I pay a month!)

The issue with this test was that although it is still a phenakistoscope when spun on the record player, it does not work in the same way as when spun and viewed in a mirror. The slots are useless here as they're for directing your view when looking from behind the phenakistoscope into a mirror.

I think if I try what these guy's tried (below) with the cut out triangle it would work much better as the eye is fixed on one section which will chance through the sequence. Although the video below is not of a zoopraxiscope, it's a phenakistoscope. A zoopraxiscope is an actual projection, much like a phenakistoscope and a magic lantern put together.

Ooooo, that may mean I've learnt something.

Also my record player doesn't go fast enough to give the illusion of motion. I'll try again with a triangle cover anyways.

This was done simply but putting a piece of paper with a hole in the middle (not too tight or it won't spin with the record) onto the record player. When the record player is spinning I moved coloured pens around - a bit like a spirograph (well that was my idea).

I'm not sure whether this would be considered animation. I just got a a bit experimental with the record player. Although it does look like the lines are moving up and down? It does give the slight illusion of movement - surely that's what animation is?

Phenakistoscope plain

phenakistoscope improvement

  

I made improvements to the handheld phenakistoscope. Firstly I made the hole in the middle bigger so that it spins more freely. Secondly, I made a sequence that is easier for the eye to focus on. I did this by colouring in the stills. I think this was the problem with the first phenakistoscope I made.

It's hard to see in the video (above) but it does work!! yippee! It is better if you try it out yourself in a mirror.

I've noticed that the faster you spin it, the bigger the slots need to be. Otherwise the eye isn't fast enough to see the image.

These stop-motions were all edited in iMovie. The one above went a bit wrong as the tripod wasn't tightened and started to move as I was taking shots. note to self - check tripod.



post-it notes are quick and simple to use for animation - cheap too. The camera seems to auto-focus, although here it is set to auto.



It's much better here on manual but still not great. Why does it do that???



I tried again on manual and now also with manual focus (after a little google troubleshooting). It still does it!!!