SCENE 01 / STOP MOTION
Stop Motion Production
Frame-by-frame animation for your New Zealand production.
Here is how this works in practice. Stop-motion animation creates the illusion of movement by photographing physical puppets or objects frame by frame, with tiny adjustments between exposures. New Zealand has one of the world's strongest practical craft communities, anchored by Weta Workshop and Weta FX in Wellington, with feature, commercial, and short-form animation work supported by a worldwide recognized fabrication and miniatures tradition.
Here is the short of it. We connect you with stop-motion pros, puppet fabricators, and stage facilities across New Zealand. Our team sets up sound stages at Stone Street Studios and Avalon in Wellington and Auckland Film Studios, Dragonframe-equipped capture rigs, and skilled animators, drawing on the same talent pool behind shoots backed by the NZ Film Commission and the NZSPG incentive.
Capabilities
Stop Motion Services
Complete stop motion animation from concept to final delivery.
01
Animation Types
- Puppet animation
- Claymation
- Object animation
- Cut-out animation
- Mixed media
All Techniques
02
Production
- Set construction
- Puppet fabrication
- Rigging systems
- Motion control
- Capture software
Full Service
03
Technical
- Dragonframe capture
- Consistent lighting
- Focus control
- Camera motion
- Miniature effects
Expert Setup
04
Creative
- Character design
- Set design
- Storyboarding
- Animation direction
- Post-production
End-to-End
Handcrafted Animation
Capabilities
Our Process
Pre-Production
Storyboarding, character design, and planning the tech way for your animation.
Fabrication
Building puppets, sets, and props with the craftsmanship stop motion needs.
Animation
Frame-by-frame capture with pro animators bringing characters to life.
Post-Production
Compositing, rig removal, grading, and sound design for the final piece.
On Location
Stop-Motion Studios and Pipelines in Aotearoa
Here is how this works in practice. Our stop-motion capacity in New Zealand centres on Mukpuddy Animation in Auckland (the country's top commercial stop-motion shop, with global short-film and broadcast credits) and Plot Point Productions, plus the Wellywood pipeline assets at Weta Workshop Miramar — physical effects, puppet armatures, prosthetics, and miniature builds retained by Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor's group after the Weta FX Unity sale.
Here is how this works in practice. Standard capture combines Canon EOS R5C and R5 Mark II tethered through Dragonframe over USB-C and Ethernet, ARRI Alexa Mini LF for top-end commercials stop-motion, Bolt high-speed cinebot integration where mixed motion control / stop-motion is needed, and ARRI SkyPanel S60 / S360 plus Aputure Nova P600c bicolour LED lighting. Set construction draws on the Weta Workshop scenic and miniature heritage from LOTR's Hobbiton miniatures, King Kong's miniatures, and Mortal Engines' wide miniature work.
Here is the short of it. The country's stop-motion and animation heritage is global major: Andrew Adamson directed Shrek (2002 Best Animated Feature Oscar) and Narnia. Mark Sagar's facial-capture R&D at Auckland (Soul Machines) overlaps stop-motion talent pools. Weta Workshop's puppet armature and miniature pipeline directly feeds the stop-motion sector. Wairoa Māori Film Festival, Show Me Shorts, and the NZ Global Film Festival (NZIFF. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin) all run dedicated short-form and animation strands.
Here is the short of it. We set up NZSPG 20% + 5% productivity uplift records through the New Zealand Film Commission, plus the extra 5% post-prod NZ-content uplift for stop-motion finishing routed through Park Road Post and Auckland sound houses. WorkSafe NZ studio compliance, ACC universal accident cover, MEAA-Equity NZ reciprocal credentialing for trans-Tasman crew, and Manatū Taonga (Ministry of Culture & Heritage) liaison are bundled into each booking. Te reo Māori voicework and kapa haka soundtrack delivery route through Te Puni Kōkiri (Māori Development) where relevant.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What stop motion techniques do you offer in New Zealand?
We give all major stop motion techniques including puppet animation with armature-based characters, claymation, object animation, and mixed media ways. New Zealand fabricators bring top-tier craft from Wellington's practical effects and miniatures heritage.
Can you build puppets and sets locally?
Here is the breakdown. Yes, we work with skilled New Zealand fabricators who build pro stop motion puppets with metal armatures, silicone or foam bodies, and replacement faces. Sets are built to scale with the same craftsmanship behind Weta Workshop and the country's feature and commercial sector.
What resolution can you capture?
We capture at 4K and above using high-resolution Canon or Sony mirrorless stills cameras with Dragonframe software. This gives you broadcast-grade detail for any New Zealand or global delivery format.
How long does stop motion production take?
Stop motion is time-intensive—mostly 1-5 seconds of finished animation per day based on complexity. A 30-second commercial might take several weeks of animation, plus pre-production and post.
Can you do motion control for stop motion?
Yes, we can integrate motion control rigs for camera movement, allowing smooth dollies, pans, and crane moves while keeping frame-by-frame animation. This creates dynamic shots impossible with static cameras.
What about post-production for stop motion?
Post-prod has rig removal, compositing, and grading at Wellington facilities including Weta FX and Park Road Post, whose Oscar-winning teams finish Avatar- and Lord of the Rings-grade work and deliver any VFX boost needed.
Related Services
Productions in New Zealand that need this often pair it with Underwater Lighting, Live Streaming, and Helicopter Filming for full coverage. Most projects also draw on Time-lapse & Hyperlapse and Gaffer & Lighting Services.
On Set
Planning Stop Motion?
Tell us about your animation project and we'll bring your vision to life frame by frame.