How to Make Stop Motion Videos in iMovie?

Shanoon Cox

Oct 09, 2024• Proven solutions

Stop Motion, also known as Stop Frame Animation, is a highly creative 2D or 3D animation technique that gives the appearance of an object moving on its own.

It could be any round or flat image, character, or paper cutout that uses small increments between individual pictures to move and gives the illusion of movement upon being played.

How to make a stop-motion video in iMovie? In this article, we will provide two stop-motion solutions for Windows and macOS users.

• Part 1: Three Tips Before Making a Stunning Stop Motion Video in iMovie
• Part 2: How to Edit Stop Motion Using iMovie Alternative for Windows
• Part 3: How to Make Stop Motion in iMovie on Mac

Part 1: Three Tips Before Making a Stunning Stop Motion Video in iMovie

Before taking about the detailed steps of making stop-motion videos, let's learn some useful tips first.

1. Plan and Organize

Create a storyboard before you actually get into the making! Your focus needs to be on single images that together create a story. Think through the different scenes and elements you want in your motion video, have ready scrip, and mentally visualize the story.

2. One Shot!

Make sure that you get the images right the very first time to save time on editing every single image later.

3. Enhance with Audio

While audio isn’t the central feature of a stop-motion film, it definitely enhances and heightens the final result. Utilize the energy to add creative elements that heighten the motion video as a whole and not just individual images.

Part 2: How to Edit Stop Motion Using iMovie Alternative for Windows

The greatest disadvantage of iMovie is that it is only available for Mac users! And its best alternative is Wondershare Filmora that negates all these problems and can be used by anyone on both Mac and Windows PC.

To make a stop-motion video with Filmora, you can refer to the detailed steps in this tutorial video.

Related: How to Make Green Screen Effects

With Filmora, you can edit your video not only with some basic editing features like cutting, trimming, combining, and splitting but also with some advanced tools to stabilize your video footage, reverse or playback videos, fade in and fade out music and audio, etc.

Check the videos below to get more information about what Filmora can do for you, and download it now to figure out more features.

Learn more details: Why Should You Use Filmora

Related: How to Fade in and Fade out Music and Audio

Part 3: How to Make Stop Motion in iMovie on Mac [Updated]

Step 1. Import Media Files and make them in sequential order.

Step 2. Go to iMovie and then select Preferences. Change the Photo Placement from Ken Burns to Fit in Frame to keep your images zoom in and zoom out in the stop motion effect.

Step 3. Drag all the well-ordered photos to the timeline.

Step 4. Adjust the duration of each photo. The recommended duration is 0.1 seconds, which will make your stop-motion sequence move at a rate of 10fps.

Step 5. And then apply this to all photos. You can also adjust the duration of a certain photo as long as you like.

Step 6. Export the video and then add your stop-motion clip to your project and edit it further.

Related:

• How to Add Transitions between Video Clips in iMovie
• How to Add Voice-over in iMovie

You can watch the video below to check for more detailed information.

That's it. Now you should have learned how to make the stop motion effect in iMovie, right? To get more iMovie editing tips, access the Resources section of our website.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox