Stop motion is an animation technique where objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when played back. A shot planner helps you calculate exactly how many frames you need per scene, estimate total shooting time, and organize your storyboard shots in sequence — saving you from costly miscalculations and keeping your production on schedule.

12 fps — Classic stop-motion feel with visible frame stepping (great for LEGO, claymation, beginners). 15 fps — Slightly smoother, a popular middle ground for indie animators. 24 fps — Cinematic smoothness (Laika Studios standard), requires 2× the frames of 12fps. 30 fps — Broadcast/TV standard, very fluid but extremely labor-intensive. Most hobbyists and indie creators use 12–15 fps for a good balance of quality and workload.

The formula is simple: Frames = Duration (seconds) × FPS. For example, a 5-second shot at 12 fps requires 60 frames. A 10-second shot at 24 fps requires 240 frames. Use our planner above — just enter the shot duration and FPS, and the frame count is calculated automatically. This helps you budget time, memory cards, and energy for each scene.

It depends on complexity. A simple frame might take 15–30 seconds (minimal adjustments, good lighting pre-set). A detailed frame with multiple moving elements can take 1–3 minutes. For planning purposes, we recommend budgeting 30–60 seconds per frame on average. This means 100 frames ≈ 50–100 minutes of shooting. Use the "Avg. Time per Frame" setting in our planner to adjust based on your project's complexity.

A storyboard is a visual representation of each scene — like a comic strip showing camera angles and key action beats. A shot list (what this planner helps you build) breaks each storyboard panel into technical details: shot name, duration, FPS, and frame count. Together they form your production blueprint. Use this planner alongside your visual storyboard to ensure every second of animation is accounted for.

Absolutely! Some shots may benefit from higher FPS (smooth action scenes) while others work fine at lower FPS (static dialogue, establishing shots). Our planner lets you set a global default FPS for new shots while allowing each individual shot to have its own FPS. The frame counter and time estimates update automatically per shot.