ABSTRACT
Aardman's swashbuckler The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! , released in 2012, blends traditional model animation with state-of-the-art Computer-generated imagery (CGI) technology: The Pirate Captain has been sculpted over an armature—a steel skeleton of ball-and-socket joints. Aardman is using CGI devices, too. In a certain way, digital technology was instrumental in reviving and bringing back the process of stop motion. Once frame grabbing software was brought into the mix and animators could instantly see their animation, the gloves came off and the new Renaissance of Stop Motion Animation had arrived. Software like Frame Thief and Monkey Jam would be released to hobbyists interested in animating at home. Next would comes Stop Motion Pro which was used by Aardman for many years as their frame grabber, along with Animator HV which became Animator HD. The producers, Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar, play it out like children who have toy figures.
