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The Future of Stop Motion: Kirsten Lepore

Interview by Nick Dawson | February 6, 2009

Kirsten Lepore

To mark the release of Coraline, FilmInFocus has interviewed a number of up-and-coming stop motion animators, starting with Sweet Dreams director Kirsten Lepore.

Kirsten Lepore is a freelance animator/illustrator who earned her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2007. Her animations have been featured on TV, at international festivals, in print, and on the web. Besides her passion for animation, Kirsten adores traveling, cooking, and studying foreign languages. She hopes to one day scour the globe in search of the most bizarre and delicious delicacies! Her work can be seen at Vimeo.

How did you first become interested in stop motion animation? Was it a particular film that got you into it? What particularly attracted you to it?

As a child of the 80’s, I was constantly exposed to stop-motion animation on TV. Whether it was a network id for Nickelodeon, or a segment on Sesame Street, stop-motion was ubiquitous since CG technologies were only just emerging. For this reason, I think stop-motion has always been somewhat nostalgic for my generation and those before me. My attraction to the medium also has a lot to do with the fact that so much physical human touch is required. Although computers are invaluable in the animation process, something special is achieved when an artist handles at least some part of their work in real space.

How easy was it to become proficient at stop motion? Did you study it at school or did you teach yourself?

I studied it a bit at college but mainly taught myself. Although, I still don’t know if I’d consider myself proficient! Stop-motion is a bit like playing the guitar: you can play some pretty nice songs just by learning a few chords, but those who can read music and finger pick really stand out.

Which special qualities do you feel are necessary to be a stop motion animator? Do you have a much higher level of patience than most people?

I think all types of animation require a ridiculous amount of patience. Stop-motion, however, is the most unpredictable form of animation in my opinion (which is endlessly frustrating if you’re a control freak like me). Gravity and the elements are constantly working against you, and inevitably something always goes wrong! But if you can muster up enough patience to deal with these obstacles, then the payoff is well worth it.

How do you conceive ideas for stop motion projects? Do you always first have to consider practical constraints, or do you instead look to overcome potential problems after coming up with a creative concept?

I usually do the latter; I try not to let technical constraints limit my ideas. When faced with a limitation, you’re often forced to come up with an inventive solution which usually returns a more creative result than what you originally envisioned.

What are the greatest challenges you face as a stop motion animator?

I’d say rigging and puppet making are the biggest challenges. If the puppet isn’t well-crafted or has a limited range motion, then animating becomes a nightmare. Rigging and camera movement is also difficult, and so is keeping track of everything happening in your shot…ok I guess there are a lot of challenges.

Which stop motion animators do you in particular admire?

The first artist that comes to mind is PES. I find his take on animation to be incredibly refreshing, unique, and inventive. I’m also floored every time I see David Daniels’ strata-cut animations; they are a must-see for every animator.

What are you currently working on? And what is your dream project?

At the moment I'm creating some animations on a show pilot for a big network whose name I'll keep secret for now...I don't want to jinx anything! But that will be a mishmash of stop-motion and 2D. My dream project would probably be to work on a music video for a band that I love, or direct something independent involving a large scale set, professional rigging, and lots of animation helpers!