SCENE 01 / STOP MOTION
Stop Motion Production
Frame-by-frame animation for your Chinese production.
Stop-motion animation brings puppets and objects to life one frame at a time, with tiny changes between each shot. China has a deep animation history that reaches back to the Shanghai Animation Film Studio and its famous paper-cut and puppet films. Today the industry centers on Beijing, Shanghai, and Hengdian, and it feeds both home-grown features and global co-productions.
We connect you with stop-motion pros, fabricators, and the stage space this exacting craft needs. Our team sets up soundstages at Hengdian World Studios and Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis, Dragonframe capture rigs, and skilled animators. Foreign shoots need a local partner, which we handle through our Chinese co-producer relationships.
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
We plan storyboards, character design, and the technical approach for your animation.
Fabrication
We build puppets, sets, and props with the skilled craft that stop motion needs.
Animation
Our pro animators shoot frame by frame and bring your characters to life.
Post-Production
We handle compositing, rig removal, grading, and sound design for the final piece.
On Location
Frame-by-frame craft from Shanghai Animation Studio to Beijing ateliers
Stop-motion in China draws on one of the world's deepest animation heritages, anchored by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio (上海美术电影制片厂). This is the studio behind Havoc in Heaven (大闹天宫), Calabash Brothers (葫芦兄娃), and the famous paper-cut and puppet films of the 1960s and 1970s that shaped the Chinese visual style. Modern stop-motion now runs alongside the country's booming 2D and 3D animation sector. Light Chaser Animation in Shanghai (behind Ne Zha and Yao-Chinese Folktales, the biggest names in Chinese animation today), Original Force, NetEase Animation, Tencent Animation, and the Bilibili Animation pipeline all commission hybrid stop-motion and CG segments for streaming originals, music videos, and branded content.
Our crew connects shoots with pro Chinese ateliers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Puppet builders there deliver armature-based characters with metal skeletons, silicone or foam bodies, and replacement-face systems. Set builders construct scale environments to the standard the Chinese feature animation, commercial, and music-video sectors expect, including Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year campaigns that lean on traditional craft.
Capture happens on Dragonframe rigs running Sony A7R V and Canon EOS R5 mirrorless bodies at 4K and above, with steady practical lighting and motorised focus control. Motion-control camera moves on imported Mark Roberts rigs are ready when a sequence calls for dollies, pans, or crane motion alongside the frame-by-frame animation. Our planning respects the time profile of stop motion, which yields roughly one to five seconds of finished animation per shooting day. A thirty-second commercial often spans several weeks of capture, plus pre-production and post.
Our team supports each stage of the work. This spans storyboarding, character and set design, and tech pre-visualisation, through to fabrication and animation direction on stage at Hengdian World Studios, Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis, or partner studios in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. The final pass runs through Chinese VFX studios. Post — rig removal, compositing, miniature integration, and DI grading — runs through Base FX Beijing, MPC Shanghai, Digital Domain China, and Light Chaser Animation Shanghai.
A few practical details matter here. For productions claiming the Qingdao 40-per-cent rebates, we prepare the NRTA, CFA, and provincial film bureau forms their financiers need. We also handle 17-per-cent VAT forms, customs clearance for imported stop-motion rigs, and the Chinese co-producer relationship that foreign shoots require.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What stop motion techniques do you offer in China?
We offer all the major stop motion techniques, including puppet animation with armature-based characters, claymation, object animation, and mixed media. Chinese animators draw on a tradition rooted in the country's historic puppet and paper-cut animation heritage.
Can you build puppets and sets locally?
Yes. We work with skilled Chinese fabricators who build pro stop motion puppets with metal armatures, silicone or foam bodies, and replacement faces. Set construction is ready at Hengdian's 130+ stage complex and other major sites.
Do we need a Chinese production partner for stop motion?
Foreign shoots filming in China usually need a local production partner and China Film Administration approvals. We handle co-producer introductions, permits, and customs clearance for stop motion fabrication gear and Dragonframe rigs.
How long does stop motion production take?
Stop motion takes time—usually 1-5 seconds of finished animation per day, based on how complex the scene is. 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 add motion control rigs for camera movement, which allows smooth dollies, pans, and crane moves while keeping the frame-by-frame animation. This creates lively shots that static cameras cannot achieve.
What about post-production for stop motion?
Post covers rig removal, compositing, and grading at Chinese studios such as Base FX, MPC Shanghai, and Light Chaser Animation—studios with proven Hollywood co-production experience.
Related Services
Productions in China 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.