Stop Motion Animation! Laken Cott (Disabled Living’s Business Development Coordinator) recently attended a stop motion animation workshop provided by NHS Research & Development North West. She asked Ginny Koppenhol (the workshop’s facilitator) to explain more about how professionals can use this creative medium in their work. (view Laken’s animation here)
Everyone knows and loves Morph, Wallace and Gromit and if you’re a little older like me, Bagpuss. Stop motion animation has a certain nostalgic charm about it. But whilst working as an Occupational Therapist in a young peoples mental health unit, I discovered how powerful it could be as a communication tool. Whilst working in the NHS I got the chance to attend a two-day animation course, learning how to use this medium therapeutically and as a way to engage the young people I worked with. All the young people enjoyed this creative activity. They found it easy and quick to learn, yet it held unlimited creative possibilities. I started to see the potential for taking it to a wider audience, including to health professionals. Soon after this, the idea for my business was born and I set about developing it. About a year later I left my NHS career behind to take stop motion animation ‘on the road’ and it’s been a wonderful adventure so far! I have worked with children living in care, school pupils, local businesses and youth clubs (to name but a few). I particularly enjoy working with those in health and social care settings as I understand all too well how creativity can be stifled in these busy working environments and important information is often presented in uninspiring or complex ways. Stop motion animation gives staff members in these teams, the opportunity to think afresh about their key messages and use an innovative communication tool to inspire and Engage their audience. It’s visual and therefore more Accessible to many, including those with learning needs or for whom English isn’t their first language. It can also be an ideal team building activity. However, stop motion animation is perfect for giving sensitive information as visual metaphors can be used to convey difficult subjects. There are also many different techniques that can be used (it’s not all about plasticine) and so even if you don’t consider yourself ‘artistic’ there will be a type of animation you’ll enjoy, I promise. The overwhelming sense I get from workshops is that the participants have fun and leave feeling inspired and because staff in health and social care work so tirelessly for their clients, for me this is one of the greatest rewards. Ginny Koppenhol (Zoom Creations)