This course is fun - without the fluff - to help photographers grow their animation skills and portfolio, fast. Say goodbye to suffering through confusion and scavenging the internet for stop motion tutorials by creators who have no advertising experience. If you’re ready to dig into the strategy and technical skills of creating scroll-stopping animations, you’re in the right place. Magic Through Motion is here to teach you the ins and outs of creating branded stop motions from start to finish AND how to manage future clients like a pro.
The corners of YouTube are full of men in their basements trying to teach you how to make a ball of clay move, and you deserve better than that. That’s why I created Magic Through Motion - so capable, eager photographers like you can learn how to bring a product to life and make your client's next ad go viral.
Master advanced animation techniques
Build an irresistible branded portfolio
Become your
client's secret weapon
The professional photographer who wants to stand out from their competition and create compelling ads for their clients
The tech-savvy creator in search of an innovative way to generate income
The in-house creative aspiring to accelerate their brand's growth
The creative social media manager ready to take their brand partnerships to the next level
FRUSTRATED - trying to stand out of the crowd in a sea of creators, taking on countless small budget projects that leave you totally drained
OVERWHELMED - by the technical side of animation, creating content that sells instead of just looking pretty, clearly communicating your ideas to clients
INSECURE - setting boundaries with your clients, brainstorming creative ideas without copying others, pitching to new clients confidently
+ Are excited to learn advanced animation skills
+ Dream of creating strategic, branded stop motion for clients
+ Prefer to learn at your own pace with a clear action plan
+ Can't wait for a new revenue stream for your business
+ Want to take on higher paying projects that take less time
+ Are ready to kick imposter syndrome to the curb and start confidently striving towards your goals.
+ Need a friend in your corner guiding and cheering you on!
+ Understand how to break down any intimidating stop motion transition frame by frame into approachable steps
+ Bring your work to life with an easy editing workflow
+ Confidently price yourself based on your current skill level
+ Effortlessly manage your clients’ needs throughout the entire animation process while setting healthy boundaries
+ Attract your dream clients with new portfolio work that shows off your new skills and establishes you as an expert
Throughout the last 10 years, I’ve created animated content for some of the world’s biggest brands while working as a freelancer, director of a creative studio owned by the New York Times, and for my own boutique creative studio, Oui Create. I have a BFA in Animation from the Otis College of Art and Design, and I eat-sleep-breathe all things stop motion.
If you want an all-access pass to my tried-and-true creative process,
Magic Through Motion is a must-have.
Throughout this self-paced course there will be 5 portfolio challenges to help you develop your creative
muscles with your own unique flair.
I’ll guide you through branded stop motion examples step-by-step, then challenge you to do the same based on your own style and goals. We’ll cover 5 different animation techniques so that you'll end this course with a portfolio you can show off to your favorite clients, stat.
I totally get that stop motion can feel intimidating. Maybe you don’t feel creative enough, or that the technical skills feel like a lot to tackle. But I promise that I'll be here to hold your hand through every single step. By the end of this course, you’ll know how to break down any intimidating stop motion transition into bite size pieces you can approach with confidence.
To ensure we approach our upcoming portfolio challenges with dialed in strategy, we’re diving into
creating a portfolio with intention.
You’ll learn how to...
✓ Define your ideal client and build your portfolio with them in mind
✓ Dial in on your own style and goals
✓ Pick a niche for your portfolio challenge
✓ Create a portfolio that sells
Crafting a scene that will captivate your clients audience and sell their
product needs to be approached strategically. I'm sharing my process for crafting shot lists, developing dialed in art direction, presenting ideas to clients, and prepping for a successful shoot day before arriving on set.
You’ll learn how to...
✓ Create a strategic shot list based on your clients goals
✓ Develop art direction and styling for your scene
✓ Build a streamlined creative proposal for your clients
✓ Helpful prop styling toolsand tricks
✓ Plan ahead for all of the logistics of a successful shoot day
Crafting a scene that will captivate your clients audience and sell their
product needs to be approached strategically. I'm sharing my process for crafting shot lists, developing dialed in art direction, presenting ideas to clients, and prepping for a successful shoot day before arriving on set.
You’ll learn how to...
✓ Create a strategic shot list based on your clients goals
✓ Develop art direction and styling for your scene
✓ Build a streamlined creative proposal for your clients
✓ Helpful prop styling tools
and tricks
✓ Plan ahead for all of the logistics of a successful shoot day
There's no “undo” button when it comes to shooting stop motion. Everything has to be perfect in camera to avoid a reshoot. So we’re starting with stop motion fundamentals and best practices. We're also digging into lighting options and helpful setups for consistent videos that don't flicker!
You’ll learn how to...
✓ Create your own stop motion with a simple process
✓ Avoid common pitfalls that can quickly sink your animation’s quality
✓ Choose the best lighting method for your scene
✓ Setup three of my favorite studio lighting setups
✓ And you’ll be introduced to your first portfolio challenge!
Ready to make some magic? In this module, you’re getting a front row seat to all the advanced tools and tricks of the trade. These
techniques will take your portfolio to the next level, so put your hair in a ponytail and let’s get to work.
You’ll learn how to...
✓ Break down complicated stop motion transitions
✓ Animate with advanced techniques like replacements, rigs, growing an object with claymation, colliding objects, cutting objects and more
✓ Direct hand models during a stop motion scene
And you’ll complete your final four portfolio challenges utilizing your fancy new skills!
That's a wrap! The shoot is over and now the magic comes alive. I’m sharing my exact method for editing a smooth stop motion, adding sound and patching up a mistake.
You’ll learn how to...
✓ Cull and color grade images in Lightroom
✓ Edit your stop motion in After Effects and Premiere Pro
✓ Create seamless looping videos
✓ Use spot correction in Photoshop to patch a rig or mistake
✓ Add sound effects to your videos
✓ Add animated text to your scenes in Canva and After Effects
✓ Render and compress your video for digital platforms
Ready to expertly guide your clients through the stop motion process? Streamlined client communication is vital for a successful project. I’m giving you my best tips for creating clear and professional boundaries and setting expectations with your clients. We'll also be diving into business policies that protect you.
You’ll learn how to...
✓ Communicate professionally using agency and marketing slang
✓ Use my time saving, buttoned up stop motion process for clients
✓ Get paid upfront and negotiate with ease
✓ Implement business policies and contract clauses that protect you and your time.
Now that you’re a stop motion guru, you only need two more things: an updated portfolio and clients to work with! We’ll update your portfolio in a way that connects with your dream clients, and you’ll learn the best ways to confidently pitch projects to them.
I'm sharing exactly what's worked for me - with helpful templates.
You’ll learn how to...
✓ Develop your own pricing and packages
✓ Learn the basics of copyrights and licensing content
✓ Strategically update your portfolio for connection
✓ Social media tips for getting hired
✓ Pitch to clients confidently (with a variety of email templates)
+ you'll earn a certificate in advanced stop motion & ad strategy!
By using this client welcome guide when a potential client reaches out to you, you will immediately set the tone for your working relationship and put those healthy boundaries in place. From your creative process to timelines to animation-specific business policies, this clear and customizable template will safeguard your project and your time.
Want to expand your network of clients and learn how to introduce yourself confidently? This guide shares practical tips and best practices for reaching out to clients today. There’s also a variety of customizable email templates provided so you have ample direction to get started.
Clearly presenting your creative concepts to clients is essential when it comes to animation. This thoughtful, customizable template allows you to organize your concepts and art direction during pre-production. From storyboards and props to moodboards and budget breakdowns, you’ll have everything you need to communicate your creative ideas.
Make your client experience smooth from the start using my exact client management process. I’m taking you through each step of my studio's process, with example email templates throughout, to help you craft the best possible experience for your clients from start to finish.
Art school doesn’t exactly teach the marketing terminology necessary to communicate with the best in the biz -- and being able to speak your clients’ language is a must. This glossary will get you up to speed on all the latest marketing lingo so you can wow creative directors and sales teams with your dialed-in slang.
This course is not a one-and-done deal when it comes to learning from me. I am 100% committed to your ongoing success and will be here to answer your questions and provide feedback as you make your way through the course and beyond. Our private community of MTM student animators is SO supportive. Let us share feedback and cheer you on as you pursue stop motion.
+ A quick guide to Dragonframe
+ Canned responses to perfectly respond to clients when they ask difficult questions
+ Our Anatomy of a Sales Call guide, which outlines how you can prepare for and guide a sales call with poise and skill - no gimmicky sales pitches allowed!
+ A handy Dragonframe Quickstart Guide to get up and running in the program ASAP!
+ A variety of Canned Responses with buttoned up and professional responses to difficult questions.
+ Our Anatomy of a Sales Call guide, which outlines how you can prepare for and guide a sales call with poise and skill.
Two months ago, I would have never thought I would end up with a sellable stop motion portfolio ready to start freelancing. With no prior knowledge of photography or stop motion - I was able to push through the noise and doubt to learn something new, get actionable feedback from Claire, and create meaningful content that fits my unique brand style. I love that Oui Academy courses include both business and stop motion tips I could not find anywhere else. From the pricing packages to the pitch guide email templates (a lifesaver). Each module is jam packed with information, but it's concise and to the point making it super easy to go through. Having a community of creatives from the class to share ideas with who support and inspire each other is another of my favorite aspects. Oui Academy gave me the skills to kickstart my career as a stop-motion artist and helped me grow as a freelancer. It made my transition into stop motion smooth and fun!
Magic Through Motion is just what I needed to take my stop motions to the next level. Claire does an amazing job of breaking down concepts, transitions and more that’s easy to understand and actionable! Magic Through Motion is the missing link that will take your stop motions from good, to better-than-great! I highly recommend for creatives who are serious about offering stop motion services to clients and beefing up their portfolio.
Magic Through Motion was a fabulous and fun course that made learning new stop motion techniques exciting. Claire's charming style made the material easy to learn. I would give this course a 10 out of 10!
Claire and the group makes this so much more enjoyable, rather than slogging through something new on your own, there’s an amazing group of artists ready to answer any questions I might have, or offer genuine feedback. This course is a must take.
"After working with Claire over the past five years, I can confidently say that she is a truly rare creative: the kind that isn't just incredibly talented at her art, but at the business side of things as well. She was an invaluable asset as the Director of our in-house creative studio owned by The New York Times, where she worked with countless big-name brands on 6- and 7-figure projects, delighting our clients each and every time. If I were someone interested in learning not just how to produce beautiful content (because yes, she will absolutely teach you that), but how to actually make a living from it: how to present myself, how to work with and sell to clients, and how to meaningfully impact their business, then I would absolutely jump at the chance to take Claire's course."
At the minimum you’ll need a digital camera, tripod, tethering chord, and access to Adobe editing programs. I specifically teach tutorials in Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro and After Effects. For those who want to go pro, you'll need studio lighting and a license to the program Dragonframe for the best results. Continuous LED lighting works best with Dragonframe, and the combo will take your work to the next level.
I specifically designed this course for you to be able to learn at your own pace. You can binge it over the course of a week and create your portfolio work as you go, or you can complete a single module each week. It’s totally up to you and I encourage you to take your time and go at your own speed.
You'll have access for lifetime of the course, with a guarantee of one solid year. If I shut down this course one day, I'll provide ample notice. If you’re a student with a 1:1 mentor session, you must reach out and complete your session within 60 days of your purchase date or it will automatically expire.
If you don't feel comfortable working a real camera, learning advanced software, don’t enjoy self-paced learning, and aren’t ready to put in the necessary work to master a new skill, then this course is not for you. We expect everyone taking the course to bring a positive, "can-do" attitude essential for learning new skills - because we know you can.
This course is for you if feel confident shooting with a real camera, not just your phone. Stop motion is essentially photos strung together, so your photography skills will directly relate to your stop motion’s quality. Basic photo editing, studio lighting, video editing and retouching will also be very helpful for this course. If you're an amateur photographer who knows the technical side of their camera but isn't sure how to land clients, this course will fast-track your growth.
I teach how I personally apply various programs, including Dragonframe. I share my how I apply their tools that help me create magic in my work, and explain their benefits. There's many amazing programs out there that will enhance your work, but teaching them all from scratch is not included in the course as there would not be enough time to teach in program in depth, and the focus of this course is stop motion animation.
Due to the nature of digital products and gaining instant access to the entire course, all sales are final and non-refundable. If you have any questions about if this course is right for you, feel free to shoot me a DM on Instagram or email me at hello@ouicreatestudio.com before purchasing.
Absolutely! If you have questions during this course or in the future, leave me a message in the private Oui Academy Facebook Group and I’ll respond as quickly as possible, giving you the ongoing support you need.
Yes! Once you've completed the course (and I can check your progress internally) email me and I'll customize your very own certificate of completion in advanced stop motion and commercial advertising strategy.
I'm so thankful I took that Magic Through Motion course back in fall! The one-on-one session with Claire was so helpful, and I’ve since updated my portfolio and increased my prices to reflect my current skill level. I’ve noticed a few new brands following me on social that would be a perfect match for me. I’m going to post a new stop motion to wow them today then reach out with my new quarterly packages to see if they may be interested in jumping on a discovery call. I love my job!
Still on the fence about investing in your future? No big deal - we all need a little validation sometimes. Allow me to paint you a picture of how mastering stop motion animation will change the trajectory of your career... You’re sitting in the comfort of your own home, robe and face mask on, sifting through your inquiry emails. You’ve accepted two new clients this month, and are deciding whether or not to take on a third, because you’ve already earned enough to live comfortably and save up for your trip to Paris this Fall.
I’ll break down the numbers behind stop motion so you can see how profitable learning this skill actually is. Stay to the end for a free pricing guide!