As streaming platforms continue to expand, a new wave of independent stop motion artists is emerging — and they’re doing it on shoestring budgets.
Using 3D-printed armatures, recycled materials, and open-source software like Dragonframe alternatives, creators are proving that stop motion doesn’t require Laika-level funding to make an impact.
Filmmaker Rina Cho’s recent feature Paper Bones was shot entirely in a home studio with thrift-store lights and cost under $3,000. The film went on to win Best Experimental Feature at the Indie Motion Awards.
“Constraints are part of the magic,” says Cho. “When every frame is handmade, audiences can feel it.”
