There is a new social networking site for stop motion animators by creator Marc Spess, author of the book SECRETS OF CLAY ANIMATION REVEALED.
After years of getting involved with various online communities related to the art, Spess realized that stop motion on the Internet is extremely fragmented. This is a major road block for serious stop motion film makers when it comes to self promotion. While stop motion is seeing rapid growth on the Internet, many aspiring animators don't have a central place to meet and share their work.
Many animators have blogs to promote themselves without personal galleries. Some have YouTube pages with many videos but can't post resume information due to the limits of the site. Others have MySpace accounts to promote themselves without videos. On top of it all, neither of these sites is specifically geared towards animation.
Employers have to sift through dozens of sites to find talent, and many animators don't know when jobs are available. That's where the Stop Motion Magic Network brings all these major popular site elements together under one theme.
Some features available at the new network site are for members to freely create customizable profiles. From here they can include personal information about their particular work experience and aspirations. Other members can rate, comment, bookmark and offer advice on the videos, blog entries or images uploaded to their page. Exceptional work becomes featured, making the creator of the work even more visible.
The classifieds area of the site is a great way to network with studios and craftsmen in the trade. Employers can post job offers, artists can post resumes and individuals can offer film making items for sale to those in need.
Groups can also be created by individuals for more specific topics such as sculpting or armature making. In this way members can become more organized in sharing information. Members also have a means of sharing specialized information by writing forum posts and even chatting on the built-in instant messaging system. Aside from being a great communication and promotional tool, the site is also a fun and safe place for any stop motion and clay animation fans to visit.
Visit the Stop Motion Magic Network at www.stopmotionmagic.com.
