Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Dope sheets
A dope sheet is an animation tool which helps a animator organise the animation shot-byshot.
This gives the camera operator instructions on each shot type and how many frames this will
be used for.
A dope sheet is usually split into 5 different sections.

To indicate what action occurs on which frame number

To see what action is happening in this shot.
To see what dialogue used in this scene.
To show what level of animation is happening.
To give camera instructions (angle).

For example;

Because you will be working with video, you will be using 30fps. You will need to complete a
dope sheet for EVERY SECOND of your animation.
i.e, if you make a 30 second animation, you will need to complete 30 dope sheets.
This will be a time-consuming task, but it will help you understand what will need to
happen in each of the shots you take. The higher marks will come from a detailed and
careful collection of dope sheets. For example, if your characters speaks, you will need to
show the mouth forming every shape in order to look effective.

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Frame

Path of action

Dialogue /
Soundtrack cue
The Cave
Mumford and
Sons

Animation
Camera moves
up

Camera
instructions

0_1

Camera Lift from ground

shot to long shot of girl

Close up
Ground Shot

0_2

Close up
Ground Shot

0_3

Close up
Ground Shot

0_4

Close up
Ground Shot

0_5

Close up
Ground Shot

0_6

Close up
Ground Shot

0_7

Close up
Ground Shot

0_8

Close up
Ground Shot

0_9

Close up
Ground Shot

0_10

Close up
Ground Shot

0_11

Close up
Ground Shot

0_12

Close up
Ground Shot

0_13

Close up
Ground Shot

Frame

Path of action

Dialogue /
Soundtrack cue

Animation

Camera
instructions

1_1

Camera Lift from ground

shot to long shot of girl

Camera moves
up

Close up
Ground Shot

1_2

Close up
Ground Shot

1_3

Close up
Ground Shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

1_4

Close up
Ground Shot

1_5

Close up
Ground Shot

1_6

1_7

Long shot
(Girls Legs)
Long shot
(Girls Legs)

1_8

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

1_9

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

1_10

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

1_11

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

1_12

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

Frame

Path of action

2_1

Camera Lift from ground

shot to long shot of girl

2_2

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

2_3

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

2_4

Long shot

2_5

Long shot

2_6

Long shot

2_7

Long shot

2_8

Long shot

2_9

Long shot

2_10

Long shot

2_11

Long shot

2_12

Camera zooms from long

shot of girl to close up

2_13

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation

Camera
instructions

Camera moves
up

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

Camera moves
towards girl

Long shot

Long Shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue

Animation

Camera
instructions

Camera moves
towards girl

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

Frame

Path of action

3_1

Camera zooms from long

shot of girl to close up

3_2

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

3_3

Long shot
(Girls Legs)

3_4

Long shot

3_5

Long shot

3_6

Long shot

3_7

Long shot

3_8

Long shot

3_9

Long shot

3_10

Long shot

3_11

Mid Shot

3_12

Mid Shot

Frame

Path of action

4_1

Camera zooms from long

shot of girl to close up

4_2

Mid Shot

4_3

Mid Shot

4_4

Mid Shot

4_5

Mid Shot

4_6

Mid Shot

4_7

Mid Shot

4_8

Mid Shot

4_9

Camera moves right,

around girl taking
photograph

4_10

Mid Shot

4_11

Mid Shot

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera moves
towards girl

Camera moves
anticlockwise
around girl

Camera
instructions
Mid Shot

Mid Shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

4_12

Mid Shot

4_13

Mid Shot

Frame

Path of action

5_1

Camera moves right,

around girl taking
photograph

5_2

Mid Shot

5_3

Mid Shot

5_4

Mid Shot

5_5

Mid Shot

5_6

Mid Shot

5_7

Mid Shot

5_8

Mid Shot

5_9

Mid Shot

5_10

Mid Shot

5_11

Mid Shot

5_12

Mid Shot

Frame

Path of action

6_1

Camera moves right,

around girl taking
photograph

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera moves
anticlockwise
around girl

Animation
Camera moves
anticlockwise
around girl

Camera
instructions
Mid Shot

Camera
instructions
Mid Shot

6_2

Mid Shot

6_3

Mid Shot

6_4

Mid Shot

6_5

Mid Shot

6_6

Mid Shot

6_7

Mid Shot

6_8

Mid Shot

6_9

Mid Shot

6_10

Mid Shot

6_11

Mid Shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

6_12

Over the
shoulder shot

6_13

Over the
shoulder shot
Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue

Path of action

7_1

Camera moves right,

around girl taking
photograph

7_2

Over the
shoulder shot

7_3

Over the
shoulder shot

7_4

Over the
shoulder shot

7_5

Over the
shoulder shot

7_6

Over the
shoulder shot

7_7

Over the
shoulder shot

7_8

Over the
shoulder shot

7_9

Over the
shoulder shot

Animation

Camera
instructions

Frame

Camera moves
anticlockwise
around girl

Over the
shoulder shot

7_10

Over the
shoulder shot

7_11

Over the
shoulder shot

7_12

Over the
shoulder shot
Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue

Animation

Camera
instructions

Frame

Path of action

8_1

Camera moves right,

around girl taking
photograph

8_2

Over the
shoulder shot

8_3

Over the
shoulder shot

Camera moves
anticlockwise
around girl

Over the
shoulder shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

8_4

Over the
shoulder shot

8_5

Over the
shoulder shot

8_6

Over the
shoulder shot

8_7

Over the
shoulder shot

8_8

Over the
shoulder shot

8_9

Camera zooms in on hair

8_10

Extreme close
up of hair

8_11

Extreme close
up of hair

8_12

Extreme close
up of hair

8_13

Extreme close
up of hair

Frame

Path of action

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue

9_1

Camera zooms in on hair

9_2

Camera zooms out of

hair and Camera moves
right, around girl taking
photograph

9_3

Extreme close
up of hair

9_4

Extreme close
up of hair

9_5

Extreme close
up of hair

9_6

Camera moves right,

around girl taking
photograph

Over the
shoulder shot

9_7

Over the
shoulder shot

9_8

Mid Shot

9_9

Mid Shot

Camera zooms
in on hair

Extreme close
up of hair

Animation

Camera
instructions

Camera zooms
in on hair

Extreme close
up of hair

Camera moves
anticlockwise
around girl with
changed setting

Extreme close
up of hair

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

9_10

Mid Shot

9_11

Mid Shot

9_12

Mid Shot

Frame

Path of action

10_1

Camera moves right,

around girl taking
photograph

10_2

Mid Shot

10_3

Mid Shot

10_4

Mid Shot

10_5

Mid Shot

10_6

Mid Shot

10_7

Mid Shot

10_8

Mid Shot

10_9

Mid Shot

10_10

Mid Shot

10_11

Mid Shot

10_12

Mid Shot

10_13

Mid Shot

Frame

Path of action

11_1

Camera moves right,

around girl taking
photograph

11_2

Mid Shot

11_3

Mid Shot

11_4

Mid Shot

11_5

Mid Shot

11_6

Mid Shot

11_7

Camera zooms out from

mid shot to long shot of
girl

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera moves
anticlockwise
around girl with
changed setting

Animation
Camera moves
anticlockwise
around girl with
changed setting

Camera zooms
out of girl taking
photograph

Camera
instructions
Mid Shot

Camera
instructions
Mid Shot

Mid Shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

11_8

Mid Shot

11_9

Mid Shot

11_10

Mid Shot

11_11

Mid Shot

11_12

Mid Shot

Frame

Path of action

12_1

Camera zooms out from

mid shot to long shot of
girl

12_2

Mid Shot

12_3

Mid Shot

12_4

Mid Shot

12_5

Mid Shot

12_6

Mid Shot

12_7

Mid Shot

12_8

Mid Shot

12_9

Mid Shot

12_10

Mid Shot

12_11

Mid Shot

12_12

Mid Shot

12_13

Mid Shot

Frame

Path of action

13_1

Camera zooms out from

mid shot to long shot of
girl

13_2

Mid Shot

13_3

Mid Shot

13_4

Long Shot

13_5

Long Shot

13_6

Long Shot

13_7

Long Shot

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera zooms
out of girl taking
photograph

Animation
Camera zooms
out of girl taking
photograph

Camera
instructions
Mid Shot

Camera
instructions
Mid Shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

13_8

Camera moves up from

long shot to upwards
angled shot (sky)

Camera moves
up

13_9

Long Shot

13_10

Long Shot

13_11

Long Shot

13_12

Long Shot

Frame

Path of action

14_1

Camera moves up from

long shot to upwards
angled shot (sky)

14_2

Long Shot

14_3

Long Shot

14_4

Long Shot

14_5

Long Shot

14_6

Long Shot

14_7

Long Shot

14_8

Long Shot

14_9

Long Shot

14_10

Upwards angle
shot

14_11

Upwards angle
shot

14_12

Upwards angle
shot

14_13

Upwards angle
shot

Frame

Path of action

15_1

Camera moves up from

long shot to upwards
angled shot (sky)

15_2

Upwards angle
shot

15_3

Upwards angle
shot

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera moves
up

Long Shot

Camera
instructions
Long Shot

Animation

Camera
instructions

Camera moves
up

Upwards angle
shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

15_4

Upwards angle
shot

15_5

Upwards angle
shot

15_6

Upwards angle
shot

15_7

Upwards angle
shot

15_8

Upwards angle
shot

15_9

Upwards angle
shot

15_10

Upwards angle
shot

15_11

Upwards angle
shot (sky)

15_12

Upwards angle
shot (sky)

Frame

Path of action

16_1

Camera moves up from

long shot to upwards
angled shot (sky)

16_2

Upwards angle
shot (sky)

16_3

Upwards angle
shot (sky)

16_4

Upwards angle
shot (sky)

16_5

Camera zooms out then

moves down from upwards
angle shot to mid shot of
subject

16_6

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

16_7

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

16_8

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation

Camera
instructions

Camera moves
up

Upwards angle
shot (sky)

Camera zooms
out

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

16_9

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

16_10

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

16_11

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

16_12

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

16_13

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

Frame

Path of action

17_1

Camera zooms out then

moves down from upwards
angle shot to mid shot of
subject

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera zooms
out

Camera
instructions
Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_2

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_3

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_4

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_5

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_6

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_7

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_8

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_9

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

17_10

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_11

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)

17_12

Upwards angle
shot (studio
background)
Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue

Animation

Camera
instructions

Camera zooms
out

Upwards angle
shot

Frame

Path of action

18_1

Camera zooms out then

moves down from upwards
angle shot to mid shot of
subject

18_2

Upwards angle
shot

18_3

Upwards angle
shot

18_4

18_5

Upwards angle
shot

18_6

Upwards angle
shot

18_7

Upwards angle
shot

18_8

Upwards angle
shot

18_9

Upwards angle
shot

18_10

Upwards angle
shot

18_11

Upwards angle
shot

18_12

Upwards angle
shot

18_13

Upwards angle
shot

Frame

Path of action

Camera moves
down

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue

Animation

Upwards angle
shot

Camera
instructions

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

19_1

Camera moves down from

upwards angle shot to mid
shot of girl

19_2

Mid shot

19_3

Mid shot

19_4

Mid shot

19_5

Mid shot

19_6

Mid shot

19_7

Mid shot

19_8

Mid shot

19_9

Mid shot

19_10

Mid shot

19_11

Mid shot

19_12

Mid shot

Frame

Path of action

20_1

Camera spins to mid shot

of guy

20_2

Mid shot

20_3

Mid shot

20_4

Mid shot

20_5

Mid shot

20_6

Mid shot

20_7

Mid shot

20_8

Mid shot

20_9

Mid shot

20_10

Mid shot

20_11

Mid shot

20_12

Mid shot

20_13

Mid shot

Frame

Path of action

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue

Animation

21_1

Camera spins to mid shot

Camera spins

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Camera moves
down

Animation
Camera spins
lefts

Mid shot

Camera
instructions
Mid shot

Camera
instructions

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

of guy

lefts

21_2

Mid shot

21_3

Mid shot

21_4

Mid shot

21_5

Mid shot

21_6

Mid shot (studio)

21_7

Mid shot (studio)

21_8

Mid shot (studio)

21_9

Mid shot (studio)

21_10

Mid shot (studio)

21_11

Mid shot (studio)

21_12

Mid shot (studio)

Frame

Path of action

22_1

Camera spins to mid shot

of guy

22_2

Mid shot (studio)

22_3

Mid shot (studio)

22_4

Mid shot (studio)

22_5

Mid shot (studio)

22_6

Mid shot (studio)

22_7

Mid shot (studio)

22_8

Mid shot (studio)

22_9

Mid shot (studio)

22_10

Mid shot (studio)

22_11

Mid shot (studio)

22_12

Mid shot (studio)

22_13

Mid shot (studio)

Frame

Path of action

23_1

Camera spins to mid shot

of guy

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera spins
lefts

Animation
Camera spins
lefts

Camera
instructions
Mid shot (studio)

Camera
instructions
Mid shot (studio)

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

23_2

Mid shot (studio)

23_3

Mid shot (studio)

23_4

Mid shot (studio)

23_5

Mid shot (studio)

23_6

Mid shot (studio)

23_7

Mid shot (studio)

23_8

Mid shot (studio)

23_9

Mid shot (studio)

23_10

Mid shot (studio)

23_11

Mid shot (studio)

23_12

Mid shot (studio)

Frame

Path of action

24_1

Camera spins to mid shot

of guy

24_2

Mid shot (studio)

24_3

Mid shot (studio)

24_4

Mid shot (studio)

24_5

Mid shot (studio)

24_6

Mid shot (studio)

24_7

Mid shot (studio)

24_8

Mid shot (studio)

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera spins
lefts

Camera
instructions
Mid shot (studio)

23_9

Mid shot

24_10

Mid shot

24_11

Mid shot

24_12

Mid shot

24_13

Mid shot

Frame

Path of action

25_1

Camera spins to mid shot

of guy

25_2

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera spins
lefts

Camera
instructions
Mid shot
Mid shot

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

25_3

Mid shot

25_4

Mid shot

25_5

Mid shot

25_6

Mid shot

25_7

Mid shot

25_8

Camera spins from mid

shot of guy to close up of
light

Mid shot

25_9

Mid shot

25_10

Mid shot

25_11

Mid shot

25_12

Mid Shot
Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue

Path of action

26_1

Camera spins from mid

shot of guy to close up of
light

26_2

Mid shot

26_3

Mid shot

26_4

Mid shot

26_5

Mid shot

26_6

Mid shot

26_7

Mid shot

26_8

Mid shot (light)

26_9

Mid shot (light)

Animation

Camera
instructions

Frame

Camera spins
lefts

Mid shot

26_10

Mid shot (light)

26_11

Mid shot (light)

26_12

Mid shot (light)

26_13

Mid shot (light)

Frame

Path of action

27_1

Camera zooms into light

as it gets brighter

27_2

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera moves
in towards light

Camera
instructions
Close up (light)
Close up (light)

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

27_3

Close up (light)

27_4

Close up (light)

27_5

Close up (light)

27_6

Close up (light)

27_7

Close up (light)

27_8

Close up (light)

27_9

Close up (light)

27_10

Close up (light)

27_11

Close up (light)

27_12

Close up (light)

Frame

Path of action

28_1

Camera zooms into light

as it gets brighter

28_2

Close up (light)

28_3

Close up (light)

28_4

Close up (light)

28_5

Close up (light)

28_6

Close up (light)

28_7

Close up (light)

28_8

Close up (light)

28_9

Close up (light)

28_10

28_11

Close up (light)

28_12

Close up (light)

28_13

Close up (light)

Frame

Path of action

29_1

Camera zooms into light

as it gets brighter

29_2

Close up (light)

29_3

Close up (light)

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera moves
in towards light

Light flashes

Camera
instructions
Close up (light)

Close up (light)

Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue

Animation

Camera
instructions

Light flashes

Close up (light)

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

29_4

Close up (light)

29_5

Photographs get darker

revealing new scene

29_6

Close up (girl)

29_7

Close up (girl)

29_8

Close up (girl)

29_9

Close up (girl)

29_10

Close up (girl)

29_11

Camera zooms out of

close up to mid shot of
girl

29_12

Frame

Path of action

30_1

Camera zooms out of

close up to mid shot of
girl

30_2

Close up (girl)

30_3

Mid shot (girl)

30_4

Mid shot (girl)

30_5

Mid shot (girl)

30_6

Mid shot (girl)

30_7

Mid shot (girl)

30_8

Mid shot (girl)

30_9

Camera spins left from

mid shot of girl to mid
shot of guy

30_10

Mid shot (girl)

30_11

Mid shot (girl)

30_12

Mid shot (girl)

30_13

Mid shot (girl)

Camera flashes

Camera moves
out

Close up (girl)

Close up (girl)

Close up (girl)
Dialogue /
Soundtrack
cue
-

Animation
Camera moves
out

Camera spins
left

Camera
instructions
Close up (girl)

Mid shot (girl)

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Copy and paste as many dope sheets as you need. Remember to change the frame
numbering so that the first number refers to the second of animation ie, 1_24 is the 24th
frame of the first second, 3_17 is the 17th frame of the 3rd second.

Stop Motion Animation Pre-production Booklet

Liaising with client (write notes on discussions between you and your client)