Aardman Animator

What Aardman Animator is

Aardman Animator is a free stop-motion app for making animated movies on Android and iOS. Aardman describes it as suitable for all ages and abilities, including people new to stop-motion, and it includes hint and tip videos. Frame-by-frame work uses a timeline and onion skinning, with tools to delete, duplicate, and move frames. Users can shoot in portrait or landscape, set focus and exposure options, and use an automatic timer. The app also supports recording dialogue or sound effects and adjusting playback speed. Finished animations can be exported as MP4 files and shared with friends or on social media. Unlockable trophies provide achievements to collect. The App Store listing says Apple devices require iOS 12.0 or later and supports iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It lists English as the language and gives the app a 4+ age rating. The developer indicated that the app does not collect data, though Apple says it has not verified that information.

Who it suits

Aardman Animator suits people of different ages and abilities who want to make stop-motion movies, including beginners. Its hints and tips may help newcomers learn the app's tools.

Getting started

1. Open the Aardman Animator page and follow its App Store or Google Play link.
2. Install the app on an iOS or Android device.
3. On Apple devices, use iOS 12.0 or later.
4. Use the hint and tip videos to learn the app’s tools.
5. Capture and edit frames, then export the animation as an MP4 or share it.

Verdict

Aardman Animator offers a focused set of stop-motion tools, from frame editing and capture controls to sound recording and MP4 export. It is free to download and aimed at beginners as well as other users, though Apple-device users should check the iOS requirement and the privacy statement is unverified by Apple.