No need to shoot on-location! The funny plastic stick figures from Zing are back once again to star in movies made by you—except this time they come with a cool new green screen that allows users to bring the action out of their homes to a variety of exciting locations.
Designed for kids ages 4 and up, Stikbot Studio Pro is fun for people of all ages to create and animate their own stop-motion masterpieces. To access the different green screen sets, download the Stikbot Studio app for iOS and Android (or update the existing app), set the scene, and press play. Green screen scene options include a lamp-lit city street, blue sky, a sandy beach, a grassy city park, the moon, and tropical seaside huts. Users can also upload scenes from personal photo collections on their phones.
Each Stikbot Studio Pro set comes with a two-in-one cardboard stage that allows kids to choose from either a blue or green background, two cardboard prop boxes, a cell phone tripod, and two solid-colored Stikbot figures. The back of the green screen fits easily in to the floor of the studio stage (which doubles as storage for unneeded set pieces), and the suction cups on the figurines’ hands and feet allow for easy and secure posing.
Once the initial shooting is done, filmmakers have the option of getting even more creative by adding dialogue bubbles, sound, and music to their movies. After their Stikbot creation is finished, a “share” option at the top of the screen allows users to upload the video to a number of social networking sites, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Vine. Using the hashtag #stikbot also allows users to connect with other Stikbot fans around the world by sharing and viewing each others creations.
While the Stikbot Studio Pro set is fun for everyone, kids under the age of 6 should have an adult’s help setting up and taking down the cardboard green screen stage, which can be easily bent or otherwise damaged. Young children should also have assistance in posing and moving the Stikbot figures in between shots and after shooting is finished because they can be difficult to unstick from certain surfaces. The small plastic tripod included is also flimsy but still gets the job done by stabilizing shots to ensure more accuracy during filming.
Stikbot’s Studio Pro set is a great way for young film enthusiasts and newbies alike to get creative and unleash their inner animators. Who knows, it might even inspire them to look forward to seeing their movies on the big screen!
