Make a stop motion film

One of our favourite true stories about Tower Bridge is about the time a bus jumped over an opening Tower Bridge in 1952. This event happened so long ago that we do not have any film footage of it. So, help us to recreate the daring feat using stop motion animation.

• Smart phone, ipad or tablet
• A phone or tablet stand, or a heavy book
• A pencil
• Colouring pens
• Paper
• Scissors
• If you have a printer, you could also download and print this Tower Bridge picture 

Learn to make a stop motion animation

1. Download the Stop Motion Studio app onto your smart phone or tablet. This app is free but has optional in-app purchases.

   Download Stop Motion Studio from the App Store

   Download Stop Motion Studio from the Play Store

    

2. Open the app and select New Movie.
3. Set up your phone or tablet so that you can take pictures without holding it. Perhaps you have a stand, or you can prop it up with a heavy book.
4. Place something small (like a pencil) in front of the camera, take a picture by pressing the red button.
5. Move the pencil a little bit to the right, then take another photo. Move the pencil a bit more to the right then take another photo. Keep doing this until the pencil moves out the range of the camera.
6. Press play! (The triangle either above or below the red photo taking button). You have made a little film of the pencil moving!
7. You can save the final film to your phone or tablet to share with your friends and family. In the main menu, select the film you want to download then export movie in the upload menu.

You can also download these instructions along with helpful pictures and tips.

Animate the jumping bus story

1. Now you are ready to plan your stop motion film of the jumping bus. Learn more about the epic story of when the number 78 bus jumped over the rising bascules of Tower Bridge here on our website.
2. Download and print the Tower Bridge picture, or draw your own version.
3. Cut out the bascules.
4. Draw and cut out a bus.
5. Plan out how you will tell the story of the jumping bus with stop motion animation, moving the bascules and the bus a little bit at time, taking a photo every time.
6. When you are ready,  make your stop motion jumping bus film.