Bringing Stories to Life: MEDA Students Dive into Stop-Motion Animation
What does it take to bring an animated story to life? For students in the Media Education Design Academy (MEDA) at Southwest Preparatory School - Northeast, the answer is patience, teamwork, and a whole lot of creativity. Over the course of a month, students immersed themselves in the world of stop-motion animation, crafting original short films from start to finish.
This exciting project was led by CTE teacher Ms. Carly Ramos, who has a deep passion for animation and wanted to give students the opportunity to experience the art form firsthand. "I studied animation in college, but I didn’t have the chance to explore it in high school," they shared. "I wanted to introduce my students to this creative medium while also teaching an essential skill—seeing a project through to completion, even when the process is challenging."
From Idea to Animation: The Process
The project unfolded over four weeks, mirroring a real-world production timeline:
Week 1: Teams brainstormed, wrote scripts, and created storyboards.
Week 2: Students designed their film assets, including backgrounds, props, and characters.
Week 3: The filming process began, with students capturing each frame using either their phones or the school's Canon cameras and tripods.
Week 4: They compiled their footage, edited their animations, and added final touches using Adobe Premiere Pro.
The Challenges & Triumphs of Stop-Motion
As any animator knows, stop-motion is a meticulous process—one that requires persistence and problem-solving. "Some students felt frustrated or lost momentum, but others showed incredible perseverance and pushed through," said Ms Ramos. "The most successful groups embraced the challenge and took full ownership of their projects."
For many students, the moment they finally saw their finished animations was an unforgettable experience. "At first, there was a sense of relief," said Ms. Ramos. "Then, pride kicked in as they realized how much they had accomplished."
A Student’s Perspective: Layla Clay on “Me & My Friend, Rocky”
Sophomore Layla Clay played a key role in filming and editing one of the standout projects, Me & My Friend, Rocky. Reflecting on the experience, she shared:
"The best part of making a stop-motion film was getting to try something new and creative with my friends. I had never done anything like it before. I learned that animation requires a lot of time, effort, and patience most importantly. You put in so much work without immediate results; you have to wait for the pictures to upload, edit them, and only then can you fully appreciate what you’ve created. My favorite moment was watching everything come to life. I felt really happy and proud to see the final project come together with my team."
Beyond Animation: The Bigger Picture
While not every student will go on to become an animator, the skills they developed—storytelling, patience, collaboration, and technical expertise—are valuable in countless media careers. The MEDA program is designed to give students hands-on experience in media production, whether in film, digital content creation, or graphic design.
"Many students assume they need prior experience in media, but that’s not the case," said Ms. Ramos. "MEDA is all about learning by doing. The goal is to help students explore different areas of media, gain confidence, and potentially apply their skills to future projects, internships, or careers."
Watch the Stop-Motion Films!
We’re thrilled to showcase the creativity and hard work of our students! Watch their stop-motion films below.