Stop-Motion Animation

As a child, I did not have many friends. Of course I had buddies in school, and I am so grateful for them - but, when I reflect on my childhood and what I did for fun, I am reminded that a lot of that time was spent alone, in my head, imagining characters and towns, and what those characters would do in those towns. 

There I would sit, on the front porch of our family home, drawing simple roads, houses, schools, garages.. It was my world. It was something I could control in an uncontrollable time. 

It was always something I kept to myself. When others would ask what I was doing, or, as funny as it may seem, why I was talking to myself, I would quickly turn off the imagination and return to reality. For such a long time, I kept the most active parts of my imagination hidden. I wanted so badly to belong to a world that I was not even happy in, so I sacrificed these parts of myself to fit in. 

I look back now and think ‘How silly of me.’ 

 I knew that indulging into stop-motion and playing with chalk and matchbox cars would bring up memories of childhood, but I underestimated the amount of learning, acceptance and healing that would also take place. 

As I started creating scenery on pieces of cardboard, finding the right cars, mini figures and more, I had this overwhelming thought of ‘Wow. We are so small, and so naïve to think all of this is for us.’

The thought itself seemed quite random at first, as I anticipated just enjoying the nostalgia of the moment, but as I thought more and more about it, I discovered a new sense of preciousness, perfectness and meaning in this thing called life.

 Life, to me, anyways, seems to be a series of problems. There were problems long before me, there are many now, and there always will be. On the other side of that coin; however, lies solutions, thought. Working hand in hand with other life around us, constantly discovering something new.

To do this, though, we must release ourselves from the chains of limited thinking and narrow perception. We must be willing to open our field of vision to new observations, communications, meanings and understandings. I will admit, It seems retrogressive, but to get an understanding of oneself, you must see outside of yourself.

The impermanence of life can certainly seem overwhelming. Thinking of constant change would send me over the edge just a few short years ago. Let’s face it - though change can be scary, it is constantly occurring. Our cells dividing, traffic passing, life, death, war, famine, love, unity, fear, the songs on the radio, scenarios in our lives… things are constantly changing, and they always will. Accepting it makes facing change a little easier to manage, at least in my experience.

The stop-motion animation process demanded a lot of patience. Making sure everything had been moved, placed just right, sounds accounted for, every frame - all 360 of them - keeping up with the constant change. I learned to slow down, and to take it bit by bit; not all at once. It was a truly humbling process. The thing I once kept everyone out of is now something I cannot wait to share with the world. It has been so transformative and I am filled with gratitude.

Enjoy and be well! 👣

-Noah Matthew Howard