Since co-launching Filmscope CIC and piloting Inanimatorz and Inanimatorz GO! projects for the London Borough of Culture Awards in 2020, it’s been a joy to bring the accessibility and creative power of stop motion animation to children and adults across my local community of Brent, London.

Following my previous HUE blog post back in 2023, Filmscope has continued to bring stop motion animation to schools across Brent, including Chalkhill Primary School, Kingsbury Green Primary School and Preston Manor All-Through School, as well as running holiday and summer sessions at local community centres and venues in the borough. It’s been wonderful for the team to see the kids from all ages experiment, problem-solve, and express themselves through animation whilst utilising the versatile cameras from HUE.

The HUE HD cameras have become our trusted companions in nearly all of these workshops. It’s really allowed participants to animate in a tactile, hands-on way that is intuitive and creative for their own individual animating styles and needs.

Notable Sessions from the Past Few Years

Chalkhill Primary School

One of Filmscope’s earliest funded stop motion projects, STOPMO YO!, took place at Chalkhill Primary School with Spanish teacher, Ms. Irene Mallek. Before the pandemic, Ms. Mallek would take students to Spain each year — but with travel suddenly halted, due to Covid restrictions, she wanted to recreate the experience through animation instead.

Working in small groups, the children designed different scenes from their “virtual Spanish trip”, recording their own voices and bringing the story to life through stop motion. The final film was screened in an assembly to the school and parents — a moment the children, and Filmscope, were incredibly proud of! 

This session was our first real insight into the benefits of stop motion for children with SEN also. For those that were more visual and kinaesthetic learners, the set up really worked well. Teachers and parents told us they noticed improvements in focus, patience, and confidence, and that some children even began experimenting with animation at home, which was a joy! Often we might bump into one of the kids from previous sessions and they would proudly show us their new animation. Exactly the kind of outcomes we were hoping for.

Check out the behind the scenes process of making the stop motion animation with our Spanish language pupils at Chalkhill Primary School!

Kingsbury Green Primary School — d/Deaf Group Sessions

Inspired by the success at Chalkhill, we began working with a group of d/Deaf students at Kingsbury Green Primary School. Our focus here was visual communication, sensory learning, and giving the d/Deaf children ways to express themselves creatively without relying on spoken language. The HUE setup is brilliantly Plug and Play, while the flexible neck allows the children to position the camera anywhere — over paper cut-outs, LEGO builds, clay, drawings, or layered mixed-media scenes.One of the highlights was when the children took photos of themselves and turned them into superheroes. With their printed poses cut out, they designed costumes, added colourful effects and animated their characters together in collaborative scenes. The happiness they felt seeing “mini versions” of themselves animated on screen was priceless!

Framing the Future

The success of these stop motion projects across Brent has inspired Filmscope to expand the inclusive animation sessions to after school clubs and even further — giving more children who are d/Deaf, neurodivergent, SEN, or, as we like to say.. .those that are simply wonderfully curious, the chance to explore storytelling through animation.

Adults also have the opportunity to learn and explore stop motion animation at ANIMATIKZ – 1 to 1 sessions with me at the studio in Wembley Park, once a week! Whether a beginner or with experience, these guided sessions are a great way to get into something new. In a world that’s seemingly moving digital and less tactile, let us bring movement to the imagination!!

More information can be found here: https://classbento.co.uk/stop-motion-animation-course-harrow 

Stop motion continues to show us that storytelling goes far beyond words. With tools like those from HUE, creativity becomes accessible, visual, and joyfully collaborative — exactly as it should be! A special thank you to Ruth at HUE HQ, who has been immensely supportive throughout this stop motion journey. Thanks to her, we’ve received the newly released HUE Clay, and the excitement from the children so far has been…LOUD!!! They love the colours, the feel, and the endless possibilities — and I cannot wait to see the curious characters and worlds that will be created in 2026!

Follow Vee on social media and find out how to book a Classbento workshop via the links below.

Website: www.filmscope.org | www.animatikz.com  

Classbento: classbento.co.uk/stop-motion-animation-course-harrow 

Instagram: 
@filmscopecic instagram.com/filmscopecic
@hello.animatikz | instagram.com/hello.animatikz
@VeeLadwa | https://www.instagram.com/veeladwa 

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.

Read on for inspiring ideas to shape young minds and make model students of the whole class.

3D shapes

Modelling clay makes it easy to construct 3D geometric forms and introduce students to cubes, cones, pyramids and spheres. Students can roll, press and pinch the clay to gain a tactile understanding of shapes, faces, edges and vertices. Don’t be a square (be a cube!) and try this activity with your students today!   

Pizza fractions 

Mamma Mia! Your students will want a slice of the mathematical action with this delicious idea! Instead of using cardboard or paper models, students can create clay pizzas and divide them to show halves, fourths, fifths and beyond. It’s a dough-lightful way to visualise equivalent fractions and make maths more engaging.

Creating patterns

Students can use clay to make repeating patterns with different colours and shapes to learn about symmetry or sequences. This hands-on activity provides a solid foundation for mathematical thinking without kneading to press the issue too much!

Toothpick structures

Combining clay with toothpicks enables students to build stable structures and explore engineering principles such as balance, support and weight distribution. Why not hold a competition with your students to see who can make the tallest tower or sturdiest structure? 

Clay boat building challenge

See Archimedes’ Principle in action and learn about buoyant force, material density and water displacement with this fun, yet challenging, clay boat building activity. The only downside of this project will be your students’ loud screams of “Eureka!” echoing down the school corridors.   

Volcano experiment

Your students will have a blast while making this lava-ly science experiment. With modelling clay and a few readily-available household items such as dish soap, food colouring and citric acid, your students can make their very own volcanic eruptions! If you’d like to try this experiment in the classroom, the boffins at MEL Science have got you covered (but thankfully not in ash).

Landforms and terrain mapping 

Get ready to rock your geography class! Mould mountains, valleys, rivers and plateaus out of clay to create landforms and bring geography to life through hands-on learning. For some real-world inspiration, check out how teachers at Fontenebro International School in Madrid used modelling clay to create detailed terrain maps of the continents. See their fantastic project here.

Recreate famous sculptures

Challenge the budding Barbara Hepworth’s and mini Michelangelo’s in your class to create museum-worthy masterpieces! The firm consistency of HUE Clay is ideal for creating models with high levels of detail so you can make your own Venus Dough Milo or Doughnátello’s David.  

Print making

Using some clay, ink and a printing roller, students can carve, stamp and press their own unique designs into a slab before transferring them onto paper. This fun activity is suitable for pupils with SEND ​​(Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and it is guaranteed to make a lasting impression. For more information about this activity idea, see how teachers played with plasticine to make prints in the Education Room at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

Product design

Clay is the perfect hands-on introduction to design thinking, allowing students to prototype inventions and test out ideas before recreating them with fabrics, wood, or other resistant materials. This mouldable medium isn’t just for the classroom, clay modelling plays a key role in real-world industrial design, from concept cars to cutting-edge boat manufacturing.

Want to see how the pros do it? Check out why major car companies still rely on clay models, even in the digital age.

Hold history in your hands

Modelling clay can be used to create historical artefacts from different time periods and cultures. You could uncover the mysteries of ancient Egypt by making clay cartouches, pyramids, sarcophaguses, amulets or even Clayopatra’s Bust! 

Stop motion animation

One of the most exciting applications of clay in the classroom is stop motion animation. Students can create their own claymation characters and bring them to life with an animation kit such as HUE Animation Studio. This activity combines storytelling, art and technology in a fun and educational way. 

Need some inspiration? We love this wonderful claymation movie created by Alberto, Carlos, Juan Manuel, and Francisco, from the second-grade (Year 2) class at Laurel de la Reina High School in La Zubia, for their French class. In it, they explain step-by-step how to make an authentic French crepe.

As you can see, clay isn’t just for the art room; it’s a shape-shifting superstar that can bring learning to life right across the curriculum. From deepening conceptual understanding in maths and science to inspiring creativity in history, geography and design, modelling clay turns abstract ideas into meaningful, hands-on experiences.

Ready to get started? Explore HUE Clay and discover how a simple, reusable resource can spark curiosity, strengthen understanding and boost engagement in every subject. And when creativity strikes, capture and share your students’ work with your trusty HUE HD Pro document camera.

Do you have any clay-tastic classroom ideas? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.

For advice in other languages (including French and Spanish), please click here.
Notre service client francophone est là pour vous pendant les fêtes.

As many people will be receiving HUE Animation products as gifts over the festive season, we would like you to know that our customer support is here to help throughout the holiday period.

If you need any assistance setting up your HUE product, or simply want to know how to use one of its features, please check the advice below or send us an email.  Our customer support elves will aim to help within 24 hours, and often much more quickly than that. We’ll do our very best to turn ‘Oh no no‘s into ‘Ho ho ho‘s!

We understand that it’s frustrating when you are trying to get something working during the holidays – especially when children are eager to get started – so we have a few tips for ensuring that we can help without any delays when you contact our team.

Please tell us exactly which product you have: HUE Animation Studio,  HUE Animation Studio Pro or HUE Animation Toolbox.

We’ve now added Stop Motion Studio animation software for Windows and macOS as an enhanced software offering for your HUE Animation kits. 

If you need getting started you’ll find all the details you need in this previous blog post.

• Checking our FAQs and Tutorial pages or searching the FAQs is often the fastest way to get help.
• For software problems, try updating to the latest version as a first step.
• If you’re having trouble activating the software, please contact us, choosing Query Type ‘Support’. Please include your activation code and email address so that we can check for any problems. General instructions can be found here. If you don’t remember your activation details please add as much information as you can, such as alternate email addresses you might have used when originally registering your kit.
• If there’s an error message, it’s best to send us a screenshot/photo or copy down the exact wording of the message so we can identify the specific issue. Please include details about your computer’s operating system and a description of the problem so that we can give you the most accurate advice.  
• Every HUE product comes with a 2 year warranty and we can provide individual replacement parts if needed. If there’s a problem with the camera itself and you think a return might be required, please include your original order details (e.g. the Amazon or HUE order number). If you don’t know the order number because it was a gift, please include any of the purchase details you have.
• We’ll never ask you to share your HUE online account password or payment information.

Once you have made a few simple animations, you might be ready to explore the multitude of downloadable resources that are available from your HUE account. Just go to Downloads> Other Downloads and you’ll find everything there. These include sound effects, printable backgrounds and inspirational videos to watch using different animation techniques. 

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.

If you have purchased HUE Animation Toolbox, HUE Animation Studio or HUE Animation Studio Pro or for a loved one this holiday season, you might be wondering how to set the kit up in anticipation for the big gift-giving event of the year.

When the ripping and rustling of wrapping paper has ceased, and all the new exciting gizmos, gadgets and gifts sit before your kiddos, it’s understandable that they’ll want to dive right in and play with everything immediately. When it comes to tech toys, though, that can be a little bit tricky to navigate. 

Downloading software and setting up equipment might seem like the last thing you’d want to do when the festive cheer is flowing but, thankfully, there are a number of things you can do in advance of the big day such as: 

• Installing the animation software.
• Downloading (and printing out) the free animation resources included with the HUE Animation Studio kit.
• Watching the animation software tutorial videos. 
• Bookmarking the accompanying HUE Book of Animation example videos page in your web browser.
• Reading this blog post

The best thing about preparing everything in advance is that once your kids start making movies, they will likely keep themselves occupied for hours. This will give you the perfect opportunity to pour a refreshing glass of your favorite beverage, kick back and relax with friends and family. 

How to set up your stop motion animation software

Step 1: Find the Activation Code for your animation software

Open your HUE Animation product and locate the HUE Book of Animation inside the box. On the back page of the book you will find the Activation Code for your animation software. 

Keep the book handy for the next step! You will need the Activation Code to verify your purchase of the kit and access the animation software from the HUE website.

Step 2: Activate your software

Visit My Account on the HUE website and create an account, if you do not already have one. Once you have logged into your account, click on Register New Software. Type your Activation Code into the box provided, then click the blue Activate Code button. This will permanently add your software download links and license keys to your online account.

Step 3: Download your software

In order to provide animation software for as many customers as possible, HUE Animation Studio now comes with a choice of two stop motion animation applications. 

Stop Motion Studio is our newest software offering which is compatible with Windows 10 or later, and macOS 11+.

Make sure you download the correct application for your computer operating system! If you’re not sure or have questions, please contact us and our tech support elves will be delighted to assist you. 

HUE Animation is our legacy software application for customers with older computer operating systems, such as Windows 8, 7 or XP and legacy versions of Mac OS X (macOS 10.14 and earlier). It requires graphics drivers with OpenGL 2.0 support.

Step 4: Install your animation software

Once you have downloaded and are installing the appropriate software application, you will be prompted to enter your license key into the application. To do this, head over to the License Keys section of your account. Here you will find the license keys for both software applications so make sure you copy the correct key! The 20-digit product key for new Stop Motion Studio software will be labeled “sms-single”. 

Once you have done this, you will be ready to plug in your HUE camera and start animating. Woohoo!

Extra help, tips, tricks and freebies!

Tutorials and FAQs

Watch the Stop Motion Studio for HUE tutorial playlist on YouTube to find out how to navigate the software. Subtitles are available in multiple languages.

If you need more help getting started with the kit, you can find answers to the most frequently asked questions or contact us by visiting our Support pages. 

Animation freebies

Log into your HUE account and go to Downloads > Other Downloads to access the free resources included with your HUE Animation Studio kit, such as the HUE Animation Activity Pack!

Animation inspiration

Feeling a little stuck for animation ideas or wondering how to build a set for a stop motion animation movie? Chances are we’ve already covered everything you need to know about animating in our helpful blog posts. 

• Stop motion techniques for beginners.
• Stop motion set making for beginners and kids.
• Stop motion animation frame rates explained.
• Digital storytelling and HUE Animation.

Visit the HUE blog to read more informative articles and head over to our YouTube channel to watch inspiring videos created by the HUE Community (and more). Happy animating, y’all! 

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.

“These Awards help recognise some of the best creative play toys, games, books and resources available in the UK, with products assessed by independent testers in homes, schools, early years and childcare settings around the country, emphasising the importance of screen -free learning through creative play for young children” John Hopley, editor of Creative Steps

HUE ANIMATION TOOLBOX

HUE Animation Toolbox is the ultimate movie-making kit for young creators. It’s a one-of-a-kind gift box that folds out into a multi-sided animation stage and includes everything kids need to start animating right away – camera, software, modelling tools, clay, activity sheets, and more.

A selection of testers comments:

“Really enjoyed testing and playing with this animation set.”
“Instructions were clear and I had great fun creating stories.”
“A great product.”
“They particularly liked the supplied backdrops and incorporating their own toys with the models made from the modelling clay.”
“It inspired their creativity and devising scripts.”
“They felt this would be used a lot in the future.”See our competition to win a HUE Animation Toolbox on page 8 of the latest issue of Creative Steps Magazine.

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.

’My child has thoroughly enjoyed playing with this toy and being able to use his imagination. He got creative in so many ways, he was laughing and getting stuck in and concentrating really hard to make things work. It allows children to think outside the box, be hands on and use different equipment and ideas to bring the fun to life.’’
Nicolle, mum of child judge Jacob, 8 years old

“If your child loves creating their own stories, this might just be the most perfect gift for them. It includes everything you need to make fantastic stop motion animation and truly bring their creativity to life.” MadeforMums Toy Awards team.

HUE Animation Toolbox is available from the HUE shop and Amazon

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.

We are thrilled to announce that HUE Animation Toolbox has been awarded the coveted Recommended badge by the Good Play Guide. 

Experts at Fundamentally Children said:

“The HUE Animation Toolbox is a fun creative kit that inspires children to bring their imaginations to life through stop-motion animation. The set is packed with everything young filmmakers need to start animating right away including clay, wooden tools, a giant storyboard and a child-friendly quickstart guide. Children can follow step by step projects in the included book and there are downloadable templates and tutorial videos, or they can experiment freely with their own ideas.”

“Our testers were thrilled each time they produced a new video and couldn’t wait to share their creations. While younger children sometimes needed guidance at first, they quickly gained confidence and independence with practice. The set worked well for both solo play and group collaboration, as children took turns making individual films but also brainstormed ideas together.”

“Parents loved that it combines screen time with hands-on creativity, teaching children patience, storytelling and technical film making skills in an accessible way. Compact and easy to set up, it keeps children coming back for more and offers endless opportunities to get increasingly inventive. A really engaging introduction to the world of animation!”

What our testers said:

“Look, there’s so many backgrounds. Can we do the space one?” Boy, aged 7 year old

“Oh cool, there’s sound effects!” Boy, aged 9

Skills developed:

“Encourages imaginative play and creativity”

“Helps develop an understanding of technology”

“Develops storytelling skills”

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.

“The sheets helped me think of ideas for my story”

” I really liked HUE Animation Toolbox, and I thought that it was very clever. I liked how you could make your own characters out of clay and the book of animation really inspired me. The idea for the sheets to create your own story was good and it helped me think of ideas for my story. I made a story about the clay hero and him hiding the avocados car keys and he was naughty but also very nice because he helped her get them out again. I used the idea of the faces on fruits for my avocado. The camera was very useful because it was in place and I started recording right away. But when you move it, it takes a little while to put it back in place.

My favourite part was making the clay figures for my story, I used the instructions on how to make a clay hero. I also made a zebra with the clay. I like that the clay is in strips – it makes it so much easier to mold into the animals you want. All the tools that came with it were useful because you don’t have to buy them separately. At the start I needed some help from mum to help me set up the stop motion because it was quite tricky. But we got it and it was very fun once we did it. Overall I really loved the box and am looking forward to making lots of videos, I have some ideas for using my TY toys in the next story.” Olive Capron, Aged 10

“Combines children’s interest in screens and technology with creativity!”

“As a parent, I think HUE Animation Toolbox is a fantastic way to combine children’s interest in screens and technology with creativity. It really brings together the best of both worlds; the hands-on making and doing that can sometimes be missed when using a screen. It’s also brilliant that everything you need fits neatly into the box, keeping things tidy and easy to pack away when not in use. Everything was great quality, the instructions were easy to follow, and the idea book was really helpful for sparking inspiration.”  Lucy Capron, Parent

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.

New product announcement!

If your kids love storytelling and creative projects, they will be thrilled to receive HUE Animation Toolbox this Christmas.

This bumper box of movie magic is bursting with everything budding animators need to create stop motion movies from script to screen. They can bring their ideas to life by crafting characters to star in stories straight from their own imagination, or create new adventures for favourite stop motion characters like Wallace, Gromit, Shaun the Sheep or Pingu.

Created by professional animators, this unique kit is a celebration of stop motion. “I wish there was something like this when I first started,” says Ruth Barrett, Head of Animation at HUE. “It includes everything young storytellers need to spark imagination and start animating right away.”

Hurry as we only have 100 kits available for delivery before Christmas!

What’s in the box?

Lights! Camera! ACTION!

If you’re a long time follower and familiar with the HUE family of products, you’ll know we are ‘HUE’GE fans of stop motion animation.

Building on the success of the multi-award-winning HUE Animation Studio kit, HUE Animation Toolbox is the ultimate movie-making kit for young creators! 

Packaged in a one-of-a-kind gift box that folds out into a multi-sided animation stage, it’s bursting with everything kids need to bring ideas to life, including:

• A flexible, Plug & Play HUE HD camera in a shockproof case.
• Fully-featured desktop animation software for Windows/macOS + a free mobile app.
• The full-colour HUE Book of Animation (64 pages).
• Professional HUE Clay  animation clay (formerly Newplast), modelling tools, pop-out characters, activity sheets and more!
• Double-sided ‘green’ screen for more advanced users.
• Easy-to-follow tutorial videos.

Reviews and Awards

“My child has thoroughly enjoyed playing with this toy and being able to use his imagination. He got creative in so many ways, he was laughing and getting stuck in and concentrating really hard to make things work. It allows children to think outside the box, be hands on and use different equipment and ideas to bring the fun to life.” Nicole, Mum of Child judge Jacob, aged 8.

MadeForMums Toy Awards Team say: “If your child loves creating their own stories, this might just be the most perfect gift for them. It includes everything you need to make fantastic stop motion animation and truly bring their creativity to life.”

“Parents loved that it combines screen time with hands-on creativity, teaching children patience, storytelling and technical film making skills in an accessible way. Compact and easy to set up, it keeps children coming back for more and offers endless opportunities to get increasingly inventive. A really engaging introduction to the world of animation!” Experts at Fundamentally Children.

“Look, there’s so many backgrounds. Can we do the space one?” Boy, aged 7.
“Oh cool, there’s sound effects!” Boy, aged 9.

“There is so much scope for unbroken creativity with this cleverly assembled toolbox. No going off to find clay or stage sets!” Bonita Turner, Editor, Junior.

“Such a great idea. My son would love this tool box. Having your own clay and modelling tools makes this kit feel really special, blending exciting tech with hands-on creativity.” Eleonore Crompton, Deputy Editor, Junior.

“The testers commented that the instructions were clear and they had great fun creating their stories – A great product. They particularly liked the supplied backdrops and incorporating their own toys with the models made from the modelling clay. HUE Animation Toolbox inspired their creativity and devising scripts and they felt they would use it a lot in the future”. Award Judges, Creative Play Awards

“If excitement for animation is something you want to encourage, HUE Animation Toolbox is definitely for you. The packaging of the kit itself creates a sense of awe and wonder with its brightly coloured and high-quality clay imagery. I can just imagine the faces of a class full of children staring back at me, eagerly, as they lay their eyes on the dinosaur-clad box! The USB camera in the kit is great in its own right”. Ruth Astley, Award Judge

Buy

For more information and all enquiries, please contact us.

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.

During a recent trial of using stop motion animation in an English lesson with our special needs students, the HUE HD Pro camera proved to be a resounding success. This novel approach, offering a fresh and highly engaging alternative to traditional learning methods, captivated the students from the outset.

The hands-on nature of creating characters, using simple set designs, and meticulously moving objects for each frame fostered a deep level of engagement. Students who sometimes struggle with conventional written tasks found a new, accessible avenue for expressing their understanding of narrative, character development, and plot sequencing.

We had tried to plan the stories in a previous lesson, but the students appeared to be more interested in the ‘freestyle’ and improvising their stories. We used simple pictures printed off the internet for the background and a variety of Lego and Playmobil figures, as well as cars and animals to create the story. 

Crucially, the activity promoted essential skills such as teamwork (working in 2s and 3s), problem-solving, and patience. Students discussed ideas, negotiated roles, and overcame technical challenges together. The immediate visual feedback of their work developing frame by frame was incredibly motivating.

Overall, the stop motion lesson was a highly effective and thoroughly enjoyable experience for the students. Its success demonstrates the significant benefits of incorporating diverse and creative technologies to enhance learning outcomes and boost confidence within our special needs provision. Since this trial, we have decided to invest in more cameras and add a stop motion element to our English curriculum as well as use it within computing. 

Find out more, subscribe to our blog, download resources, contact us or follow us on social media.