Stop Motion vs. Time Lapse vs. Sped Up vs. Real Time

[smoothbit]

Next week I'm going to be building a 4000+ brick MOC that I've spent the last two years designing in LDraw.

I'd like to record the building process so that I can post it on my website and I have four ideas of how to do so:

1. Use a still camera to take a photo each time I add a single piece, then stitch them together at 30 frames per second into a 2.5 minute video, no hands or arms visible
   
2. Use a still camera to take photos at regular intervals, then stitch them together, my hands and arms sometimes in view
   
3. Use a video camera to record my hands building the model, then speed up by many factors
   
4. Use a video camera to record my whole self building the model, then upload in all its real time glory
   

What do people think? What are your preferences for watching builds? Do you even like to do that kind of thing?

Also, can anyone recommend any builders who've posted particularly good videos?

[ChrisBricks]

I would suggest either a time lapse or a speed up.

[Malikon]

No hands.

It's cool when they 'magically build themselves.'

[rob-cubed]

Time lapse. Without hands it would probably be less distracting.

Although you might consider about inserting some actual video in parts, like turning the build in relation to the camera for work on the backside... or if there's any SNOT techniques you want to show off in detail.

[Artanis I]

#1 is my favourite to watch, but it's also the most work to produce. Considering over 4000 pieces...

Probably the easiest to do is time lapse photos, but then you're gambling a bit whether the photo gets taken at the best time or not. (Your hand might be obstructing the view a lot.)

Maybe you could try to set up video camera or 2 and then you can use the footage you like, speed it up or cut out the inactive bits. Much easier to make, but it means your hands will be visible.

[smoothbit]

I would suggest either a time lapse or a speed up.

No hands… It's cool when they 'magically build themselves.'

Time lapse. Without hands it would probably be less distracting.

#1 is my favourite to watch, but it's also the most work to produce. Considering over 4000 pieces...

Stop Motion (meaning no-hands-magic-building-itself) is my preferred form, but I'm not sure of the best way to do it. I definitely don't want to have to stand up and manually press the shutter button for every piece but I don't have a camera that has a remote shutter.

I tried looking for a Mac+iPhone app combination that would let me take the photos using my iPhone's camera via a single keypress on my Mac but I couldn't find anything that looked like it would work. Does anyone know of such software?

Maybe you could try to set up video camera or 2 and then you can use the footage you like, speed it up or cut out the inactive bits. Much easier to make, but it means your hands will be visible.

Since I have a video camera I may as well leave that recording anyway, I'll balance it on some books as my tripod will be busy holding the camera.

Although you might consider about inserting some actual video in parts, like turning the build in relation to the camera for work on the backside... or if there's any SNOT techniques you want to show off in detail.

It's an interesting idea. If I do time-lapse instead of stop-motion then I think I will do this for the sub-models and then slot those into the appropriate places.

[smoothbit]

Thanks again for your feedback, I've posted the videos I've made so far in the thread about my MOC.

2969 bricks down, only 1475 left to go!