Ray Harryhausen

The animator behind “Dynamation”

What is Dynamation?
“Dynamation” is a term coined by Ray Harry-
hausen to describe his distinctive technique
of stop-motion animation that combines live
action footage with animated models.

How does it work?

Scenes using dynamation were pieced together in the following manner:
1) Pre-recorded live action footage is projected onto a screen from the rear
2) In front of the screen, live action models are used to piece together a stop-motion scene
frame-by-frame; these models are separated from the camera by a pane of glass
3) On the first recording of the scene, opaque black tape is placed on the glass to cover up
objects desired to be placed in the foreground of the scene; this prevents the film from
developing in these areas.
4) On the second recording of the scene, the covering is reversed to cover the already
filmed portions and the models are removed, allowing the foreground to develop on the
film as if it is in front of the stop-motion models, making it seem as if the “creatures” are
imbedded in the environment of the scene

Fun Facts:
Harryhausen made dynamation intentionally less-than-realistic:
“There's a strange quality in stop-motion photography, like in
Kind Kong (1933), that adds to the fantasy. If you make things too
real, sometimes you bring it down to the mundane.”
- Ray Harryhausen
Despite never winning an award for his actual films, Harryhausen
was presented with the Gordon E. Sawyer Award for Lifetime
Achievement at the 1992 Academy Awards.