SCENE 01 / STOP MOTION
Stop Motion Production
Frame-by-frame animation for your Maltese production.
Here is how this works in practice. Stop-motion animation creates the illusion of movement by photographing physical puppets or objects frame by frame, with tiny adjustments between exposures. Malta's production sector is anchored by Malta Film Studios (formerly Mediterranean Film Studios) and served by a skilled Malta Film Commission crew base, with commercials, feature work, and short-form creative projects drawing on a tight-knit craft community.
Here is the short of it. We connect you with stop-motion pros, puppet fabricators, and stage facilities across Malta. Our team sets up indoor stages at Malta Film Studios in Kalkara, Dragonframe-equipped capture rigs, and skilled animators, drawing on the same talent pool behind major global shoots supported by the Malta Film Fund cash rebates.
Capabilities
Stop Motion Services
Complete stop motion animation from concept to final delivery.
01
Animation Types
- Puppet animation
- Claymation
- Object animation
- Cut-out animation
- Mixed media
All Techniques
02
Production
- Set construction
- Puppet fabrication
- Rigging systems
- Motion control
- Capture software
Full Service
03
Technical
- Dragonframe capture
- Consistent lighting
- Focus control
- Camera motion
- Miniature effects
Expert Setup
04
Creative
- Character design
- Set design
- Storyboarding
- Animation direction
- Post-production
End-to-End
Handcrafted Animation
Capabilities
Our Process
Pre-Production
Storyboarding, character design, and planning the tech way for your animation.
Fabrication
Building puppets, sets, and props with the craftsmanship stop motion needs.
Animation
Frame-by-frame capture with pro animators bringing characters to life.
Post-Production
Compositing, rig removal, grading, and sound design for the final piece.
On Location
Our stop-motion partners deliver frame-by-frame animation from Malta Film Studios in Kalkara — indoor stages, puppet fabrication and Dragonframe-equipped capture rigs served by a tight-knit local craft community.
Here is how this works in practice. We connect shoots with stop-motion pros, puppet fabricators and stage facilities across Malta. Our team sets up the indoor stages at Malta Film Studios in Kalkara, Dragonframe-equipped capture rigs with precise frame-by-frame control, motion-control camera moves where the animation calls for them, and skilled animators drawn from the same craft pool behind the island's commercials and short-form creative work.
Here is the short of it. Stop-motion is patient, controlled studio work, and Malta's compact production community is well suited to it: fabrication, lighting, capture and the wider crew base all sit within a short radius, so a project can move smoothly from puppet build to set construction to shoot without the dispersal a larger area imposes. We manage stage booking, set fabrication and the data discipline a long animated sequence needs, and we draw on the wider infrastructure that supports global shoots on the island so a stop-motion project has trusted crew and facilities behind it.
Here is the breakdown. Malta's production sector gives stop-motion work a stable, well-equipped base. The industry is anchored by Malta Film Studios, founded in 1964, and served by a skilled crew base set up through the Malta Film Commission — the same one-stop agency that liaises across permits, councils and heritage bodies for each kind of production. Malta has serviced global shoots since the 1920s. That long history has built a tight-knit craft community of fabricators, model makers and animators whose skills carry directly into stop-motion.
Here is what that looks like on the ground. As an EU and Eurozone member with the euro and predictable 18% VAT, Malta keeps animation budgets stable, and English as an official language keeps creative joint work with global directors and studios fast and clear. A cash rebates of up to 40% on eligible expenditure, supported by the Malta Film Fund, keeps stage time, fabrication and crew within the qualifying spend a production can recover.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What stop motion techniques do you offer in Malta?
Here is the breakdown. We give all major stop motion techniques including puppet animation with armature-based characters, claymation, object animation, and mixed media ways. Maltese fabricators draw on the craft community built around Malta Film Studios and global shoots.
Can you build puppets and sets locally?
Here is what that looks like on the ground. Yes, we work with skilled Maltese fabricators who build pro stop motion puppets with metal armatures, silicone or foam bodies, and replacement faces. Sets are built to scale with the same craftsmanship behind shoots shot at Malta Film Studios.
What resolution can you capture?
We capture at 4K and above using high-resolution Canon or Sony mirrorless stills cameras with Dragonframe software. This gives you broadcast-grade detail for any Maltese or global delivery format.
How long does stop motion production take?
Stop motion is time-intensive—mostly 1-5 seconds of finished animation per day based on complexity. A 30-second commercial might take several weeks of animation, plus pre-production and post.
Can you do motion control for stop motion?
Yes, we can integrate motion control rigs for camera movement, allowing smooth dollies, pans, and crane moves while keeping frame-by-frame animation. This creates dynamic shots impossible with static cameras.
What about post-production for stop motion?
Post-prod has rig removal, compositing, and grading at Malta Film Studios Post and KRS Film Services, whose teams handle DI, grading, and sound mixing for global shoots based on the island.
Related Services
Productions in Malta that need this often pair it with Underwater Lighting, Live Streaming, and Helicopter Filming for full coverage. Most projects also draw on Time-lapse & Hyperlapse and Gaffer & Lighting Services.
On Set
Planning Stop Motion?
Tell us about your animation project and we'll bring your vision to life frame by frame.