Teach Primary Issue 19.6

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. It has a sturdy construction which makes it durable and value for money within the classroom. The strong, flexible neck makes it adaptable when used by pupils, as does the option of using it with the stable base and included USB cable, meaning pupils can use it hands-free or can easily create tracking shots. The camera is suitable and accessible to a vast age range of pupils, and the flexibility of positioning and movement means it can be used with a variety of media in a number of ways, easily being manipulated to film flat 2D creations or 3D objects at different angles, or even used with a green screen. More advanced filmmakers can explore the timelapse functions, playback speed, or even turn the camera upside down and mirror the image in the camera menu. The quick setup guide supports teachers in understanding the functions of the camera and its uses, paired with the easy-to-use controls on the actual camera, such as the focusing ring and video feed indicator. The onscreen controls and project setting options make it easy for pupils to work independently to edit and add to their creations, taking advantage of the playback button which allows you to check your progress, and delete scenes frame by frame if necessary. You can easily change the frame rate within the project settings. Adding music and sound effects to bring your movies to life also comes easily with the ability to use the software’s included music and sound FX library, or record your own. What sets this camera apart from others I’ve used in the past, is that the software allows you to introduce different ways to support pupils of different ages or abilities. For example, having taught clay animation to younger pupils, I know that it is often difficult for them to keep track of where they have placed their clay in previous frames. HUE’s software has the option to use an ‘onion skin’ feature which means every time you move the clay, you see a ‘ghost’ image of where it used to be, enabling pupils to line up their old image with the newmovement and keep their action smooth. “But,” I hear you say, “this is a toolbox, not just a camera,” and you’re right. In fact, it comes with a range of resources, such as a panoply of animation props, a green screen, animation storyboards and a clay mat. These are produced on high-quality durable card and laminated boards, and would make excellent teacher props to be used over and over again to model strategies in lessons for pupils. Copies of these additional resources are also available to print from the HUE downloadable animation activity pack. With such high quality printed resources, it is easy to see how this toolbox could flexibly be used for a range of projects, whether it be claymation, cut-out animation or photo animation. The software also allows for more advanced skills such as rotoscoping and pixilation, making it an amazing all-rounder for a broad and balanced curriculum. The software also allows pupils to save, record and export their movies to a variety of platforms. A super exciting stop-animation kit in a suitcase! AT A GLANCE CROSS - CURR I CULAR A flexible and easy-to-use animation camera Supportive instructions and manual Easy to set up and control A vast array of additional animation resources Adaptable for different aged and skilled pupils Enticing and attractive packaging Compatible withWindows and Mac £99.95 (+VAT) huehd.com/toolbox High quality durable animation resources Easy to access software Adaptable devices to support a range of abilities Practical additional resources Highly flexible usage …you want to wow your pupils with an animation studio that does everything. VERD I CT UPGRADE I F . . . REVIEWED BY: RUTH ASTLEY HUEAnimation Toolbox www.teachwire.net | 97 RE V I EWS