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Professional training in Stop Motion Animation – Complete 3-Module Course

General Framework of the Training

The stop motion animation training is structured into three consecutive modules, building a complete pathway from beginner to an animator prepared to work in professional production.

Each module builds on the previous one, introducing new technical, artistic, and production skills. Participants go through the entire process of mastering animation principles – from basic movements and timing, through puppet acting, to complex scenes involving character interaction and emotional expression.

At every stage, participants work under the direct mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Zlatin Radev, training in conditions closely resembling a real studio environment. 

Module 1 – Beginner Level: Fundamentals of Stop Motion Animation

Introduction to professional animation – bringing inanimate matter to life.

In this module, participants acquire the fundamental principles – inertia, gravity, weight, timing, body language, and expressiveness of pose. Through a series of short exercises, they develop the skills to animate objects and puppets, applying basic physical laws to create convincing movement. The focus is on mastering essential techniques and developing the skills needed for the first steps as an animator.

Module 1 provides the foundation on which more advanced acting and technical techniques in Modules 2 and 3 are built. All exercises here prepare participants for longer and more complex scenes later on.

Module 2 – Intermediate Level: “Assistant Animator” in Production

Animating the human figure in various physical, emotional, and psychological states.

In Module 2, participants apply the knowledge gained in Module 1 and move into more complex movements, emotional expressiveness, and work with rigs and animatable props.

They learn to build complete scenes with a single character, with an emphasis on acting through animation. Work is carried out on scenes following directorial assignments, just as in a professional studio.

Module 2 represents the transition from basic mastery of movement to the professional application of animation principles in a production environment. The skills acquired represent essential preparation for complex character interactions in Module 3.

Module 3 – Advanced Level: “Junior Animator” in Production

Complex scenes with interaction between two or more characters.

Module 3 combines artistic depth with technical precision. Participants work on scenes with two characters requiring synchronization, interaction, and the recreation of complex emotional states.

The skills from previous modules are united in the creation of advanced shots based on directorial briefs.

Module 3 is the culmination – participants are already thinking and working as part of a professional animation team. The results of this module can be included in their portfolio.

Each of the modules includes independent project work under the mentorship and guidance of Assoc. Prof. Zlatin Radev. 

Each module is accredited with 2 ECTS credits and its successful completion is certified. 

The training is conducted in person at the Animation Film Laboratory of the Radio and Television Center of NBU. 

Preliminary Schedule by Modules: 

• Module 1 Beginner Level: October 6 – 31, 2025
• Module 2 Intermediate Level: November 3 – 28, 2025
• Module 3 Advanced Level: December 1 – 19, 2025

Each participant will also receive an additional schedule for studio work, consultations, practical and theoretical sessions. 

Lecturer: Assoc. Prof. Zlatin Radev 

Zlatin Radev – director, producer, and animator with over 30 years of experience and more than 50 international awards.

A specialist in stop motion animation, he has participated in numerous international projects. He has worked on feature films, short films, and television productions such as Sandman, Ludovic, Shock, Canfilm, and others.

He has won awards in London, Tokyo, Ottawa, Munich, Zagreb, Clermont-Ferrand, Oberhausen, among others, and received an Oscar nomination for a student film.

He has trained dozens of stop motion animators who later worked in international productions for Tim Burton, Aardman, Laika, and other leading studios.

His professional experience spans various formats – commercials, music videos, series, short and feature-length films:

• director and animation supervisor
• puppet and miniature set design
• motion control
• advertising, visual effects, VR/AR

Graduate of the High School of Fine Arts and NATFA in Sofia; specialized in computer animation at L'École de l'image Gobelins, Paris.

Associate professor, taught animation directing at NATFA; participant in international juries and committees.

Currently preparing his feature-length stop motion film The Junks, for which he is assembling and training a team.

• Films and Awards of Zlatin Radev

• FILMS:
  2025 – The Junks – feature-length stop motion film, 90 min. Producer, screenwriter, director, production designer.
  In pre-production.

   

  2017 – Raging Sea – feature-length live-action eco-disaster film. In development. Producer, screenwriter, director.
  Award:

  EastWest Filmdistribution Award – Sofia Meetings, Sofia International Film Festival, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2016

   

  2016–2017 – Sandman, Good Night – German TV stop-motion series, 66 min. (22 episodes × 3 min). Supervisor of puppet and prop fabrication. Post-production supervisor.

   

  2013 – Ombre – Bulgarian feature film, 102 min. Co-producer, storyboard artist.
  Awards:

  Best Dramedy – Hollywood Motion Picture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA, 2015
  Best Ensemble Cast – Hollywood Motion Picture Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA, 2015
  Best Ensemble Cast – Golden Rose Film Festival, Varna, Bulgaria, 2014

   

  2011 – Sandman and Nepomuk – German TV stop motion series, 30 min. (10 episodes × 3 min). Director and cinematographer.

   

  2009 – Sandman – German feature-length stop motion film, 80 min. Animation director.

  Awards:
  Best Children’s Film – Nueva Mirada Festival, Buenos Aires, 2011
  Audience Award – Anima Mundi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2011
  Best Screenplay – Kindertiger Award, Germany, 2011
  Shortlist – Best Children’s Film, Lola Awards, 2011 (German Film Academy)
  Nomination, Director of the Year – Cartoon Movie, 2011
  Nomination, Best Film – Hessen Film Prize, 2010

  Distribution: Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Belgium.

   

  2007–2008 – Ludovic – Canadian/Dutch/German stop motion series, 286 min. (26 episodes × 11 min). Executive producer (Bulgarian side), director of two episodes, animation director for the entire project.
  Award:

  Best Canadian Animated Series – Le Prix Gémeaux, Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, Montreal, 2009

  
  2004 – Anshi & Karl-Heinz 3 – German animated series. Executive producer on behalf of Boyana Film EAD.

   

  2003 – Grandmother Holle – German TV film for ZDF, part of the World Animated Fairy Tales series. Supervisor of puppet, set, and prop fabrication.

   

  2003 – Anshi & Karl-Heinz 2 – German animated series. Executive producer on behalf of Boyana Film EAD.

   

  2003 – Engineer Ganev in Europe – 3 episodes commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Bulgaria). Producer/director.

   

  2002 – Bran – French animated series, pilot episode. Executive producer on behalf of Boyana Film EAD.

   

  2001–2002 – Anshi & Karl-Heinz – German animated series. Executive producer on behalf of Boyana Film EAD.

   

  2000 – Zepi & Zinia, Old Tom, Pirates – French–Italian, English–French, and French–German animated series. Executive producer on behalf of Boyana Film EAD.

  
  1999 – Little Mr. Jakob – German animated series, 13 episodes × 75”. Executive producer on behalf of Boyana Film EAD.

   

  1998 – Anatole – Canadian–French animated series, 5 episodes × 21 min. (hand-drawn animation). Supervisor and executive producer, Boyana Film EAD.

  
  1997 – Tom-Tom and Nana – French animated series, 12 episodes × 4.5 min. (hand-drawn animation). Supervisor and executive producer, Boyana Film EAD.

   

  1993 – SHOCK /new version – 1996/ – pixilation, hand-drawn animation, cut-outs, 7 min. 33 sec. Screenwriter, director, producer, production designer, animator.
  Screened at festivals in Tokyo, Oberhausen, Moscow, Brussels, Drama, Varna, Annecy, Melbourne, Geneva, Barcelona, etc.
  Awards:

  Best Animated Short Film – San Jose, California, USA, 1999
  Special Award for Animation and Sound – DONG A LG, South Korea, 1998
  Audience Special Award – Granada, Spain, 1998
  Best Animated Film – Antalya, Turkey, 1997
  Best Film – KROK, Ukraine, 1997
  Second Prize – Ankara, Turkey, 1997
  Golden Rose for Best Animated Film – Varna, Bulgaria, 1996
  Honorary Award for Best Film – Drama, Greece, 1996
  Best Animator 1994/1995 – Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers
  Best Animated Film 1994/1995 – Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers
  Bronze Vityaz – Moscow, Russia, 1994

  Broadcast/Distribution: BBC, CANAL+ (France, Italy, Spain), SAT1, RTP, Hungarian TV, Sweden, Switzerland, etc. Worldwide rights by Hamburg Short Film Agency.

   

  1990 – CANFILM – object/volumetric animation, 18 min. Screenwriter, director, production designer, animator.
  Awards:

  Special Award – Larissa, Greece, 1997
  Best Animated Film – Sydney, Australia, 1996
  Best Animated Film 1990/1993 – Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers
  Best Design – Ottawa, Canada, 1992
  Silver Rhyton – Sofia, Bulgaria, 1992
  Best Debut Film – Zagreb, Croatia, 1992
  Youth Jury Award – Clermont-Ferrand, France, 1992
  Audience Award – Clermont-Ferrand, France, 1992
  Award – Stuttgart, Germany, 1992
  Best Animated Film – London, UK, 1992
  Best Animated Film – Tokyo, Japan, 1991
  Audience Award & Jury Honorable Mention – Poitiers, France, 1991
  Oscar Nomination – Best Student Film, Hollywood, USA, 1991
  Best Animated Film – Montreal, Canada, 1991
  Best Animated Film – Nîmes, France, 1991
  Film Archive Forum Award – Oberhausen, Germany, 1991
  Film Archive Award – Oberhausen, Germany, 1991
  Catholic Jury Award – Oberhausen, Germany, 1991
  Grand Audience Award – Angers, France, 1991
  Grand Prize – Munich, Germany, 1990

  Broadcast/Distribution: BBC, CANAL+, Antenne 2, SAT1, RTP, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, etc. Distribution rights for USA & North America – Expanded Entertainment.

   

  1987 – Eh… – object/volumetric animation, 3 min. Screenwriter, director, production designer, animator.
  Screened at festivals in Babelsberg, Munich, Moscow, Plovdiv, Varna.

   

  1986 – For Men Only – hand-drawn animation, 4 min. Screenwriter, director, production designer, animator.
  Screened at festivals in Annecy, Hiroshima, Babelsberg, Munich, Krakow, Karlovy Vary, Wiesbaden, Plovdiv, Varna.
  Awards:

  Third Prize – Babelsberg, Germany, 1986

  Best Animation Program – Munich, Germany, 1986

   

• Stop motion Animation, Module 1: Beginner level

• Course Annotation and Objectives 

   

  Participants will enter the world of professional stop motion animation through a series of practical exercises. They will be introduced to the basic principles of animation and will learn how to bring inanimate matter to life – the essence of animation art and the true magic of cinema.

  The focus is on mastering fundamental techniques and developing the skills needed for the first steps as an animator.

   

  Main Topics:

  • Inertia, gravity, mass
  • Types of movements and trajectories
  • Timing
  • Body language
  • Expressiveness of pose and gesture

   

  Participants will:

  • apply the basic physical laws in animation
  • create convincing and lively movements
  • master timing as a key element
  • use body language, even for stylized and abstract characters

   

  What participants will learn:

   

  Students will work on short scenes assigned by the course leader in the role of director/animation director – in the same way as in a real production environment.

  They will also acquire basic skills for working with a digital camera and the specialized software Dragonframe – the international standard in stop motion production.

   

  Upon successful completion of the course:

   

   1) Knowledge: participants will understand the basic principles of animated movement.

   2) Skills: participants will be able to animate a character (object or puppet) in accordance with fundamental physical laws.

   

  Module 1 is accredited with 2 ECTS credits.

   

  Syllabus: 

   

  Session	Topic	Teaching Format	Contact Hours	Independent Work Hours
  1	Introduction to the course	Lecture	2	4
  2	Stop motion exercise 1 – inertia and gravity	Lecture/practice	2	4
  3	Stop motion exercise 2 – mass	Lecture/practice	2	4
  4	Discussion of results from exercises 1 and 2	Lecture/discussion	2	4
  5	Stop motion exercise 3 – types of movements	Lecture/practice	2	4
  6	Stop motion exercise 4 – types of trajectories	Lecture/practice	2	4
  7	Discussion of results from exercises 3 and 4	Lecture/discussion	2	4
  8	Stop motion exercise 5 – timing	Lecture/practice	2	4
  9	Stop motion exercise 6 – pose and gesture	Lecture/practice	2	4
  10	Final evaluation of course results	Discussion and feedback	2	4

  Total Hours:

  • Contact (in-class): 20
  • Independent work: 40

   

  
  Assessment: 

   

  Practical assignment – 80%

  Attendance -  20%

   

  Recommended Literature:

   

  "The Animator's Survival Kit" – Richard Williams

  "Creating 3D Stop Motion Animation: A Practical Guide" – Peter Lord and Brian Sibley, Aardman Animation

   

  The course is held in person at the Animation Film Laboratory of the Radio and Television Center of NBU. 

   

  Preliminary Module Schedule: 

  1) Module 1 Beginner Level: 06 - 31 of October 2025. 

  2) Module 2 Intermediate Level: 03 - 28 of November 2025. 

  3) Module 3 Advanced Level: 1 - 19 of December 2025. 

   

  Each participant will also receive an additional schedule for studio work, consultations, practical and theoretical sessions. 

   

  Module 1 will start with a group of up to 24 participants.

   

   

  After successfully completing the beginner level, students may continue to the next modules. 

   

   

   

   

  Tuition Fees

  • Per module: 300 BGN / €153.39
  • For NBU students: 200 BGN / €102.26

   

  Application deadline: September 26, 2025

   

  Participant selection: October 1, 2025 (candidates will be additionally informed about the time and place of the test/interview).

   

  Start of Module 1: October 6, 2025 at the Animation Film Laboratory, Radio and Television Center, NBU.

   

• Stop motion Animation, Module 2: Intermediate Level

• Course Annotation and Objectives 

   

  Participants will build on the foundations acquired in Module 1, focusing on more complex movements, acting nuances, and technical skills required for work in a real production environment.

  This module prepares participants for the role of Assistant Animator in a professional production.

   

  Main Topics:

  • applying psychomotor skills to character movement
  • expressing emotions and states through movement
  • working with rigs and animatable props
  • building complete scenes with a single character

   

  Participants will work on pre-assigned scenes with clearly defined objectives, following directorial guidelines – in the same way professional animation studios operate.

  They will also further develop their technical skills in working with a digital camera and the specialized software Dragonframe.

   

  Upon successful completion of the course:

  1) Knowledge: how to convey feelings and emotions through stop motion animation.

  2) Skills: ability to animate a single character – a puppet – in different physical, psychological, and emotional states, using rigs and animatable props.

   

  Prerequisites:

  Successful completion of Module 1 – Beginner Level.

   

  Module 2 is accredited with 2 ECTS credits.

   

  Syllabus: 

   

  Session	Topic	Teaching Format	Contact Hours	Independent Work Hours
  1	Introduction to the course	Lecture	2	4
  2	Stop motion exercise 1 – expressing character	Lecture/practice	2	4
  3	Stop motion exercise 2 – expressing emotion	Lecture/practice	2	4
  4	Discussion of results from exercises 1 and 2	Lecture/discussion	2	4
  5	Stop motion exercise 3 – walks	Lecture/practice	2	4
  6	Stop motion exercise 4 – physical situations	Lecture/practice	2	4
  7	Discussion of results from exercises 3 and 4	Lecture/discussion	2	4
  8	Stop motion exercise 5 – psychomotorics	Lecture/practice	2	4
  9	Stop motion exercise 6 – one character with rig and props	Lecture/practice	2	4
  10	Final evaluation of course results	Discussion and feedback	2	4

  Total Hours:

  • Contact (in-class): 20
  • Independent work: 40

   

  
  Assessment: 

   

  Practical assignment – 80%

  Attendance -  20%

   

  Recommended Literature:

  Tom Gasek – Stop Motion Animation: Frame by Frame Film-Making with Puppets and Models (practical advice for hobbyists and students)

   

  The course is held in person at the Animation Film Laboratory of the Radio and Television Center of NBU. 

   

  Preliminary Module Schedule: 

  1) Module 1 Beginner Level: 06 - 31 of October 2025. 

  2) Module 2 Intermediate Level: 03 - 28 of November 2025. 

  3) Module 3 Advanced Level: 1 - 19 of December 2025. 

   

  Each participant will also receive an additional schedule for studio work, consultations, practical and theoretical sessions. 

   

   

  Tuition Fees

  • Per module: 300 BGN / €153.39
  • For NBU students: 200 BGN / €102.26

   

• Stop motion Animation, Module 3: Advanced Level

• Course Annotation and Objectives 

   

  Working with emotions and interaction.

  This module prepares participants for the role of Junior Animator in a professional production.

  The training combines emotional depth with technical precision.

   

  Main Topics:

  • applying psychological principles in animation
  • recreating complex emotional states
  • building scenes with two characters and nuanced interaction
  • working with rigs, animatable props, and coordinated character movements

   

  Students will create more complex scenes based on a specific directorial brief, with an emphasis on precision, synchronization, and expressiveness – reflecting the workflow of real animation production.

  They will master professional studio processes using Dragonframe and digital camera setups required in a studio context.

   

  Upon successful completion of the course:

   1) Knowledge: how to recreate nuanced feelings and emotions through stop motion animation.

   2) Skills: ability to animate two characters – puppets – in complex physical, psychological, and emotional states, using rigs and animatable props.

   

  Prerequisites:

   

  Successful completion of Module 2 – Intermediate Level.

   

  Module 3 is accredited with 2 ECTS credits.

   

  Syllabus: 

   

  Session	Topic	Teaching Format	Contact Hours	Independent Work Hours
  1	Introduction to the course	Lecture	2	4
  2	Stop motion exercise 1 – emotion, feeling, psychology	Lecture/practice	2	4
  3	Stop motion exercise 2 – expressing complex feelings	Lecture/practice	2	4
  4	Discussion of results from exercises 1 and 2	Lecture/discussion	2	4
  5	Stop motion exercise 3 – external impact, rig, animatable props	Lecture/practice	2	4
  6	Stop motion exercise 4 – two characters, physical interaction	Lecture/practice	2	4
  7	Discussion of results from exercises 3 and 4	Lecture/discussion	2	4
  8	Stop motion exercise 5 – two characters, emotional interaction, rigs and props	Lecture/practice	2	4
  9	Stop motion exercise 6 – two characters, complex psychological interaction, rigs and props	Lecture/practice	2	4
  10	Final evaluation of course results	Discussion and feedback	2	4

  Total Hours:

  • Contact (in-class): 20
  • Independent work: 40

   

  
  Assessment: 

   

  Practical assignment – 80%

  Attendance -  20%

   

  Recommended Literature:

   

  • Ken A. Priebe – The Advanced Art of Stop Motion Animation (comprehensive reference guide)
  • Susannah Shaw – Stop Motion: Craft Skills for Model Animation (suitable for both beginners and advanced learners)

   

   

  The course is held in person at the Animation Film Laboratory of the Radio and Television Center of NBU. 

   

  Preliminary Module Schedule: 

  1) Module 1 Beginner Level: 06 - 31 of October 2025. 

  2) Module 2 Intermediate Level: 03 - 28 of November 2025. 

  3) Module 3 Advanced Level: 1 - 19 of December 2025. 

   

  Each participant will also receive an additional schedule for studio work, consultations, practical and theoretical sessions. 

   

   

  Tuition Fees

  • Per module: 250 BGN / €127.82
  • For NBU students: 170 BGN / €86.92