William Tucker wrote this essay when he was a junior in college. He chose this topic because he had developed an interest in film, and particularly animated films, during an introductory film class....

William Tucker wrote this essay when he was a junior in college. He chose this topic because he had developed an interest in film, and particularly animated films, during an introductory film class. To focus his essay, he chose to write about stop motion animation, one of the oldest forms of animation.

Before you read, consider what you know about animated films. Do you enjoy watching them? Do you have a sense of what goes into making them?

As you read, pay attention to how Tucker describes the challenges of using stop-motion animation. Does Tucker make it clear why, despite these challenges, filmmakers continue to use this early approach to animation?