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The perfect gift for creative kids! HUE Animation Studio contains everything a budding animator needs to make stop motion movies and time-lapse videos.

Remember the excitement of making up plays and using your own toys for puppet shows? HUE Animation Studio combines imagination with movie-making technology to create family memories forever.

Child development expert Dr. Amanda Gummer recommends the kit because it is a tech toy that helps children evolve not only their computer-based but also their creative skills.

The HUE Animation Studio kit includes:

  • HUE HD USB camera with integrated microphone.
  • HUE Animation software (for Windows and macOS) with time-lapse function included.
  • HUE Book of Animation – 64-page full-color book of hints and tricks.
  • The box unfolds to provide a mini stage with background and ‘green screen’.
  • Download printable backgrounds and cut-outs, together with sound effects.

Whether you’re making a LEGO brickfilm with lasers and explosions, reshaping reality in a claymation movie, or watching a flower bloom using time-lapse photography, you can bring any object to life in minutes with this easy-to-use software.

Stop motion animation is an educational pastime that can be enjoyed by kids aged 7 and beyond, for school projects or at home. It’s a hobby where children can develop new skills over time for unlimited play possibilities.

All HUE products come with multilingual after-sales customer support.

HUE Animation software (for Windows). For macOS, click here.

Get animating in 5 easy steps

  1. SET UP. Install the HUE Animation software and plug in your HUE HD camera.
  2. TAKE PICTURES. Capture each frame as you move your character. The Onion Skin feature will show you a ‘ghost’ of the previous frame to ensure continuity and make sure your movie looks the way you want it.
  3. ADD SOUND. Record your own voice or import sound effects and music. The software allows you to record and play voice-overs and music at the same time across two separate audio tracks. It’s easy to move, trim and control the volume of your audio clips.
  4. EDIT FRAMES. Add text and special effects to specific frames. Copy, edit, move and delete images; group and reverse the frame order. Use the Green Screen (Chroma Key) tools to add background images and create special effects such as flight.
  5. PLAY YOUR MOVIE. Watch your finished creation directly in the animation timeline and then upload it to YouTube or other video sharing sites.

Perfect for all types of stop motion animation including time-lapse, claymation, 2D cut-outs, LEGO brickfilms and more. The only limit is your imagination!

The HUE Book of Animation

The book is bursting with ideas on how to bring everyday objects to life thanks to the magic of stop motion and time-lapse photography.

It includes 64 full-color pages featuring step-by-step instructions for recreating 20 hilarious stop motion movies – and ideas for even more.

Sample videos for each of the projects in the book are available to watch on the HUE YouTube channel.

Share your creations with #HUEanimation and #HUEcameras on social media.

Downloadable activities

The bundled software license includes free downloadable resources and gizmos such as storyboard templates, backgrounds, a phenakistoscope, cut-out puppets and sound effects to bring your movies to life!

Animate anything: you can even have a conversation with a coconut!

Activity guides

Make lessons fun with project-based learning at home and in class, courtesy of HUE’s educational activity guides. They have been designed to help students create time-lapse videos for school science fairs or end-of-term film festivals.

The guides include tips and techniques for creating a stop motion project from script to screen, making homework fun and encouraging learning through play. Animate the curriculum while developing 21st century skills such as creativity, collaboration, and digital literacy.


STEAM

HUE Animation Studio is a STEM.org approved educational toy which is popular with children but also with parents and teachers.

Use the kit in the classroom to engage students in science, technology, engineering, art and math lessons. You’ll appreciate the simplicity and good choice of editing features. Help them to develop creative and collaborative skills while writing scripts, telling stories, making props and scenery, setting up lighting and recording sound effects.

Featured in Newsweek’s highly prized ‘Best in STEM’ list, the kit is the perfect gift for budding animators offering hours of movie-making fun.

Special Educational Needs (SEN/SEND)

Children develop a range of multi-sensory skills when they’re creating stop motion videos. The HUE Animation software has a simple interface with large, intuitive icons, designed by teachers, so that children can animate and edit movies independently.

For those that cannot process data graphically there are text labels on the key functional buttons. Keyboard shortcuts are also available for capturing images to help students who cannot use a mouse. It’s also a time saver for abled students so everyone benefits.

Each child can take on a role that suits their abilities such as model maker, storyteller or director.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Creating animated movies offers children a wide range of activities that support the development of social and emotional skills, including responsible decision making, self-management and social awareness.

Children will learn how to collaborate, communicate and cooperate with others during the movie-making process, while writing stories encourages them to put themselves in another person’s shoes and gain appreciation for the thoughts and feelings of others.

Animation can help children experiencing difficulty with communication to express themselves pictorially and connect with the world around them.

Manual focus camera with flexible neck

The camera has a unique design that is flexible, portable and built to last. Its posable neck makes it the perfect companion for animating. There is no need for a tripod or tablet stand.

Capture the ideal shot with the camera’s manual focusing ring. Simply turn the silver ring around the camera’s lens until the image is crystal clear. It is perfect for animating extreme close-ups and dramatic wide shots.

The manual focus can be used to magnify moving or handheld objects without the continuous automatic adjustments which occur with an autofocus lens, and the intuitive focusing ring works with fingers of all sizes.

Integrated microphone and extra audio features

The built-in microphone features noise reduction/cancellation, a sampling rate of 8000/16000 Hz and accuracy of <5 PPM.

Record songs and voice overs directly into your movie projects. Bring your animations alive by importing HUE’s hilarious selection of included sound effects such as screams, explosions and spaceships. Create the perfect soundtrack by importing and editing your own music.

Multi-purpose

The HUE HD camera in the kit is also a fully-featured USB webcam on its own. It can be used as a basic USB camera/microphone for console and PC gaming, making YouTube videos, logging in to remote classes or home tutoring.

It works with any application that recognizes a USB camera and can be used as a webcam, visualizer, or document camera. Stream or record videos using Windows 11 and Chrome “Camera” apps, Zoom, Google Meet, MS Teams, Skype, QuickTime, Seesaw, Loom, FaceTime, Discord, Twitch, Scratch, Facebook Live and YouTube Live, and many more.

Software features

  • Play your movie back at any time
  • Import music and sounds, or record your own
  • Add text and special effects
  • Copy, edit, move and delete animation frames
  • Onion skinning
  • Time-lapse
  • Reverse videos
  • Green screening (Chroma Key)
  • Share your finished videos on YouTube

System requirements

  • HUE Animation requires a PC with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 or XP and graphics drivers with OpenGL 2.0 support.
  • Stop Motion Studio requires Windows 10 or later, or macOS 11+
  • 512MB RAM (1GB recommended)

Note: The software includes perpetual single-user licenses for HUE Animation and Stop Motion Studio.

Package contents

  • HUE HD USB camera, camera base, USB to mini-USB cable
  • The HUE Book of Animation
  • HUE Animation software for Windows (perpetual single-user license) and downloadable videos, templates, backdrops and cut-outs to print. For information on macOS version click here.

Note: Newer versions of HUE Animation no longer contain a CD. All of the content can be downloaded from your HUE account.

Buy

Reviews

Fabulous!

“This is fabulous! My son spent hours using it and was endlessly entertained!”

Dad's Choice tester

This is the coolest little toy/education item for a child

My daughter loved how easy it was to take the photos and how even easier it was (click of a button) to see the stop motion put together with all our images.

Having the computer program installed was a breeze and once the program was up and running, it was so easy to put together our first creation.

We were SO EXCITED to get this package in our hands! We have been dying to try stop motion photography and the second we saw the package… we were excited!

This is the coolest little toy/education item for a child. It challenges them to create cool scenes for the stop motion and really allows them to be creative and imaginative! Much needed these days!

Evaluator comments
NAPPA Awards 2023

A great way of distracting kids from sedentary screen time!

 There was much poring over this extremely cool-looking camera, which allows kids to create amazing stop-motion movies, setting them on the path to becoming little Greta Gerwigs and Steven Spielbergs! The JDA panel liked the fun and approachable look of this gadget and thought it was well-supported by the HUE book of Animation, allowing children from seven years up to get hands-on with film. The judges agreed that this would make a great gift combining tech with imagination and skills such as set-building, script writing and more.

“Ironically, this gadget is a great way of distracting kids from sedentary screen time by getting them to create their own highly creative content! A fab gift idea for any kids who want an easy way to get to grips with making their own films.” Bonita Turner, Editor of Junior.

“Hours of fun to be had with this fab piece of tech that gives kids a real understanding of stop-motion film while looking super cool on any desk. I like the way the camera itself looks as though it might come alive at any moment!” Eleonore Crompton, Deputy Editor, Junior

Award judges, JUNIOR magazine

Top product with top support

Michael Mowat
Surveyor at Ward Farmhouse Collieston, Ellon, UK

My students enjoy bringing their original stories to life

I have used the HUE Animation Studio in my classroom for the last four years. I appreciate how user friendly it is. I love the storyboard template and other printable handouts. My students enjoy bringing their original stories to life. HUE makes learning even more enjoyable.
I also use my HUE Animation Studio to compete in our annual district film festival. Students learn very quickly and create amazing entries. You can find some student entries here.

Vanessa Walker

Follow Your Dreams

Fantastic animation kit! I use these for group animation workshops for disabled children and young people and they are so simple to use, the children really engage with them. We have made some really impressive work with these and the accompanying hints and tips book is great for learning techniques. The flip-down set included on the box is really useful too! Very highly recommended for group activities or for a gift.

Liz Whitaker

Paula

The educational impact is tremendous as children’s creativity is unleashed and they develop additional skills in communication and teamwork that will be of benefit to them throughout their lives.

My grandson was at a loss for words when he started on the program. He can be quite a talker, but he seemed stuck on one word: cool… cool… COOOOL.

Paula, Grandmother
USA

Able Radio

HUE Animation is really fun and simple to use, with a cool camera, producing sharp images; great for all ages and abilities. We loved using this to create stop motion animations, as well as some nice drawn ones.

Katrina

Parent, Australia

The most fabulous part is that even though they are only little kids, they are able to use the software all on their own.

Parent
Australia

Parent, Venezuela

It’s amazing how easy it is to use and inherently teach at the same time.

Parent
Venezuela, South America

L.H.

It is refreshing as a parent to see an app that is not a game or simply a way to drill kids on subject matter.

L.H., Parent
USA

Parent, Massachusetts

My son will be so happy today when he comes home from school… thank you so much for your help… you made his day… his millennium!

Parent
Massachusetts, USA

Parent, USA

I tried a lot of a demo versions of stop motion software out there, and my 8-year old loves your version the best. Thank you!

Parent
USA

Parent, California

My 12 and 10 year olds learned SAM animation at a summer camp affiliated with their school and LOVED it! It was amazing how incredible the movies were. I was stunned and sooo excited!

Parent
California, USA

Parent, Australia

It makes them feel really big to be able to think about a story and then create and film it is so much better than spending their time playing computer games!!!

Parent
Australia

LEGO® Education Europe

Anything that allows children to get hands-on and creative will always get a big thumbs up from me. Expression and communication are so important in children’s development and HUE Animation supports these key areas. It will no doubt inspire children to follow creative career paths but also bring fun into their learning. It is also extremely affordable and great value for money.

A job well done!

Gareth Boldsworth
LEGO® Education Europe

Lionel Primary School

This is a fantastic resource which we have used in our school for several years. It has been instrumental in raising standards in a range of curriculum areas. Pupils are inspired and motivated and thoroughly enjoy making their own films and animations. Staff use them daily to model/display pupil work/lesson objectives and exemplary work. Highly recommended!

P Moran, Headteacher
Lionel Primary School

Islington Arts & Media School

As an introduction to animation, HUE Animation Studio is a great way to discover the joy of creating and seeing the illusion of moving images in a manageable school time frame – whether it is one lesson or a school open evening.

Read more…

Martina Attille, Media Teacher
Islington Arts & Media School

Super Thinkers Ltd

Thank you for creating a wonderful product. The abilities of bringing stories to life has helped children in our setting give purpose to story telling. Dyslexics find it hard to write what’s in their minds but this allows them to write their stories.

Mils & Leon Chaffrey
Super Thinkers Ltd

The Bridge School

I have used HUE Animation software and cameras with my class of students who have autism and severe learning difficulties. They were able to create their own short movies with minimal support – the activity also encouraged them to work cooperatively, something that they can find very challenging. They were all very pleased with the results which we put onto our MLE to share with families.

Sally Paveley
The Bridge School

Slated Row School

We use the HUE Animation cameras and software with children who have special needs. They quickly learn how to operate the camera to move either a background or item and check on the laptop screen how that will appear in the ‘movie’. Children operating at 5 year+ levels become very independent and work cooperatively to share their ideas, retell stories and illustrate what they have learned. The ease of use means that the learning is not hampered by the technology.

Tina Wright, ICT teacher
Slated Row School

Ripley Junior School

The children love to see handiwork on screen when using as a visualiser, but the most exciting part is using HUE for animation. This particular topic is a highlight of the year – fun and instantly rewarding.

M Fearn
Ripley Junior School

Cottage Grove Primary School

We use the cameras with our Year 2 pupils. The most exciting part of HUE is the animation aspect. The children love seeing their images move. We have also used them in class as a visualiser.

Polly Honeychurch, Headteacher
Cottage Grove Primary School

Teachers, UK

Excellent day, very informative and useful practical activity. This has made me confident to go back and start implementing animation with my students.

What fun! Good team building exercise. We learnt that a good thing can’t be rushed.

A great day proving that good teaching can be playing with Plasticine.

What an interesting way to spend a PD day. I feel quite animated it was great to have hands on experience that was as much fun as it was informative.

A wonderful day, I can’t wait to try it out at school.

Wow what an entertaining day! Eat your heart out Nick Park.

Exciting, satisfying and fun filled – better than a day at Alton Towers.

Various teachers, after a joint PD day
Church Ashton Infants School and Lillshall Primary School

Educator, Colorado

I can’t think of a better way to show how children synthesize information.

Educator
Denver Public Schools, CO

Educator, California

The standard for what educational software could be.

Educator
High Tech High, CA, USA

Educator, Massachusetts

Students are empowered to demonstrate their own learning.

Educator
Boston Public Schools, MA, USA

Instructional Technology Specialist

The students are so engaged that they are having such rich content conversations in their groups. The hands-on nature has appealed to many different types of learning styles, too. Everyone is on task and making a contribution. The technology tool, SAM Animation*, truly is a facilitator allowing for real world skills to be developed and core curriculum to be front and center.

* HUE Animation was previously known as SAM Animation.

Instructional Technology Specialist
Massachusetts, USA

Fifth Grade Teacher

Students were asked, ‘Doing this project, I feel that a) I know more about the explorer than I did before or b) my knowledge of the explorer hasn’t changed.’

Almost 100% have chosen ‘a’).

Fifth Grade Teacher
Massachusetts, USA

Teacher, Minnesota

A great way to assess and solidify students’ understanding of certain concepts, but it also helps them develop cooperative working skills, creative thinking, and simply enjoy learning.

Teacher
Minnesota, USA

Polaris at Ebert School

Fifth graders talk to their learning experiences in making stop-motion videos to illustrate geological formations.

Polaris at Ebert School

Stop motion’s power to engage

Teachers reflect on how stop-motion enables them to truly identify their students’ understandings.

Good Toy Guide on HUE Animation Studio and the benefits of balanced play

Dr. Amanda Gummer, founder of Fundamentally Children, has over 20 years experience working with children and families. In this video, she talks about HUE Animation Studio and the benefits of creative play in child development.

 

Dr. Amanda Gummer
Fundamentally Children

Teacher, Massachusetts

Gives students of all ages opportunities to show what they know in an artistic, engaging and non-threatening manner. And they have fun while they learn!

Teacher
Massachusetts, USA

Teacher, Iowa

Both easy to use and affordable… I can share the magic of making stop motion with my 5th grade students and stick to a very limited budget!

Teacher
Iowa, USA

"I have used HUE Animation software and cameras with my class of students who have autism and severe learning difficulties. They were able to create their own short movies with minimal support – the activity also encouraged them to work cooperatively, something that they can find very challenging. They were all very pleased with the results which we put onto our MLE to share with families."

Sally Paveley, The Bridge School

Working with HUE Animation studio has been shown to be very helpful to some children in the autistic spectrum. Please see this article which was published in Autism Eye magazine.

Review from The Gadget Head.


Awards

Downloads page heading

HUE Animation Studio Quickstart Guide

Please see this page for your HUE Animation download instructions.

To download the macOS version of the animation software click here.

Links

Find out what parents and teachers say in our Testimonials area, and view our Awards page to see the prizes our HUE Animation products have won.

View animations made by our community on our YouTube Channel.

For more information, please check our Tutorials and if you need help please search the FAQs or contact us.