• Plan ahead and don't start animating until you have a good idea. Storyboard your idea first. Download a Storyboard to use here...
• If possible shoot your animation in a dark room and use lights. Daylight changes throughout the day and this will show on your film.
• Make your set and characters are as solid as possible so they don't wobble when you are animating.
• Don't rush it. Animation is a fantastically rewarding experience but you will need patience.

Be inspired by Aardman and make 3D characters out of plasticine, but keep them simple.

Absolutely anything can be animated, choose objects with moving parts or add googly eyes or items of clothing to bring them to life! Try not to choose anything that is top heavy as it may fall over.

Settings and characters can be drawn and cut out of card, with split pins attached to joints for easy movement.

Use tools or fingers to make marks in a sheet of paper covered in sand or in a tray of sand.

Use cut out figures made from black card and animate them on a white background or a lightbox.

With the arrival of digital technology anybody can take a video clip or music sample from the internet and remix, repurpose it or include it in their own film but copyright law means it is not always legal to do so.

The best way to make sure you don't breach copyright is to compose a piece of music yourself. Alternatively if you use music from the internet search for pieces that are in the 'public domain' or contact the composer of the music and ask for their permission. Websites like the Open Music Archive hold downloadable recordings of public domain music in the UK.