MOTK Shoot

MOTK Shoot is a free stop-motion capture tool for animators who want to work in a browser and review takes as they shoot. It is a strong fit for camera-room work that benefits from local storage and optional tethering, but not for teams looking for production planning or picture editing.

Overview

The browser edition brings capture aids and immediate review into one workspace. Live view, exposure controls, onion skinning, composition guides, shooting layers, capture holds, and disposable test frames support frame-by-frame shooting. Audio and X-Sheet cues help organize a take; frame-by-frame review, short-range playback, and a timeline with holds and undo make it possible to check progress without moving to another application. This is a focused shooting workflow, not a substitute for a production-management or editing tool.

Captures are saved first in browser IndexedDB. Compatible desktop browsers can also mirror JPEGs to a selected local folder, which gives desktop users an additional local copy. The documented default keeps captures local; network use is tied to features the user explicitly configures, such as context URLs, Companion/tether, Observer, or bridge integrations.

Key features

Camera and shot workflows

The basic webcam/UVC workflow runs in a browser on phones, tablets, and desktop computers without an installer. Prepared shot lists can be imported from MOTK, a spreadsheet, or another production tool as CSV or JSON. That makes the browser edition flexible for existing shot preparation, while leaving the planning itself to other software.

Optional tethering uses a local agent backed by SIGMA SDK, gphoto2, or digiCamControl. Support varies by camera and setup, so this is a useful extension for compatible camera rooms rather than a guarantee of plug-and-play control. The web edition also documents round-trips or adapters for After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, and Maxon Autograph, giving users routes into post-production without turning MOTK Shoot into an editor.

Local and Windows editions

The web app is a static site that can be deployed to an HTTPS static host, with no build step or runtime dependencies. MOTK Shoot Local offers a focused Windows edition retaining capture, timeline, playback, audio, X-Sheet, and export features. Its narrower interface omits production administration, external bridge, and post-production adapters, so users who depend on those integrations should favor the web edition.

Pricing

MOTK Shoot is free: the Free plan costs nothing. It includes browser-based stop-motion capture, the Windows local edition, and optional Companion for vendor camera control and RAW capture. There is no paid tier or seat or quota limit described; the meaningful trade-off is that tethering depends on compatible camera hardware and setup, and the Windows edition excludes several web integrations.

Platforms

The basic browser workflow runs on phones, tablets, and desktop computers, and the product has a focused Windows local edition. The supported-platform list names web, Windows, and iOS; Android, Linux, and macOS are included in the broader platform list. Since the core workflow is browser-based, users should distinguish browser access from the separate Windows edition.

Who it's for

MOTK Shoot suits solo animators and small camera-room teams who need capture, frame review, and shot cues in one free tool, particularly when local-first storage matters. It is less suitable when the central need is production administration, broad post-production work inside the app, or assured tethering across an unspecified camera setup.

Pros and cons

Pros: The browser capture workflow needs no installer, and saves captures locally by default.

Pros: Capture, audio, X-Sheet cues, and immediate timeline review cover the core camera-room loop without a paid plan.

Pros: CSV and JSON shot-list imports and documented post-production adapters provide ways to connect existing workflows.

Cons: Tethering requires a local agent and support varies by camera and setup.

Cons: The project deliberately stops at shooting and immediate review, so production planning and picture editing require other tools.

Cons: MOTK Shoot Local is Windows-only and omits production administration, external bridge, and post-production adapters.

Alternatives

Stop Motion Software is the broader category list for comparing capture tools. Choose Cloud Stop Motion if a freemium option on the same range of mobile, desktop, and web platforms is a better fit. AnimaShooter is worth considering for Windows or Linux users who want a free, limited-feature webcam edition, with a trial also offered.

Stop Motion Studio fits users who want a free-to-download option across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows; its Pro iPhone/iPad offering has no subscription. Eagle Animation is another free choice for Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, and is GPLv3 open source. Life Lapse is iOS-only and offers a free plan with unlimited projects, with a paid weekly Pro plan at $6.99 a month.

qStopMotion is a free, open-source option for Linux, macOS, and Windows. I Can Animate suits users prepared to pay for a computer licence, priced at £29.95 as a one-time purchase, and offers a free trial. iMotion is an iOS alternative with limited free features and a yearly premium plan after a 7-day trial.

Verdict

Choose MOTK Shoot if you want a free, local-first browser workflow for shooting and checking stop-motion takes, with optional camera and post-production connections. Look elsewhere if you need production planning or picture editing in the same application, or if your camera setup cannot use its tethering options.