Friday, August 26, 2016
A Behind-the-Scenes Timelapse Captures the Extraordinary Physical Labor for the New Stop Motion Film ‘Kubo and the Two Strings'
Colossal: This fantastic timelapse gives a stunning behind-the-scenes glimpse of animators working on the set of the new stop-motion film Kubo and the Two Strings. The film is the latest movie from animation studio Laika, who previously made Coraline, The Boxtrolls, and ParaNorman, and is the directorial debut of Travis Knight who worked as an animator on all of their previous films. You can watch an even longer version here, and the studio made a similar timelapse for the Boxtrolls.
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Its always neat to see the scale in which a lot of stop motion is done. when we watch it we think it must be small but to capture that much detail building bigger is almost necessary. I also appreciated the use of 3d printing in the creation of different face plates. i cant wait to see the tech used in other ways.
The sheer intricacy of the movements created by these animators and their creations shown in this video from studio Laika reveals the symbiotic relationship modern stop-motion animators have not only with the objects they craft (and meticulously place), but also the intricate supports put in place to replicate natural, flowing movements, as the objects become animated themselves, and also as they interact with their space. Realistic skeletal systems are created to support flesh that must move realistically, and skin that must stretch and flex over joints in a logical manner. The scenery is also nothing to sneeze at, with houses, forests, and cliffs rising from nothing. While these stop-motion kingdoms, and their inhabitants twist luxuriously through space, armies of animators and other manipulators flash onscreen in these impressive time-lapses, scurrying like a myriad of ants, feverishly involved in their fast-paced frenzy of creation.
I will never cease to be amazed at the unbelievable amount of time and energy that goes into stop motion animation. I’m so glad that it’s still such a prominent art form even in this time of technology permeating everything we do and making things faster and easier. From the timelapse video it was clear to see that instead of using technology to facilitate the stop-motion “look” without the actual effort, they were using motors and rigging systems and 3D printers to make the overall effect even more magical looking. I absolutely loved Boxtrolls and remember going home immediately after and looking up so many videos online with my friend of the creators putting on the trolls’ hair piece by piece, and crafting such an elaborate and plot- fulfilling “mini” set. It would be such a dream to design or be a craftsperson for something like this. Personally I’ve never put a ton of thought into designing for movies or TV since I don’t think it’d be super interesting to location-scout or create super domestic scenery, but I think Laika’s work is incredibly inspiring, and it’s so awesome to see how they are showing how valuable hands- on craft still can be in the world of entertainment.
I’d never seen a Laika movie before this summer, and then a friend of mine asked if I wanted to go see Kubo and the Two Strings with her. I loved the movie, and after seeing a small amount of the behind the scenes footage in the credits, I wanted to learn everything about how the movie was made. I remember sitting in the theater watching the credits and looking at all the different departments and job titles, and wanting to know more about what all of them did, and wishing there was more footage of their process in the credits. Even though I’d already seen the video in this article, I watched it again just because I find seeing the process of putting together the show so amazing. Though I’ve only done a little bit of stop motion in the past, after seeing Kubo and the Two Strings and then seeing various articles like this, I’m starting to think about the fact that I’d love to work on a project like this.
So I have been enamored with Laika for several years now (really since "Boxtrolls", I saw "Paranorman" but failed to follow the studio after seeing it) and this video only hints at he level of detail and the sheer mountain of time they put into their films. "Boxtrolls" is by far my favorite film of theirs that I have seen and it, in my opinion, trumps Kubo because of it's stylistic choices. Its just beautiful. I highly recommend that you watch it (its on Netflix right now). To tangent off that note, Laika spends an enormous amount of time on their films. Each movie takes four to five years to make. Just watch the "behind the scenes" clips here. Every few seconds in these clips, the artist's outfit changes. A monkey rolling on the ground takes three to four days. The artists at Laika have an incredible amount of patience in the work that they do. Also, to continue fangirling, Laika seamlessly incorporates technology into stop motion animation. It's a beautiful blend of the old and the new styles of animation. It's an incredible feat that we, as theater practitioners, should strive towards.
I just looked up "Laika" on the blog, since I have recently become fascinated with their work and want to research, so why not do some comments about it in the mean time. I have recently been looking to apply for internships there whether this year or next year, and I want to see as closely as possible what they do and how they do it. It just amazes me. Stop-motion animation is arguably the most meticulous, detailed form of entertainment in terms of movies, and yet one of the most rewarding visual experiences. The sheer amount of control one gets, in everything down to the details of a tiny expression in the background, is astounding. But, it comes at a price. The weeks, months and years devoted to these movies is mind-numbing. I would love the opportunity to intern or work there, but I know that at times it must be so frustrating, getting every single prop, set, character, costume and tiny little detail perfect. But, after seeing Kubo and the Two Strings this summer, now one of my favorite movies, I was hooked.
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