variety.com: Twenty years ago, Laika decided to re-invent stop-motion animation from its boutique-style studio in Portland, Ore. “Here we are 20 years later, and during that period, we’ve transformed ourselves into a global storytelling powerhouse,” says David Burke, the studio’s chief marketing officer and chief operating officer.
11 comments:
For some reason, I did not even connect that Laika was the same company that made both Caroline and The Boxtrolls. I remember loving those movies so much as a kid, but I especially have fond memories of the use of movement in Box Trolls. I remember staring in awe at the screen as nimble legs shot out of boxes and how the joints of the human characters looked so fluid. Laika’s style is seen so clearly throughout their work, and it is a form of 3D animation that draws the viewer in. It combines both the imperfections of animation with the cleanliness of actual motion. I cannot wait to see the next film they put out, Wildwood, and the attraction Laika: The Magic Behind a Stop-Motion Dream Factory sounds like an interesting way to expand the company. I will have to look more into it, and see whether it is more of a kids attraction or a place to actually learn about the intricacies of their animations.
I have had very good experiences with the Laika studio. I grew up in Portland, and Laika was frequently involved in outreach to the schools I attended and the Portland community. I got to take summer camps at the Laika studio as a kid, where I got to see how their films are made and try some of their techniques. I’m very happy that they’re doing well and continuing to expand. Their work is instantly recognizable, has a very distinct style, and is a staple of claymation. I love that they continue to commit to real stop motion animation as a craft, even as new technologies pioneer ways of animating that are quickler, cheaper, and smoother. The magic of true stop motion is irreplaceable to me. Laika makes me very proud of the Pacific Northwest and of Oregon, and I love to see my home state portrayed so beautifully in their animation.
I love laika studios. I am so pleased with all of their work. I think that they tell stories in a really incredible and unique way. I think they really advanced the way that we think about animation. I love digital animation so much, Into the Spider Verse is one of my favorite movies ever. But physical animation just clicks something in my brain that I love. So I love that they are expanding into digital animation too. I’m really excited to see what they come up with. I think that their creative team and their executive team are really kind of aligned in terms of values and that’s what I want to see especially in producers and executives influencing creative work. I’m super excited to see the new film when it comes out. I've read the Wildwood books and I just think they’re so fabulous and I’m so excited to see laika’s take on it.
I absolutely adore the movies Laika Studios makes. Earlier this week, I watched Coraline, a childhood favorite of mine, again with some friends and it reminded me of how much I love claymation. As I rewatched the movie, I noticed so many details that I didn't realize existed. The animations and writers made so many tiny intentional choices for every single aspect of this movie, which is part of what makes it so special. Nowadays, I feel like many movies are stylistically very similar, with 3d computer animation, lots of animated movies look super similar. With Laika, that isn't the case; they've done a great job creating unique original content. I think that other big studios, such as Disney should take some notes and bring back some of their more unique 2d animation like they used to make. I'm excited to see the work they do next, and I believe that even though it takes a long time, making these films is so worth it.
I'm so so excited for wildwood and the night gardener. It brings me so much faith in the world that laika is still thriving, producing, and creating work. I think it's really awesome that laika doesnt make sequel films as well, which is great because it means they don't want to turn their movies into franchises. It's really refreshing to see a studio prioritizing new stories from different perspectives. It's great that people still appreciate the marvel that stop motion animation really is. I think that in our space and current time full of cgi, ai, and computer generated things, there is such a huge alluring quality that stop motion animation has. Similarly to theater, the physical realm and the amount of work that gets put into physically creating and capturing another world or reality is magic. I feel that stop motion animation and in the future theater will both be valued a lot more because they were physically made.
This article really leaves me hopeful for the future, watching how animation and how the other works of media are really developing, and how these small production studios from years ago have turned into an absolute powerhouse of content creation that is on track to grow even further. In the modern age, it is an amazing time for artwork, especially work that connects with the youth so heavily and acts as an influential medium. There is something that especially excites me about the ramping up of their business is the development of the studios and how much work they are able to complete at once. More work means more artists that need to come in and work on these big movies that they are trying to produce at a faster scale than they ever have been before. Even for internships, an opportunity is started from even knowing that the expansion of this company is in the works.
I would be lying if I said I didn’t love everything Laika makes. Over the years their movies have consistently been beautiful, funny, and full of heart. Movies like Coraline and Paranorman were big hits and Kubo and the Two Strings is really slept on (and my favorite of their films). Unfortunately their most recent film The Missing Link was a pretty big disappointment in the box office. I think the problem with Laika is that not enough people know they exist. “Oh Coraline and Paranorman are made by the same people” is something you’ll constantly hear when trying to discuss Laika films. The studio takes a long time to make movies- just as well, because when they’re done they’re masterpieces- but it’s not the best way to earn money in the movie industry. I think what Laika needs is to make themselves more well known and make their movies the big premiers they deserve to be. Their movies are always funny, memorable and awesome and I think the cultural response to them should reflect that.
I completely agree with the point raised in the article that one of the reasons that the Leica Studio is doing so well is because although there are many competitors, with many different ways to produce works that are faster, cheaper, and on a larger scale than this company, they feel much more soulless. Coraline is one of my favorite movies. It scared me a lot the first time I watched it as a kid, but I feel like in the past couple of years, I watch it at least once a year. As someone with a great appreciation for art, I could write an entire paragraph about the skill, dedication, and passion it takes to film a scene like the one where it is raining, and water runs down the windows. The shot that I'm talking about is a very brief shot, that isn't really consequential to the plot, but I know that it must have taken forever to get right. not cutting these corners, and including moments that may seem on the surface inconsequential, add so much heart to the work.
I ADORE Laika’s work and have since I was a little kid, so I’m super excited to see an article on them. Their stop-motion animation is incredibly impressive and left such an impact on me as a kid. Animation has always been super interesting to me, and its methods and execution have always been fascinating and awe-inspiring. Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings were such incredible stories, too, and were exceedingly well done. I remember walking away from those films with nightmares, but I can’t complain, considering the stories were so incredibly well done and kept me on the edge of my seat. Reading the article was the first time I’ve gotten to check in with their work for a while, so looking at the titles of their upcoming productions, I got super excited. They sound very interesting, and it gives me more to look forward to in the future. All of this has really made me want to rewatch Kubo and the Two Strings; it really has been too long.
Lord, I hope this expansion doesn’t sink them; losing Laika Studios would be heartbreaking. Very thankful that they’re heading back in the spotlight, especially now with the introduction of generative AI and last year's Oscars setting the precedent that you can submit and win for films that used it in creation. The act of stop motion is the antithesis of AI, something that is truly only possible through gentle and deliberate human manipulation, and AI is incapable of intention. I’ve noticed AI art as a concept has ushered in a greater appreciation for the more time-consuming and maybe not perfect, but that's what makes it human styles of art. People outside of artistic circles are more likely to give the time of day to someone who spent years on a piece than a quickly made production of “slop.” I really hope this rebrand is a success and am very excited for what this means about the films that will be coming out in the next ten years.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Laika Studios. A dream company to work at if my skills were ever applicable to what they would need. My favorite movie, as it has been since I was four, is Coraline and I love watching all of the behind the scenes videos that they’ve put out about how its made. I think they are a fantastic company that truly cares about the art and storytelling and their team, and they make stunning fantastic movies after movies, truly they never miss. I think Kubo and the Two Strings is some of their best work and the origami influence was absolutely stunning. I am very excited to see what they do Wildwood and even though I know absolutely nothing about the story it doesn’t matter, I will be sat in the movie theater opening weekend and I already know I will be obsessed with it. So excited.
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