In an era increasingly defined by artificial intelligence, stop-motion animation studio Laika is doubling down on its commitment to handmade artistry. Laika CEO Travis Knight described the studio's meticulous process as a "quiet act of rebellion" against the rapid pace of modern digital creation.
Laika's latest film, "Wildwood," set to open in theaters on October 23, has already garnered significant attention, with its teaser trailer amassing over 90 million views. Knight noted the surprising emotional impact the trailer had on viewers, many of whom contrasted the handcrafted animation with AI-generated content.
"The making of the art leaves fingerprints on the art," Knight surmised. "And I think people feel that." He added that the studio aims to keep the art form of stop-motion animation alive, even while incorporating modern computer-generated advancements.
A Labor of Love
"Wildwood" is based on Colin Meloy's 2011 fantasy novel and is set in Portland, Oregon, the home of Laika studios. The story follows a teenage girl whose infant brother is stolen by crows and taken into an enchanted forest. The film boasts a voice cast including Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Jake Johnson, and Jacob Tremblay. Knight believes "Wildwood" is Laika's most ambitious and best work to date, describing it as being "everything I love in one film."
The adaptation has been in development for approximately 16 years, with Knight acquiring the rights before the novel's release. The production presented significant challenges, requiring the development of new tools and technologies. The film's 139-minute runtime is uncommonly long for an animated feature, particularly one made with stop-motion. The production involved 136 sets and 231 puppets, with one character, The General, taking an estimated 3,000 hours to create.
"These are great acts of care and devotion," Knight said. "In this modern era where everything is so rapid pace, where entire worlds can be generated with a click of a mouse, the idea of taking your time, and with great devotion and care coaxing life out of something, is very special."
A Unique Sensibility
Founded in 2003 when Phil Knight acquired Vinton Studios, Laika has carved out a distinct niche in the animation landscape. Its films, including the 2009 hit "Coraline" and the 2016 Oscar-nominated "Kubo and the Two Strings," are known for their darkly gothic tales and surreal sensibilities, often diverging from the more family-friendly output of studios like Pixar or Illumination. Notably, "Wildwood" is rated PG-13.
Knight explained that the studio strives to create meaningful stories, avoiding what he called "candy-colored confection, a bit of pop culture fun." The themes in "Wildwood," such as grief and loss, are deeply personal for Knight, who lost his older brother. "You want the stories you tell to be about something. That often involves climbing into the darkened, cobwebbed corners of yourself and pulling those things out," he said.
While the painstaking stop-motion process can seem arduously slow, Knight believes the dedication and care invested in each frame imbue the final product with a special magic. "There is a yearning for something that’s handmade, for something that someone has cared into existence," Knight stated. "It’s always been rare, it’s always been special. But it’s even more so now."