Hidden worlds the films of laika photos
Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA
About the Exhibition
Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA will explore the groundbreaking work of LAIKA, the award-winning studio known for its wildly creative, enduring, and groundbreaking films, including Missing Link (2019), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), The Boxtrolls (2014), ParaNorman (2012), and Coraline (2009). For two decades, LAIKA has revolutionized stop-motion filmmaking, marrying this venerable art form with trailblazing technology to tell unique, compelling stories that move audiences around the world. The exhibition will immerse visitors in LAIKA's creative process through behind-the-scenes photography, video clips, and artwork from the films. Visitors can explore the performance design, sets, props, puppets, technology, and costumes that have develop the studio’s hallmarks.
Founded in 2005 just outside Portland, Oregon by Travis Knight, the globally esteemed and award-winning studio LAIKA is devoted to telling original, enduring stories and bringing these tales to the widest possible audience. LAIKA innovates and combines the latest emerging technologies with timeless techniques to create state-of-the-art classics.
Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA
March 18, 2023
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August 11, 2024
In 2009, Oregon-based studio LAIKA redefined stop-motion animation with the instant classic Coraline. Now boasting five Oscar ®-nominated films with more on the way, Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA grants you unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the legendary studio’s groundbreaking production techniques, along with immersive set displays, character interactives, and sneak peeks of upcoming work. Real light falling on real sets and puppets? Can’t be beat.
Coraline face expressions, Coraline, 2009.
Jumping Mouse Circus, Coraline, 2009.
THE PUPPETS
A Precocious Girl
- For the character of Coraline, there are 28 different puppets of varying sizes; the main Coraline puppet stands 9.5 inches high.
- At one point in the production, Coraline makes 16 different expressions in a span of 35 seconds.
- There are a total of 207,336 possible face combinations for Coraline and a total of 17,633 possible face combinations for Mother.
Creature Features
Some of Coraline’s most spectacular scenes rely on a huge menagerie of puppet animals.
- 248 Scottie Dogs sit in the audience with Coraline and Wybie watching Miss Spink and Long for Forcible's stage performance.
- At its height, the Jumping Mouse Circus sequence has 61 carefully choreographed mice on-screen at once.
Alyssa Thorne
As a child, my fascination with small, intricate objects was insatiable. I spent hours poring over American Girl doll catalogs, marveling at the minuscule treasures. I started collecting miniature versions of everyday objects, and even drew tiny pictures that I carefully cut out and kept in a collection. Looking advocate , I realize that this promptly interest in detail and composition has greatly influenced my current work.
When I discovered the magic of stop-motion animation with The Nightmare Before Christmas in the 90s, I was immediately captivated. The film was full of tiny, extraordinary and almost unreal details, which served to convey the characters and worlds to life. I didn’t even comprehend how the movies were made at the time, but it was somehow inherently obvious that painstaking craftsmanship went into every movement and expression.
Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to call on the MOPOP in Seattle, and view the brand new exhibit “Hidden Worlds”, which featured the movie props and behind-the-scenes looks into Laika’s films. As a long-time admirer of their labor, I was thrilled to be invited to the opening by Studio Laika.
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TAKE A LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN AT THE ARTISTRY AND TECHNOLOGY OF LAIKA.
Behind each film lies a hidden world of imagination, ingenuity, and craftsmanship that has redefined the limits of latest animation. Immerse yourself in LAIKA's creative process through behind-the-scenes photography, video clips, and artwork from the films. Explore the film design, sets, props, puppets, technology, and costumes that have change into the studio’s hallmarks.
At the heart of every LAIKA motion picture are the artists and innovators who meticulously craft every element. While most of today’s animation is rendered digitally, LAIKA embraces a hybrid approach— while remaining deeply rooted in the tradition of physically handcrafted stop-motion, their revolutionary use of technology continues to push the medium forward in ways never imagined.
Delve into the creative process and get lost in the characters, imaginative stories, and hidden worlds of LAIKA's unforgettable stop-motion animation.
Coraline Puppet, LAIKA.