Stop-motion animation has largely been abandoned as artform by the major studios. But for the past 12 years, Laika Studios has embraced stop-motion animation from Corpse Bride in 2005 to its most recent film, Kubo and the Two Strings. Many casual viewers may not have even realized that Kubo was stop-motion, as it also utilized CGI techniques to further the illusion of life. Now, a new video from Laika itself is pulling back the curtain on the company’s approach to animation; which is both a science and an art.

In the recently released video, footage from Kubo, Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Boxtrolls is used to illustrate some of Laika’s most compelling animated moments before showing the viewers how some of these scenes were accomplished. The movement of the water was impressive, but perhaps the most compelling part of the video is the way that the facial expressions of their creations convincingly emote. That makes it much easier to accept these characters as “real” within the worlds that they inhabit.

One of the most striking visuals in this video is the man towering over the puppet-sized street that was created for one of the films. As Laika’s Travis Knight and others explain in this clip, they are not opposed to using modern animation techniques to enhance their own work. Everything is a tool that can be used. “We want to make films that push this medium that we love, animation, and push it in new directions,” said Knight, before adding “we don’t have to be limited in the stories that we tell.”

What did you think about The Art and Science of Laika? Can you respond using stop motion animation? Alternately, we welcome your comments, which you can share below.

Image: Laika Studios