LAIKA
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS
We had the opportunity to stop by the 10 year anniversary exhibition of Laika, the animation studio responsible for creating films such as “Coraline”, “Paranorman”, and our favorite, “Kubo and the Two Strings”. “Kubo” is unquestionably one of our favorite films of the year, in no small part due to the unique and incredible production process used to create it. Blending classic stop motion techniques with modern filmmaking technology, Laika created a masterpiece about a boy and his journey to save his family and discover his calling.
Every prop, every tiny costume, and every miniature set is a work of art. Every step of the production process seems like an intense labor of love, and the results speak for itself. Check out this behind the scenes video to get a better sense of what we’re talking about.
Each piece of Monkey’s fur was moved individually frame by frame to realistically simulate wind blowing. Interchangeable faces were used to convey different expressions and dialogue.
Our favorite part of the exhibition was the costume board, which showed everything from concept art, to fabric samples, to the costumes themselves.
Author | Jon Shih
Photographer | Jon Shih