| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Advertising, Film production |
| Genre | Stop-motion |
| Predecessor | Will Vinton Studios |
| Founded | 1974 (as Vinton/Gardener Studios) 1980 (as Will Vinton Productions) 1993 (as Will Vinton Studios) 2005 (as LAIKA) |
| Headquarters | Portland, Oregon, USA |
| Key people | Chairman: Phil Knight President & CEO: Travis Knight[1] |
| Products | Commercials, films |
| Owner(s) | Phil Knight |
| Employees | 180[2] |
| Subsidiaries | LAIKA House |
| Website | http://www.laika.com/ |
LAIKA, Inc. is an American animation studio specializing in feature films, commercials, music videos, broadcast graphics and short films. The studio is best known for its stop-motion feature film Coraline, released in 2009.
Laika is owned by Nike co-founder and Chairman Philip H. Knight, and is located in Portland, Oregon; Knight's son Travis acts as its President and CEO. The company has two divisions, 'Laika Entertainment' for feature films and 'Laika/house' for commercial work such as advertisements and music videos.
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The commercial animation studio, LAIKA/house, is composed of filmmakers, designers and animators who produce commercials and characters in most types of animation in most media. The division produces professional CG, 2D/3D, motion graphics, and stop-motion animation at one location and with the expertise of veteran artists. Past projects include the Ben & Jerry’s stop-motion campaign; the second year of the globally recognized Coca-Cola Rivalries series of commercials which aired throughout South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East during the 2006 World Cup, new campaigns for both Kellogg's Eggo and Frosted Mini-Wheats, both with redesigned retro characters, and spots for Apple, Starbucks, Arby's, Honda, and Lay's/Netherlands (Smith's Food Group). Their work have appeared at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Working with director Michael Cahill, Laika/house created a 40-second animated dream sequence for King of California.
In the late 1990s, Will Vinton Studios, known for its stop-motion films and commercials, sought funds for more feature length films, and brought in outside investors, which included Nike, Inc. owner Phil Knight. In 1998, Knight made his initial investment and son Travis started work at the studio as an animator.[3]
In 2002, Phil Knight acquired financially struggling Will Vinton Studios to pursue feature-length productions.[2] Next year, Henry Selick, director of The Nightmare Before Christmas, joined the studio as a supervising director. In July 2005, the studio was renamed to Laika, and opened two divisions: 'Laika Entertainment' for feature films and 'Laika/house' for commercial work such as advertisements and music videos. They also announced their first projects, a stop-motion film Coraline and CGI animated film Jack and Ben’s Animated Adventure.[3]
The studio laid off a significant portion of its staff in 2008, when the studio's second planned feature Jack & Ben's Animated Adventure was cancelled.[4] Next year, the studio released its first feature film, Coraline. After directing Moongirl and Coraline, and unsuccessfully renegotiating his contract, Henry Selick departed Laika in 2009.[1] At the end of the year the studio laid off more staff in its computer animation department to focus exclusively on an stop-motion.[2]
Currently in production are a stop-motion film ParaNorman slated for an August 17, 2012 release, and an unnamed production for 2014.[5]