LAIKA‘s films possess a truly distinctive, dreamy quality, driven by their pioneering approach to stop-motion animation. Since their official arrival on the scene with the dark fantasy masterpiece, Coraline (2009), the Oregon-based studio has been crafting unforgettable characters and imagery that push the boundaries of the medium.
To celebrate two decades of this trailblazing artistry and storytelling, Rizzoli New York announced the release of LAIKA: The Magic Behind a Stop-Motion Dream Factory, an expansive look into the studio’s world. The book deep dives into the story behind the studio and the hundreds of artists, craftspeople, and technicians who brought its films to life, detailing every aspect of their creative process. Script development, puppet-making, 3D printing technology, storyboards, and early sketches—from each of their iconic projects— converge into the definitive monograph on the “LAIKA Dream Factory.”
This elaborate setup with elevated platforms allowed animators like Charles Greenfield to bring the Giant Skeleton to life in all its monstrous scale in ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’
LAIKA
Based on the chilling novella by Neil Gaiman, Coraline was LAIKA’s first feature film and an immediate critical and commercial success. It tells the story of an adventurous young girl who discovers a seemingly idealized alternate universe—a mirror of her own life with doting parents and endless wonders—behind a secret door in her new home. She soon discovers the sinister truth behind the button-eyed doppelgängers, particularly the manipulative Other Mother (or Beldam).
Animator Tom Carey brings Prue to life in Wildwood.
LAIKA
Beyond its compelling story, the film was a technical triumph. It was the first feature-length stop-motion film to be originally shot in stereoscopic 3D, and it revolutionized character performance using an unprecedented number of 3D-printed facial expressions. This blending of handcrafted artistry with cutting-edge technology set the stage for LAIKA’s future hits, including ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link—all of which have received Academy Award nominations.
Written by Ozzy Inguanzo, the book will be available on March 10, 2026, marking the first installment in a multi-part publication partnership between Rizzoli and LAIKA.
The exterior facade set of Coraline’s Other World Pink Palace Apartments comes to life with the help of practical lighting.
LAIKA