*LAIKA TO BRING COLIN MELOY'S WILDWOOD TO THE SCREEN

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011:

LAIKA has optioned Wildwood, the debut HarperCollins children’s novel written by Colin Meloy, lead singer and songwriter for The Decemberists, with illustrations by award-winning artist Carson Ellis. The announcement was made today by LAIKA President and CEO Travis Knight.

“Wildwood is a marvel, an exquisite, staggering and lyrical work of art,” said Mr. Knight. “It’s an uncannily perfect fit for LAIKA, commingling the time-honored qualities of classic fantasies and fairy tales with a bold, contemporary sensibility. Colin’s captivating, melodic prose and Carson’s gorgeous, spellbinding illustrations form a rich bounty of ideas, language and imagery. Wildwood is a wonderful work of literature, and LAIKA is fully committed to honoring it with an exceptional, groundbreaking film.”

Wildwood, the first book in an epic middle-grade fantasy series full of magic, wonder and danger set in an alternate version of modern-day Portland, tells the story of Prue McKeel, whose ordinary life is changed forever when her younger brother is abducted by a murder of crows and taken to the Impassable Wilderness, an enchanted and forbidding forest on the edge of the city.

No one’s ever gone in – or at least returned to tell of it. Within this secret world, Prue and her friend Curtis embark on a rescue mission and find themselves entwined in a violent struggle for freedom amidst warring creatures, peaceable mystics and powerful figures with the darkest intentions.

Wildwood, filled with 85 intricate and beautiful illustrations by artist Carson Ellis, was published on August 30, 2011 by HarperCollins’ Balzer + Bray imprint. To view the animated trailer created by LAIKA/house for the book, please click here.

“Hands down, there is no other movie studio in the entire world beside LAIKA that I would entrust Wildwood to,” said Mr. Meloy. “Carson and I were prepared to stonewall any and all suitors for the movie rights, so close was this book to our hearts. However, when LAIKA came calling, our defenses promptly came down. There is no doubt in my mind that they will come to this story with the passion, imagination and general awesomeness required to make this book into a truly beautiful animated film.”

“I’m a stop-motion enthusiast,” said Ms. Ellis, “and I’ve been a fan of LAIKA since we saw Coraline a couple of years back. When we visited the studio and saw all the brilliant creative work happening there – someone building a waist-high New England village in painstaking detail, someone else sewing pinhead-sized rivets on tiny blue jeans – we were won over completely. It’s an amazing place staffed by patient, meticulous, super-talented people who wouldn’t work there if they didn’t love stop-motion animation. I’m so excited to see what Wildwood will look like in their hands.”

*ParaNorman: STOP-MOTION FEATURE OPENS IN THEATRES AUGUST 17, 2012

Focus Features and LAIKA, the two companies behind the Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coraline are re-teaming for LAIKA’s next two projects. The first of the duo, ParaNorman, will be released nationwide on August 17th, 2012. The second, yet-to-be-named, picture will be released nationwide in 2014. Following the groundbreaking Coraline, ParaNorman is only the second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D. Focus CEO James Schamus and LAIKA President and CEO Travis Knight made the announcement today.

As on Coraline, Focus will hold worldwide distribution rights to the movies, and Universal Pictures International will release them overseas. Coraline is Focus’ second-highest-grossing movie of all time, with over $75 million domestically. The picture earned Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, and Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature Film; and was named one of the year’s 10 Best Films by the American Film Institute (AFI) with an AFI Award.

Currently in production, ParaNorman is being directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler, from Mr. Butler’s original screenplay. Mr. Fell was director of The Tale of Despereaux and Flushed Away. Mr. Butler was storyboard supervisor on Coraline and storyboard artist on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. The voice cast includes Academy Award nominee Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Tempestt Bledsoe (The Cosby Show), Jeff Garlin (Toy Story 3), John Goodman (Monsters, Inc.), Bernard Hill (Titanic), Academy Award nominee Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Leslie Mann (Rio), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (How to Train Your Dragon), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In), and Tony and Emmy Award winner Elaine Stritch (30 Rock).

In the comedy thriller, a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (voiced by Mr. McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he’ll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst of all, moronic grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.

Arianne Sutner, animation producer on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and Travis Knight are producing ParaNorman. Academy Award winner Brian Van’t Hul (King Kong, Coraline) is the movie’s visual effects supervisor; Emmy Award winner Nelson Lowry (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride) is its production designer; and Tristan Oliver (Fantastic Mr. Fox, the Academy Award-winning Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit) is the director of photography on ParaNorman.

Mr. Schamus commented, “Everyone at Focus is proud to be partnered with LAIKA again on their newest wondrous creations. Travis Knight is both an extraordinary businessman and a visionary artist who we know will shepherd these projects with imagination and originality. We’re thrilled to have ParaNorman as our next movie together, one which marries the stunning visuals of 3D stop-motion with a compelling, heartfelt, and funny story anchored by a terrifically relatable underdog hero.”

Mr. Knight added, “ParaNorman is a story of intense beauty and emotional truth. It’s audacious, has genuine heart, and is funny as hell. We’re incredibly excited to share this wonderful story with the world. And we’re privileged to work again with Focus Features, with whom we share a commitment to bold, distinctive, and enduring films. LAIKA and Focus are truly kindred spirits. James Schamus and his extraordinary team have built their reputation on original thinking, old-fashioned muscle, and an unerring fidelity to creatively rich and thematically challenging cinema. We’re thrilled to extend the relationship that began with Coraline and look forward to being a part of the Focus/Universal family for years to come.”

*LAIKA/HOUSE ANIMATES PLANTERS' PEANUT BUTTER DOUG

The ongoing Planters Mr. Peanut campaign recently introduced a new character to the mix – “Peanut Butter Doug.” Animated by LAIKA/house, the dubious and adventurous stunt double of Mr. Peanut — made his debut in a 44-second, stop-motion online video on the Mr. Peanut Facebook page on June 23. Identical to Mr. Peanut with the exception of a goatee and aviator sunglasses, “Peanut Butter Doug” is the nut sent in to take the “crushes” for Mr. Peanut and champion Planters Peanut Butter.

*MR. PEANUT SPEAKS AND IS ANIMATED IN STOP-MOTION

"...feels fresh and a little salty. Just like a peanut should be. -AdWeek

Planters, America's leading snack nut brand, launched a new marketing campaign that features Mr. Peanut, the beloved icon, speaking for the first time in 94 years in a series of stop-motion animation commercials that bring to life the "Naturally Remarkable" world of Planters. Animation directed by Mark Gustafson.

Watch the "Behind the Scenes" here: http://www.laika.com/house/

*SPAM SPOT HONORED WITH ANICOMM AWARD 2010

This year Animation Magazine honored LAIKA/house's three-spot stop-motion SPAM campaign with an Anicomm Award, "in which they celebrate the best animated, most original, funniest and all-around awesome commercials of the past year." Directed by Mike Wellins, the SPAM campaign first aired in spring 2009 and recently ran before the 2010 Academy Awards. The spot was created with BBDO Minneapolis and Hormel. Every year, the magazine picks three spots to feature. This year's winners included PSYOP's "The Heist: from Coca-Cola and Studio AKA's "Trainset for Lloyds TSB.

Agency: BBDO Minneapolis
Director: Mike Wellins
Executive Producer: Lourri Hammack

*DIRECTOR NICHOLAS WEIGEL

Our newest Director, Nicholas Weigel adds his unique voice and wonderfully off-kilter vision to the studio's collection of talent. Almost every piece he touches reflects his skewed funny bone and vast animation experience. Before moving to Portland, Nicholas collaborated with Psyop as an Animation Director on Coke: Inside the Happiness Factory and with The Mill on Orangina's Naturally Juicy project. In addition, he developed and directed the award-winning MTV Puberty series while at Hornet Inc./New York. Earlier in his career, Nicholas led W!LDBRAIN's CG department. All this experience, and the guy still laughs at bad jokes.

Read his interview at http://motionographer.com/theater/laika-tostitos-salsa/

*GARY RAKSIS NAMED CFO OF LAIKA

November 9, 2009

LAIKA, Inc., the Portland-based animation studio whose first feature film, Coraline, has been a critical and box office success, has appointed Gary Raksis to the post of Chief Financial Officer of the company. The announcement was made today by LAIKA President and CEO Travis Knight. Mr. Raksis, former Head of Strategic Planning and Corporate Finance at DreamWorks Animation SKG, will be responsible for leading LAIKA’s business operations as the studio continues to grow its pipeline of animated feature films, television commercials, music videos, broadcast graphics and short films. In addition, he will focus on exploiting growth opportunities for the company.

"Gary brings an exceptional range of financial management experience to LAIKA that will be invaluable to our evolution and success,” says Mr. Knight. “His extraordinary business acumen, rare creative sensitivity, and steady governance will provide a foundation for boldly innovative and visionary leadership in our business operations. We are thrilled that Gary has joined the LAIKA family."

"I admire LAIKA’s stunning artistic and commercial accomplishments," said Raksis, “and believe my financial experience and entrepreneurial approach will be a great fit with a company looking to expand on a creative vision that has already proven to be powerfully attractive to film-going audiences around the world.”

Mr. Raksis held various roles in financial planning and analysis at DreamWorks SKG before, in 2004, being named Head of Strategic Planning and Corporate Finance for DreamWorks Animation SKG. As a key financial executive at DreamWorks, Mr. Raksis oversaw overall strategic planning and day-to-day corporate finance functions while providing financial and business support required for operational decision making. In addition, Mr. Raksis focused on exploiting growth opportunities and oversaw analysis and operational research supporting DreamWorks’ new projects and businesses.

A graduate of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, Mr. Raksis was previously a research analyst at William O’Neil and Company, an investment information firm that publishes Investor’s Business Daily newspaper.

*LAIKA/house TAKES ART OF CORALINE ON A COAST-TO-COAST TOUR

Portland, Ore, March 30, 2009

Ad agencies across the country got exclusive sneak peaks into the animated world of the 3-D stop-motion film Coraline this February as LAIKA/house, commercial division of LAIKA, hosted special screenings of the blockbuster movie followed by after-parties featuring sets, puppets, real-time stop motion and exclusive behind-the-scenes video of the making of Coraline.

Highlighting two juxtaposed sets, Coraline's perspective-bending bedroom from her "real world" and the deeply saturated set from "the other world," along with stop motion puppets of Coraline, her family and the frightening “Other Mother," Coraline Animators Brad Schiff and Bartek Prusiewiez and Lighting/Cameraman John Ashlee Prat helped to demystify the animation process with hands-on demonstrations for the crowds.

The LAIKA crew also showed off their innovations in rapid prototyping (aka 3-D printing) used in feature film. In Coraline, the movie's lead character had 208,000 potential expressions, which were made by using 320 interchangeable molds of different eyebrow and forehead expressions and 650 different mouth molds. All were created using the 3-D printing approach.

"We're bringing the church to the people," said LAIKA/house President Lourri Hammack. "Coraline is fostering fresh animation inspiration in all mediums. For House, the excitement happens when we take the new creative technologies established during film production and distill them into an unforgettable spot or short-form content."
Based on the film's popularity, the LAIKA/house team may bring back the tours during fall's Oscar nomination season. Stay tuned...

*LAIKA/house EARNS TWO DESIGN HONORS

March 2009

LAIKA/house received two key design and illustration awards from industry publications.

In the February 2009 edition of How Magazine's "In-House Design Annual,"
LAIKA/house was honored with an Entertainment Merit Award for their Animation Reel design and promotional packaging, which is sent to potential clients, advertising agencies and animation libraries. The reel includes a Show Reel DVD, directors' trading cards, illustrator tattoos, customized carpenter pencil with a sharpener and other goodies.

The award-winning designs were created by the team of Lourri Hammack, Jan Johnson, Drew Takahashi, Kirk Kelley and Alise Munson.

LAIKA/house's second award came from 3X3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration, an annual of illustrators' work. Character illustrations from the 2007 Starbucks Holiday Campaign
"Pass the Cheer" were awarded Silver Merit Awards in Commercial Animation. LAIKA/house worked with advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy to create three spots from illustrations by Tatsuro Kiuchi. The animation was directed by Aaron Sorenson.Both publications are still on newsstands.

*WATCH BROOKS AD, FIGHT BREAST CANCER

Brooks Run Happy

To celebrate the launch of the video—and encourage you to share it with friends—Brooks will donate five cents for every view of the video between November 13, 2008, and December 21, 2008. Views will be counted at the official viewing sites: brooksrunning.com
and YouTube.com
.
Once the views have been tallied, Brooks will donate up to a maximum of $25,000 to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, earmarked for the support of breast cancer research.
Read more.

*NICHOLAS WEIGEL JOINS LAIKA TEAM

Summer/Fall 2008

Director Nicholas Weigel recently joined the expanding director roster for the commercial studio. Weigel previously worked with Psyop as an Animation Director on "Coke: Inside the Happiness Factory" and with The Mill on Orangina's "Naturally Juicy" project.

In addition, he developed and directed the award-winning MTV Puberty series while working at Hornet, Inc. in New York. He also served as Creative Director of Nick Digital Lab, a full service animation production facility that produced work for Spike TV and Nickelodeon.

"Laika/house and Portland have an alternative creative sensibility that attracted me. The studio offers a rare opportunity to explore new animation methods in all mediums under one roof. There's no excuse not to create great work here," said Weigel.

*ONCE UPON A TIDE

Gesine Kratzner just finished directing some animation for a film being screened at the Smithsonian. See what Stash has to say about it:

"The 10 minute environmental awareness short film, "Once Upon a Tide," is premiering today at the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of Natural History. Actor, Linda Hunt, narrated this educational piece produced by the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. The film was produced for aquariums and learning centers throughout the United States and internationally. Portland animation studio, LAIKA/house, created and produced the animation for the short, which is part of the center's Healthy Ocean, Healthy Humans project. The work is from the imagination of LAIKA/house Director, Gesine Kratzner." Watch this film here http:www.healthyocean.org."