LAIKA kills all CG animated film plans (and lays off 63)

[RockinAkin]

Best of luck to those affected by the lay-offs.

But I'm glad to see they're keeping the stop-motion department going.

[MrHooper]

A real shame. I wonder if this affects their commercial division? I thought they did a lot of CG commercial work. I know they did some M&M stuff.

Andrew

[BookMansBlues]

Hopefully this is just a "reboot" and not a permanent thing, it always is a downer to see CG houses lay off people and/or close up shop.

[patfour]

A real shame. I wonder if this affects their commercial division? I thought they did a lot of CG commercial work. I know they did some M&M stuff.

Andrew

My understanding is that LAIKA's features are made by the studio's Entertainment department, while the commercials are done in the House department. From what I've heard, House is unaffected by this change, so they'll continue making commercials in different media.

[soulburn3d]

I have a friend there, commercials is unaffected by this set of layoffs.

Sorry to all the film folk, that is one of the dangers of working in a city that doesn't have a lot of studios doing the same sorta stuff, a lot of people didn't only lose their jobs, but now they're gonna have to move as well to find work.

- Neil

[unchikun]

they ever build that campus?

[aghill]

Didnt they work on a movie called Moongirl which looked awsome?

Sad news:(

[RavenEye]

Didnt they work on a movie called Moongirl which looked awsome?

Moongirl was a short film. That was my first gig in the industry right after college. Sad news, but they are mostly a stop motion house than a cg house. Such a shame most them will most likely move. Portland is a beautiful creative area.

[xen_ninja]

I really don't like stop-motion. I find it creatively stifling. I only wished that they at least released a CG movie and then made their decision. Perhaps, the success of Coraline went to their heads. Although I didn't enjoy Coraline that much , one must admit that Neil Gaiman is a very imaginative writer.

[JoshBowman]

"I really don't like stop-motion. I find it creatively stifling"

That's an interesting opinion, I on the other hand really like it, and i think it can be even more creative that straight CG and can even incorporate CG into it in wonderful ways (ie Coraline, Wallace and Gromit: CotWR)

[grafikimon]

I love stop motion. CGI or stop motion is like a discussion on Oil Paint or water color, which is better? One isn't better than the other they can both be used to express an idea in two completely different ways. If anything I see each medium as having its own opportunities to explore different creative paths.

J

[jdollus]

I only wished that they at least released a CG movie and then made their decision. Perhaps, the success of Coraline went to their heads. Although I didn't enjoy Coraline that much , one must admit that Neil Gaiman is a very imaginative writer.




Everyone's Hero in 2006 - wasn't that Laika?

[RavenEye]

Nope, Laika didn't do Everyone's hero. I'm not sure what studio did that movie... Laika has always been a stop-motion house. Even back in the days as Vinton Studios doing the TV show "The PJ's" and commercial spots like "California Raisins". To me, it makes sence to stick to what you're good at. Ecspecially in a market that needs more variety. Sometimes its boring to see CG movie after CG movie. Its healthy to have a variety of other mediums out there. Anywho, best of luck for those people who got laid off.

[Remi]

I simply love ANIMATION.

Sad to hear, some may not be able to move(family), I hope all affected find happy new homes and enjoy what they do!!!

[circusboy]

Everyone's Hero in 2006 - wasn't that Laika?
Nope. IDT Entertainment gets the main credit with some help.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everyone's_Hero

I actually saw a presentation at ADAPT 2006. The film fell off my radar however (till now).

[jdollus]

Ah yes. IDT was the one

[Toddski]

I moved from New Zealand to work at Laika and three weeks after I got there, they shut down the feature I was hired to work on. I wasn't fired but I didn't feel that Laika's CG aspirations were going to be feasible for a good while so I decided to leave. I was worried that the costs of keeping a large Digital Design Group on staff and not actively working on projects that were being funded was unsustainable and that DDG, where I was moved after the layoffs, would be shuttered if a viable CG project didn't get greenlit in the next few months.

Unfortunately, it seems I was right. I have friends who are still there and I'm told that Laika is not giving up on CG features and are still actively developing at least one. They're just not ready to go into production and DDG was apparently too costly to keep around till they are...

House are seperate and are doing great.

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