Behind the scenes of Laika's greatest artistic feat yet

Key Points:

• The film Wildwood employs a complex blend of analog and digital techniques, combining puppetry, practical sets, and CGI to create immersive sequences, such as a dynamic chase scene featuring The General (a giant bird puppet) and Prue McKeel.
• The General puppet, designed with over 3,000 individually wired fabric feathers, was meticulously crafted to balance realistic bird anatomy with expressive character emotions, including detailed eye animations controlled by animators.
• The production involved innovative camera work using up to 97 motion control rigs and multiple stop-motion cameras to capture intricate movements and perspectives, enhancing the film's sense of flight and action.
• Animator Dobrin Yanev hand-animated The General and Prue frame-by-frame over two years, bringing a high level of artistry and life to the puppets and the film’s visual storytelling.
• Laika views Wildwood as a milestone reflecting two decades of creative growth, with its box office performance set to influence the studio’s future projects, while affirming confidence in the team’s ability to tackle ambitious storytelling challenges.