LAIKA Studios

Last week, LAIKAns were treated to a visit from Oscar?-winner Josh Cooley to discuss his new film, Transformers One, with Ian Sheppard, LAIKA’s Head of Animation Development. The candid conversation covered Josh’s journey through animation, his experiences working at Pixar, and the unique challenges of taking on a story in the Transformers’ universe. Thank you to Josh for stopping by the studio! Be sure to check out Transformers One, now available to stream on Paramount+. #LifeAtLAIKA

We’re so thrilled by the success of Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail! This purr-fect partnership raised $324,500 in an auction benefitting OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and drew an estimated 135,000 visitors, with an economic impact of $4M to the Downtown area. Thank you to the Visit Downtown Campaign, Wild in Art, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, and the local artists who hand-painted the 31 cat sculptures for collaborating with us on this meaningful blend of art, commerce, and philanthropy. Learn more about the impact of Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail in this article at the Oregonian:

We recently celebrated Diwali here at LAIKA. The API ERG and the Diwali Committee organized several events over the past two weeks to commemorate the Hindu festival of lights, including a special screening of the 1993 adaptation of the ancient epic Ramayana, Indian soul food from a local vendor, and a display of employee-crafted lanterns. #Diwali #LifeAtLAIKA

Isabela Dos Santos’s role as Senior Puppet Coordinator at LAIKA combines her left-brained organizational skills with her right-brained artistic bent. “There’s a balance of respecting the unknowns that bring magic to the work we do, while keeping the quest moving along so we can see everything come together and enjoy a very cool end product,” she says. For more on Isabela’s #LifeAtLAIKA, read her full Q&A on our website at https://lnkd.in/gxNSbdHg

Here at LAIKA, Halloween is our favorite time of year! To celebrate, we asked CG Asset Artist Cassie Valente to take us along on the journey as she designed, sewed, and beaded her mermaid costume (with a twist!). Cassie loves working at a studio where it's the norm to go all out for Halloween, and we couldn’t agree more. Happy Halloween! #LifeAtLAIKA

Don’t worry, you’re not seeing double, or triple! LAIKAns love celebrating Coraline during the Halloween season, when you can find her around the studio brewing espresso, responding to emails, building sets, and, this year, getting ready to return to the big screen. Grab your blue wig, your yellow raincoat, and join us at the theater when Coraline screens on October 31 and November 1. Find showtimes at Coraline.com #LifeAtLAIKA

Last Wednesday, the LAIKA Somos ERG organized a field trip to a screening at the Portland Latin American Film Festival, hosted at the iconic Hollywood Theatre. The film-loving LAIKAns saw Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird, directed by Nicolas Jack Davies, as well as a stop-motion short, Dolores, directed by Cecilia Andalon Delgadillo, which screened before the feature. LAIKA is a proud sponsor of this year’s Latin American Film Festival, which continues at Hollywood Theatre through November 24. #LifeAtLAIKA

LAIKA and Portland State University have announced an exciting new partnership aimed at fostering a more inclusive creative workforce within the local community. This three-year pilot program will provide funding for fellowships, scholarships, and curriculum development, directly benefiting faculty and students from PSU’s College of the Arts. Participants in the program will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with LAIKA’s creative professionals. Learn more about the collaboration in this article at Animation Magazine.

Last week, in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, LAIKA's Access ERG hosted a "Bleat & Greet" with adorable baby goats from Portland Goat Parties. It was a fun and relaxing event that helped boost mental health—and who can resist baby goats? A big thank you to the Access ERG for all the amazing work they do throughout the year to create an inclusive and supportive space for employees with both visible and invisible disabilities. #LifeAtLAIKA #NDEAM

LAIKA is excited to announce that filmmakers Chris and Justin Copeland, known collectively as The Copeland Brothers, have joined the studio as Directors in Development. To learn more about The Copeland Brothers and their extensive body of work, read the full article at Deadline.