VFX/PDX + OMPA Job Mixer coming 7/9 to Ai

It’s been over a year (!) since our last job mixer, held as Grimm came to a close.  Let’s do it up again as an equally large group finishes – this time out at LAIKA on their current production, Missing Link.  This puts some serious top tier stop motion animation and CG/VFX artistic talent out on the streets and available for hire.  Our goal is connect you all with other studios/companies/productions on the rise – ladies and gentlemen, I give you Job Mixer 2 – the sequel! Continue reading... “VFX/PDX + OMPA Job Mixer coming 7/9 to Ai”

HouseSpecial’s ‘Jailbreak’ Takes Best Picture at the We Like ‘Em Short Film Festival

Jailbreak - a stop-motion short from HouseSpecial

HouseSpecial took home the award for Best Picture at the We Like ‘Em Short Film Festival held on August 17-20, 2017 in Baker City, Oregon. Aaron Sorenson wrote and directed the winning stop-motion film, Jailbreak, which was shot in black and white. The story follows the daring escape of a desperate prisoner fleeing his nightmarish cell in pursuit of sweet punishment. The design is German Expressionist-inspired, but with a decidedly adult twist.

“Everything about Jailbreak is perfect – beautifully shot, perfect timing and hilarious. Continue reading... “HouseSpecial’s ‘Jailbreak’ Takes Best Picture at the We Like ‘Em Short Film Festival”

HouseSpecial’s Stop-Motion Short Takes ‘Best Animated Film’ At Oregon Independent Film Festival

Aaron Sorenson, a Director at Portland animation studio HouseSpecial, received the award for Best Animated Film for the stop-motion short Jailbreak during the award ceremony at The Oregon Independent Film Festival (OIFF) held on September 24, 2016 in Portland’s Clinton Street Theater.

Jailbreak, shot in black and white, follows the daring escape of a desperate prisoner fleeing his nightmarish cell in pursuit of sweet punishment.  Written and directed by Sorenson, this short is a German Expressionist-inspired design mash-up of stop motion with a 2D design sensibility … and a decidedly adult twist. Continue reading... “HouseSpecial’s Stop-Motion Short Takes ‘Best Animated Film’ At Oregon Independent Film Festival”

HouseSpecial Releases New Stop-Motion Short ‘Jailbreak’

From HouseSpecial Director Aaron Sorenson comes the short film Jailbreak, a noir-ish nod to German Expressionism that explores the psychology of imprisonment via stop motion animation. Shot in black and white, the film has an adult twist and dark theatrical feel.

“I was influenced most directly by the silent German Expressionist films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and The Golem. But I was also inspired by my love of prison break films such as Escape from Alcatraz, I Was a Prisoner on a Chain Gang and Papillon,” Sorenson said. Continue reading... “HouseSpecial Releases New Stop-Motion Short ‘Jailbreak’”

Laika Wins Technical Oscar’s Award For 3-D Printing Technology

Laika's Brian McLean won a special award from the Oscars for "pioneering the use of rapid prototyping for character animation in stop-motion film production." (Laika photo.)
Laika’s Brian McLean won a special award from the Oscars for “pioneering the use of rapid prototyping for character animation in stop-motion film production.” (Laika photo.)

Laika uses stop-motion animation techniques to bring their characters to life, but with hundreds of puppets needed for the process it is painstaking to create the many expressions and movement needed to make the action fluid.  The studio overcame this by becoming early adopter’s of the 3-D printing process that enabled them to create the many minuscule changing facial features without losing any of the artistry that goes into each puppet. Continue reading... “Laika Wins Technical Oscar’s Award For 3-D Printing Technology”

Laika’s “The Boxtrolls” Screens At 71st Venice Film Festival

http://youtu.be/z3eHd87dx6M

Laika’s  third big, stop motion feature, “The Box Trolls”  screened out of competition last Sunday at the 71st Venice Film Festival and in theatres later this month, (September 26th).

Based on Alan Snow’s “Here Be Monsters”, the cardboard wearing Boxtrolls live beneath the streets of Cheesborough, only coming up from underground at night to collect items they need to build machines for their underground city. Ben Kinglsey, Elle Fanning, Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Richard Ayoade all star in feature, with Anthony Stacchi (“Open Season”) and Graham Annabel (story artist on “Coraline” and “ParaNorman“) co-directing, and produced by Travis Knight and David IchiokaContinue reading... “Laika’s “The Boxtrolls” Screens At 71st Venice Film Festival”