LAIKA Studios Hosts BSU Students for Stop-Motion Animation Training

Stop-Motion Animation Workshop Builds Skills

Five current students and a recent graduate of Bowie State University’s Visual Communication & Digital Media Arts (VCDMA) program in the Department of Fine & Performing Arts spent two weeks in Portland, Oregon this summer at LAIKA Studios immersed in learning more about stop-motion animation from some of the most recognized leaders in the industry. The hands-on training will help prepare the students for positions in a sector that is experiencing renewed growth and expansion. 

Stop-motion animation is an animated filmmaking and special effects technique in which objects such as puppets or clay figures are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to change when the series of frames is played back. In addition to feature and short films, stop-motion animation is being utilized more in television shows and marketing campaigns. 

“LAIKA Studios is a bona fide leader in stop-motion animation and known for ushering in the use of 3D printing to create elaborate puppets used in their films,” said Professor Tewodross Williams, chair of the university’s Department of Fine & Performing Arts and Coordinator of the VCDMA program. “Having our students onsite enabled them to understand how LAIKA combines traditional stop-motion techniques with computer-generated imagery and visual effects to create feature films, commercials and other video products.” 

Andrea Umaña says she has been captivated with stop-motion animation since she was 7 years old when her mother took her to see “Coraline,” LAIKA’s first major film. She transferred to Bowie State after completing two years at Anne Arundel Community College solely because of the university’s partnership with LAIKA. Although there are other companies that create stop-motion animation, her goal is to work for the company after she earns her degree in 2026. 

“The time I spent at LAIKA was eye opening for me,” said Umaña. “I thought I understood the business but had no idea about the amount of collaboration between the storyboard artists, animators, set designers and others that occurs every day on all projects. LAIKA is a breeding ground for creativity and everyone who works there exudes passion about their jobs. I have more confidence now, love the collaborative and creative environment and can see myself returning one day to work for the company,” she added. 

Students spent 3 to 4 hours each day in workshops on character and costume design, production design, visual development, storyboarding and other facets of stop-motion animation enabling them to learn from experts in the business.  

D’Mani Washington earned her degree from Bowie State in Visual Communication & Digital Media Arts, with a concentration in Animation & Motion Graphics this past May. She said traveling to LAIKA has given her a new perspective on the business that she has always wanted to work in. She wants to become a storyboard artist who produces content for children’s television programming. 

“It was very impactful for me to see how stop-motion animated feature films are made in real-time and learn how collaboration is supposed to work,” said Washington. “The trip reiterated what we learned in class and revealed the cohesiveness of the LAIKA team members as they focused on bringing a film to fruition.”  

“The summer workshop program with LAIKA represents an apex in experiential learning for our students,” said Professor Williams.