Watch: ‘The Boxtrolls’ Directors Talk Stop-Motion and Classic Animation

LAIKA‘s latest stop-motion project “The Boxtrolls” hits theaters this weekend and Indiewire’s managing editor Nigel Smith spoke with the directors to discuss “The Making Of.”

Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi addressed the trials and triumphs of stop motion, ranging from the director-animator dynamic to the 55 different sets they worked with simultaneously. The 18-month long production was whittled down to a concise 90-minute film, so every second is inundated with the production team’s meticulous efforts. As Annable and Stacchi revealed, stop-motion animation is an entirely different beast than live action or regular animation. The design process, the casting and the pressure are elements that “have a kinship to a theatrical performance,” in that they only have one shot to make it right. 

Having both worked on films such as “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Coraline” and “James and the Giant Peach,” the directors’ collaborative chemistry is clear, as evidenced by the artistic achievement of “The Boxtrolls.” Their reflections on the construction of this piece will give you a small peak inside one of the most innovative animated films you’ll see this year. 

Based on the novel “Here Be Monsters” by Alan Snow, “The Boxtrolls” follows Eggs, a young boy raised by trash collector creatures and tries to save his family from being exterminated. Check out the trailer and interview below. 

READ MORE: How LAIKA is Revolutioning Animation