I thought Laika’s The Boxtrolls was one of the best animated films of the year, and based on last week’s Oscar nominations, so did the Academy.  The movie revolves around Eggs (voiced by Isaac Hempstead Wright), a young boy who has grown up with Boxtrolls, friendly underground creatures who are being hunted by the nefarious Archibald Snatcher (voiced by Ben Kingsley).  The film is an absolute delight filled with gorgeous animation and plenty of humor.

Last month, I went out to visit Laika in Portland for the Blu-ray release of The Boxtrolls.  While I was there, I got to talk with Travis Knight, who’s not only the company’s CEO, but also an animator.  During our conversation, we talked abut how he balances these roles, and we also discussed building the world of Cheesbridge, finding kinship with the characters, and new technological challenges presented by the movie.

Watch the video below and click here to buy the Blu-ray/DVD.

Travis Knight

  • 0:27 - How he balances being CEO and an animator.
  • 1:45 – On building the world of The Boxtrolls from scratch.
  • 3:36 – Finding kinship with the characters.
  • 4:57 – New technological

laika-movies-ranked