Laika's preferred dynamics isn't really a heck of a lot different from any other studio but we do stylize our work to meet established criteria for our show style, and we do need to be able to integrate our work with the stop motion animation. In short the work needs to look, animate, and feel realistic yet convey a sense that it was created on our stop motion stages using practical materials like paper or cloth.
Peter Stuart has been a Senior Generalist TD at LAIKA since 2006 to present. He was a Shader Writer for the Core Feature Animation team before that and has worked on Missing Link, Kubo and the Two Strings, The Boxtrolls, Paranorman, Coraline, and The Wild. He received a MS Computer & Information Science from Ohio State University and a Physics BA from the University of Montana.
David Horsley was hired at Laikato work on “Kubo and The Two Strings” as a Lead to help the VFX department complete all the water shots for the film. His work on The Life of Pi and VES award for the work on that film secured him the job in 2014. Since then he has completed “Missing Link” which also involved considerable water work.
His career as an FX Supervisor incorporates twenty years of innovative, visual effects experience on feature films, using Houdini software for lighting, visual effects, look development, and bidding on new projects. His technical experience specializing in water, snow, ice, metal, fire and fluid effects, enhances his abilities to work well under pressure, visualize the demands needed to support production, client, and artistic challenges.