LAIKA/house (previously known as Vinton Studios), has promoted longtime LAIKA/house director Kirk Kelley to creative director and Jan Johnson, formerly head of 2D production, will assume co-exec producer title for all LAIKA/house productions.
Kirk Kelleys mastery of all animation mediums enables him to provide creative leadership to artists in all aspects of production, said LAIKA/house president/exec producer Lourri Hammack, to whom both executives will report. Jans keen understanding of the creative process and her depth of production experience enable her to make an even greater contribution to LAIKA/house as co-exec. producer across all animation platforms.
Kelley joined the studio in 1995 and has been supervising director of the studios iconic M&Ms campaign, which includes more than 50 television commercials, including the much loved STAR WARS spot. His commercials have won awards in virtually every category at the New York and Chicago advertising festivals. He has generated great media attention in recent years for his visually and technically innovative campaigns for Honda, Energizer, Nestle, Chilis, Arbys, Esure UK and Hostess.
In 2001, Kelley released his acclaimed experimental short film, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which combines stop-motion and CG characters and effects. It won a Silver award at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. Kelley also directed several episodes of the Emmy Award-winning stop-motion primetime series, The PJS, a co-production of the studio with Eddie Murphy Prods. and Imagine Ent.
The fun part of my job comes from watching the artistry of the new designers, directors and illustrators we've brought on board as it fuses with our rich history of character animation, says Kelley. We're still all about animated characters, we're just expanding our field of view... and it's exciting to watch the explosion of creative energy that is taking place.
Exec producer of the 2D animation division of Laika/house since arriving in 2002, Johnson brought her expertise in cel animation to a studio already celebrated for its capabilities in stop motion and CG. Johnson has produced or supervised the production of more than 50 commercials and short films since her arrival. In her new position, she will partner with Hammack to oversee all animation mediums within the studio.
Johnson, an accomplished painter with many exhibits to her credit, was previously exec. producer at Celluloid Studios, a premier cel animation company, which LAIKA subsequently acquired.
Its a great opportunity to embrace even more artists and techniques, says Johnson. Although cel has been my first love, this allows me to reach out across all animation disciplines and contribute to the ongoing growth of LAIKA/house. Im especially excited about the studios exploration of combining animation techniques as well as working with our new group of illustrators.
LAIKA Ent. (www.laika.com) was a production entity on TIM BURTONS CORPSE BRIDE and has two animated feature films in production. CORALINE, based on the international bestselling childrens novel by Neil Gaiman, is being adapted for the screen and directed by Henry Selick and will star Dakota Fanning. JACK & BENS ANIMATED ADVENTURE, a heartwarming original story of brotherly love set in the animal kingdom, is being directed by Jorgen Klubien. LAIKAs CG short, MOONGIRL, also directed by Selick, was recently awarded the Short Film Special Jury Prize at the Ottawa International Film Festival and the Grand Owl Award, Best Animation at the FANTASY WORLDWIDE International Film Festival, Toronto. It also won the Best Animated Short Film at the Los Angeles International Childrens Festival.
LAIKA is owned by Phil Knight, co-founder and Chairman of Nike. The company was rebranded as LAIKA in summer 2005, when it absorbed Vinton Studios, an animation leader and innovator for more than 30 years. LAIKA/House produces animated commercials and shorts for global clients including Coca-Cola, Wrigleys, ESPN and Esure UK.
