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Laika studio, the group responsible for creating The Boxtrolls (2014) and for bringing Coraline (2009) and ParaNorman (2012) to life, has developed a reputation for building unique and immersive visual worlds. Stop-motion is becoming a lost art in modern Hollywood, and Laika’s artists manufacture scenes that are so rich with detail, it’s hard to believe they are mostly physical constructs. The Boxtrolls visual style draws inspiration from all over, from Charles Dickens and Victorian architecture to German expressionism, steampunk, and Monty Python. It’s not an entirely stop-motion film, but a clever blend of stop-motion and CGI assistance.

Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable, the directors of The Boxtrolls, wanted to fuse the two animation styles to create a world unlike anything anyone had seen before. That means creating a world different from their previous films. The last thing Laika wants to do is develop a “house style” that identifies all their work. They want each piece to be beautifully original.

Blending traditional stop-motion with CGI animation was a perfect fit for capturing what they wanted to do with The Boxtrolls.

In an interview with Don Kaye of Screenrant, the directors said, “Neither one of us claims to be purists in terms of stop-motion animation and with this film we, right from the outset, wanted it to be a hybrid. We’ve got a really robust VFX department, combined with an incredible collection of artists and, you know, art department that can create all these physical objects.”

There are no rules at Laika except achieving the right look. Whatever means are necessary to that end, they go with.

CGI is used for aspects such as facial expressions in order to add a layer of subtlety to the performance. Other elements like clouds are originally built with fabric, but later replaced with CGI. Realizing which elements of the film can best be captured with each form of animation is what makes the end result so rich.

But everything starts with the set designs. The bulk of The Boxtrolls’ characteristic look come from its beautifully crafted scenes, which are the backdrop for everything.

“Laika brought on some talented development artists to help create the look of The Boxtrolls, notably Michel Breton, who recently served as a background design on The Triplets of Belleville (2003). The development team admired the shaky lines in Breton’s original pen and ink drawings and decided to incorporate it into the overall design of the world. Everything is off-kilter. The handles on the glasses are askew. The serving trays look like they’ve been dropped on the floor a few times too many. And even though they fit and run together, the gears on the Boxtrolls’ mechanical devices are all a bit lopsided.” - Lauren Davis, io9

For a little extra fun, there’s a short scene mid-way through the film’s end credits that offers a tiny glimpse into the film’s production. It’s quite comical and rather interesting. A camera pans back to reveal the set, as the film’s two henchmen discuss the possibilities of being a creation of some larger force, and the magnitude of such an endeavor.