Sunshine Coast stop-motion artist Sharon Hunter shares why LAIKA’s latest film is more than just a movie, and why supporting traditional animation matters.
In a world where artificial intelligence can generate moving images in seconds, more than 1,000 artists have spent years doing something extraordinary. They’ve created an entire world by hand, one frame at a time.
And as a stop-motion artist myself, I find that absolutely mind-blowing.
From handcrafted puppets to extraordinary storytelling. A beautifully detailed scene from Wildwood, LAIKA’s latest stop-motion animated adventure. Image: LAIKA Studios.
On 22 October, Wildwood, the latest film from LAIKA Studios, the creative minds behind Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, arrives in Australian cinemas.
Based on the novel by Colin Meloy, the film follows a young girl who ventures into a mysterious, dangerous forest to rescue her baby brother. It’s a story of courage, love, loss and extraordinary adventure.
But what makes this film truly remarkable is how it was created.
The artistry behind every frame. A LAIKA animator makes tiny adjustments to a handcrafted character, revealing the painstaking process behind traditional stop-motion filmmaking. Image: LAIKA Studios.
A world built by human hands
Wildwood has been more than a decade in the making. Its production involved over 1,000 artists, approximately 130 elaborate sets and more than 173,000 individual frames.
Every puppet, costume, miniature landscape and intricate detail represents countless hours of human craftsmanship.
I create stop-motion animations for brands, bringing everyday products to life through movement and storytelling. It’s a different world from feature-film puppet animation, but the fundamental process is the same.
Move something a fraction. Take a photograph. Move it again. Repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Usually at 24 frames per second … yup, you read that right!
Even a few seconds of animation can take hours to create.
So when I watch LAIKA’s behind-the-scenes footage, I don’t just see a beautiful film. I see extraordinary patience, precision, problem-solving and imagination.
An entire world built by hand. A LAIKA animator carefully adjusts a puppet on one of Wildwood’s intricate miniature sets, bringing the story to life one frame at a time. Image: LAIKA Studios.
Why supporting this film matters
With AI transforming creative industries at an astonishing pace, I can’t help wondering what the future holds for traditional animation.
Will studios continue investing years and enormous resources into handcrafted productions when faster, cheaper alternatives exist?
I genuinely hope so.
Because there’s something irreplaceable about human artistry. The imperfections, the textures, the tiny details and the knowledge that real people have poured their skills and imagination into creating something extraordinary.
I worry that films of this scale could become increasingly rare, and that future generations might never experience this kind of craftsmanship.
And that’s why I believe Wildwood deserves our support.
Wildwood, the breathtaking new handcrafted stop-motion adventure from LAIKA, the studio behind Coraline, arrives in Australian cinemas on 22 October 2026. Image courtesy of LAIKA Studios.
Inspiring the next generation
I’ve run stop-motion workshops at my daughter’s school, and she’s grown up helping me create little animations. We’ve also started reading the Wildwood book together.
She’s nearly 12, loves films like Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Kubo and the Two Strings, and I can’t wait to experience Wildwood with her.
I want young people to see what’s possible when creativity, patience and imagination come together. And perhaps discover careers they never knew existed, from puppet making and costume design to cinematography and animation.
So here’s my invitation: if this incredible art form means something to you, consider supporting Wildwood at the cinema.
Every ticket is an opportunity to show the industry that audiences still value handcrafted storytelling.
Because if we want more films like this to exist, we need to show there’s an audience waiting for them.
And personally? I cannot wait!
Sharon x
Planning to see Wildwood?
Wildwood opens in Australian cinemas on 22 October 2026, with screenings across the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Gold Coast. Check Event Cinemas for participating locations, including Maroochydore Sunshine Plaza, Kawana and Noosa, or explore your local cinema’s session times and ticket availability.
Important parental advisory: Wildwood is rated M in Australia, with the official consumer advice “Suicide scenes and violence.” The film includes suicide-related material involving a child and may be distressing for some viewers. The M classification recommends the film for mature audiences aged 15 and over, although it is not legally age-restricted. Parents and carers should consider their child’s maturity and sensitivities before attending.
Sharon Hunter is a Sunshine Coast-based product photographer and stop-motion artist, and the creative behind Snap My Brand. She specialises in bringing products and brand stories to life through photography and handcrafted stop-motion animation. Sharon is also part of the Shore Media team.
