Portland-based animation studio LAIKA has officially joined the Academy Software Foundation as a Premier Member, joining the ranks of Disney, Netflix, and Warner Bros. in supporting open source development for the film industry. The move comes as LAIKA completed a complete rebuild of their production pipeline using ASWF-supported open source projects, and signals growing adoption of collaborative development models among animation studios.
The Academy Software Foundation, a joint effort between the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and The Linux Foundation, provides a neutral home for open source software development within the motion picture industry since its establishment in 2018.
Pipeline Revolution: LAIKA rebuilt their entire production workflow around open source tools supported by ASWF
LAIKA's decision to join as a Premier Member wasn't made in isolation. The studio has been actively contributing to several ASWF projects, with engineers participating in the Open Shading Language project, MaterialX project, and OpenUSD Working Group.
We have seen tremendous value in the work of the Academy Software Foundation. We embarked on a complete rebuild of our production pipeline recently and relied heavily on the open-source projects supported by ASWF. Their stewardship is keeping these essential projects healthy and makes it easy for studios to contribute and share the responsibility.
The technical transformation represents a significant shift for a studio known for pushing boundaries in stop-motion animation. LAIKA's films, including Coraline, ParaNorman, and Kubo and the Two Strings, have all received Academy Award nominations for Outstanding Animated Feature.
Tech Innovation Legacy: The studio's track record includes pioneering 3D printing for character animation and stereoscopic stop-motion
LAIKA's technological innovations extend beyond their current open source adoption. Their 2009 debut Coraline was the first stop-motion film conceived and photographed in stereoscopic 3D while integrating VFX and 3D printing technology. This pioneering work earned them a Scientific and Technology Oscar in 2016 for advancing rapid prototyping in character animation.
The studio's commitment to technological advancement has enabled artistic breakthroughs in character expressiveness, facial animation, motion blur, and effects animation - areas where traditional stop-motion faced significant limitations.
"Every studio is different, but LAIKA is more unique than most," said David Morin, Executive Director of the Academy Software Foundation. "By combining the tradition of stop motion photography with the use of leading edge digital technology, including open source software, they elevate the process to a whole new level."
Knowledge Sharing: LAIKA plans to participate in mentorship programs and will keynote Open Source Days conference
Beyond technical contributions, LAIKA is positioning itself as an advocate for developing new talent through ASWF programs. The studio plans to participate in the Summer Learning Program and other mentorship initiatives focused on discovering and developing diverse new talent.
Stringer and other LAIKA leadership team members will deliver a keynote titled "Transforming the LAIKA Pipeline with Open Source" at Open Source Days on August 10th in Vancouver and virtually. The event, hosted by the Academy Software Foundation, serves as the leading conference for open source software development in visual effects, animation, and digital content creation.
Industry Impact: Smaller studios gain access to enterprise-level tools while contributing to collaborative development
LAIKA's membership carries broader implications for the animation industry, particularly for smaller studios. As an official member, LAIKA can contribute directly to expanding ASWF's mission and addressing the specific needs of studios that lack the resources to develop proprietary tools.
The collaborative model allows studios to share development costs and expertise while benefiting from tools traditionally available only to larger operations. Projects under the ASWF umbrella include essential tools like OpenColorIO, OpenEXR, MaterialX, and OpenUSD - technologies that form the backbone of modern digital content creation pipelines.
The Final Cut: LAIKA's membership signals maturation of open source as a viable production strategy for creative studios
LAIKA's formal commitment to the Academy Software Foundation represents more than a single studio's technology strategy - it demonstrates how open source development has evolved from an experimental approach to a production-ready foundation for creative work. As studios face increasing pressure to innovate while managing costs, the collaborative model pioneered by ASWF offers a path toward shared technological advancement that benefits the entire industry.
