SET DESIGN

MISSING LINK, DIRECTED BY chris BUTLER

The fifth stop-motion feature from the studio that created Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, Missing Link tells the story of a Sasquatch who tires of his solitary life in the Pacific Northwest and yearns for some connection with his kin. He recruits fearless explorer Sir Lionel Frost to guide him on a journey to find his long-lost relatives in the fabled valley of Shangri-La. They join forces with adventurer Adelina Fortnight and encounter their fair share of peril as they travel to the far reaches of the world. Through it all, they learn that sometimes one can find a family in the places one least expects.

This film was LAIKA’s most epic yet, as the characters’ quest took them from London, to the Pacific Northwest, to California, and finally across the globe to the Himalayas. With over 110 sets and 65 unique locations that included sumptuous Victorian-era interiors, lush forests and jungles, vast snowy landscapes, and a variety of trains, ships, and carriages, this film was a lot of fun to bring to help bring to life.

As a set designer, I translated storyboards and production artwork into designs for over a dozen sets -- both practically constructed and digital -- through research, Vectorworks drafting, and scale models/maquettes. My information was then used by the Set Shop, Model Shop, Landscapes Department, and VFX to build the worlds for the stop-motion characters to inhabit.

The images below include a selection of film screen shots, set photos, maquette photos, and drafting samples from some of the sets I designed. More drafting and other materials available upon request.