Podcast Summary: TED Talks Daily – "The Art (and Science) of Stop-Motion Animation" | Brian McLean

Episode Date: January 17, 2026
Speaker: Brian McLean (Head of Rapid Prototyping at LAIKA Animation Studios)
Location: TEDxPortland, 2020

Overview

In this enriching talk, Brian McLean—visual effects artist and stop-motion pioneer at LAIKA Animation Studios—explores the magical intersection of art, science, and technology foundational to stop-motion animation. Through personal stories and technical insights, he reveals how the age-old art of bringing still images to life has evolved, emphasizing the groundbreaking role of 3D and voxel printing in creating expressive, unforgettable characters.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Foundation: Persistence of Vision

• [02:54–04:00]
  McLean dives into the core science behind animation: the principle of persistence of vision—the optical phenomenon where the eye retains an image for a fraction of a second after it's gone, creating the illusion of motion in film and animation.

  “Your eye continues to see an object for a tenth of a second after the object disappears. This principle is what makes movies, cartoons, and even TV possible.”
  — Brian McLean ([03:32])

A Childhood Fascination

• [04:00–05:30]
  McLean recounts his early obsession with stop-motion classics and his sixth-grade science fair, where a push from his father led him to investigate the science behind animation, not just marvel at its artistry.

  “When I was in sixth grade, I wasn’t thinking of any of that. I just loved stop-motion animation.”
  — Brian McLean ([04:40])

The Hands-On Journey and Technological Resistance

• [05:30–07:00]
  After college, McLean’s aversion to computers led him on a non-linear career path until he discovered 3D printing while running a model shop at a design school. The technology revolutionized his approach to creativity and production.

  “I realized then that creativity isn’t just about making things. It’s also about reinventing how we make them.”
  — Brian McLean ([06:18])

Enter 3D Printing: Revolutionizing Stop-Motion

• [07:00–08:30]
  Explains how 3D printing bridges unique, handcrafted work and mass production. It allows for the creation of bespoke, detailed objects at high speeds—a perfect synergy for animation, where each facial expression must be both precise and unique.

LAIKA’s Breakthrough: Fusing Old and New

• [08:30–10:00]
  At LAIKA Studios (Oregon, since 2006), McLean led the innovation of using 3D printing for replacement animation—swapping parts, especially faces, frame-by-frame to create fluid performance. The process debuted in Coraline.

  “Our novel idea was to take this 100-year-old technique of replacement animation and fuse it with 21st-century 3D printing technology.”
  — Brian McLean ([09:10])

Advances in 3D Printing

• [10:00–13:30]
  Describes the evolution from monochrome resin printing with laborious hand-painting, to color 3D printing (which faced challenges like varying humidity), and finally to state-of-the-art voxel printing.

  • What’s a Voxel?
    A “3D pixel,” allowing unprecedented control over color and texture throughout the whole volume of a model, not just the surface.

  “A voxel is basically a three-dimensional pixel. There are something like 338 million voxels in a cubic inch.”
  — Brian McLean ([11:40])

  • LAIKA harnessed visual effects software to precisely control these voxels—blending hard and soft materials for unique properties, setting new frontiers in both animation and other industries.

Beyond Animation: Medical Applications

• [13:30–14:50]
  The same technological breakthroughs have enabled 3D modelling and printing of medical parts using patient data, benefiting surgical preparation and innovation in medicine.

  “Leica Animation Studios alongside other prestigious medical researchers as the one pioneering the use of voxel printing in the medical field.”
  — Brian McLean ([14:40])

The Artistry Behind Every Frame

• [14:50–16:20]
  Despite technical advances, each puppet’s face is still hand-finished by artists. On Missing Link, LAIKA printed over 106,000 unique faces cataloged in a “face library.” Animation remains highly labor-intensive: 3–4 seconds per animator per week.

  “We have a face library run by face librarians who catalog and archive each individual expression.”
  — Brian McLean ([15:55])

Live Demo: Bringing Norman to Life

• [16:20–17:40]
  McLean describes an on-stage demo with “Norman”—a LAIKA puppet whose expression changes rapidly with 3D printed, magnetically attached faces, simulating the painstaking process of replacement animation brought to life at 24 frames per second.

  “Once I hit the magical speed of 24 frames a second, your mind’s imagination will fill in the gaps and you’ll be left with the beautiful and creative world coming to life before your eyes.”
  — Brian McLean ([17:24])

The Power of Fear and Creativity

• [17:40–17:57]
  McLean closes with inspiration about overcoming fears—especially of new technology—and using creativity to reinvent traditional crafts for the future.

  “The artistic drive...has built an environment where we get to bring imagination into reality and forge the path forward...not only inventing new things, but using creativity to reinvent how we make them.”
  — Brian McLean ([17:50])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the science of animation:
  “This principle is what makes movies, cartoons, and even TV possible.” ([03:32])

• Personal reflection:
  “That was me. So I went to school to study art. When I graduated college in 1999, I barely knew how to write an email...I resisted.” ([05:35])

• Embracing innovation:
  “You can utilize the speed of a mass produced object, but each object can be unique, have their own bespoke design and personality.” ([07:48])

• Voxel printing explained:
  “If you stand back far enough, it appears as though the colors are mixed. But when you get close to the canvas, you can see the individual colors. This was groundbreaking in the 3D printing world.” ([12:27])

• On facing technology:
  “That kid you saw before in the video loved stop motion animation. That led me down a path of first discovery, then resisting something I feared, technology.” ([17:44])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:54] — Introduction: The brain and persistence of vision
• [04:00] — Childhood inspirations and science fair roots
• [07:00] — Discovering 3D printing; creativity and process
• [08:30] — LAIKA’s innovation: 3D printed faces
• [11:30] — The leap to voxel printing
• [13:30] — Medical uses of 3D/voxel printing
• [15:55] — The artistry, scale, and face library
• [16:20] — Live demonstration: Norman puppet
• [17:40] — Conclusion: Imagination, innovation, and creative reinvention

Summary Conclusion

Brian McLean’s talk is a heartfelt ode to both the technical mastery and boundless creativity that fuel stop-motion animation. By blending scientific understanding, relentless artistic curiosity, and cutting-edge technology, pioneers like those at LAIKA are redefining what’s possible in both film and beyond. The episode is a rousing call—to animators, artists, and innovators everywhere—to embrace the unknown joyfully and reshape the tools and traditions of their craft.

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