Story By Dana Norder, Class of ‘19
Matthew Thill graduated with a degree in Cinema Studies from the University of Oregon in 2014. Shortly after graduation, Thill joined Laika Entertainment, a stop-motion production company based in Portland, Oregon. Thill says “storytelling and film are the motivating forces for me in my life.” Originally Thill thought he wanted to pursue a career in nutrition or food science. However, realizing this wasn’t the direction he wanted to take, he followed his dad’s advice. “It was thanks to my father, who raised me from the age of six onward, to pursue a major/career in the field in which I was truly passionate about: Cinema Studies.”
Thill has been putting his passion for cinema to work since joining Laika in 2015 as a runner. He then went on to become 3rd assistant director until taking his current role as animation coordinator. Thill describes his typical day as working directly with the head of animation on casting animators to develop shots or tests. “We are constantly developing new ways to advance stop-motion techniques, and we have a dedicated testing space where I schedule and order new tests. We test anything from new armatures within the puppet to new/unique ways to add practical effect[s].” Laika’s distinct style, combining art and science, has helped them to create four award-winning films since its founding in 2005. Laika’s first feature film, Coraline (2009) was recognized with a number of awards as well as a nomination for “Best Animated Feature Film of the Year” at the 2010 Academy Awards. Laika continued its award-winning success with The Boxtrolls (2014) and Kubo and the Two Strings (2016).
Thill is grateful for the Cinema Studies classes, professors, and staff at Oregon. He says Kevin May, Cinema Studies instructor and multimedia assistant, was “integral in motivating me to advance in this career field.” Thill adds that the production courses taught by Instructor and Multimedia Supervisor André Sirois were “phenomenal,” and he also appreciated the “impactful” television course taught by former Cinema Studies Instructor Lauren Bratslavsky.
Thill was also involved in Cinema Studies outside of the classroom. During his time at Oregon, he was a member of the University Film Organization, a student group with a passion for film. The students work together to learn film production techniques and create quality short films to submit to local festivals. He greatly enjoyed being involved with the group and says, “UFO was an awesome resource. The events and special guest speakers stand out as some pivotal moments in my motivation to pursue the industry.”
In addition to the UFO, Thill worked for Cinema Studies on the student production team where he gained valuable hands-on experience filming events, interviewing industry professionals, faculty and students, and editing videos. He also worked for the department as an equipment room monitor and lab monitor. “My time working as equipment room monitor and lab monitor were also crucial because I was able to work hands-on with our gear and programs at my own pace while assisting others within the craft.”
Thill’s advice to current students who are interested in working in the film industry is to “say yes to any job…and get yourself out there.” He explains, “Before I landed this gig in 2015, I worked a large amount of sports events, school events, local festivals, etc. as a PA [production assistant]. Get yourself out there. Learn what it is like on set and the hierarchy of a production of any scale. If nothing is available to you, put something together yourself. Grab a group of family, friends, etc. and make a short. If nobody wants to, use a pet! Any experience is crucial and will provide a backbone of knowledge that will be beneficial as you climb the career ladder.”
Be on the lookout for more of Thill’s work when Laika releases its next film, Missing Link, which is set to release this spring by Annapurna Pictures. The film boasts a roster of international stars including Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana and Zach Galifianakis.