Portland, Oregon, is a global hub for stop-motion animation and special effects, home to giants like LAIKA and a thriving ecosystem of independent fabricators. Whether you're an indie filmmaker needing a single puppet or a production studio requiring a full
| Provider | Best For |
|---|---|
| Candelaria Productions | Feature film and high-end series puppet fabrication |
| CK's Ravenous Studios | Full-service creature suits and prosthetic makeup |
| AFX Studios | High-precision mold making and production consulting |
| Macabre FX | Indie stop-motion puppet fabrication and mold making |
| Roos Mattaar | Armature-focused puppet fabrication for animators |
A deep dive into the 5 best Professional Services for 2026
#1 Candelaria Productions
A screenshot of the Candelaria Productions website.
Candelaria Productions brings heavyweight feature-film experience to every project. Their team contributed puppet fabrication work to Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, a film that pushed the boundaries of expressive handcrafted puppetry. They also served as the Art Director and Head of Puppet Department for the Apple TV+ series Shape Island, translating minimalist book designs into durable performance puppets. Founder Tony started his career at LAIKA in Portland on Coraline, where he developed new silicone casting and painting techniques now used worldwide. This studio is ideal for productions that demand both artistic nuance and industrial-grade durability. They understand that a puppet must survive hundreds of takes while maintaining emotional consistency.
#2 CK's Ravenous Studios
A screenshot of the CK's Ravenous Studios website.
Ravenous Studios, led by Christina Kortum (CK), is a special makeup effects and prop powerhouse with locations in both Portland and Burbank. Since 2009, they've supplied realistic and inventive makeup, monsters, and more for film and TV. Their service menu is vast: custom prosthetics, creature suits, life casting, props, weapons, blood effects, and mechanical effects. If your script calls for a full-body creature suit or a hyper-realistic wound, this is your shop. They bridge the gap between old-school practical effects and modern fabrication techniques. For productions needing a complete creature department from design to final paint, Ravenous delivers turnkey solutions.
#3 AFX Studios
AFX Studios is the mold-making specialist you call when replication precision is non-negotiable. They specialize in master mold fabrication for low-run parts and high-volume casting, offering everything from simple block molds to complex multi-section outer housings. Their material expertise spans waste molds, RTV silicone, urethane, latex, and even FDA-approved food-grade molds. Beyond production, they provide mold manufacture training and consulting for studios looking to optimize their casting pipeline. If you need clean pulls and long mold life for props or puppet parts, AFX has the engineering chops. They're the behind-the-scenes workhorse that ensures every duplicate is as good as the original.
#4 Macabre FX
A screenshot of the Macabre FX website.
Macabre FX, owned by Rachel Toth, is a boutique stop-motion puppet fabrication and special effects studio rooted in Portland. Rachel's journey began at the Tom Savini School for special effects makeup, followed by building props for theme parks in Orlando before landing in the Pacific Northwest. Her core expertise is mold making—she loves figuring out the best way to replicate something, whether it's a silicone puppet part or a prop. She also offers puppet care and maintenance, ensuring your characters stay consistent and functional through long shoots. From beauty prosthetics to drag makeup and sculpting original creations, Macabre FX is a versatile shop for indie filmmakers and small studios. Rachel's hands-on approach means you get direct collaboration with the artist who will be fabricating your puppet.
#5 Roos Mattaar
A screenshot of the Roos Mattaar website.
Roos Mattaar brings a unique dual perspective to puppet fabrication: she is both a skilled puppet maker and an animator. This means she knows exactly what a puppet needs to express emotion and hit its marks during a shoot. Her experience includes over two years at John Wright Modelmaking in Bristol, UK, where she built ball-and-socket armatures for Aardman's feature Early Man. She also trained in the armature department at Mackinnon & Saunders, working on projects like Postman Pat and TwirlyWoos. Roos can handle the full fabrication process, from technical design to final painting, and she's available for freelance commissions. If you need a puppet that's engineered for performance and built to animate smoothly, she's an excellent choice.