Travis Knight
{{Short description|American filmmaker (born 1973)}}
{{about|an animator|the basketball player|Travis Knight (basketball)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Travis Knight
| image = Travis Knight (30000495292).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Knight in 2016
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|9|13}}
| birth_place = Hillsboro, Oregon, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = Portland State University
| party =
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation = {{hlist|Animator|film producer|film director|actor}}
| years_active = 1990–present
| spouse =
| children = 2
| father = Phil Knight
| mother =
| relatives = William W. Knight (grandfather)
| website =
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| background = solo_singer
| alias = Chilly Tee
| genre = Hip hop
| years_active =
| instrument =
| associated_acts = The Bomb Squad
}}
}}
Travis Andrew Knight (born September 13, 1973)"United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, [https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K1YF-VF6 FamilySearch] (May 23, 2014), Travis Andrew Knight, Residence, Hillsboro, Oregon, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information. is an American animator, producer, director, actor, and former rapper. The son of the Nike co-founder Phil Knight, he has worked as the lead animator and current CEO for the stop-motion animation studio Laika, including directing the company's films Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and the upcoming Wildwood (2026). He also directed the live-action films Bumblebee (2018) and the upcoming Masters of the Universe (2026). Knight received three nominations for the Academy Awards.
Early life
Knight was born in Hillsboro, Oregon,{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/08/19/the-rise-of-travis-knight-the-son-of-nikes-founder-who-built-an-animation-powerhouse/ |title= The rise of Travis Knight, the son of Nike's founder who built an animation powerhouse – The Washington Post |newspaper= The Washington Post |access-date=August 21, 2016}} a suburb of Portland. He is the son of Phil Knight (co-founder of Nike), and grandson of publisher William W. Knight. He attended Jesuit High School, near Beaverton, Oregon. He is a graduate of Portland State University.[http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/issues/archives/articles/0209-knights/5/ McNichol, Tom. 2009. "Hollywood Knights," Portland Monthly, February.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116164506/http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/issues/archives/articles/0209-knights/5/ |date=January 16, 2015 }} Accessed: May 24, 2012.
Career
=Music career=
Knight began his career as a rapper under the name "Chilly Tee". Using a recording studio built in his father's mansion, Knight self-produced a five-song demo album.{{cite web|url=http://priceonomics.com/how-the-father-of-claymation-lost-his-company/|title=How the Father of Claymation Lost His Company|website=Priceonomics|date=May 9, 2014 }} The demo caught the attention of Bernie Singleton, president of MCA, who passed the demo to producer Hank Shocklee, who liked the demo and agreed to produce Knight's debut album with his production team, The Bomb Squad.
Knight moved into his parents' Manhattan penthouse for six months while recording the album. The Bomb Squad helped him develop fleshed out choruses, as Shocklee felt that Knight was very skilled at writing verses, but his choruses were weak.{{cite web|url=http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-22981-hotseat-hank-shocklee-on-travis-chilly-tee-knight.html|title=Hotseat: Hank Shocklee On Travis "Chilly Tee" Knight|first=About TREE|last=PALMEDO|website=Willamette Week|date=August 27, 2014 }}
In 1993, Knight released the album Get Off Mine. According to Knight, the record did not sell well and he disliked performing. According to Shocklee, "One of the reasons why it didn't catch on was because it was one record that came out of nowhere, and rap is about building momentum." However, Shocklee is proud of the album, saying, "this record still holds up. You can play it now and it doesn't sound dated."
=Animation=
After Travis Knight graduated from Portland State University, Knight's father had become an investor in Will Vinton Studios, and persuaded the company to hire Travis as an intern.[http://www.animationmagazine.net/people/coraline-animator-travis-knight-of-laika/ Ryan Ball, "Coraline Animator Travis Knight of LAIKA," Animation Magazine, May 7, 2007] Accessed: August 21, 2016. He worked on the television series The PJs for Fox Studios and Gary & Mike on UPN, as well as television commercials and promo spots.
By 2003, Phil Knight became a controlling shareholder in Will Vinton Studios, and Travis Knight was promoted to the board of directors, despite having no management experience himself. Following the firing of Vinton, the Knights began to reorganize the failing studio, which was rebranded as Laika.
Since 2005, Travis Knight has served as Laika's vice president of animation. He was a producer and lead animator for Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012) and The Boxtrolls (2014).[http://www.laika.com/person.php?id=268&company=studio Laika, "Travis Knight, President & CEO".] Accessed: May 24, 2012. He also sits on the Laika board of directors.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/59965/knights-tale |title=THE KNIGHTS' TALE |magazine=The Fast Company |date=July 1, 2007 |first=Chuck |last=Salter |access-date=November 29, 2014 }} Along with Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable, Knight was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards, for The Boxtrolls.
He is the current president and CEO of Laika, along with serving on the board of directors of his father's company, Nike, Inc., a position he assumed in 2015.{{cite magazine|last1=Linshi|first1=Jack|title=Nike Co-Founder Phil Knight to Step Down as Chairman|url=https://time.com/3942643/nike-phil-knight-chairman/|access-date=December 5, 2015|magazine=Time|date=June 30, 2015}}
=Directorial career=
In 2014, Shannon Tindle pitched to Knight a fantasy project based on samurais, which Knight, a fan of fantasy films, approved for development.{{cite magazine|last1=Lott-Lavinga|first1=Ruby|title=Kubo and the Two Strings: an epic film made on a 12-foot-long table|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/kubo-and-the-two-strings-film-interview-travis-knight|magazine=Wired|publisher=Condé Nast|access-date=April 14, 2017|date=September 9, 2016}} The film was announced in December 2014, as Kubo and the Two Strings, while Knight was revealed to be producing and directing the film, marking his directorial debut.{{cite news|last1=Hammond|first1=Pete|title=Laika & Focus Begin Production On All-Star 'Kubo And The Two Strings' To Kick Off 3-Pic Deal|url=https://deadline.com/2014/12/laika-focus-three-picture-pact-kubo-and-the-two-strings-1201333450/|access-date=January 15, 2015|publisher=Penske Business Media|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 22, 2014}} The film was released in 2016.{{cite news|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|title=Laika, Focus Teaming on Animated 'Kubo and the Two Strings'|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/laika-focus-teaming-animated-kubo-1201385387/|access-date=December 23, 2014|work=Variety|date=December 22, 2014}} Along with Arianne Sutner, Knight was again nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards, for Kubo and the Two Strings.
File:Travis Knight (43663556441).jpg for Bumblebee]]
On March 2, 2017, Knight was revealed to be directing the live-action film Bumblebee from the Transformers film series,{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/1631290/the-transformers-bumblebee-spinoff-has-found-its-director|title=The Transformers Bumblebee Spinoff Has Found Its Director|date=March 3, 2017}} marking Knight's first time working on a live-action film, and his first time working in a film without acting as a producer. Knight, a fan of the G1 version of the franchise, used many elements from the G1 version in the film.{{Cite web|title=How Bumblebee's 1980s Setting Turned It Into Every Transformers Fan's Dream|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/how-bumblebees-1980s-setting-turned-it-into-every-trans-1831159187|access-date=January 8, 2021|website=io9|date=December 19, 2018 |language=en-us}} Bumblebee was released on December 21, 2018, to positive reception from both critics and Transformers fans, with many calling it the best film in the franchise.{{cite web|url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/bumblebee-first-reviews-nostalgia-heavy-prequel-might-be-series-best-film/|title=Bumblebee First Reviews: Nostalgia-Heavy Prequel Might Be Series' Best Film|first=Christopher |last=Campbell|website=Rotten Tomatoes|date=December 9, 2018|access-date=December 10, 2018}}
In April 2019, he was set to direct an adaptation of Six Million Dollar Man starring Mark Wahlberg.{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/six-billion-dollar-man-travis-knight-mark-wahlberg-1203191267/|title='Bumblebee' Director to Tackle 'Six Billion Dollar Man' Adaptation for WB, Mark Wahlberg (EXCLUSIVE)|last=Kroll|first=Justin|magazine=Variety|date=April 16, 2019|access-date=April 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417005831/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/six-billion-dollar-man-travis-knight-mark-wahlberg-1203191267/|archive-date=April 17, 2019}} In September 2021, Knight was announced to direct a film adaptation of Wildwood, with Chris Butler writing the screenplay.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/wildwood-laika-travis-knight-directing-colin-meloy-novel-adaptation-1234833597/|title=Laika Finds Its Next Movie in Travis Knight-Helmed Adaptation of Colin Meloy Novel 'Wildwood'|date=September 15, 2021}} In April 2022, he was announced to direct a new Laika stop-motion neo-noir film titled The Night Gardener.[https://collider.com/the-night-gardener-movie-laika-bill-dubuque/ Laika Teams With 'Ozark' Creator Bill Dubuque for 'The Night Gardener']
On May 1, 2024, it was confirmed that Knight will direct a live-action Masters of the Universe movie for Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel Films. The film is set for release on June 5, 2026.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/masters-of-the-universe-movie-amazon-mgm-travis-knight-release-date-1235989182/|title=Mattel's 'Masters of the Universe' Moves From Netflix to Amazon for Summer 2026 Release, Travis Knight to Direct|website=Variety|date=May 1, 2024|access-date=May 1, 2024}}
On June 20, 2024, it was announced that Knight would direct an animated adaptation of the novel Piranesi.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/laika-piranesi-travis-knight-susanna-clarke-1236042093/|title=Laika Picks Up Rights to Susanna Clarke’s ‘Piranesi’; Travis Knight to Direct Adaptation of the Novel|website=Variety|date=June 20, 2024|access-date=February 10, 2025}}
Personal life
Travis Knight, his wife Maryse Knight, and their family live in Oregon.{{Cite web |date=June 21, 2023 |title=The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announces Board of Trustees members. {{!}} Los Angeles Life and Style |url=https://losangeleslifeandstyle.com/?p=15396 |access-date=February 12, 2024 |language=en-US}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! width="65"| Director ! width="65"| Producer ! Notes |
|---|
| 2012
|{{no}} |{{yes}} |rowspan=3| Also animator |
| 2014
|{{no}} |{{yes}} |
| 2016
|{{yes}} |{{yes}} |
| 2018
|{{yes}} |{{no}} | Live-action debut |
| 2019
|{{no}} |{{yes}} | |
| rowspan="2" | 2026
|{{yes}} |{{no}} | Filming |
| Wildwood
|{{yes}} |{{yes}} | Post-production |
;Animator only
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|2000
| Boyer Brothers | TV movie |
| The PJs
| Episode: "Haiti and the Tramp" |
| 2001
| |
| 2002
| Día de Los Muertos | rowspan="2"|Short film |
| 2005
| Moongirl |
| 2009
| Coraline | |
Awards
{{BLP sources section|date=September 2017}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Travis Knight (animator)}}
- {{IMDb name|1325899}}
{{Travis Knight}}
{{Nike}}
{{Laika (company)}}
{{Annie Award for Character Animation in a Feature Production}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knight, Travis}}
Category:American chief executives
Category:American animated film directors
Category:American stop motion animators
Category:American animated film producers
Category:Businesspeople from Portland, Oregon
Category:Jesuit High School (Beaverton, Oregon) alumni
Category:Laika (company) people
Category:Musicians from Hillsboro, Oregon