• Location: NYC
  • Joined: January 24, 2010

Topic: Lego Egypt Film

Hey everyone,

Been making brickfilms since I was 12 (21 now) but never got on these forums. I'm studying filmmaking in NYC and I want to make my next film using LEGO bricks. My goal is to make a film that if I made with real actors/sets would cost millions of dollars to make... but with LEGO'S it's pretty cheap.

I've been getting back into the swing of the things making some test shorts and stuff - brickfilms are the best.

But back to my script. I'm going to make a 5 minute film about two excavators trapped in a cursed pyramid. One is a senile old British man, the other is a young American digger. Skeletons come to life, ruby's get found - I want adventure.

I've ordered mass quantities of tan bricks for the construction of the set - on thing I'm set on is making the production design my primary goal. The sets have to look PERFECT.

TIPS! I've been trying to get camera moves down, but they're never perfect - ideas!? Also as far as lighting I'm a little stuck (used to lighting people and sets not 2 inch lego dudes).

thanks
- mobiledeli

  • Location: Awesome Hill Zone
  • Joined: August 29, 2009

Re: Lego Egypt Film

That sounds great! For lighting, have two lamps on each side of the camera facing the set. Tape paper over the lamp so it will not overdo the set with light. Don't know much about the camera movements, sorry! Hope this helped! -Peanut mini/smile

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Re: Lego Egypt Film

I just got to check it out when you are ready.

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  • Location: NYC
  • Joined: January 24, 2010

Re: Lego Egypt Film

I did a quick pre-production film (took 4 hours) except this is done with out any of the pieces I ordered, using a different camera then I will for the final film, and shot at 15 fps (the film will be 24).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxVWvE1zs0U

Pretty fun.

I'm wondering if anyone can recommend which skeletons I should get (with arms that stay in the desired position). I also have a sequence written where the room fills with sand... Any tips!?

PS I've decided on the Nikon D80, unfortunately it doesn't have live view... Any workarounds?

  • Location: I'll tell you when I find out.
  • Joined: November 30, 2009

Re: Lego Egypt Film

There's nothing to see, but it sounds really good. These skeletons are nice if you want them to come to life(they have glowing red eyes), but if not the plain ones are good. I'll try to find a link.

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  • Joined: January 26, 2010

Re: Lego Egypt Film

For the camera, you need to make sure the set is immovable, an that the camera is fixed too. Motion blurs can really improve a Brickfilm's quality, and can be made by 1- moving the camera back and forth as you take the picture or 2- adding a motion blur filter.

Just a suggestion, you could use three lamps, one for the background.

If you're willing you could use real sand, but it would have to be small enough to seem "non-lego-sized". This could also be a problem when taking the pictures, and doing re-takes. Otherwise you could use fabric or tan bricks. mini/confused I'm not sure about any alternatives.

Good luck, I hope it turns out!

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Re: Lego Egypt Film

you can buy the original egypt like the pharaoh with the sphinx

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Re: Lego Egypt Film

When I tried to watch it, the screen was just blank! mini/confused

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Re: Lego Egypt Film

I'm not here to give any tips, sorry, I just wanted to say that I'm an Egypt fanatic and I'm really looking forward to this mini/smile
Where did you order your bricks from, by the way?

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Re: Lego Egypt Film

lego pick a brick. and a couple ebay things. bout $350... hope you wont criticize my architecture - they didn't really have arches in pyramids and the sets im making are quite ornate.

Last edited by mobiledeli (June 11, 2010 (02:51pm))

  • Location: Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
  • Joined: June 3, 2010

Re: Lego Egypt Film

Nah, I'll let it slip this time =P I like your Egyptian Architecture because of its originality ; )

Last edited by FilipeJMonteiro (June 12, 2010 (09:17am))

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  • Joined: June 17, 2010

Re: Lego Egypt Film

I am sort of a beginner and my tripod is really crappy.

  • Location: NYC
  • Joined: January 24, 2010

Re: Lego Egypt Film

get a better one

  • Location: NYC
  • Joined: January 24, 2010

Re: Lego Egypt Film

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab3/mobiledeli89/Photo054.jpg
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab3/mobiledeli89/Photo057.jpg

two quick pics of my set up

ive moved on since then and my studio has drastically changed. new pics soon.

  • Location: California
  • Joined: December 24, 2009

Re: Lego Egypt Film

Heheh, I'm not surprised you're not wearing a shirt with those high watt lamps mini/tongue
As for the camera movements, if you have a little bump here and there you can easily fix this in Post Production by keyframing the camera movement bump into the right place.

-Tejas VIM

Last edited by VIMStudios (July 6, 2010 (12:09am))

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Re: Lego Egypt Film

That looks awesome.

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  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: Lego Egypt Film

That looks amazing, you're one lucky guy to have a studio like that. I really can't wait to see the film now.

  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: Lego Egypt Film

Wow, wish I had a place like that. I've got like a 1 by 1 space.

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Re: Lego Egypt Film

Wow!  You have an awesome place to film.  The set looks really cool!  If you're animating on the sand, that can be tricky because it moves around so easy.  If you can pull it off though, it will make the film look way better than using a base plate.

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Re: Lego Egypt Film

Dragonstopmotion is totally awesome! And nicely lit bluescreen too.