• Location: United States
  • Joined: November 20, 2009

Topic: Is this a good idea?

Hello everyone. I'm FrozenCosmo Films. I'm very new to the forums here so I'm just trying to get around and stuff like that. I'm also very non-experienced when it comes to Brick Filming, I have no experience mainly because I'm very new to Brick Filming. I've done a couple videos with my friend but he does a lot of the videos. From watching I've learned some but not a lot. I will probably be doing a series of tests for walking, talking, running and things like that very soon. So the main thing that I wanted to talk about is my new Brick Film plan. It's about 2 Lego Minifigures that are giving away a Lego Brick to charity. The first guy is hesitating to give this Brick away but the other guy is encouraging him to give it charity. He tells him all the good things this would do. But yet the 2nd guy encouraging him had not seen the charity the first guy did. (I would show the outside of the charity building) Then he says "Oh... So that's why you didn't want to give it away". It turns out the charity is for the rich when the rich become poor (haha).


Please tell me what you think and give me tips on Brick Filming. Thanks! mini/smile

  • Location: The Copacabana
  • Joined: December 26, 2008

Re: Is this a good idea?

Firstly, I would like to welcome you to BiM. I recommend you refer to the Beginners Guide to BiM, set up by our good friend BertL. Secondly, a couple of tips: 1) Brickfilm and all related words, are usually spelled as one word. 2) Please refrain from bumping really old threads, and posting multiple times at once in a short period of time in the same thread. It annoys people. 3) When switching train-of-thoughts in a post, it is a good idea to separate them as two paragraphs. 4) Please use proper spelling and grammar as best you can. We do in fact have brickfilmers from other countries using other languages. 5) Enjoy yourself.

As for your story idea, I like the idea, but I'm not sure as to how you would be able to expand more upon this idea. Maybe a few more characters would help.

And again, welcome. mini/smile

  • Location: MN, USA
  • Joined: July 28, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

Welcome to BiM!

For the story, I think it might be better to have the one encouraging him to donate the brick look more like an 'angel', and make the other one look more like a 'devil'. This would help to semblize the good vs. bad theme that's going on.

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/BGanimations/Signatures/final_400x100.png
  • Location: United States
  • Joined: November 20, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

Thank-you for all the tips guys. Really helped. I do have one question on how to get a great signature like your guys. Do you know how I could get one of those?


Thanks. mini/smile

  • Location: MN, USA
  • Joined: July 28, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

My signature took a looooooong time to make. I took a high-quality picture of the ninja against a greenscreen with a blank face, then made a digital background in Blender (it's really difficult, just a hint) for the background. After that I digitally modeled and added the face in Blender also, and then added the title in MMEP 14 (MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 14). But you can tell the greenscreen wasn't the greatest lit because the neck on the person is rounded out.

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/BGanimations/Signatures/final_400x100.png
  • Location: United States
  • Joined: November 20, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

BGanimations wrote:

My signature took a looooooong time to make. I took a high-quality picture of the ninja against a greenscreen with a blank face, then made a digital background in Blender (it's really difficult, just a hint) for the background. After that I digitally modeled and added the face in Blender also, and then added the title in MMEP 14 (MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 14). But you can tell the greenscreen wasn't the greatest lit because the neck on the person is rounded out.

Alright and now I just have 1 more question. How do I become a Member of Bricks In Motion?:/

  • Location: MN, USA
  • Joined: July 28, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

Well, you already are in a sense. But I know what you're asking: when does it say member and not new member. All it takes is for you to have posted more than 10 or 20 times I think, but I'm not sure the exact number. So if you're a rather active member (visit the site a lot, like me), it will go away in a day or two.

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/BGanimations/Signatures/final_400x100.png
  • Location: United States
  • Joined: November 20, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

BGanimations wrote:

Well, you already are in a sense. But I know what you're asking: when does it say member and not new member. All it takes is for you to have posted more than 10 or 20 times I think, but I'm not sure the exact number. So if you're a rather active member (visit the site a lot, like me), it will go away in a day or two.


Oh alright. How do I tell how many posts I have?

  • Location: MN, USA
  • Joined: July 28, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

Click on Profile next to the BricksinMotion logo.

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/BGanimations/Signatures/final_400x100.png
  • Location: United States
  • Joined: November 20, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

BGanimations wrote:

Click on Profile next to the BricksinMotion logo.


Oh, alright thank-you so much. mini/smile

  • Location: USA
  • Joined: November 16, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

Well, it isn't a overused idea, that's for sure.

And welcome to BiM! I am pretty new here as well. The only advise I have is this: Don't worry to much about the story. Brickfilming is about having fun, it is a hobby for most of us here. Of course, if you want to get serious with it and make the most amazing video on the web, go ahead! But it is not going to happen over night...not even over a week...maybe not even over two months.

It takes dedication, and in the end, that is all that really matters is how much work you put into a film, for that is how you are going to be remembered here. A decent story is good thing to have as well, don't get me wrong, and yours story sounds good...just make sure you "tell" it well. I have seen a few animators on here who make videos with great effects and decent animation, but the way they tell the story is confusing. I suggest researching filmmaking. It will help. mini/smile

Bottom line: Don't stress out over brickfilming, it is meant to be a fun, enjoyable thing to do. Have fun and enjoy it! Think more about how you can make your film your own! mini/bigsmile

Anyway, just wanted to give a little advise since you are a new brickfilmer, and I wish you luck! Who knows, you might become better than all of us!


P.S. Please forgive any typos, typing pretty fast. x)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8180/7904765754_a766f0e523.jpg
Into the darkness once more. I walk into the unknown. To a far better life than I've ever known.
  • Location: United States
  • Joined: November 20, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

ScypaxPictures wrote:

Well, it isn't a overused idea, that's for sure.

And welcome to BiM! I am pretty new here as well. The only advise I have is this: Don't worry to much about the story. Brickfilming is about having fun, it is a hobby for most of us here. Of course, if you want to get serious with it and make the most amazing video on the web, go ahead! But it is not going to happen over night...not even over a week...maybe not even over two months.

It takes dedication, and in the end, that is all that really matters is how much work you put into a film, for that is how you are going to be remembered here. A decent story is good thing to have as well, don't get me wrong, and yours story sounds good...just make sure you "tell" it well. I have seen a few animators on here who make videos with great effects and decent animation, but the way they tell the story is confusing. I suggest researching filmmaking. It will help. mini/smile

Bottom line: Don't stress out over brickfilming, it is meant to be a fun, enjoyable thing to do. Have fun and enjoy it! Think more about how you can make your film your own! mini/bigsmile

Anyway, just wanted to give a little advise since you are a new brickfilmer, and I wish you luck! Who knows, you might become better than all of us!


P.S. Please forgive any typos, typing pretty fast. x)

Thanks for the advice! mini/smile

  • Location: Hey, no personal info!
  • Joined: October 30, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

Oh and one more tip that I believe has not been said yet. Until you get amazingly good at films in general and can make any emotion really project to the audience correctly, I would advise that your animations stay based around humor and comedy. The best humor for brickfilms is generally slapstick (i.e. Some guy getting hurt in a humorous way) but puns and jokes can work as well. LEGO characters seem to be built to be humor all the way, and when you think "brickfilm," you generally connect it with "funny." Good luck animating!

This would generally be the place where one would look to find a person's sense of humor. Good luck trying.
  • Location: England
  • Joined: August 27, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

Not necessarily.

And also, don't try to make it funny as in,a comedy, because I betyou that it would be boring and unfunny.

Usually funny people get their jokes and stuff naturally, so you'll think about it as you workon the script etc.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab236/TehRabbitMan/lostinpie.png?t=1259179827
Youtube
  • Location: United States
  • Joined: November 20, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

Alright from what I've heard some people want me to do the genre of Comedy in my Brickfilms and some don't... Which should I do? mini/dizzy

  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: Is this a good idea?

First off, welcome to BricksInMotion!
Now to answer your question regarding animation style, let's breakdown brickfilming to the core.
Filming. Bricks. Filming with bricks.
Now, step into someone else's shoes, and imagine someone showing you a video on YouTube. This video uses Lego as a medium. First thing that comes to mind is "Haha! The little Lego guys are all moving!" Once they get past this, they enjoy the rest of the video.
Lego is a toy. It is not an animaition program. It is not a publicly accepted "adult" hobby. 99% of people will laugh when they see a Lego person moving. Laugh. To further the viewer's enjoyment, it is easiest to create a brickfilm with a comedic style. Dramas don't tend to work as well in the Lego form, although they can be effective, comedy better suits Lego.
Don't take this information as if dramatic films are evil. Some of my favourite brickfilms are dramas. But to start off your brickfilming career, it will be easiest to make silly films, and then if you develop enough to a point where you really want to challenge yourself, you could try dramatic films.

Most important thing is have fun. This isn't you job. You don't have to do this, so if you do brickfilm, why not enjoy it! If you like your films and enjoy spending time putting them together, then nothing else matters.
Have fun! mini/smile

NXTManiac

https://i.imgur.com/IRCtQGu.jpg
  • Location: United States
  • Joined: November 20, 2009

Re: Is this a good idea?

NXTManiac wrote:

First off, welcome to BricksInMotion!
Now to answer your question regarding animation style, let's breakdown brickfilming to the core.
Filming. Bricks. Filming with bricks.
Now, step into someone else's shoes, and imagine someone showing you a video on YouTube. This video uses Lego as a medium. First thing that comes to mind is "Haha! The little Lego guys are all moving!" Once they get past this, they enjoy the rest of the video.
Lego is a toy. It is not an animaition program. It is not a publicly accepted "adult" hobby. 99% of people will laugh when they see a Lego person moving. Laugh. To further the viewer's enjoyment, it is easiest to create a brickfilm with a comedic style. Dramas don't tend to work as well in the Lego form, although they can be effective, comedy better suits Lego.
Don't take this information as if dramatic films are evil. Some of my favourite brickfilms are dramas. But to start off your brickfilming career, it will be easiest to make silly films, and then if you develop enough to a point where you really want to challenge yourself, you could try dramatic films.

Most important thing is have fun. This isn't you job. You don't have to do this, so if you do brickfilm, why not enjoy it! If you like your films and enjoy spending time putting them together, then nothing else matters.
Have fun! mini/smile

NXTManiac

Thanks so much. All of you guys have really helped me out!