Bricks in Motion
We are a friendly filmmaking community devoted to the art of stop-motion animation using LEGO® and similar construction toys. Here, you can share your work, join our community of other brickfilmers, and participate in periodic animation contests!
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Hello! I was thinking. What do you guys use for your sets on bricksinmotion? I am wondering If I am the only one out there who uses a very basic set of a baseplate, with very little added detail. I usually try to focus on scriptwriting and filming more than the set that I am filming on. So please let me know what your basic set might look like. 
While focusing on scriptwriting is fine, I find that the scripts are often not successful with a set that's lacking (though, IDK if this is the case on your films, since I really haven't seen yours).
I like to make my sets "realistic" with trees, bushes, roads, etc etc. Basically, I put what's needed and fill the environment so it looks less like a baseplate on a table, and more like a real place that extends beyond what the camera can see.
Here's an example of an outdoor set that is simple, but effective:
The best way to figure out what kind of sets people use it to watch their films. There are many varieties of sets that exist, and some are very unconventional.
My set up is far from ordinary. I never use tables, in fact I animate on the floor. For Fred Astaire - Puttin' on the Ritz, I had a base-plate on the floor, with two pieces of grey painted wood, that I used as a wall in previous films, to secure the base in place. 
Generally, I use two lights, one desk lamp, and the other is a light on the ceiling.
Last edited by William Osborne (October 25, 2015 (07:06am))
While focusing on scriptwriting is fine, I find that the scripts are often not successful with a set that's lacking (though, IDK if this is the case on your films, since I really haven't seen yours).
I like to make my sets "realistic" with trees, bushes, roads, etc etc. Basically, I put what's needed and fill the environment so it looks less like a baseplate on a table, and more like a real place that extends beyond what the camera can see.
Here's an example of an outdoor set that is simple, but effective:
The best way to figure out what kind of sets people use it to watch their films. There are many varieties of sets that exist, and some are very unconventional.
Thank you rioforce for your comments! I think I will use some of your techniques so my set doesn't look similar every film I make.
Every set looks different in my films, lighting often takes me longer then the animation itself, sometimes I have shots like this done with a telephoto lens:
Other times I have crazy setups like this:
To give me results like this:
For me movies are a visual medium, sound and the cinimatography are going to be the two things that really set a good short from a bad short. If a movie looks or sounds really bad I turn it off in the first 30 seconds or so, and when people are turning off the short in the first 30 seconds it doesn't really matter how good the writing is, although I think a key factor with a lot of bad writing is failing to realize the potential of a visual medium and making what is essentially a radio play that has a picture for some unknown reason.
Most of the ideas I am excited about making tend to be very visual in nature and if they script is going in a more dialog heavy direction I try to ask myself how I can enhance the dialog with the visuals.
I consider my medium to be light, not LEGO, light and sound are the two things I try to get best, everything else is just gravy.
These sets you just showed me look really good SlothPaladin!
They were both from Beyond the Eleventh Dimension, I don't really have any current behind the scenes pics from my current project.
@Raptor what do you think of my set up?
It is nice. I have never heard of any animators animating on the floor, but I might try it some time. (Because there is no table that moves, which shakes the set.)
I would recommend it 
This is off topic, but I don't recommend animating on the floor AT ALL. First off, every time you walk, it bumps the set, because the floor will shake under the vibrations of your feet. While this happens all the time, even on a table, it's far more on the floor. Second, being on the floor is extremely uncomfortable, and you can kick over the set on accident if you're not EXTREMELY careful. You can also not do any camera or lighting angles that are lower than the set. There are so many disadvantages to animating on the floor, it's just so illogical.
Well l, if you don't have the room to fit in a large table, then you might think differently. Besides, because my room has a carpet, there is no vibrating. For what I do, it seems perfectly fine. Also, in other films of mine, I have filmed some very large scenes, which I don't think I would have been able to do on a table. Also, with a desk lamp, you wouldn't be able to adjust it below the table anyway. There might be some disadvantages with filming on the floor, but due to my lack of space, and not really having much choice, I have managed to cope without a table. I wouldn't disregard the idea, and I'm only saying that because of my own experience.
Last edited by William Osborne (October 26, 2015 (02:58pm))
This is off topic, but I don't recommend animating on the floor AT ALL. First off, every time you walk, it bumps the set, because the floor will shake under the vibrations of your feet. While this happens all the time, even on a table, it's far more on the floor. Second, being on the floor is extremely uncomfortable, and you can kick over the set on accident if you're not EXTREMELY careful. You can also not do any camera or lighting angles that are lower than the set. There are so many disadvantages to animating on the floor, it's just so illogical.
That seems logical rioforce. But William must not have that problem because his films don't seem to have any problems with shaking.
Am in the making of the new Star Wars The Force Awakens trailer, but am not sure how to build the set with the new stormtroopers in it?
This is generally what my setup looks like. For lighting I mainly use a desk lamp (pictured above), my iPod flashlight, and mini LED lights from lifelites.com.
Here's a look at the original photo from this particular setup along with the near-final, edited version.
Wow. Those photos looked great Glactic films! 
They're a bit dreary. And dark. I'd add more light and change the white balance.
They're a bit dreary. And dark. I'd add more light and change the white balance.
I think the white balance is fine, if that's the look and mood he's going for. However, I do agree, the shadows are blown out with darkness. (Though, this isn't the "Critique my Frame" topic, so we ought not be critiquing. )
Nice setup, though. Rather simple, but the forced perspective works.
This film looks like it will be great galactic films! When do you think you will be done with it? 
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