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!
A place to discuss, share, and create stop motion films.
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Fantastic work. The complex camera work, animation and effects all came across effortlessly on screen (reminded me of Chrispi Cheezers). The story was engaging too. I was expecting for our heros to become the robots...or did they in an alternate future? Anyway, lots of fun and terrific production value.
I loved it, great set design and awesome fitting music. The only thing that bothered me was that it was going a bit too fast in a couple of places, so it took me a second watch to find out that
the radio is actually a time-machine
. Well, I was a bit tired when I watched this so that might be it.
This is my favorite entry so far. I like how the street scene was mostly made of parts from the green grocer.
I liked it alright,. The animation was fantastic, and while the camera movements were original and well-done, I felt like the direction as a whole didn't quite hold up the plot. I think it could have felt a lot more concise and had a real bite, instead it just sort of meandered from one scene to the next.
Excellent work with the photoshop editing. I did not notice any of those rigs on the skater, etc.
I also love the robot design and animation. Well done.
Okay, John's demise we see, but what about Frank? We see a helmeted skeleton, but Frank was wearing a fedora and lying on his back.
This is one of my favorites for the STAR Contest, it may be based around time travel but I think you took a creative approach to it and it pays off. The sets and animation are fantastic, everything (animation, sets, story, music, use of color) works together to contribute to the whimsical, cartoon-like style of the film.
The only problem I have with the film is the lightning fast pacing in places -- I'm not sure if that's really a problem with the film or if it's just something I personally don't like. (When I made The Oven and had to cram it into 2:00 minutes I was really taken aback by the pacing at first, though looking back I think it's less of a problem than I originally thought, mostly because it was different from what I'm accustomed to.) Everything in CYCLIC happens so fast, the first time I watched it I remember thinking "wow, that was impressive, but I have no idea what just happened." On a second viewing I enjoyed it much more, almost like I wasn't watching the same movie, (kudos for coming up with a story that encourages multiple viewings) but I can't totally disregard my first impression. The pacing is similar to your other movies, so I assume it's a deliberate, conscious decision.
This is what I like about BIM, feedback. I can put a film up on YouTube and get 300 smilie faces as comments.
Thanks for taking the time Smeagol. I appreciate that this isn't your style of film but your insight is still very valuable.
Pacing is still an issue in my films but I'm getting better I hope? I slowed things down quite a lot I thought by having some dialogue to contrast the action. I have trouble making any serious drama with Lego characters they just look too funny and almost like a cartoon.
I tried some new roads with Cyclic but the pirate scene was shot last and when time got short I defaulted back to the zany hectic cartoon pace I love. It also gave me an excuse to use more of Rob's music. He sent me almost 20 minutes of Metal to use and it's hard to mix that back under some dialogue. Metal should be loud.
So delibrate only in the sense that this pace is mostly how I like it. I'm too close to it to be critical and it's so hard to find a critic.
"Hey do you want to see my new stop-motion film made with Lego bricks?" The people I work with think I'm quite special already. I send out a preview in the email system and get 12 smilie faces reply back. I think they are too scared to engage in conversation about it.
The other day the boardroom had the big boss, a client and my project manager in there for a meeting. When I walked past they were all pissing themselves laughing so I stuck my head in the door, they were watching Cyclic. The client loved it.
The only thing I was concious of was I had to make it engaging enough to watch again. Hence the cycle gets repeated.
Pacing is still an issue in my films but I'm getting better I hope? I slowed things down quite a lot I thought by having some dialogue to contrast the action. I have trouble making any serious drama with Lego characters they just look too funny and almost like a cartoon.
Yeah I added the "in some places" note as I was reviewing because some sequences - like the scene about Scrabble, and the opening - slowed down quite a bit. This almost made the sudden shifts to faster pacing a little more jarring. The action was at times a little too fast to follow on a first viewing for me, the same issue I had with Train 2 Catch except that it's much less apparent here because it's only for short bursts where as in that film there was no slowing down from start to finish.
I agree about the serious drama with minifigs part, it is why I never try for anything totally serious in my films. (Bane of the Sith is sort of an exception, but Unrenewable is meant to be humorous in presentation, with a more serious meaning)
I only just got around to watching this, and I love it.
I love your fast paced 24fps style of animating and the cartoony feel it gives. however, this is a double edged sword because as many people have already said, it risks leaving the viewer bewildered as to what just happened.
Still, I wouldn't hesitate to give this one 4 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and I've enjoyed watching your animation improve as your films keep coming and coming.
Quite an accomplishment, well done!
By the way, it was featured on TBB. Congrats!
-Don
By the way, it was featured on TBB. Congrats!
-Don
And Euro Bricks.
I like what you did with the robots/droids, specifically to show emotion. It is so hard to get these actors to show frustration, curiosity, etc. nicely done.
Very nice animated must of took long to do the cyclic animation
Dude, that's now my favorite brickfilm!
^^^
I don't mind bumping on a film, but please, say something GOOD instead of ''THIS IS MY FAVOURITE FILM'' 
It has taken too long but much of the music heard in the film CYCLIC has been professionally mastered and now released.
The title song is called "The Leather Muppet". So despite what Leo thinks, Rob's music is fricken awesome, go and listen to it.
Click the thumbnail for the iTunes link. Go get some!
Cyclic is definitely one of my favorite brickfilms.
As I said before.
Great Work Boddy!
I really like your style, don't put too much into what Smeagol was saying about pacing. No offense Smeagol (I highly respect your work!) but most of your films, and most brickfilms in general, move too slow for my tastes. Granted, if you look at the few things I've produced, I also lean heavily in favor of too much too fast. But on the whole, that is the better mistake, too fast means you have to watch it again. Too slow means you lose interest half way through...
I have been a secret fan of yours for a while, so my only real critique has to do with lighting quality and shot angles. It seems like your color balance is off in some scenes, and things are just a little too bright and saturated. This can be a stylistic choice, but it's a little harsh on the eyes, literally, as in physically. Not all of your work is like this, did something happen or change? It is also pretty flat lighting, and the angles chosen don't necessarily model the forms of your sets or figures as well as they could either.
Just food for thought on an otherwise spectacular short. Animation was great, clever work at the end all the way around. You all do a great job voicing the figs... and yes, I too want to know the story behind the bots!
Thanks for the advice Garrett. Lighting was a real problem with this film. I shot the last scene first and had trouble getting the camera setup. I didn't realise until after I had shot most of that scene that the camera had reset exposure and gain settings.
I now have a half decent light setup so I don't have an excuses left. As for the direction, that is my weakness. Many of the positions and angles in Cyclic were to accomodate the sets. I have only a modest amount of free bricks.
Thanks again I really appreciate any help I can get.
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