Little Lego Versions of Big Screen Legends
Lego fanatics' movie makeovers are sweeping the Internet, one block at a time.
Feb. 1, 2009 — -- Fifty years ago, when the Lego brick was introduced, the creators knew it would build many things for many people.
What they probably did not count on was it building with its tiny bricks an entire online film genre, and devoted fan following, including remakes of some of the real silver screen's biggest stars.
Using the small blocks, comically misshapen but instantly lovable Lego characters and often complex set pieces, amateur filmmakers the world over are crafting highly sophisticated and stylized movies and then posting them on the Internet, often to rave reviews.
"They kind of accidentally make the best animation tool on the market," said Tony Miles, a professional Lego movie-maker at Spite Your Face Productions. "You get these hinges and socket joints and all these other things to make worlds out of."
But just because a lot of people are doing it, it doesn't mean it's easy. According to Miles, it takes about a week's worth of work -- capturing a frame, moving the Legos into the next position, capturing the next frame, ect. -- to turn a real life scene into one minute's worth of Lego animation.
"It's a long, laborious, idiotic process that only a true masochist would get into," Miles joked.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original Lego character, Mini-Man, Lego challenged anyone with a camera, a computer, a few Legos and a dream to make a tribute film.
Dozens of videos poured in, but in the end only one could win. Click here to check out the top five videos including the contest winner.
So after 30 years as the star of the Lego scene, what's next for Mini-Man?
Mines told "Good Morning America" he wants to make a full-length feature film. At 90 minutes, that could take almost two years to film.
"I am basically a lost cause. It's a sad thing, really, but there it is," Miles said laughing.