"They'll never let us do this."We were proposing to make a major studio movie look like it was made in someone's basement. The characters wouldn't have fingers. Our story involved licensed characters from at least three different movie studios. We would need permission from J.K. Rowling, George Lucas, Christopher Nolan and the NBA. Not to mention the Lego Group, which wasn't entirely convinced it needed to make a movie in the first place. Not to mention a Third Act twist sequence that we weren't sure was going to actually work. "Well, let's just pitch it fast and maybe they won't realize how crazy this is."So began "The Lego Movie."It was an audacious thing to attempt in feature animation. We wanted to use cutting-edge computer technology to make something as rough-hewn and messy as an amateur film. We were making a movie about a toy that inspires creativity. And we thought if we embraced the limitations of the medium, it would inspire creative solutions. So every frame had to feel like anyone could have made it at home, if that "anyone" had millions of Lego bricks and sophisticated lighting equipment.
Knees and elbows had to stay stiff. Explosions and water, even motion blur, had to be made of Lego bricks. Every brick would need computer-generated fingerprints and scratches and hair and (ew) dandruff. We had a two-hour meeting to decide how much dandruff there should be in the movie. The surprising answer: "Some."We took over the Animal Logic offices in Santa Monica, basically a big warehouse, far away from daily supervision. Chris McKay, our co-director, had the idea to start every day with an all-crew meeting. Designers, artists, editors, production coordinators. Even the IT guy. Just a meeting to talk about one another's work, tell jokes and get the creative juices flowing. Unquestionably, a very inefficient meeting. Occasionally something great would come out of it. One of the assistant editors mentioned he had built a double-decker couch in his apartment once. A week later it had worked its way into an artists' storyboard. We worked it into the script, and by the time the movie came out, the double-decker couch had become a major story point.
Instead of running a gantlet of formal storyboard reviews, we asked that artists and editors work quickly back and forth, without a lot of time for refinement, because we knew that, like a Lego creation itself, we were going to take the whole thing apart and rebuild it again and again. The same thing went for our actors and our design team and our animators. Each step was designed to evolve the story, make a character more distinctive, get to the core emotional truth of a relationship, add a joke and, more than anything, imbue the film with something that a movie about Lego had to have: a sense of creative empowerment.A lot of movies follow the pattern of the Hero's Journey, an archetypal story about a hero who is one in a million. An extraordinary talent preordained to be the only person who can save humankind. Our problem with that is that it lets the rest of humankind off the hook. We wanted to see if we could make a hero's journey story where the hero was not extraordinary but extra ordinary — with no special talent whatsoever, who could be any one of us.
If we could pull that off, maybe we could make a movie that empowered every person who saw it.So just like those movies, we had a prophecy. We even got Morgan Freeman to say it. But we also got Morgan Freeman to tell the hero that the prophecy was a fiction. And that anyone who chose to believe it could fulfill it.We set out to use a big commercial studio film as a Trojan horse to relay a message about the power and necessity of grass-roots creativity. We wanted to make a movie that made you feel more creative when you walked out than when you walked in.Every movie is an attempt to answer some big question, and we had found ours: Can we make someone an artist just by telling them they are?But it's not like we're scientists or something. We don't know anything. Book online now and upgrade to a free annual pass Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett and Morgan Freeman lend their voices to this CGI-animated comedy based on the line of toys made by Lego. The wicked Lord Business (Will Ferrell) is determined to destroy the Lego universe and rebuild it using glue – which goes against the very nature of Lego.
Mistaken as the ‘Special’, the only surviving Master Builder, the rather ordinary Emmet (Pratt) is selected to lead a group of figures on a mission to put a stop to Lord Business’s evil plan. Emmet is helped by wise wizard Vitruvius (Freeman), tough girl Wyldstyle (Banks) and DC superhero Batman (Arnett), but can he find something extraordinary within himself in order to save the world? The film also features the voices of Channing Tatum, Liam Neeson, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie and Jonah Hill. The LEGO Movie screening is part of our Brickish Weekend, so why not add a day out to your film fix. Doors Open (please note, the building will be closing from the daytime events) – bar and café available The LEGO Movie screening Are there ID requirements or an age limit to enter the event? U Universal – Suitable for all – A U film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over, although it is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child.
What are my transport/parking options getting to the event? There are 400 free car parking spaces available on site. We are happy to call taxis for people and there is a bus stop to the 54 route within a few minutes walk of the Centre. What can/can’t I bring to the event? Food and drink will not be allowed to be brought onto the premises. Where can I contact the organiser with any questions? The National Space Centre – 0116 261 0261 (this phone line is manned Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:00) Is my registration/ticket transferrable? No, tickets are non transferable or refundable. Can I update my registration information? No, once a ticket is purchased no changes can be made. Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event? Either a printed ticket, or a ticket on your phone or tablet (we like the non-printing option, it is better for the planet). What is the refund policy? All tickets are non-refundable. Bilbo’s Birthday Party (Hidden Area)
The Tri is the major focus of this level as they pull you from world to world leading up to a final show down. This is unlike normal boss fights. To defeat The Tri you will need to break him apart from the inside, freeing Metal Beard, Robin and Sam through a series of puzzles. Minikits Required Abilities – Hacking, Grapple, Acrobat, Chi, Illumination, Magic, Small Access, Mind Control, Drilling Rescue Character Required Abilities – Digging Octan Tower – 2 Minikits Destroy the small table covered into blue phones on the edge of the third platform. Assemble the pieces into a Hacking Terminal Clear the Terminal to trigger a micro manager to destroy the laser grid above releasing a minikit. After disabling the electric floor on theh upper level, to to the far right of the platform and use a character’s range attack to break apart the floating micro manager debris revealing a Grapple point. Use a character with Grapple to pull the minikit free.
Isengard – 3 Minikits Boulder Rolling Chi Power Use a character with Chi to defeat sevearl enemies in the area to fill their Chi Meter. Use the Chi Switch to move the large boulder hidding the Minikit. On the ground level of Isengard, next to the Chi Boulder, use a character with Grapple to pull down a second Acrobat wall. Jump up the walls to snag the floating Minikit! Lighting Up The Dark Before traveling up the final elevator to the base area of the tower of Isengard, there is a small cave that requires a character with Illumination to reveal the hidden kit. Bilbo’s Birthday – 4 Minikits To access Bilbo’s Birthday Party you will need a character with flight. On the ground level of Isengard, travel to the far left until you reach a bridge that will ultimately be destroyed. Fly over the gap, to the far left and drop down the hole to travel to the party! Use a characer with Mind Control on Pippin washing the dishes under the tent.
Travel over with Pippin to snag the Minikit! Use a character with Magic to light the five lanterns around the Birthday party. Under the large tree in the top right corner of the map, use a character with Small Access to climb through the door which will pop you out in a new area outside of Bilbo’s house. Pull the large rope to unlock the door & collect the minikit! Use a character with Drilling to clear the tiles around the birthday cake revealing a Keystone. Activate the portal on the party stage to bring a juke box. The dancing characters will unlock a minikit. Gotham Roofs – 1 Minikits Flying around The Tri are five Winged Monkeys that can be knocked out. Hit all five Winged Monkeys to unlock a Minikit! Location: Bilbo’s Birthday Party In the bottom right corner of Bilbo’s birthday party is Sam trapped under an overturned barrel. Use a character with Dig to uncover a pile of bricks that can be assembled into a giant lever.