LEGO Group and fan films have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship from the beginning, and the MMOG LEGO Universe promises to open up even more possibilities for animators. LEGO obviously wants to encourage this kind of fan interaction, as evidenced by the recent press release announcing they would provide prizes for the Build-A-Brickbuster Contest, put on by the nonprofit film series Ones and Zeros Pixelshow. (Today they announced the contest deadline would be extended to Tuesday, Aug. 9.)
The rise of online filmmaking communities like www.bricksinmotion.com encouraged LEGO to venture into video games, with cut screens that could have easily been fan films.
Ones and Zeros said they put on the contest because many animators first learned the process of stop motion with a camera and LEGO bricks. Often, their careers began when LEGO commissioned their work for commercials, LEGOClubTV and elsewhere. Many credit the success of viral LEGO films with floating LEGO through some tough economic times, due to the free publicity they produced.
World of Warcraft has spawned countless fan films (such as Leeroy Jenkins), and encourages them, and this recent move shows LEGO wants to do the same, but LEGO Universe promises to open up even more tools for filmmaking than WoW. In addition to regular gameplay,
LEGO Universe is unique in offering individual properties players can build castles, forts and amusement parks with bricks collected in the game. What's more, they can program items with behaviors so that characters can interact with the set, or even go on a player-generated mission.
Winners of the contest will be shown at the Build-A-Brickbuster Pixelfest Aug. 13-14 in Broomfield, CO. Neighboring Lousville, CO is home of the offices of LEGO Universe, and some of the developers will be on hand to discuss the game.
It is but another example of how LEGO, fans and nonprofits can all benefit from one another.
Comments