Topic: Brickfilm of the Week: Through the Hatch (August 28, 2015)
(I will be filling in for Brickfilm of the Week while Nathan is busy filming the animated portion of the BiM documentary with Sméagol and MindGame.)
This week’s Brickfilm of the Week is Through the Hatch by David Clark.
Through the Hatch is an action brickfilm by David Clark. It was first released in 2009, though was possibly finished earlier. It is about a police chase through the attic of a house. As with many of David Clark's other brickfilms, it uses real life for its setting, and makes use of in-set effects and lighting. It is Clark's first brickfilm, and made an impression when posted to BiM in 2010. A sequel, Down the Hatch, was in production in 2006 but was later cancelled, and the scenes that were filmed were released in 2012.
David Clark is a member of Bricks in Motion under the username namchild. He is best known for The Duel, and also placed second in THAC 8 with LEGO vs..
Watch Through the Hatch on YouTube
What Through the Hatch may lack in frame-rate, it more than makes up for in creativity and technique. One of the most impressive animated elements is the camera itself, and I am always impressed by the camera following the car through tight spaces such as the shot at 2:08. The film is a great example of using real-world setting, even if it doesn't explicitly acknowledge that it's in the real world or interact with humans, like in other films such as The Magic Portal or Headache-key.
What are your thoughts on Through the Hatch? What did you like about it? Did you have a favorite moment? Do you know any other brickfilms that make good use of a real-life setting?