Ah, where to begin?

Beast, simply put, is my personal favorite Brickfilm. I, in no way, intend to imply that it is the best Brickfilm ever made. (A close runner-up in that category would be the film that beat it in the Fame, Infamy, and Glory contest – Robinson Wood’s Grace.) However, Beast is the Brickfilm I watch when I’m feeling down, when I’m feeling happy, and when I want to be inspired. It’s the only Brickfilm I’ve watched over 100 times, and, certainly is one I love to quote, reference, and remember throughout my everyday life.

Aside from one certain Spongebob Christmas Short that featured LEGO stop-motion animation, Nathan Wells’ Beast was the first “Brickfilm” I ever saw. Actually, it was probably one of the first youtube videos I had seen as well. And, though I loved watching it, I wasn’t as interested in making my own brickfilms at the time, and thus, only watched it with the mind of a viewer…

However, that’s not to say that my fascination with Beast was small or unimportant. Actually, the opposite. No, Beast was such a film that sat in my conscious, I even recommended it to be screened at my local library that was having a contest to “find the most compelling story in a youtube video.” This was probably around 2009. Needless to say, it won. (Though, one of its competitors was a Fred video, so, take that with a grain of salt.)

Later, when I started taking Brickfilming as a serious hobby and art form, I took a look back at Beast again, this time with my Director’s eye. I wasn’t looking at Dr. Wilson, or Detective Bill Gristle. No, this time, I focused my attention between the cracks in the bricks in the walls of the sets, and the glare of the lights upon the minifigures faces. And, it was a truly inspiring experience. Not only did Beast stand the test of time as a great standalone story, but, it was also a very technical Brickfilm to marvel at. Similar to Nathan’s other brickfilms Driven and Alex and Derrick: Five Years Later, every single set not only looks aesthetically pleasing, but, also has some really cool, and really ingenuitive twists to prop building. I love watching the café, the two scientists’ labs, and the rooftop scene again and again, just to watch how Nathan crafted and arranged the LEGO elements together.

Beast’s true strength is in its enjoyability. What it may lack in animation and color correction (which, even by high standards, are still pretty great on their own) it excels at in sets, characters, and overall fun! A parody/spoof/reboot never felt this original, this creative…

I could easily write an entire book on my love of Nathan Wells’ Brickfilm, going scene by scene into the writing, development, and sparkle of every frame. However, that’s hardly necessary. Beast certainly speaks for itself. It’s still my favorite Brickfilm, and, has inspired hours and hours of creativity in myself alone. Beast is the mold that I sculpt my films to. It is a staple, an absolute, within my mind, and is the first Brickfilm that I suggest newer brickfilmers watch.

With Nathan once hinting at a “Director’s Cut,” on Beast’s youtube description, I gained hope that the original, darker, and longer story would one day grace the LED’s of my Computer Monitor… And, I’d still love to see a parts list and instruction page on how to build the titular beast. But, I digress. Even if these two requests of mine are never met, Beast is still enough to keep me inspired, creative, and imaginative. Thanks for the inspiration, Nathan. I only hope to accomplish half of what Beast was to me in my own films.