Bricks in Motion
We are a friendly filmmaking community devoted to the art of stop-motion animation using LEGO® and similar construction toys. Here, you can share your work, join our community of other brickfilmers, and participate in periodic animation contests!
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The Revenge Song
This is a music video trying to present a new character for my Assassin's Lego series without using dialogues. I hope you like it!
Last edited by HarryAndBillyBrick (August 15, 2016 (10:14am))
This has to be some of the most realistic animation I've seen in LEGO. Very cinematic. There are literally too many good qualities to point out! I think I'd be listing every shot...! The small scale buildings, transitions, lighting, how he walks through the crowd, the dancing, the underwater clip. Wow!
This is a original series, right?
Last edited by VN (August 14, 2016 (01:31pm))
Wow, this is incredible! The smooth animation is perfection!
Last edited by William Osborne (August 15, 2016 (07:24am))
Thanks for the feedback, William and Infinity!
This is a original series, right?
Yes, I started this series in 2010 and it keeps going.
This is a original series, right?
Yes, I started this series in 2010 and it keeps going.
Spectacular. I'll be looking for your work in the future.
Wow. This is fantastic. Everything is top notch.
I especially love your camera movements - very cinematic. 
This is some amazing stuff. Fantastic character animation coupled with great camera moves is a huge, huge win! Loved the subtlety in all of the character's movements, gave them a real life! Since I'm almost positive you animated this at 24 fps, I was just curious if you animated on ones or twos here. I'm assuming ones just from how much smooth, minute movement you're able to get here, but I could be wrong and I'm deathly curious.
I actually haven't watch the other installments of Assassin's LEGO, however this makes me want to go on back and watch those to see what I missed, although I think this right here works pretty well as a standalone film.
This is some amazing stuff. Fantastic character animation coupled with great camera moves is a huge, huge win! Loved the subtlety in all of the character's movements, gave them a real life! Since I'm almost positive you animated this at 24 fps, I was just curious if you animated on ones or twos here. I'm assuming ones just from how much smooth, minute movement you're able to get here, but I could be wrong and I'm deathly curious.
I actually haven't watch the other installments of Assassin's LEGO, however this makes me want to go on back and watch those to see what I missed, although I think this right here works pretty well as a standalone film.
Thanks, I appreciate your positive feedback. It's funny but the whole video was animated at 15 fps 
But it's true that several camera movements are supported with the warp stabilizer preset (from after effects), for example the shot at 0:04 or at 2:36. Maybe that's why it has given you the feeling of being animated at 24fps...
Regarding to the series, I always try to make in a certain way that every single video works as an independent story.
Excellent Job! Of all the elements in this film, I admire most the editing (by that I mean, the ordering of the scenes to tell the story) and the cinematography. This is probably the best edited brickfilm I have ever seen!
Only critique is that the theme is revenge, which is not exactly a righteous concept. However, Justice is a righteous theme, and I would have enjoyed the film that much better if you would have shown the character striving for justice (by having the man arrested and convicted in a court of law) instead of revenge.
Aside from that, great work on both the editing, and the cinematography!
Thanks,
Remnant Media
Such was the reason "Revenge of the Jedi" was renamed "Return of the Jedi".
This is great. The animation is the definition of perfection. The overall everything was awesome.
Only critique is that the theme is revenge, which is not exactly a righteous concept. However, Justice is a righteous theme, and I would have enjoyed the film that much better if you would have shown the character striving for justice (by having the man arrested and convicted in a court of law) instead of revenge.
I must disagree, Remnant. The film was about revenge. The character wouldn't be the character he is if he strove for justice instead of revenge. He's obviously not a "righteous" character. I think that you may be looking at the film wrong. The film's purpose wasn't to teach people about the goodness of justice, it was to show the process of one character's revenge state. Yes, it can teach a moral (sort of in a reverse way), but I feel that it's main purpose is to tell a story. That story being revenge.
I agree with rioforce. Film would get really boring if every film had a good message. Film, like every form of art, explores the entirety of the human condition, and we would be remiss as filmmakers if we ignored the bad stuff just because it makes us uncomfortable. Film isn't always supposed to make you feel good.
Fantastic film, by the way. Really great dramatic brickfilms are few and far between, and you've done an amazing job.
That's a very good point. There are many decisions that some of my characters do that I may personally not do, but I don't model all my characters to be like me. Some characters are meant to be righteous, whilst others aren't. In this film (which by the way, is really good), you're not supposed to view this, agreeing or disagreeing with his motivations, instead we see the development of a conflicted man.
Well, thank you all for stating your positions on this idea. You all have inspired me to say a little bit, which will probably turn out to be a big bit, apologies. Alright, let's get into it.
I think the shortest way to address all of your points at once is to head to the heart of the issue. It seems you all, and I, have a fundamentally different view of the purpose of films, and art in general.
First of all, in terms of films, I agree with Rioforce, they should tell a story. But, I believe that the story should have a purpose behind it. I believe that the purpose of all art, (including films), is to first, glorify the Creator, God. I imagine Rioforce, you would agree with this belief (Your signature is, ""Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31b). Second, it is to inspire, educate and motivate people to know and to do the righteous thing. I believe as artists we have a duty to impact society for the good. After all, As it says in William Osborne's signature, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13.
That said, there are many ways a film, or any piece of art, can glorify God, and inspire people. I believe telling a story of compassion, sacrifice, loyalty, good character, or justice, which is based upon Biblical principles can do both. I don't believe as Christians we are required to produce sermons only, clearly, my studio's films are contradictory to that belief.
Backyardlegos said, "I agree with rioforce. Film would get really boring if every film had a good message. Film, like every form of art, explores the entirety of the human condition, and we would be remiss as filmmakers if we ignored the bad stuff just because it makes us uncomfortable. Film isn't always supposed to make you feel good." I hope, over time, as we create more content on our channel, we can get you, backyardlegos, to change your mind about films with good messages being boring. Also, I don't think filmmakers should ignore that "bad stuff", as long as we declare it to be what it is, "bad stuff"! It would be great to see a film about revenge, which showed how revenge can consume a person, and how it can destroy you, and how it is truly "bad stuff". That type of film is the classic tragedy, and the point of a tragedy is to show a example of "bad stuff" so one can learn from it.
I hope you all understand a little better what my comment meant. To HarryandBillyBrick, my sentiment has not changed, well done on the film, a great example of cinematography, and editing, but not the best theme in my opinion. To all of you who shared your opinions, thank you for allowing me to state my beliefs on this subject and think deeply on this concept.
Thank you All,
Remnant Media
P.S. I warned you it would be a big bit.
It kinda seems some people think that every film should be a cut and dried character story, but that doesn't necessarily have to be the case. For starters, I believe the content of a film should really depend on a variety of factors, including your audience. Like, a film featuring revenge wouldn't be the best idea for a child audience, but I see nothing wrong with it for a more mature audience that already has a good grasp on right from wrong.
Films don't always have to tell you what to think. I think it's sometimes good for a film to present you with a situation and allow you to form your own conclusions, thereby learning in that fashion rather than just getting "preached at" (not that anything is wrong with preaching, or that there isn't a place for such films. I just don't think it has to be the only type of film per se). I think you can teach morals through contrast as well as direct example.
As a bit of a side note, just look at all the terrible and tragic stuff in the Bible. Even good people don't always do the right thing, and not every story ends well.
As to the actual film itself, I can only echo what the others have already said. Brilliantly done in every way. Keep it up man.
Last edited by Brickcrazy (November 13, 2016 (01:57pm))
Brilliantly written, lit, and animated brickfilm. One of the best I've seen recently.
Your technique of sliding the protagonist along on a plate really helped make this film fluid and surreal.
How much of the camera movement was done in camera? It was really smooth.
As for the topic of 'revenge', I tend to agree with Rioforce and Brickcrazy; this film doesn't seem to advocate revenge, but rather is telling a story of a revengeful man.
Was the music composed on Musescore? That snare sound sounds really familiar...
While I agree that with every film there's something to learn, I don't think that thing has to be explicitly give to morals to the audience on a silver platter. I'm just going to echo Brickcrazy here. I think that the film, even though it may not be intended, is actually teaching that revenge is wrong by showing it. No, he doesn't have a redemptive moment, but that's not needed to show us that it's wrong. After all, it's not glorifying the act of revenge. And even if it was, something can still be learned.
While I do tend to personally make movies that retain a certain sense of morality to them instead of glorifying wrongdoing, I do not necessarily need the story to be all wrapped up with a bow at the end. In this particular scenario, the film is part of a larger series. Maybe he'll change his ways later, who knows? But even if he doesn't, it's not a problem because the audience understands that he's an evil character. You say "I don't think filmmakers should ignore that "bad stuff", as long as we declare it to be what it is, "bad stuff"", but I personally see the audience as an intelligent crowd who knows that what's happening is bad. I didn't see any gray area morality in The Revenge Song.
As a Christian, it's undeniable to say that I don't put morals in my films, but I don't think every film needs a religious message. I usually go by the idea that whatever situation a protagonist has to face, that they chose what seems right. However, not all of my characters reflect my personal ideas, so what they perceive as right, may not be what I would. Some people might find comfort in revenge, whilst many think they would, only to find that it in fact makes them feel discomfort. Even movies like the Spider man trilogy tackle the moral issue of things like revenge and the pain it can cause. I prefer to always have a character to route for, someone who has morals, but my films don't always have to have a definite religious message.
I don't think filmmakers should ignore that "bad stuff", as long as we declare it to be what it is, "bad stuff"! It would be great to see a film about revenge, which showed how revenge can consume a person, and how it can destroy you, and how it is truly "bad stuff". That type of film is the classic tragedy, and the point of a tragedy is to show a example of "bad stuff" so one can learn from it.
Many of Jesus' parables have ambiguous endings lacking in clarity that leave interpretation to the audience. And in many of those cases the audiences he was speaking to are clearly not able to figure it out on the spot. Do you believe Jesus could have improved upon them by driving the morals home more clearly?
...
I'm being facetious, but my point is that stories that force the audience to think about the ideas in them rather than doing all of that thinking for them tend to be more powerful. If you declare the "bad stuff" bad in a direct manner, within the story, it can undermine that power.
I like this film because of how it achieves that room for audience reflection through minimalism and a bleak tone and atmosphere. It is far from glorifying revenge, but it doesn't actively prevent us from coming to our own conclusions, either.
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