Most of my film projects involve traveling to wide-open outdoor spaces, like farms and construction sites, so it may come as a surprise that the most expansive world I’ve captured on film was built in a single room.
Small Bricks, Big Ambitions
Rich Hoffmann
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Some sets were as small as a shoebox…
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…while others covered a full dining table.
Last summer, when the UnTours Foundation approached me to make a sequel to Dollars That Make Sense, I saw an opportunity to do even more with stop-motion than I’d previously thought possible. I’d always wanted to try making a film with LEGO® bricks, and the success of DTMS gave me the confidence to pursue the idea.
It was nice to not worry about my camera holding up in poor weather, for a change!
Before any LEGO bricks were involved, though, we needed a compelling script. Longtime collaborator Monica Moran, who provided the narration for both DTMS and this project, helped me fine-tune the script with Elizabeth Killough from UnTours. The challenge in developing Bold Gold was portraying the nuance behind a dragon’s decision to generously share its riches with the community—since, in this case, the wealth being shared represents the companies that UnTours wants to help with mission-aligned investing.
Got a few coins to share?
Once the script, voice-over, and music (by Peter Tramo and Tom Hamilton) were ready, I didn’t have to go very far for support with the shoot itself. My older son, Casper, is a longtime LEGO hobbyist and collector who not only designed and built most of the sets with me but also used his in-depth knowledge of brick types to modify the builds for stop-motion animation. For three months, we painstakingly assembled scene after scene and carefully outlined every single movement to complete each shot in as few takes as possible, since any reshoots would involve repositioning up to several hundred pieces. The result is a labor of love full of tiny details—see if you can spot the Easter egg reference to Watermelon Magic!
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Casper’s deep knowledge of LEGO brick types helped us get every detail right.
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A casting call for dragons: Casper’s collection already included several models for us to choose from.
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My younger son Lucas helped assemble some of the sets.
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A probe lens let us get inside the dragon’s lair without having to disassemble the door frame.
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Casper (left), Lucas (right), and I enjoyed being amateur city planners.
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Clear blue pieces represented water that extinguished a forest fire.
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![08 Dragon's Lair 4.jpg]( "Minimal lighting and post-production effects disguised the wire that kept our dragon in place during its dramatic exit.")
Minimal lighting and post-production effects disguised the wire that kept our dragon in place during its dramatic exit.
“The process of concept, with clients, scriptwriters, and a creative team, is where Rich shines. He is gifted at sifting through the rubble of ideas, thoughts, and hopes for a film and plucking out the gem. Having worked with Rich on various projects as a creative collaborator and scriptwriter, it is a true joy to participate and watch the gem become a diamond.”
—Monica Moran, script editor and narrator
As a bonus, my friend and longtime collaborator Zia Kazi put together this great behind-the-scenes clip of the making of Bold Gold.
Disclaimer: LEGO is a trademark of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorize, or endorse 215 Timelapse.