This article appears in the new issue ofDEN OF GEEK magazine.
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Pharrell Williams is a legend.
And now hes a Lego figure.
I didnt record our first conversation, but we reenacted it for the film.
And so,Piece by Piecewas born.
So, I got Charlie Wilson from the Gap Band to re-sing it.
Pharrell wrote songs for the movie, too.
It was a great opportunity to really let the songs help drive the narrative.
Because of the nature of the film, there were a lot of moving parts.
I dont know if anybodys ever done a film like this, Neville says.
We essentially made the film twice.
First, Neville shot a live-action documentary version of the film, complete with interviews.
Neville says he thinks of it in terms of three gears.
Its an idealized version of how something happened.
Its like a movie scene.
So I said, Well, let those play cinematically.
Later, when the music comes in, it plays fantastically, and anything can happen.
So we go into outer space or underwater, whatever else.
Fun fact: anything thats animated in a Lego movie also has to be buildable.
Its a cute detail that actually proved to be a bit of a challenge forPiece by Piece.
They said, the problem is the dreadlock could break off, and a child could choke on it.
And we said, Yeah, but this is animated.
They said, It doesnt matter.
We found a compromise but it was interesting.
The biggest challenge of all though?
Bricks arent flexible, says Neville.
How much can a head wiggle on a non-existent neck?
And how much can you suggest motion where there isnt motion?
That was one of the things we realized early.
In a movie full of dancing, they were fortunate to find a good workaround.
In animation, you control the world.
In documentary, the world controls you.
Piece by Piece opens in the UK on Oct. 20 and is out now in the US.
