The River

[SchmuckoGrande]

Impressive. As if you took Werner Herzog's "Aguirre" and Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge" and turned them into Lego. The animations in your videos are breath-taking. Awesome!!!

[eScet1]

Breathtaking

[ClockworkLantern]

this film is a master piece of animation.

[biskuti81]

This is a guess at the plot. This first answer to my next question will either explain a lot or make me more confused. Is the boat and the jackal in it have something to do with Egyptian afterlife?

[MegaMontyful]

Huh, whats the acuall point in this?

[TheEjayProductions]

The river was taking him back in time? He began by staring at those modern people, then he passes by more primitive people, then a monkey, then a dinosaur.

[MinorFawn]

it's kinda like 2001 a space odyssey, great stop-motion but indeed 2001 a space oddessey sucked

[topitmunkeydog]

the lighting in your films is not only perfect but also somethign very special

[LampLightZDL]

I don't mean to sound n00by or anything, but with the technical aspects and ingenuity put into this film, this has got to be one of the best brickfilms ever made.

[LoneLegoProductions]

incredibble man, love the scene at 4:15-4:20, really good shot, and nice light :P

[FuckingFucks]

Brilliant work mate

[SithFilmer]

This definitely reminds me of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness in so many ways. And that's a good thing.

I approach brickfilming in a completely different way than you do, and it was both refreshing and inspiring to see something so different. The dynamic lighting was superb, the camera angles, the camera movements; everything. It feels like such a complete film, despite the vagueness. Bravo sir; bravo. I'll have to keep this film in mind next time I think about filming.

[goodgoodgoodful]

Really enjoyed the music and sound effects.

[BKMPictures]

Reminds me of something that M. Night Shyamalan would do! 11/10!

[Winkyburger]

@BKMPictures

I hope not; that guy makes really shitty movies.

[BKMPictures]

@Winkyburger Not his recent movies, but some of the older ones

[MegaMontyful]

@Winkyburger I totally agree, his last airbender movie sucked!

[HairballPictures]

When it got up to the Aztecs or Mayans or Incas or whatever they were, I thought,Apocalypse Now?

[Knowlesproductions]

I assume that at the beggining it was in the civil war?

[DarthLevi1]

is he traveling back in time?

[Durkhelek]

Dude that was insane! Great work and i hope you make more of these brick films

[VikTheBrik]

Do you have your soundtracks uploaded somewhere or a place where I can download them ? I'd like to have them (for listening purposes only)

[martinnoutch]

Fantastic. The most intense stopmotion lego atmosphere I've ever seen. Sound was really beautifully manipulated. The simple use of the re-focussing in the brief shots was very powerful - it helped the scene and set seem so much bigger than it was. The close focus also let us see the bricks for themselves and appreciate the simple beauty of the gloss on the colours. There was no compromise between the medium and the meaning - not lego trying to be something else - just lego at its best.

[snapfilmproductions]

I never really saw the winning video untill now and i must say that was simply amazing.

[MrNickf99]

the civil war i think

[brianhaddad]

This was outstanding. I especially love the score!

Looks to me as though the main character has died and began his journey down the "river" as believed by the ancient Egyptians. Of course, it could have all just been a dream, but that's kind of the point I suppose. ;) Excellent work. Mr. Winkyburger. This isn't something I would normally seek out to watch, but it was very well done.

[edwardscizrhnds]

Did you use real water or plastic

[brianhaddad]

@edwardscizrhnds I'm 98% sure it's plastic. Looks like regular old cellophane wrap, but I could be mistaken. I reserve the final 2% as my margin of error. ;)

[Winkyburger]

@edwardscizrhnds Aluminum foil.

[edwardscizrhnds]

@Winkyburger never would have thought of that

[joachoye]

Marty! I Told You Not To Throw The Flux Capasitor Into The River!

[CWMmedia]

This was very well done! Congratulations

[KeshavOrganic]

I could go about as other animators did and try my best to show my amazement and shock after watching this film, but we all know what this film did left us speechless.........we cannot express this in words.

All I can say is don't stop brickfilming. You're going to go places.

[BrickLordStudios]

This is perhaps the most amazing film for the fact that this is the one brickfilm most like a cinema film. The constant beautiful shots, cinematography and story make it an instant classic. The story was a bit of a puzzler for me at first, and then after a third watching I got it. Funny thing, I showed it tom my dad and he understood it immediately. If there is one thing that this thing is lacking in slightly, it's animation. But it's still good, and it doesn't take away from the film.

[Mateoybeautiful]

From what i cld gather, a soldier was in emotional turmoil due to his life of war, so once the rest of his comrades died he decided to flee and search for the meaning of all of this, through this vast and mysterious world of the jungle

[Mateoybeautiful]

but i did enjoy the workmanship

[LiPgLoSsGaLz]

he obviously ran into the tree of life an was shown the timeline of history back to nothingness!

[liath611]

and the short animated film goes to the river

[pishhoho]

For some reason, this reminded me of Noah's Ark from the bible.

[razorxxlego]

Great job. How did you make the light come out of the campfire and how did you make the background light so bright yet effective?

[Winkyburger]

I actually used real tealight candles for the campfire scenes. If I recall correctly, I built an extra little set for the fire shot where I could put a candle out of sight behind and underneath the fire. It's kind of ultra-DIY with obvious risks, so not sure I'd actually recommend doing it (haha).

The background light was done by shining a couple of lamps onto a white backdrop that was a foot or two behind the set. It takes a while to get good at but works wonderfully.

[razorxxlego]

Thanks. I've been hearing from other fellow animators such as yanzl that shining a light onto a white backdrop a few feet away is very effective. Do you position your lamp(s) behind the backdrop(on the other side of the backdrop where the set is not at) or do you put it next to your set and have it shine directly at the backdrop?

[Winkyburger]

I lit the backdrop from the front. It might be interesting to try doing so from the back, though. What would definitely be convenient would be just using a light panel like the ones you use for looking at photographic negatives.

[razorxxlego]

@Winkyburger

Yes, that would be interesting. Perhaps I should try that.

[SuperKevinroy]

probably the best brickfilm of all time

[coolmenachem10]

amazing

PS: how did u do the rain??

[mrping100]

cool must have taken ages 2 make so i rated it 5 star :)

[brickpartners22]

I have one question, how did you make the camera movements.

[Masshuu379]

This movie blew my mind, it was completly amazing.Defenently 5 star worthy,my new favorite.

[darkman13forever]

I need to see this film more often, is definatly gonna drag some BIM'is

You should a commentary on it, if you don't find that to hollywood-like...

[AcidGuardianPT]

this blew my mind! And you wrote the music for your own film? I never thought I'd say this, but THIS- IS- EPIC!!!

[AniCo777]

the animation was very impressive how did you create the water It looked very effective

[Winkyburger]

aluminum foil.

[AniCo777]

thx

[ScypaxPictures]

Amazing sets, Amazing animation, Amazing camera usage, and yes, indeed an amazing story. This is the brickfilm that should have two million views, and some forrestfire101 film. This is by far the greatest animation I have ever seen. You have shown that Legos, like clay, can be used to display large amounts of artwork...because that is what this is, a piece of art. You are very lucky to have the resources to make such a great film.

Please keep making more, and good luck.

[spyvsspyro]

Very different, I like how you didn't need to use word or almost any noise in the second half of the film. Well Done!

[Animotion1000]

where'd you get the music

[Winkyburger]

Read the credits.

[kyu88cne]

I don't get it

[rulerofdoom]

Wow, this is just amazing. I have just recently started making brickfilms, and am in need of help. If you can give me any tips on techniques or equipment, I would be most grateful. Thanks, awesome brickfilm!

[Winkyburger]

Don't spend too much money and have a healthy DIY attitude when it comes to stuff. Get acquainted with the medium. Watch good films, and I mean really good films; stuff that you have to really go out of your way to see.

[rulerofdoom]

ok, thanks.

[xxxfancypantsxxx]

This gets better everytime I watch it. Superb job.

[rep32009]

That was AMAZING!

[Stayontargetprod]

And you should enter this in mine. Lol!

[Stayontargetprod]

That was very good. Very good indeed. I understood what was happening. Just marvelous.

Congrats on winning the contest.

[SignarJ]

i honestly didn't understand the plot

[pudge789789]

um... class movie but wats going on ?

[CHARGERstudios]

i know what going on...but its an awesome movie!!im subing to you

[SignarJ]

THis is like a 7 minute movie

[jagex02]

THE BEST 7 MINUTES OF MY LIFE

[zwan2]

Le travail sur la photographie et le son est impressionnant, chaque plan contient une lumière qui lui est propre, le jeu des contraste et le choix des tonalités de couleurs contribubuent à donner à l'ensemble une atmosphère particulière, si c'est l'effet recherché, c'est gagné ; )

[BGanimations]

REALLY nice job man. You completely deserved 1st place.

[TheBrickyman]

You WOOOOOOOOON! Good job!

[ShadowManStudios]

This is honestly your best work!

[FilmReason]

This is one of my favorites movies of lego,

The light was perfect and the story, i hope you win, but have did you the river it looks like real? :)

[Winkyburger]

The river is aluminum foil.

[Trenton4Willmoneyart]

what software do you use

[Josh10Random]

That was so AMAZING!! How long did it took you to make this?

[Volv123]

Wow, you have managed to turn, what to many is just a toy, into an artwork. This video is amazing.

It seems to have some philosophical and existentialist undertones: pointing out that he, and us as humans, is nothing in the bigger scheme of time. People have lived and passed, fought and died, and have all been forgotten. The opening scene also emphases this with the biblical passage which talks about how humans are made from dust and in the end, return to nothing but dust -- meaningless.

[MaxButcher]

Oh, THAT's what was going on....

[addyfilms]

Is the plot that if you go down a river don't go by your self

[Winkyburger]

yeaaaah.

[legomouse]

dude that was perfect that sould be in cinimas!

[Stabtheduck]

that video was and is the shit........ i fuckin loved it dawg!!!!!!

[gpva1997]

Its the same sound from one of keshen2's movies

[Winkyburger]

Uh, no.

[gpva1997]

I just saw it again and i think im wrong now

[gpva1997]

i know y becuae i was listening to one of keshen8's movies while listeningvto this lol

[LegoLeader004]

Its kind of a waist of a 2 month.I don't try make goood lego films cuase yeah

[Winkyburger]

It's not a waist, it's hip.

[legowepons]

wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ooooooooow

[Allekto1323]

Wow.... Amazing!

[NoodlezFreak9]

wow

[egyptos89]

It's almost as if he went back in time through his dream. Very creative. Lego movies can be very tedious.

5 stars for your creativity, setting, backgrounds, lighting, detail, smooth animaiton, and determination.

[Winkyburger]

oh yay, finally somebody realizes that he's going back in time!

[flchorton]

awesome i hope you win the contest. 5/5!!!!!!

[DJMation]

Very well done. You used your two months well.

[Jediindy]

JEEEEZZZ!!! HOW DID YOU PULL THIS OFF??? how long did it take you to make it?

[Keshen8]

If this doesn't win STAR then I'll lose faith in whoever is judging. I haven't seen many of the entries, but this is probably my favourite Brickfilm ever.

I was so immersed in a bizarre way.

Have you uploaded a high quality version anywhere?

[Director0012]

I knew at least one STAR film would make my top 5 favorite brickfilms.

[rockethero101]

Amazing job 5/5

[NickMOCstudios]

My gosh, Nikolas. You've done it again. Stunning cinematography as always. This is the best brickfilm I've seen in a LONG time.

[filmyguy1]

My brother really enjoyed this, Winkyburger. He's a Civil War reenactor. And enjoyed it very much also! The cinematography is absolutely stunning. One of my favorites from the contest. Great job.

[Cozmixcartoons]

I must say, the plot was hard to follow, but what a beautifly made animation!

[Spamlegoboy12345678]

Amazing!

[wisconsinlegoboy]

one of the best brickfilms

[clonecody45]

For the water, did you just slide the boat across a smooth white tile and add effects? I noticed that the boat was sliding more then floating.

I am so favoriting this.

[Winkyburger]

No effects, I used aluminum foil.

[Geoshi]

That was awesome =)

[Hawkrider333]

oh so this is a movie about the civil war i knew that at the end when the thing said civil war sound effects

[thebaloob123]

Cool.

[ThirdLegionStudios]

winner winner chicken dinner wait I'm vegetarian =/

[Legomoves]

super Film!

Die Beleuchtung hat mir sehr gefallen, das hat sehr gut mit den Kameraeinstellungen harmoniert. Jetzt weiß ich wieder warum ich nicht bei Contests mitmache, bei einer solchen Konkurrenz;)

[Winkyburger]

naja, das dachte ich auch immer am anfang...

[Awesomeonomy]

Winner.

[clonetests397]

dude that vid is awesome

[Brickcellent]

Didn't see it all on BiM Premiere! Now I can!!! Excellent video!!!

[legoguy2894]

this was good i saw it yesterday how didu get the haziness

[Winkyburger]

I used a wide-angle lens in some shots that gave it that quality.