Studio Update: Project Work Continues and More Projects are About to Begin

By: Andrew Bermudez

(LEGO Studios; February 4, 2013)

     Super Bowl Sunday is behind us, which means another update about what has been happening here at the studio! Let's get started!

     After last year's delays, filming for Johnny Thunder and the Wisdom of the Ancients has now started to move at a brisk pace. "However," said Steven Lawrence, the film's director, "In a strange twist, we've just finished the Great Barrier scene, which is three-quarters of the way into the film. We may have stopped shooting in order, but I realize that this is for the better. At this point, it's not a matter of getting the film done in order, it's about getting the film done, period." Despite this, the rest of the scenes taking place in Zimbabwe will be finished by the end of February. Then the cast and crew will head to Romania to continue filming. However, all of the scenes taking place in Harry Cane's airplane may be shot in route. The film will be released in 2014 as part of 10 Years of Going Crazy!.

     In the meantime, work continues on New Friends ~ An Environmental Fable. "While the film is nowhere near finished in its final form, what has been completed looks spectacular," said Steve Brocko, head of the animation department. "Those shadows really make the characters and environments look believable, and the water looks amazing. It's a slow and grueling process, but the results more than make up for it." The film may be released this May.

     In other news, two more projects will begin development later this month. What they will be is unknown, but when information becomes available, we'll let you know. However, they will be affected by a new studio rule. Now official, the new rule is that:

Effective immediately, no more than one video will be released per day as dictated, as doing otherwise shall inevitably leave one film or films to lose viewership to the other. If any films are completed at a close or exact time to allow them to be released the same day, one or more films must be withheld and released on a different day(s). Exceptions will be made for interactive adventures, as the separate videos in those cases act as one unit.

      While this new rule isn't anything substantial, it should effect viewership for our films by increasing it. From now on, all of our films will follow this rule.
     Along with this change came another change: Remember the Alamo will NOT be a From the Vaults re-release. "The reason for this decision is that the film was never released before," said LEGO Studios CEO Mark Matthew. "Granted, it's a very, very old film that shows how far we've come, but this is the first time that the animation is being assembled into a finished film. Therefore, we're pulling out the "From the Vaults" branding for this film, putting it only on films that were legitimately released before." The film will come out this spring.
     Update: The decision is nil. Remember the Alamo is still a "From the Vaults" film.
     Finally, work will be wrapping up for Zoo Flight soon. While the game is long overdue, the wait is sure to be worth it. Be sure to register for The Film School Challenge! Hurry! Registration ends February 28th!