All New Ask Mark Matthew!

By: Andrew Bermudez

(Mustache Maniacs Film Co. Headquarters; August 1, 2016)

     Today we bring you another 'Ask Mark Matthew,' containing 100% new material! Let's get started!

A Mustache Maniacs Film Co. Fan writes: Who are the new casting choices?

Mark: Because of a lack of auditions, the only two new casting choices would be Chad Fischer as Dareth and Brian Quexyz as Sensei Wu. Even then, the only reason for that would be because of Ninjago: Visions of Memories. Here's to hoping that round 6 turns out better!

HollywoodLego writes: I have another question, do you remember a motion orient expedition comic on lego.com? If so, name the elements from that comic that you put in The Secret of Marco Polo. Also, were the riddles in your movie taken from the comic?

Mark: Yes! We do remember the Orient Expedition online comics! They actually played a very crucial role in the writing process for Johnny Thunder and the Secret of Marco Polo, and while the script ended up being a loose adaption of the comics, here's everything from every version of the script that had some basis in the online comics, in order of appearance in the comics.

• At the beginning of the first comic, Johnny Thunder goes looking for The Horn of Africa (named after the geographic location). This beginning inspired the original beginning, when Johnny goes looking for the idol of the Wututu Bird, a character from Benin mythology. Just like in the comics, Lord Sinister is also there. Unlike in the comics, the temple does not flood.
• The main riddle "My greatest secret I hold with me, and you should follow my footsteps to me, and know the world to be more than land and sea" is an adaption of the first riddle in the comic, "My greatest secret, I take with me, but leave for a clue for the man who sees more than others see, and knows the world to be more than land and sea."
• Finding the map to India in Marco Polo's house is taken straight from the comics, as well as the clue "The sting of the jungle."
• Something not featured in the LEGO sets, but in the comics and in the film is Babloo's pet monkey Pampa. In both versions, they're background characters, but Pampa has less of a presence in the finished film. This is the only real character trait of Babloo's that stayed the same when he went from being a slave to an elephant herder and guide.
• In the comics, Lord Sinister and his men capture the adventurers at the Scorpion Palace, just like in the movie. However, the resolution is very different.
• The film's dogfight between the Aero Nomad and Lord Sinister's bi-plane is almost identical to the one in the comics. The only differences are that Lord Sinister is defeated by a flare rather than not watching where he is going and the fact that there are more characters on both vehicles.
• The yeti chase in the movie is almost identical to the one in the comics. The same goes for Pippin's discovery of the shrine and its gem. However, the movie widens the span of time between these two events.
• Just like in the comics, the movie features the Great Wall of China, albeit briefly. However, unlike in the comics, there was never a time in the script's development where Johnny and the adventurers would be locked up inside. This is mainly because the film takes place in the present day, since the wall has become a tourist attraction.
• Just like in the comics, a half-track is used to get across China.
• The entire revolution sub-plot was based directly off of Johnny's stop in Xi'an, China in the comics. Just like in the comics, this is where the adventurers meet Jing Lee.
• Just like in the comics, the adventurers reach the Dragon Fortress via rowboat, then by sneaking aboard a Chinese Junk. The film, just like in the comics, also places the Dragon Fortress at the edge of a lake.
• The secret entrance into the fortress is in the same place as it is in the comics and also serves the same purpose as in the comics.
• The scene when the adventurers get captured in the Dragon Fortress is almost identical to the same scene in the comics.
• Just like in the comics (and the Dragon Fortress LEGO set), turning the gears opens the chamber to the Golden Dragon in the film.

We would like to thank the Biomedia Project for archiving the original comics and making this comparison possible. We wouldn't have been able to do it without their contribution.

HENNY4315 writes: What software did you use [to make Ninjago: Visions of Memories]? Its really awesome!
Mark: For all of the film's animation sequencing, visual effects, image corrections, and compositing, we used Adobe After Effects. Once that was all done, the sound effects and music were spliced into place with Adobe Premiere Pro.

     That's it for today's edition of Ask Mark Matthew! Don't forget that if you have a question, post it where ever we'll be able to see it and respond. Until then, we'll be making movies!