BeforePharrell Williamstakes viewers on his creative journey in October with the unique documentaryPiece By Piece,Focus Featuresis first helping everyone explore their own imagination. In partnership withLEGO, the distributor has unveiled a new digital minifigure generator that lets viewers whisk themselves into a world of bricks like the pop artist in theMorgan Neville-directed flick. Available now for users on both mobile and desktop, it’s made to celebrate everyone’s singular personality and creativity with dozens of choices to build up the person you want to be.
The minifigure generatoris built with inclusivity in mind, coming with seven skin colors and over 60 unique hairstylesto recreate a wide array of looks. Fashion is a key part of Williams’s brand thanks to his Billionaire Boys Club line, and that’s reflected in the selection of outfits for the digital LEGO figure. Over 90 selections are available, including items exclusively found within the artist’s collection. To better integratePiece By Piece, all 60 of the facial expressions available for customization come directly from scenes in the movie to let fans recreate some of their favorite moments. Once customization is done, the generator creates three images for download depicting the figure either with a brick background, no background, or in the recording studio next to Williams. The marketing agency Bond and Tongal, which co-producedPiece By Piece’s animation, also collaborated on the generator.
Williams’s relationship with LEGO stems beyond the movie and its tie-in minifigure generator. He’d previously partnered with the LEGO Group to create the “Over the Moon” set inspired by his passionfor all things space. It features a space shuttle covered with a golden canopy and a jet stream of colors that adds a bit of vibrancy and creativity to the set, as well as seven skin tones for its minifigures like the generator. In addition to the movie, Williams alsoreleased a song of the same namethat builds on the theme of bringing dreams to life, well, “Piece By Piece.”
What Is ‘Piece By Piece’ About?
Debuted at theTelluride Film Festivalearlier this year,Piece By Pieceisa depiction of Williams’s life storybeginning from his childhood growing up in Virginia as a creative kid in love with music. It explores his rise through the industry helping other artists find their rhythm while also finding his own voice as featured in songs like “Happy” and “Get Lucky.” Williams also explores his faith and family through the documentary, weaving everything together into an inspirational tale about chasing and building dreams using LEGO bricks as a representation of his music. In addition to Williams himself, the film is packed with other musicians, includingGwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z,andSnoop Dogg.
Thus far, critics have fallen in love with the visual splendor ofPiece By Piece, with the film garnering a strong 95% onRotten Tomatoes. Following itsToronto International Film Festivaldebut,Collider’sJason Gorbergave the film an 8/10with high praise both for the LEGO aesthetic and the richness of the story it was trying to tell about Williams. He said:
“Fans of Pharell will be in for a delight, of course, but what’s most effective about the general structure of the film is how it goes well beyond a need to have a predisposed adoration for the subject. There are bigger questions at play here, and never once does it succumb to either feeling didactic or maudlin. And so, bit by bit,Neville’s take on Pharell’s story is constructed to be something quite special, a wonderful synergy between subject and form, showing a new way of using the modes of documentary, animation, storytelling and musical creation to craft something colorful, and something wonderful. It’s a film that’s serious about play, and humble about the need for joy.Piece By Pieceis, quite simply, bricktacularly brilliant.”
ThePiece By PieceLEGO minifigure generator is available to access now ahead of the film’s release on October 11. Visitthe official websiteto LEGOify yourself.
Piece by Piece
This innovative film uses LEGO® animation to tell the life story of music icon Pharrell Williams, charting his journey from childhood dreams to becoming one of the most influential figures in the music industry.
