In Episode 33 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Al and Steve of Briefly Bricks, LEGO stop-motion animators from Melbourne, Australia, and the podcast’s first international guests.
Al and Steve share how a friendship and a failed LEGO Masters Australia audition unexpectedly led to Briefly Bricks. After building a yin-yang inspired MOC together, they turned the creation into a stop-motion story that explored themes of mental health and loss. The video exploded online, reaching millions of viewers and eventually catching the attention of the LEGO Group, which invited them to begin creating official content.
The conversation goes behind the scenes of LEGO stop-motion animation, from homemade Technic camera rigs and Blu Tack to Stop Motion Studio, Photoshop, and After Effects. Al and Steve explain how they create professional animations using phones, why storytelling is at the heart of their work, and what it has been like producing projects for the LEGO Group, including LEGO Braille Bricks stories and a Christmas adventure set aboard the Death Star.
They also discuss their growing focus on teaching stop motion through workshops and convention presentations, the creation of their Toekitty character, and their advice for anyone who wants to try LEGO animation themselves. Most importantly, start simple, expect to make mistakes, and keep creating.
Find Briefly Bricks:
• Instagram: @brieflybricks
• YouTube: Briefly Bricks
To find the best LEGO deals, check out the Bargain Bricks app.
Until next time… play well.
