Vitruvius Strikes Back
I choreographed and storyboarded this action sequence. Inspired by Jackie Chan, I blended action and comedy using simple camera setups that allow the audience to clearly follow each of Vitruvius’s movements and their cause-and-effect.
Wildstyle Rescues Emmet
When choreographing the action and storyboarding the sequence, I select shots that build toward the climax. This sequence is action driven, but its climax is an intimate moment when Emmet meets Wildstyle. I reserved the extreme close-up for this climax to give it visual and emotional emphasis.
Emmet & Lucy
This beautifully written scene was the emotional heart of The LEGO Movie through many iterations of the animatic. Emmet and Wildstyle reveal their true, vulnerable selves to each other. I kept the shots as simple as possible to stay out of the way of their intimacy. When Wildstyle tells Emmet her real name, I had her remove her helmet and robot disguise, visually underscoring her emotional transformation. Ending the scene with Batman’s interruption adds a perfect comedic beat—pure Chris Miller and Phil Lord genius.
Emmet & Lord Business
I storyboarded the emotional climax of The LEGO Movie. When approaching a story, I like to distill it into two images; before and after. The film’s father–son relationship crystallizes in the shot when the father walks across the table, over the LEGO world, and embraces his son.