Today we have a double entry! Not satisfied with just one amazing submission, Simon Scott, aka Tvrulesmylife is here to talk about INDIANA JONES, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK - 40TH ANNIVERSARY & THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Both inspired by iconic movies, there's sure to be something for any movie fan. Let us know which is your favourite in the comment section!
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
Simon Scott.
- Where are you from?
Ilkeston, Derbyshire, United Kingdom.
- How old are you?
48.
- What do you study or do for a living?
I am a Marketing Manager for a Digital Printer & Direct Mail Provider
- What hobbies do you have?
The LEGO hobby, obviously, and graphic design. I enjoy displaying my creations at Brick shows across the country and socialising with friends. I’m a huge movie fan and this is reflected in the types of LEGO MOCs I make. I also have recently taken up a position on the Organising Committee of ‘Brickish’ a UK-wide Recognised LEGO User Group.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
My instagram is all about my Lego creations and I can be followed at @Tvrulesmylife
- Have you created any LEGO MOCs (my own creations) that you’re particularly proud of? What is it, why are you proud of it and do you have a photo of it?
I’m very proud of my first LEGO Ideas Project that reached 10K supporters ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas - Halloween Town’ as a result of its submission I’ve had so many positive comments made and it has gone down really well at events I have displayed at. Having it reach 10K initially gave me such a confidence boost in putting my creation out to a wider audience and the whole process was a really interesting journey.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
I remember having it as a child but moved away from it in my teenage years. I rediscovered a love of LEGO bricks with the birth of my children and purchasing sets for them soon turned in to purchasing sets for me. During the last 10 years, my wife has also joined me in the interest.
- What is the LEGO hobby to you? What does it mean to you? How does it fit in your life? E.g. build, display, meetups, play the games or 'just' watch the cartoons.
Through participation in LEGO Facebook groups, I’ve made a lot of close friends in the community. I enjoy attending physical & online RLUG meet-ups through the LUGs I’m a member of (Brickish, Gertlug, & Northern Brickworks) and try to display at as many events I can get around to.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
I rediscovered my love of LEGO by purchasing Star Wars sets for my son, Luke, so I would have to say they were initially my favourite. I do also have an affinity for the older Castle sets too but I missed out on collecting them during my time away from LEGO building. I do like collecting the Architecture sets though especially places that I’ve actually visited. The polished style of the Architecture sets appeals to me as I do like micro builds and tiled finishes to my creations where possible.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set ever? Why?
It’s one of the more recent releases, the 1989 Batmobile. Being a fan of Tim Burton films it’s such a faithful representation to the movie version. How the curves have been achieved is remarkably well done and the size and detail of the model is awesome.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
I’d have to go with 6091 Slope, Curved 2 x 1 x 1 1/3 with Recessed Stud. I call them shoulder bricks and love how they create curved corners from straight sides. They are a very handy brick to have to achieve the look for a lot of my builds.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
Ben Alder, the creator of the recent Winnie the Pooh set was the first person I was really aware of that had designed a LEGO set. Although we’ve never met in person we’re in a lot of the same LEGO Facebook groups. It was great to follow his journey from creation, promotion and success in being chosen to seeing his design on shelves.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO-related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
Beyond the Brick & The Brothers Brick are ones that come to mind but I also get a lot of inspiration from the very talented builders on various social media channels, feeds and groups I’m a part of
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
Indiana Jones
I’m a huge fan of Indiana Jones Films and sadly missed the original LEGO sets when they were released as it was during a time I had yet to re-discover my love of LEGO as an adult. I wanted to have my own sets to display at home so I started playing around at creating some of my favourite scenes.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
This is actually a revision of my first LEGO Ideas submission that reached 10K supporters but sadly wasn’t selected. After a year of deploying the original project at brick shows around the country, I was persuaded by several close friends & family to give it a go. I didn’t want to just resubmit the original build again so made several design changes to improve the model.
- How long was the process of making the project, and what did you have to research as well. What kind of prep, research and design phases did you go through to produce your creation?
Indiana Jones
I made all 3 scenes independently of each other over the course of about 6 months. Knowing the films as well as I do I just had to narrow down which scenes to recreate.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The redesign was quick a quick process that I was able to complete inside of 4 weeks. I had a wealth of comments and suggestions that fans of the film had made on my original build and it was just a case of incorporating them into the build.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
Indiana Jones
Creating ‘natural’ rock faces was quite a challenge to get the look of something that had been created by nature and not make it too uniform either.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Although I had an original model to start with, I actually started again building up an out from the baseplates. I was keen to incorporate some play features into the set and making tiny interiors into Jack’s house was especially challenging as it required a bigger house to be built to accommodate them.
- If you could talk to yourself before you started on this project, what would you tell them? What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
Indiana Jones
I would’ve loved to have tried to recreate all 3 scenes from the same pieces akin to the Lego 3-in-1 Creator ranges. It would’ve been a fun challenge.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Sometimes less is more. Upon completion, the finished model did look a little too crowded and I did end up removing some unnecessary elements that were just built because I could - they didn’t really add anything and I spent quite a bit of time over them which turned out to be unnecessary.
- How long did it take to complete the model? Did you finish it fairly quickly, or did it take a long time? And how did the build time compare to the time you spent promoting your Product Idea to reach 10,000 supporters?
Indiana Jones
It was built over the course of 6 months and had several revisits over that time. Reaching 10K was twice as long and required a bit more work but started to speed up once I passed the 8000 mark.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The model was finished within a month. It achieved 10K supporters in just 37 days which I was blown away by. (The original did it in 98 days which I thought was fast the first time around). I did very little promotion to be honest, as once fans of the film became aware of it it was shared across social media gaining around 250 votes each day.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
Indiana Jones
To finally get this over the line was a lovely feeling. This was my second time doing it and took considerably longer than the first. Overall it took about 14 months.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
It was amazing, I was refreshing the project page for 20 minutes as the count increased and I was amazed at how fast it happened - a testament to the popularity of the film it is based on.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
Indiana Jones
Each scene is around 350 pieces so in total we’re looking at about 1000 pieces.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The model contains in the region of 2000 bricks an increase of 800 pieces from its original build.
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
Indiana Jones
I do like how the ball was created using the inside of one of the old dice from the LEGO Games.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
I did like how I achieved the slanted pillars of the town hall element of the build. Using hinge bricks to achieve the angles then covering them with some decorative arches.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
Indiana Jones
Some elements were planned using Stud.io.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Some elements were planned using stud.io but the whole model is brick built.
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
Indiana Jones
There are no custom stickers or printed pieces in the build other than what is already produced by the LEGO Group.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
I didn’t use any stickers or printed bricks in this MOC.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
My build never started out as a build for LEGO Ideas – it was just a build I wanted to make for myself and my family as fans of the film. So I would say build something you're passionate about. Having that passion will come through whilst you promote and will connect with those your build appeals to as well.
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support to your Product Idea?
The majority of my advertising was conducted via Facebook. I was very fortunate to have a build that appealed to a huge amount of fans across various genres. The film is over 40 years old so has already accrued a legion of fans who love any type of merchandise associated with their favourite film.
- What is your favourite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
I’m lucky enough to own quite a few but have recently acquired one I had missed out on. The WALL:E robot from the film of the same name is hands down my favourite so far and conveys an incredible amount of emotion in the face.
The ‘Thunderbirds are Go’ by Andrew Clark, which missed out in its original review period, was a model I would have loved to have been made – however, it has given him a chance to redesign it and the new version ‘Classic Thunderbirds’ looks even better.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
I love the variety of builds it attracts from all over the world. It’s a great opportunity for amateur builders to get involved and give it a go. If you have confidence in your build I would advise anyone to give it a try – you’ve nothing to lose!
One tip is to get your pictures right - especially if your entry is made from real bricks. Take your time setting up your model and lighting it correctly. Take way more photos than you need to.
- Do you have plans to submit any other Product Ideas in the future? If yes, can you give us a hint of what that might be?
I’ve no plans at present to submit anymore designs but I never say never.
