Today in the 10K Club Interview, we meet the creator of a LEGO idea representing a movie about a magical board game called Jumanji from 1995.
Please welcome Gian Piero Lamanna (aka NIKANA) and his creation Jumanji of 1995. Help us congratulate him and learn more about his creation.
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
I'm Gian Piero Lamanna.
- Where are you from?
I'm from Italy.
- How old are you?
I'm 35 years old.
- What do you do for a living?
I’m a 3D model maker for Architecture and Engineering.
- What hobbies do you have?
I like painting and surreal photography.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
I have a personal Instagram account.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO come about?
Since I was a child, I've always been fascinated by LEGO and this passion has remained with me.
- What is LEGO for you? What does it mean for you? How does it fit in your life? E.g. build, display, meetups, play the games, or 'just' watch the cartoons.
I believe playing with LEGO bricks is a great way to let your imagination fly. You can play following the instruction to building and then you can decide to destroy everything just to create something of your own and I think this is beautiful.
- 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 love Star Wars and Ghostbusters. I’m a big fan of movies. My only inspiration was watching the Jumanji movie. It was one of the first movies I saw at the cinema.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set? Why?
It’s The Millennium Falcon from Star Wars.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
My favourite LEGO elements are the Minifigures. They are full of details.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
Jumanji is one of my favourite movies. I wish I could have found the game under the sofa when I came home after seeing it at the cinema.
- How long was the process of making the project did, 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?
The creation lasted about a month. I saw the film several times to create as many details as possible. Every time I finished building the house I built another one, calculating the right proportions to improve it.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
The hardest part was splitting it in half. I wanted all the bricks to coincide and the outcome to be as realistic as possible.
- If you could talk to yourself before you started on this project, what would you tell him/her? What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
I would tell him he should follow the advice in the comments in order to improve the project work.
- 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?
It took about a month to finish it. Advertising was the hardest part. I had no idea how to do it, I’ve never advertised anything until now. It takes a lot of renders to make it interesting.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
It took about seven months. When I hit 10K I just went home after work. I felt a great feeling, a lot of happiness and satisfaction.
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
My favourite part is definitely the idea of splitting the house in half. I think it was the best solution for the project.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I started with LDD and then moved on to the software Studio.
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
I used a Studio application called PartDesigner. I used it to make Minifigures.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
Other than Jumanji, another idea I wanted to submit was Mario Bros. In my opinion, it has enormous potential. You anticipated me. I immediately bought the Nintendo Entertainment System. One of the most beautiful creations ever seen.
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support to your Product Idea?
I used Instagram and Facebook. I published some content and sent my render to the various fan pages.
- What is your favourite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
My favourite LEGO Ideas is the Ghostbusters Ecto-1. I think Futurama and the house from Up movie are excellent ideas.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
I think just the idea that your project could be produced by LEGO Group is enough to start creating. It is the dream of every child who likes playing with LEGO. I would say to start immediately, to try without fear. Digital software allows you to have all the necessary brick.
- 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?
Of course yes, I've already started two. They come from two films.
By
Kamila9