LEGO's minifigs & AR turn kids into music video masters
In LEGO's next fusion of the physical and digital world, it's time for the kids to dust of their dancing shoes - because in LEGO land, it's all about the music.
LEGO VIDIYO is a movie making experience that blends augmented reality (AR) with LEGO's iconic minifigures in minifigure scale, real life scale, and super-size scale.
It's aimed at children aged 7-10 and essentially lets them create their own music ideos to the soundtrack of music artists signed up to the music label, Universal.
Yes, this is the brainchild of a partnership between LEGO and Universal, which means kids can create videos (complete with editing effects) from Universal's latest chart toppers, and the classics we know and love.
Of course, this all requires parental consent and is completely anonymous, with uploaded content being moderated by an external team.
How it works:
1. Choose one of the many songs in the App from a variety of artists – both contemporary chart toppers and instantly recognisable classics.
2. Create your band from a vibrant collection of new, physical minifigures, which can be customised and brought to life in different scales through AR technology in the VIDIYO App.
3. Line up special effects in the form of 'BeatBits' and place them on the scanning stage. BeatBits are decorated 2x2 square LEGO elements, which once scanned unlock digital effects that let you control everything from video and music styles to scene effects. Creators can choose anything from black and white bling effects, to confetti showers and even X-ray vision. They can also add audio effects such as DJ scratching, mouse voice or sax solo, as well as fun signature character moves and gimmicks, from breakdancing to surfing on a shark…
4. Set the stage. From parks to bedrooms and backyards to brick-built models, LEGO VIDIYO music videos can live anywhere. In just three seconds, your location is scanned and production countdown starts.
5. Hitting the selected BeatBits in the App, children then take creative control of their own music video production, triggering dance moves and audio/video effects in a 60 second performance, which can be trimmed down to 5, 10, 15 or 20-second shareable clips.
Clips can then be uploaded to the App feed, but only once the content has passed moderation. Any content featuring personally-identifiable information, such as children starring in the video, will not be approved for App feed upload - but it can be stored locally in-App so that it can be shared with friends or family members.
Here's how LEGO Group's chief marketing officer Julia Goldin describes it:
"We want to feed the imagination of the next generation of creatives, providing a new canvas for kids to creatively express themselves.
"Research shows 79% of parents globally wish their children had more creative confidence, so we're launching LEGO VIDYO to help make that happen. We know children are always chasing new ways to experiment creatively, and LEGO VIDIYO is here to help all kids with a passion for music unleash their creativity through LEGO building and music video production. We can't wait to see what they come up with!"
The first LEGO VIDIYO products will be available in most countries around the world from March 1st.
Watch the video below:
