Lego Masters Season 2 Winners Tell Us About Builds and Bricks

Twenty-four hours, one creation, two Lego Masters. Tuesday was the second season finale of Fox’s Lego Masters, a quite distinctive constructing competitors present. The closing three groups—Zack and Wayne Macasaet, Caleb and Jacob Schilling, and Steven and Mark Erickson… sure, three units of brothers—got near-total freedom. Over 24 hours, they might create something they needed, so long as it had each evening and day components, and the most effective creation would win them the title of Lego Masters.

io9 was in a position to get an early glimpse of the finale in order that we may spend some interviewing the winners. We had a number of burning questions in regards to the manufacturing of the present, behind-the-scenes secrets and techniques, and, after all, all of these unbelievable builds. For instance, how lengthy did it take to movie the 24-hour problem, have been there any rivalries on set, and the way did covid-19 change the manufacturing? We additionally came upon what occurs to all these unbelievable builds as soon as they’re full…

But contemplating we’re io9 we, after all, acquired even nerdier. Are there any Lego bricks that aren’t accessible to the contestants? One winner advised us, “they were missing some parts,” whereas the opposite added, “You can request pieces that weren’t there. But whether or not they can actually get them was up in the air.” That might sound trivial to most, however to Lego Masters constructing a 40,000 piece creation from scratch, it performs an enormous position. Below you’ll discover our huge deep-dive with the profitable siblings in addition to an unique video displaying simply how private the ultimate construct was.

And the winners have been… Mark and Steven Erickson! Here’s our edited and condensed interview with the pair.

Germain Lussier, io9: Congratulations on the win. You guys have been so assured all through the season and I’m curious, did you go in that method or was there a second if you realized you actually had a shot to go win the entire thing? 

Steven Erickson: We went in fairly assured. We have been feeling actually hyped, actually good. We’d competed alongside lots of season one folks in a bunch of various stuff. And we had a great feeling, I’m not gonna lie.

Mark Erickson: Yeah, I might say in distinction to most likely a number of different groups on season two, we type of knew that if issues went proper, we should always go actually far. Our purpose was to get to the finale. Winning it? That’s an entire different story. But we actually needed the finale.

Steven: We would have been slightly dissatisfied with ourselves if we hadn’t gotten that far but.

io9: Just since you needed to do each construct?

Steven: That particularly. We needed to do each problem. But if you make it to the highest three, it’s fairly particular. Let’s simply put it that method.

io9: OK, another little incentive. I perceive. Now, as I watched the present every week, I used to be all the time curious in regards to the timeline. Are you taking pictures these in subsequent days? And how lengthy did you shoot your entire season? Tell me slightly bit about the way it all works out.

Mark: Yeah, so it was a fairly tight schedule. There wasn’t lots of time to simply hang around. Every week we’d attempt to do like two or three episodes and so that you’d be breaking that down in numerous construct chunks. The time that you just see is actual. We solely get to construct that period of time and it may be damaged up by a lunch break. So the entire constructing course of was a month and slightly bit extra. Almost a month and a half. So it was an intense schedule. It was robust. It’s tough. But, , it’s a part of the Lego Masters problem getting by means of all this. 

io9: Tell me slightly bit in regards to the bodily and psychological toll of retaining that inventive, aggressive mindset all that point.

Steven: Oh, it’s no simple process. First of all, you need to be additional inventive. You must go above and past, proper? You actually must deliver every thing to the desk. Secondly, you could have the judges. They’re providing you with recommendation, you’re pondering what’s of their heads, what do they see that I don’t. Then you could have about, at any second, 5 cameras, however as much as 30 cameras on you at anyone time. So it’s lots of stress. You’re in a loopy setting. This superb studio set with shifting elements all over the place. It will be distracting. So you need to actually keep centered. And it was not simple.

io9: How did you’re feeling in regards to the cut-off dates? It can take me days to complete a Lego with directions and you’ve got eight to 12 hours complete to fully create a brand new construct. How did you go about coping with and balancing the time? 

Mark: Right. So we often take a number of days, weeks, even months on a big creation. So the timeframe, , eight hours is nothing.

Steven: It’s nothing!

Mark: You have to actually, actually hurry. Like even massive Lego units take greater than eight hours, so with the ability to construct the most effective that you could inside that timeframe takes lots of planning and lots of information of how briskly not solely we will construct, but in addition what will be in-built that point. How a lot you’ll be able to accomplish? You may need to have a stretch purpose. Like if we now have additional time, it may do that, but when we don’t, we now have to chop that out and give attention to the necessities. So, yeah, lots of pondering that goes into that.

io9: Did you could have any private targets or regiments with that? Like if we’re not constructing in X minutes we’re in bother?

Mark: So a number of the targets have been to plan in a short time, as a result of planning time is in your construct time and it is vitally fast, so we attempt to get our plan finished inside 10 to fifteen minutes and we just about caught to that to the detriment or good thing about our planning. But that was one among our targets. And largely simply to have the ability to accomplish the primary necessities to every problem as successfully as attainable throughout the timeframe.

io9: This finale was a 24-hour problem. Did you shoot in eight-hour blocks or how did that work?

Steven: It was 9, eight, and 7, is that appropriate?

Mark: Yes, there was three totally different days of constructing and lots of that was on digicam, a few of that was off-camera as a result of the crew doesn’t should be there for your entire construct course of. So, yeah, it was three days of constructing just about a lot of the day.

Steven: And a few days price of judging if I recall. It’s all getting slightly bit fuzzy as of late.

Mark: But it was a fairly large ordeal. And not like what lots of people assume, we’re not constructing for twenty-four hours straight. Most folks wouldn’t be capable of deal with that.

Steven: Or wouldn’t be capable of try this a lot handsome stuff in that period of time.

io9: This may be a hack query however what was probably the most tough problem for you? What was the one which type of gave you guys the largest issues?

Steven: There have been two. First was the tower. Eight hours to construct one thing of that quantity was simply insanity. And then probably the most tough ones was the land and sea problem, the place we merged the 2 creations that have been separate. We actually constructed ourselves right into a nook and that was slightly irritating as a result of I appreciated my construct and to make one thing that… you noticed the episode, you perceive.

Mark: It was laborious, each constructing two very various things and matching them collectively with out planning, as a result of if we will plan for that, we’d do nice. We don’t essentially count on to mix issues in a sure method. It makes it tough, particularly with solely 5 hours.

Steven: Yes. holy cow. Short period of time.

io9: So clearly, as you mentioned, you’re feeling stress constructing in these time frames and being inventive. But what in regards to the competitors total? Do you’re feeling stress mounting as you get additional on within the season?

Steven: Yeah. So the quantity of stress or nervousness or stress we’re feeling all through the competitors, it was really fairly intense proper after the start—the start was all adrenaline. We constructed a pleasant construct and acquired second on the primary problem. Great. Doing good. Second and third challenges. We type of faltered slightly bit. We have been type of nervous that, wow, possibly we aren’t as scorching as we thought we have been. We’re not doing as nice. But we ended up rallying a bit on episodes 4 and 5 and as soon as we acquired into that groove, we felt we did fairly robust all the way in which out. Except for like, episode 9 and episode eleven. That was very tough, however we nonetheless felt like we had a fairly robust efficiency type of within the center. Then in the direction of the tip, as soon as we acquired the finale, it really feel just like the stress was off. It actually did. Right as much as the finale, we have been identical to sweating bullets. But then as soon as we acquired to the finale, it was like, that is our purpose. We acquired right here. Now we’re simply going to construct the most effective factor we will. And it actually felt good. It’s like within the NFL. The playoffs are all the time extra tense than Super Bowl for some motive.

io9: That’s true. So you assume that was simply since you needed to discover your legs, like, entering into this totally different mode of constructing from what you’ve finished your whole lives?

Mark: Yeah, we needed to adapt rapidly and we figured that out fairly quickly.

Steven:  This season has been very technical. You see lots of [Lego] Technic in lots of challenges. And whereas we’re competent at that, that’s undoubtedly not our forte or wheelhouse. So we have been hoping for extra inventive or story-based challenges which we type of get pleasure from. We needed to actually adapt to this new type of the season and we survived to the finale after which acquired to actually present our stuff.

io9: I talked to judges Amy and Jamie earlier than the season they usually have been very, very proud that you just guys have been in a position to shoot throughout covid. How did that change every thing this season?

Mark: So so far as I do know, based mostly on what I’ve heard of season one’s filming course of, it adjustments the entire course of for filming fairly a bit. Everything needed to be in zones. Everyone needed to put on PPE safety for covid. You have been examined each different day to ensure not one of the contestants acquired it and all of the crew have been examined as effectively. It was lots of additional steps that needed to happen. Precautions. We had separate loos for various departments. So it was every thing they might probably do to ensure there was nothing. And then amazingly, nobody acquired it.

Steven: As far as we all know not a single particular person on set of workers acquired it so far as we’re conscious.

Mark: This was earlier than the vaccine was broadly accessible. It was simply beginning to roll out so nobody had the chance to get it earlier than so we’re all simply being additional cautious, and it paid off.

io9: How would you describe the supply of bricks on set? Was there ever one thing that you just needed they didn’t have? Tell me slightly bit about that, as a result of it seems like they’ve every thing.

Steven: They don’t fairly have every thing. There have been execs and cons. Stuff you like and stuff you didn’t fairly. They had some elements that we completely couldn’t get sufficient of like darkish blue, that they had a ton of brown components, a ton of elements that aren’t simple to return by within the regular market of Lego. However, they have been lacking some elements. They’re lacking, for instance, one after the other spherical plates in translucent clear. It’s a really signature water brick.

Mark: They didn’t have lots of sloped bricks.

Steven: Oh, they didn’t have any orange tiles, smoother orange components, in order that they’re lacking some elements. But truthfully, I’d say it was a very sensible choice, usually talking.

Mark: My ideas on that may be there are lots of primary bricks and in such portions that you just not often see in a single room. So, you’ll be able to construct some actually spectacular stuff after which adorn it with the extra detailed items—stuff you’ll be able to’t do at residence, you may do on Lego Masters.

io9: If you needed a few of these orange items, for instance, may you ask for them?

Mark: They had a bunch of workers members all the time available, all the time refilling. At any level we may pull one apart and say “Can you grab some more of these red slopes, please?” So they’d return ten minutes later, they’ll be again, you’d be able to go.

Steven: You can request items that weren’t there. But whether or not or not they’ll really get them was up within the air. They must be at a later problem. You couldn’t get them straight away.

io9: Which of your builds have been you most pleased with?

Steven: Ooh, robust one. Obviously, the finale was simply among the best issues, if not the most effective factor, I’ve constructed for my entire profession, you simply couldn’t ask for something higher. But off the finale, it was most likely Bernie the Burnt-Out Dragon. He was simply… I wouldn’t change something and he surpassed my expectations. He was simply an excessive amount of enjoyable to make use of. I actually cherished it.

Mark: For me, a few of my favourite builds have been the primary one we made, which was the large world serpent. I actually loved that one, it had an awesome look to it. And then I additionally just like the pirate hat from episode 5. We had a bunch of nice builds all through the season, however a few them actually stand out.

io9: I do know the profitable construct goes to Legoland in Florida, however what occurs to the remainder of the builds on the present.

Steven: They get sorted out and put again within the brick bin.

io9: No method.

Mark: Yeah. Even after, like, episode three, we’d have used up virtually all of the items from the brick bin in the event that they hadn’t taken them aside every episode.

io9: Yeah I suppose that is sensible. But I’m curious simply how huge these builds are. I constructed the large Lego Millennium Falcon which was virtually 8,000 bricks and it took me virtually 40 hours. So utilizing that or different Lego units can you place into context simply how huge the builds on the present are?

Mark: So I construct huge stuff as a part of my job as a Lego designer. I don’t work for Lego, however I design Lego stuff. And so we’re working with larger items on Lego Masters. Mostly a two by 4 dimension items versus the smaller plates and Technic pins on like a Millennium Falcon.

Steven: Generally talking.

Mark: So a number of the builds have been really most likely not too far off that 8,000 to 10,000 piece mark, particularly on a shorter problem. But then on some challenges, for instance, the tower problem or the finale, we had extra time for larger builds to make. You may see issues most likely within the 20, 30, even 40,000 vary, and it’s simply because we have been constructing so quick and we had slightly extra time so as to add tons of items intimately. So much more than just about any Lego set that’s come out, though a number of the new ones are in that massive hundreds vary, it’s not too far off. Although these are usually smaller items that may match inside a field versus desk dimension creations.

io9: Do you guys nonetheless purchase off-the-shelf Lego? And if that’s the case, what are your favourite units of all time?

Steven: Oh, yeah. We nonetheless purchase Lego on a regular basis. We purchase separate items, Lego units, however I don’t often purchase Lego units until it’s one thing I actually need. Like, it’s been some time, however one among my favourite builds is the Wall-E from Lego Ideas. I like that one. Favorite set? I’ve all the time needed Cafe Corner. It’s a very good modular set. It arrange a brand new renaissance for Lego. Mark, do you could have a favourite?

Mark: Yeah, I like shopping for units on a regular basis. I really purchased some new Star Wars Mandalorian-themed units. I like The Mandalorian TV present and people figures are nice. And then I additionally purchase units for items. Like I purchased the flower bouquet as a result of that has all these superb plant items in there.

io9: So if you purchase these units do you construct them? Do you strip them for items on your personal builds? How does that give you the results you want each?

Mark: I say most of our units, we often construct them initially, however then we’ll take them aside for items. You know, we need to benefit from the construct expertise. We additionally need to use the items in our operation fairly quickly after. But a few of them, for certain, we wish to maintain collectively completely, like behind us we now have lots of the traditional castles units. Steven has his Wall-E and a few these different favourite Mechs and robots and stuff. So we save our favorites, however we usually take them largely aside and use the items on our personal creations

io9: Right now on this planet of Lego, what’s the toughest problem you’ll be able to tackle?

Mark: So there are many totally different challenges and contests in Lego which can be very tough. I’d say the 2 that stand out to me are going to a conference and profitable an award.

Steven: Oh yeah.

Mark: Because you’re competing towards lots of of different very skilled grownup followers of Lego. To win one thing signifies that you need to impress not solely the folks operating the present however the folks attending the present and the folks exhibiting. So you need to be actually good. Secondly, on-line, there’s a contest known as the Iron Builder, and it’s once they pit two very expert or typically pairs of actually expert builders towards one another—you need to compete for a month with a seed half, which is type of like what they did for the episode 10 home problem. So that’s actually tough. We really competed in a single a very long time in the past in 2013 and we misplaced, so we’re used to dropping. It was an awesome problem. We had lots of enjoyable. But, , it’s like that problem is so laborious that even actually expert builders like us, you get completely toasted.

io9: What about technically? Is there one thing that’s very tough to do? 

Steven: There’s one. It’s really Lego flight. Lego flight is close to unattainable as a result of as a component it’s too heavy. You could make scorching air balloons and different stuff and a few airplanes right here and there, however Lego flight underneath its personal weight is borderline unattainable. So that’s one factor that’s I don’t know if anybody will ever do it.

io9: Was there a technical drawback you’re most proud to have solved on the present this season?

Mark: I’ve one. For the haunted home problem in episode 10—effectively, we known as it the haunted home problem—one among our motions was a type of shifting tentacle and I’ve by no means constructed something that advanced with Technic. But with slightly bit of additional time dedicated to it, I believe it was an hour or two of our time, it ended up working nice and that type of movement actually helped put us excessive and win that problem.

Steven: When it involves methods for me, I’m going to return to Bernie the Burnt-Out Dragon and his face. I acquired the eyebrows and the mouth to be impartial from one another with sliding rods and components and rubber bands and every thing and every thing simply got here collectively so effectively for that. And that’s the place I used to be actually proud. I acquired these facial options excellent.

io9: What was probably the most memorable on-set second? For me personally, when Caleb and Jacob crashed their radio-controlled automobile, I couldn’t get sufficient. We will need to have rewound it 20 occasions. Was it that or one thing else?

Steven: OK, so that truly beats the one I used to be going to say as a result of that episode, all our automobiles have been getting caught and we have been nervous it was going to be type of a dud. This Gladiator Match, nevertheless it was completely unscripted, completely unplanned. They actually fell off. It was hilarious. But one among my favourite elements was really arguing with the Caleb and Jacob over who copied who, going backwards and forwards over the floating island. That was really actually enjoyable. That was the way in which for us virtually to destress slightly bit and simply yell at one another for enjoyable.

io9: That goes to my subsequent query, really, which is what’s the camaraderie like on and offset? Did folks hang around, did you make buddies, how did issues work with the opposite groups?

Mark: So I’ve acquired to provide props to the casting division of the season as a result of all people was so nice, so superior, so good. They have been all actually followers of Lego, proper? We actually amazingly acquired together with all people on set. Everybody actually loved one another’s firm. We nonetheless have an enormous group chat that we chat with every day. So we’re simply buddies. We even say prolonged household ranges of friendship.

Steven: That’s what we name one another, yeah.

Mark: And additionally most likely the truth that we have been in a covid state of affairs. We have been mainly in a bubble. It actually, I believe, really contributed to our being so shut. We have been all collectively and we weren’t actually allowed to speak to anybody else. So if you’re trapped in a room with any individual, you both hate one another otherwise you’re finest buddies. And all of us turned finest buddies.

io9: That’s superior. What was it like working with Will Arnett, Jamie Berard, and Amy Corbett?

Steven: So Amy and Jamie have been superior. They get some flack on-line, however they actually know their stuff, they’re actually good at what they do. We knew from the beginning, from any expertise we’ve had in a problem or a contest, you hearken to the judges. You actually take note of what they are saying. And that’s what we needed to do. They had lots of nice recommendation, which was very nice to have.

Mark: They spoke with every contestant a number of occasions throughout every problem. You don’t all the time get to see that within the closing edit, however they have been all the time giving us suggestions on what they have been searching for and what they have been hoping to see on this problem. So, yeah, if you happen to may pay attention and discover a strategy to implement their recommendation, you instantly have been going to do higher.

io9: And Will?

Steven: Ahhh, Will was superior. He’s an enormous superstar, an enormous comic. It’s an expert job. He’s bigger than life however very skilled on set. You’d be shocked. You assume he’d be a goofball on a regular basis, however he actually knew his stuff. [It] was lots of enjoyable to work together with him. I’ll say it was, particularly at first, it was slightly tougher for us to speak and type of establish virtually with Will as a result of he was simply so off the wall. It’s really simpler with Amy and Jamie since you may virtually discuss store with them about Lego methods and colours and story.

Mark: Eventually although we acquired extra comfy with the superstar man we all know as Lego Batman.

Steven: Yeah, all of us began to heat up one another and slightly simpler as we went alongside.

io9: And they’re clearly not there the entire time proper?

Mark: Most of the interactions you see are on digicam, a few of them clearly don’t make the reduce, however in addition they would solely be on the set for some time. They’d have a look at stuff, discuss to folks, then they’d head off for some time. They had a separate again space the place they have been in a position to entry the reside digicam footage after which watch all people. So they have been paying consideration 100% of the time to what we have been doing. But they weren’t all the time in the identical room. They have been usually off by themselves.

Steven: Because they have been a little bit of a distraction, truthfully. You’re listening to the place they’re trying. So they understood that and exited once they thought it was applicable.

io9: So finally, what does profitable Lego Masters win to you guys?

Mark: Okay, so my huge takeaway is we’ve been constructing Lego for 20 plus years, each of us. Before everybody was fascinated with what it was I constructing I’d go to a conference and other people would say “Nice build!” I’m like, “Thanks, bro” they usually’d maintain strolling. No huge deal. Now they don’t care in regards to the construct as a lot, they’re like “Oh, you’re on Lego Masters!” It’s a totally totally different state of affairs. So it’s been actually thrilling, actually fascinating, and actually wild to have that type of large swap in how folks work together.

Steven: Yeah, the artist has outrun the paintings primarily for us, which is actually bizarre, however I’m certain we’ll get used to it fairly quickly. But for me, as cliche because it sounds, it actually was a dream come true as a result of I all the time type of contemplated, like, method again, 10-15 years in the past, “I wonder if Lego will ever really take off? Will it be seen for what it is? Will it be in the public eye as something really interesting and exciting?” For a very long time, it was a distinct segment factor. It was only for children till Lego determined to increase. To be part of that enlargement…holy cow, who would have thought, ? It’s enjoyable to look again and return into your reminiscence and simply to see the place it’s all come. Yeah, it’s superb.

io9: Yeah, Fox has a TV present in primetime about Lego, proper?

Steven: Exactly [Laughs]

io9: And what’s subsequent for you each?

Steven: Well, not simply all of the enjoyable stuff that comes with profitable a TV present however I wrote a e-book. It’s known as The Inner Workings of a Lego Mind. It’s a gallery e-book of a few of my larger builds. It’s on Amazon. And additionally my web site, BrotherStevenBuilds.com and I hope to do extra method books. And it’s enjoyable to deliver the group to children and stuff. They actually get pleasure from it and see it as a result of that’s what occurred to us. We noticed the Masters do their factor 15 years in the past and felt like we’re going to do that, too. So I need to be that for the following era of youngsters as a lot as I can. But, Mark, you bought some stuff too.

Mark: I work at a retailer that sells Lego. I design stuff associated to Lego every single day. So I’m simply carry on retaining on and stick with it. [Note: Mark additionally has an incredible website.]

io9: All proper. Last factor. Online you’ve been often known as “The Castle Bros” however you misplaced the title on the present to Caleb and Jacob. Are you formally giving up the title of Castle Bros as per your settlement?

Steven: We actually are. But, , it’s humorous, I’ve slightly backstory—you’re the primary particular person to listen to about it. So on set, particularly close to the tip, proper after that entire Castle Bros factor, there was a few days earlier than it was throughout. During that point, Jacob particularly, he has a really dry hilarious humorousness. He’s nice. He’s a very humorous man. But he mentioned, , “We got that Castle Bros title.” He was beginning to rub it in our face slightly bit. So I mentioned, “Well, maybe we’ll trade it in for Lego Masters.” I completely acquired him with that and guess what? It occurred.

Lego Masters season two is now streaming on Fox and Hulu.

Wondering the place our RSS feed went? You can decide the brand new up one right here.