Maximillion and Truth

Maximillion and Truth is a brickfilm by Eben McDaniel and Anica McDaniel. It follows a king who finds himself needing to consider who he should trust. It was one of three semi-finalists in the 14-18 age category of the LEGO Studios Movie Making Contest, and it was available to view on the LEGO Studios website in 2001. It is notable for its early use of large brick-built figures rather than minifigures, and it contains a combination of stop-motion animation and live-action puppetry.

Plot
A king, Maximillion, is enjoying a long bath without a care in the world. His advisor Christopher enters to inform him that there is a famine in the land and his people are starving. Maximillion asks Christopher to tell the people that he is working on it, but Christopher refuses to lie to them, so the king calls in another man, Murdoch, to give him the task. Murdoch agrees and also tells Maximillion that he has a surprise present for his birthday tomorrow, before leaving. Christopher warns Maximillion that if Murdoch is willing lie to the people then he will surely also lie to his king, but Maximillion ignores the advice.

Maximillion awakes the next morning, excited that it is his birthday. Murdoch shows him to a room with his gift inside, and Maximillion emerges in a strange suit. Murdoch leads him to the second part of the gift, a flying machine that will take him to unimaginable places. Christopher enters and asks to speak with the king privately. He tells Maximillion that Murdoch has an evil plot to send him away to space forever and then take over as king. Maximillion is hesitant to believe him as he wants to use his flying machine, but he is convinced to let Christopher send a robot replica of the king in the machine instead.

Maximillion and Christopher find Murdoch in the king's bath, surprised to see that Maximillion has returned. Guards are called for to take Murdoch to the dungeon. Maximillion thanks Christopher for saving his life and kingdom, and offers him his ruby ring as a token of gratitude.