Diplomacy series

The Diplomacy series is a series of silent comedy brickfilms created by James Jannicelli and Joshua Leasure. The series depicts various disputes which occur in a crowded bar. Though Joshua Leasure co-animated the first film in the series and edited the second, he did not contribute to the third.

Diplomacy (2003)
Main article: Diplomacy

Two imposing, armoured figures enter the bar, as the patrons watch in disapproval. When they sit at the counter, a man with glasses gets the attention of one to tell him that he and the patrons don't like them. Another patron attempts to attack the armoured man with a brush, but it rebounds violently off the armour. The man with glasses then tries attacking with an axe, but the armoured man grabs it from him and raises his own axe. The man with glasses hastily compliments him on his axe and offers to buy him a drink.

Diplomacy II (2003)
Main article: Diplomacy II

A man walks into the bar to find there are no stools free. He knocks another man off his stool to take it, and the other man knocks him off in return. The two begin to argue until another man enters, brandishing a gun. The two men draw their own guns and shoot him. Having put aside their differences, they look for two stools at the bar. They shoot two other patrons to take their seats.

Diplomacy III (2003)
Main article: Diplomacy III

A man leaves his stool to go to the toilet. A guard takes position in front of the vacant stool. Another man walks in and tries to get the guard to move aside. When the guard does not move, he shoots him. Two new guards immediately take his place. The man gets the bartender to knock these two out from behind, only for five new guards to take up position around the stool, as the man watches in disbelief. The man who left the stool returns and the guards move aside for him. He offers the stool to the other man and the guards allow him to pass. The first man leaves with the guards.

Great Microbiologists (2003)
Main article: Great Microbiologists

In this brickfilm by Joshua Leasure, the bar from Diplomacy makes a cameo appearance in a cutaway, in which the patrons cheer at Louis Pasteur having saved the beer industry. The footage for this sequence was provided by James Jannicelli.

Diplomacy Zero Trailer (2003)
James Jannicelli released a trailer for a prequel to the Diplomacy series entitled Diplomacy Zero. This was to focus on the pianist who appeared in the background all three of the films. He appeared in the trailer without his hook hand and it would presumably have been seen how he lost his hand, had this project been realised.

The Battle of New Orleans (2004)
Main article: The Battle of New Orleans

In this brickfilm by Joshua Leasure, British soldiers run from the Americans during the battle, and run through the bar from Diplomacy in one shot. James Jannicelli animated the piano player in this shot.