WHERE IS MY DOG PIKO?? is a 2020 comedy brickfilm by Ben Young.[1][2] It follows a man on the search for his missing dog, Piko.[3] It was initially created for the Brickfilm Rapidly All Week Long Contest 2020, but was not finished in time. Shortly after release, it was featured on the front page of Newgrounds, and a video of the first two minutes of the film was shared on the Newgrounds Twitter account.[4]
Plot[]
Piko the dog busts out of a house's window and runs off into the night. The next day, the protagonist looks out the window and exclaims, "WHERE OH WHERE IS MY DOG PIKO?!?"
The protagonist looks for Piko in a bush, in mush, and in a big bear's tush, to no avail.
As he's about to give up, the protagonist spots a cottage belonging to a married couple on another hill and runs to it. The husband takes him in, and introduces the protagonist to his wife, who winks at the protagonist.
The three eat a meal of lentils. The husband goes outside to investigate a noise, and the protagonist and the wife proclaim their love for each other whilst devouring the lentils in a pot together. She admits concern because of her marriage. The protagonist proposes they could continue to eat lentils forever if he became their dog. She agrees.
The protagonist becomes the couple's dog, sleeping in their bed and devouring more lentils.
Outside, Piko appears from a bush, foaming at the mouth with rabies. Recognizing his owner, Piko licks his face. The protagonist then attacks and kills Piko, taking his collar.
In the couple's kitchen, the husband tells the protagonist "No dogs on the table," which starts a barking war between the two. The protagonist attacks the husband, grabs an axe, and slaughters him. The protagonist tells the wife, "We haven't finished our lentils and leeks yet." [3]
Cast[]
- Ben Young as the protagonist, the husband, and wife
Production[]
The film's multiplane camera setup.
The film was shot using the multiplane camera method of animation, which comprised of multiple panes of glass stacked vertically, separated by books out of frame. By placing sets and characters on the different panes of glass and having the camera pointing down, it created the illusion of depth. Additionally, instead of keeping the minfigures' mouths static or using digital mouth animation, Young used an Expo marker to draw character expression on each frame. A behind-the-scenes video was released, explaining and demonstrating the process.
Awards[]
| Year | Competition | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Brickfilmer's Guild Film Festival | Best Brickfilm of Festival | Nominated |
| Best Story and Screen Play | Won | ||
| Best Cinematography | Nominated | ||
| Best Scenic | Nominated | ||
| Best Animation | Won | ||
| Best Visual Effects | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound Design | Nominated | ||
| Best Acting | Won (tied with Jesus Heals a Paralytic in LEGO by Sam Lee) | ||
| BFG Member's Choice | Won | ||
| Best BRAWL, THAC, Steinerei, or Summer Contest Entry or Attempted Entry (BiM or BàB) | Nominated |