Piece by Piece

Here’s a little curiosity that will likely be overlooked by many people for exactly the same reason I almost overlooked it.  I can’t really say that I am a fan of Pharell Williams – I do enjoy some of his collaborations, and have a soft spot for some of his N.E.R.D. output, but that’s always been about it.  But the manner in which this biographical documentary was being presented intrigued me.  Basically we have William’s talking through his life story in the form of Lego!

This is primarily a talking head documentary, the likes of which we have seen so many times before, and many of the stars who Willaims has worked with pop up to speak about how he inspired them, or helped grow their sound, from Busta Rhymes to Missy Elliott, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dog…. all in Lego format!  Williams has been wanting to make a film about his life for the past decade, but it was only over the last 5 years that it evolved to be an animated Lego film idea, and it couldn’t feel more perfectly suited to the tale.

The creativity offered by expressing this tale in Lego helps to tap into the same type of imagination that Williams taps into when concocting new beats and tracks, giving the musical kicks some visual flair of sometimes surreal beauty.  All the while it tells an inspiring tale of how this young kid from the projects followed his dreams and ambition, building a reputation for his sound, and rose up to become one of the hottest talents within the industry, collaborating with so many names on some of their most iconic works.  I wasn’t aware of the range of artists Williams worked with over the years, and have now found myself more of a fan of him as a result of watching this.

Visually creative, fun, energetic, and a whirlwind of imagination, Piece By Piece breaks the conventions of how we make documentaries by emphasising imagination above anything else, and is a surprising treat of sound and vision combined.