Gotta Build 'Em All!
LEGO Pokémon Campaign Hits 1.7 Million Views!
On this exciting new update of our Digital Wizards Studios Newsletter, we are thrilled to announce we teamed up with Whistle Studios to produce an action-packed LEGO Pokémon campaign that has already racked up 1.7 million views!
Kyle Juszczyk of the 49ers showed up ready to play!
What happens when you combine LEGO bricks, Pokémon battles, six energetic young trainers, and a little NFL star power?
You get one epic day of play!
A Whole New Way to Play
This awesome project brought us out of the animation studio and onto the playing field, where we watched our talented cast evolve from a group of rambunctious young boys into the most epic LEGO Pokémon trainers the world has ever seen! For generations, LEGO has inspired kids to build incredible worlds limited only by how wild and expansive their imaginations might be. Now, with interactive smart bricks, your favorite LEGO worlds are becoming even bigger and more bulbous!
Wizards, Assemble!
Every great Pokémon trainer has a great team. And so do we!
Our trusted crew of LEGO-loving Wizards traveled from Los Angeles to San Jose to bring this ambitious production to life. With a cast of six young athletes and a limited seven-to-eight-hour shooting window, everything was planned out very particularly so that we could make the most of our time on set with the cast and crew. Our production team included Lakme behind the camera as Director of Photography, Rosie managing production, Garry handling lighting as Gaffer, Jackson coordinating technical operations, and Max supporting the team as our production intern. With the team in place and every scene, camera setup, and transition be meticulously planned out, we were ready to head North!
For the shoot, we incorporated a three-camera setup and plenty of immersive handheld cinematography to capture the spontaneity, excitement, and movement of our young cast.
“We had an exciting and challenging shoot day, using a three camera setup to keep pace with the kids and be ready to shoot at short notice. Handheld was also used to match the energy of the kids while they built and battled with their Pokémon!” - Lakme Iyengar
Adding another layer of complexity, we live-streamed the production for our clients, giving them a front-row seat to the action as it unfolded. It was a carefully choreographed operation, but once the cameras started rolling, the goal was simple: let the kids play!
Lights, Camera, Battle!
This specific product showcases a new dimension of playability, where young LEGO Pokémon fans can train their own LEGO Pokémon in unique environment box sets, honing their partner’s strengths before they go into battle against other LEGO Pokémon and their trainers.
To bring this concept to life, we created a sports-camp-style adventure featuring six talented young trainers, each representing a fan-favorite Pokémon. KP trained with Bulbasaur, Ryan trained Pikachu, Keenan had Mewtwo, Elijah worked with Squirtle, Ryan trained Charmander, and Reed battled with Jolteon.
But who was going to train our trainers? It had to be someone with skills on the field and with the bricks. Who better than San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk?
One of the biggest challenges of working with young talent is maintaining the energy and excitement that makes a commercial feel authentic. Thanks to the fantastic work of our casting director, we had six enthusiastic young performers who brought athleticism, personality, and plenty of competitive spirit to the production. Between Pokémon training exercises, team challenges, and action-packed battles, the set quickly began to feel less like a commercial shoot and more like a summer sports camp.
As Digital Wizards Studios founder Paul Hollingsworth puts it:
"I've been making LEGO commercials and branded content for over 15 years. Seeing what this next version of smart play LEGO bricks can do allows the builds to be interactive in a whole new way. And we just had the best cast that made the day feel like we were all running around at a LEGO Pokémon summer camp."
The best performances happen when everyone is feeling good and having fun. This shoot was a perfect example of that, and a reminder of why we love making entertainment for kids.
Four Spots, One Goal
Of course, the magic doesn't stop when the cameras do. Back at the studio, our post-production dynamic duo of Jackson and Justin began editing the footage together, transforming a full day of action into four unique pieces of branded content. And Gus, our VFX specialist, brought in the finishing touches with insane graphics that helped capture the excitement of this ever-evolving, yet timelessly classic Pokémon universe.
The final campaign included one 7–8 minute YouTube feature, bringing the full Pokémon training adventure to audiences on Whistle Sports' channel. One 30-second commercial, and two 15-second branded spots delivering quick bursts of Pokémon action for digital audiences.
At Digital Wizards Studios, we've always believed that the best branded entertainment does more than showcase a product. It tells a story that makes audiences want to become part of the adventure. Whether we're animating LEGO bricks frame by frame or taking our cameras onto the playing field, our team will always go the extra mile to bring childlike imagination to life and to create animations that move you.
A huge thank-you to LEGO, Whistle Sports, our incredible cast, and every Wizard who helped make this production possible.
Now, who's ready to battle?
