The Magic Portal
Aboard a humongous space ship, an astronaut discovers a magic, glowing portal that brings him to a land of wonder and amazement. Filmed with the Lego line of construction toys, the film is considered to be a significant example of early brickfilms.
pwl@pwl
This is the third known "brick film" ever created: a student project made between 1985 and 1989 in Perth, Western Australia by Lindsay Fleay. It was shot on a bolex 19mm camera using 16 mm film and features animated LEGO, plasticine, and cardboard characters and objects, mixing both stop motion animation and live action.
Portal had high production values for a brickfilm, with a five-figure budget granted by the Australian Film Commission. However, due to legal issues with The LEGO Group, it did not see a wide release.
Its first major exposure was on the SBS "Eat Carpet" program that showcased short film in the early 1990's-2000's, where it was shown 6 times over the years.