Amateurism and the Aesthetics of Lego Stop-Motion on YouTube

Do the “democratization” of media and the proliferation of online participatory culture undermine the aesthetic hegemony of professional filmmakers? This article is a case study of both more and less popular animated Lego videos, also called “brickfilms,” that asks how amateur videos adhere to and/or depart from professionalized aesthetic standards. It addresses the definitions of professionalism and amateurism and proposes that the dichotomy between democratization and ongoing elitism is insufficient to describe the complex dialogue between professional film aesthetics and amateur production—a dialogue that is diverse but nonetheless follows certain patterns. These patterns link Lego videos to silent era cinema as well as contemporary professional live-action and stop-motion animation. Furthermore, a mixture of parody, pastiche, and homage suggest that amateur work has a variety of affective relationships to professional work. Ultimately, amateur filmmaking indicates a negotiation of professional standards rather than slavish adherence.

The anatomy of the human body /

v. 1. The anatomy of the bones, muscles, and joints -- v. 2. The anatomy of the heart and arteries -- v. 3. The nervous system / by Charles Bell -- v. 4. The anatomy of the viscera of the abdomen, the parts in the male and female pelvis, and the lymphatic system / by Charles Bell.

The anatomy of the human body.

v. 1. Bones, muscles and joints. 4th ed. 1808 -- v. 2. Heart and arteries. 3rd ed. corr. 1808 -- v. 3. Nervous system, with plates / by Charles Bell. 1803 -- v. 4. Viscera of the abdomen, the parts in the male and female pelvis, and the lymphatic system / by Charles Bell. 1804.

The anatomy and physiology of the human body : containing The anatomy of the bones, muscles, and joints, and the heart and arteries /

Earlier eds. have title: The anatomy of the human body.