Tai Freligh interviews the winners of LEGO Masters season two…
Hosted by actor and producer Will Arnett, season two of LEGO Masters airs every Tuesday (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, bringing imagination, design and creativity to life when teams of LEGO enthusiasts go head-to-head, with infinite possibilities and an unlimited supply of LEGO bricks. Once again, teams of two will compete against each other in even more ambitious brick-building challenges – including an earthquake tower challenge, a demolition derby, a LEGO fashion show and more – to be crowned the country’s most talented amateur LEGO builders. Each week, Flickering Myth’s Tai Freligh chatted with the eliminated contestants. This final week Tai talks with season 2 winners Mark and Steven about their time on the show, lessons learned and more about the build that put them on top.
What was your audition process like?
Mark: Steven and I were both approached for Season 1 of LEGO Masters but we both didn’t have enough time at that point to continue. Thankfully, when Season 2 rolled around we were both free and excited to get a chance to be on the show! The audition process itself is pretty straightforward. There were a number of Zoom interviews and we recorded a bunch of video content of both us and our LEGO work for them to inspect and consider.
Steven: It was exciting from the start and got more intense as it went along. Mark and I had a good feeling we had a shot to be on the show. The auditions were a very long process with lots of interviews and Zoom calls. Thankfully, it wasn’t too hard to find us. Mark and I have always been prolific builders online.
Talk about your time on the show and what it was like?
Mark: Imagine having a favorite TV show and then suddenly you’re on set as one of the cast! Steven and I were incredibly excited just by being there! It was so neat to meet Will Arnett and Amy and Jamie. For fans of LEGO and LEGO Masters it’s a once in a lifetime experience.
Steven: Although the Covid regulations were omnipresent, it was an incredible experience. It was fascinating to see all the workings behind the scenes of a TV set. It all seemed other worldly. I won’t deny it could be very stressful and unpredictable. We had very tight schedules and it was definitely strange to wear makeup for the first time.
Congratulations on winning! How does that feel and how has your life changed moving forward?
Mark: Thanks! It’s extremely gratifying to know that a decade of doing what you love can pay off tremendously under the right circumstances. The biggest change is at LEGO events, before I would just be one of many builders there and people were mostly interested in what I had made, now people are much more interested in me personally which is a big shift from what I’m used to.
Steven: Picture an adrenaline rush for almost half a year and you have a pretty good idea of what I’ve been going through. On paper, life has been mostly the same until I walk into a LEGO store or convention and start signing autographs and taking selfies.
What were you trying to achieve with the final build that garnered the win for you?
Mark: For our final build we were trying to create a gigantic character that was recognizable, unique, and mysteriously interesting! We wanted to put our best LEGO building skills and techniques on display while incorporating what we have learned on the show.
Steven: So, I’ve been wanting to build a tree-man for quite some time. We wanted to make the build instantly recognizable but something unique from anything else that has been made so far. We wanted to “one up” everything we had built so far in the show and we did that by making the biggest creature I’ve ever made.
What did you learn from the judges over the course of the season?
Mark: A lot! We learned to use color as more of a feature in our builds. They also encouraged us to really push the boundaries of what was even possible with LEGO bricks! Some of the stuff we built on the show would have blown our minds a few years ago.
Steven: One of the biggest takeaways is that I learned not to be too nervous with new colors. The judges really pushed for that and I’m grateful for it.
Did you learn from the other contestants and do you plan on keeping in touch with them?
Mark: For sure! We learned a lot of tips and tricks from the other contestants. It was really fascinating to see how differently each builder approached a particular challenge. We still keep in touch on a daily basis with the whole group!
Steven: With fellow LEGO builders, you talk “shop” quite a lot and many small techniques were learned along the way but more importantly these LEGO builders became a second family. We talk all the time.
What’s next for you?
Mark: More LEGO Building, buying my first house, enjoying my existence!
Steven: I’ve been writing LEGO themed books and hope to push that to new heights. Also, pursue more avenues for LEGO on social media like YouTube.
Tai Freligh is a Los Angeles based writer and can be followed on Twitter, TikTok and Instagram and can be found on his website too.
PHOTO CREDITS: FOX