Entrevistado directamente da Hungria

Há uns mesitos, logo após ter apresentado o meu Museu em LEGO no mundo cibernáutico, um dos vários destaques que surgiram foi num blog húngaro, aquele que, segundo o autor, é a principal fonte de informação e espaço de discussão sobre LEGO de um país que ainda não tem uma comunidade de Fãs de LEGO organizada.

A propósito desse mesmo destaque, sobre o qual eu comentei no Fórum da Comunidade 0937, o autor do blog registou-se no nosso fórum e perguntou-me se estaria disponível para lhe responder a uma entrevista para o seu espaço. Prontifiquei-me desde logo, sem qualquer problema!

A entrevista já foi publicada no tal blog húngaro e podem lê-la (se conseguirem! =D) aqui!

Para os mais curiosos - que não entendam húngaro e que não querem perder metade do sentido das palavras por meio do tradutor automático do google -, aqui têm a entrevista original feita em inglês:

I'm sure you used to play lego when you're a child. Have you stopped playing lego when you felt you are grown up, and started again when you become a real adult, or you played continuously?

Yes, I had a dark age – a dark and painful period of time in which I didn’t touch any LEGO part – and it lasted about 6 or 7 years. I only stopped playing with LEGO because everybody around used to tell me that LEGO was a kids toy, not for my age anymore, and unfortunately I started to believe them at some point in my life.

When? (How old were you at those dark age?)

I stopped playing with lego at the age of 12 and the "dark age" lasted until I was 19.

What was your most preferred theme when you were a child?

I had really few sets, because LEGO was (and still is) a too expensive toy… I can’t remember a theme that I loved the most, but I had castle sets and some of city and I totally love them! J

And today?

Definitely, today there is indeed a theme that I love the most: the modular buildings! Jamie Berard has been doing an excellent work. But I also love the licensed themes as well, because of the wonderful minifigs and new parts!

Are you collecting sets, or just building MOCs?

Just building! I rarely buy a set to keep it built. The exception, for now, it’s only the 4999 Vestas Wind Torbine that I bought part by part on Bricklink (and now it’s actually without its lights and battery).

What is/ or what will be your real profession? Is there any connection with lego? Or with (house-) building?

This year I finished my degree in computer sciences oriented in computer engineering and I recently applied for the job of LEGO Designer. I was picked for the group of 40 people which went to Billund last week to attend the workshop. Now I am waiting to know if I am going to work at LEGO in the real near future. J

If you have an answer, please do not hesitate to inform us.

No, I don't have an answer yet. I waiting... They should tell me something in the next few days.

If you have a job, do your colleagues (or your roommates) know that you are a lego-builder?

All my friends and family know that and most of my colleagues at college know as well, some because I told them, others because they saw me on the national TV being interview on a show about hobbies and uncommon passions. I never made it secret! ;)

Do you accidentally decide to build something (for example seen something in the street), or you think a lot before planning?

A bit of both! It really depends on the free time I have or on what I actually see on the streets that might or not be inspiring.

How do you make the plans? Are you using computer-based programs (which one?), or you just make detailed paper-notes, or you are planning and developing during the building progress? if you have paper-notes, can we ask you to scan and send some?

No, I don’t usually make any kind of paper-notes… It’s really rare! But sometimes I plan some details or some more complex parts of a creation on LEGO Digital Designer. In fact, most of the times, I just build without much preparation.

Once you decide what you build, do the (very) small details/built jokes come accidentally during the building progress, or you plan it prior also?

Well, I don’t know… For what I can remember now I would say they just come accidentally, because usually the process of “giving life” to my creations just come at the end, so only in that moment I stop to think about what I can do to enrich the creation.

How much time you usually plan? How much time you usually build a MOC? What is longer, the small or the grand MOCs? (e.g. little café corner vs. museum)

Most of my creations take some weeks to be completed because I usually need to buy some particular parts on Bricklink to finish it, but as I already said, I don’t spend much time planning it, I start to build it right off as soon as I got the idea and some free time! About the examples you gave, I spent few hours to build the little café corner, because it was made for a contest and I was really running out of time, so I had to make it quick. The museum took me almost an year to be completed, but this was mostly due to the fact that I had to buy a lot of expensive parts and I had to make the money before; the fact that I had a really busy year at college “helped” a little bit too to increase the building time.

Do you build a rude model using the bricks you have (various colors, etc.), and once you realize that the moc is working you order the elements in the right color, or once you have the plans ready, you order the bricks, and build scene? What is your favorite brick-store? 

I’m more the kind of AFOL that when doesn’t have the needed parts, plan it a little bit and order the elements, only then I build. This makes me take some unnecessary risks, I mean, if I planned every single creation wisely I would save some money, but I don’t have much patience to project everything first on paper or even in the computer. Although, I’ve been changing that! J

Do you have family? If yes, what your wife/girlfriend thinks about the so much hours you spent with lego? 

I still live with my parents and my younger brother and I’m single at the moment, so there’s not that much troubles about the time I spend with LEGO. They all respect the fact that it’s my passion, so it’s all fine!

How much time you spend browsing the internet for new mocs, techniques, etc?

Well, a couple of hours a day, maybe… Every day, I visit my LUG’s forum, Flickr, Eurobricks, The Brothers Bricks and some other sites, so I can always be updated about what’s happening on the AFOLs scene.

How many lego-feed you have in your google reader? How many flickr-pool you visit regularly (lego-pools, obviously)

I don’t use google reader or any other kind of feeds reader. And on flickr I think I just visit regularly the LEGO pool, other then that I just click on some thumbnails randomly…

Do you have direct (personal, or on-line) connection with other (famous) moc players?

Yes, I keep on-line contact with some and I had the chance to meet some of them personally already, which is really cool! But this question is quite difficult to answer, because I don’t know which builders are “famous” in Hungary! I know LBaixinho, the ARVO Brothers, Sir Nadroj and keep in touch through foruns with many others.

Who is your favorite builder?

I’m gonna repeat myself! Curiously, some of my favorite builders are the same that I mentioned that I have met already. So, here are some of my favorite builders: LBaixinho, Evildead, Rupi, Biczzz, Romão (these five are from Portugal and are friends of mine), ARVO Brothers, Sir Nadroj, Mijasper, Teddy, among others.

Are you attending exhibitions in Portugal and or abroad? As a guest also?

Yes, in Portugal, as a member of the Portuguese LUG “Comunidade 0937” I co-organize many exhibitions around the country in which I show my creations. Until today, I was never invited to join any convention abroad, but I’m thinking about attending the next FanWelt in Cologne as an exhibitor, which will be the first time I show my creations outside my country!

What the "Comunidade 0937" means? How many members you have?

The direct translation of it is: "0937 Community" and the number is a reference to LEGO. If you turn the number 180º you'll read: "LEGO"! :) Our LUG has more the 1000 registerd members, but only about 100 are regular visitors, and 50 are really active.

Do you visit exhibitions as a simple spectacor/visitor (home and abroad)?

I coorganized all the exhibitions that I visited here in Portugal, displaying my creations too. Abroad, until now, I went only as a visitor.

At this moment, what is your biggest plan to build?

Well, since my LUG’s big event of this year took place last June and for that reason I finished all my current projects for it, I’ve been busy with other stuff this summer and haven’t been building or planning much these last weeks. But I do have many things that I would love to build: like a Jurassic Park Display or a classic styled square with many detailed buildings.

Do you have some special dream regarding the lego rom your childhood (e.g.: to build a house, where one flor is only for lego, and you build a huge town with rails, or something)

I don’t think it’s a huge dream from childhood, but I would like to have a real table made out of bricks just like the one I saw a few months ago on the internet! J

Do you want to work for the LEGO Company?

Certainly!! It’s my biggest dream ever! And I’ve started to work on that already, has I’ve told you a few questions ago! J

Have you ever been to Legoland and/or a Lego factory?

Yes and yes! Fortunately I can say that I am a little bit lucky! Last April me and more 40 people from my LUG went to Billund by bus to visit the LEGOLAND Park and the LEGO Factories. We also visited the Idea House – a museum – and the wonderful Vault!

What is your favorite set of this year?

I don’t have a favorite set. I loved the Toy Story minifigs though!

If you would be a CEO of the LEGO company, what you order to release (a new theme, or subtheme, or a single set with specific content)?

Humm… I think I must save the answer for that question, because I don’t know if I’m gonna need it later! :D Just kidding… I would love LEGO makes any Marvel Licensed Theme like DareDevil, X-Man, Iron-Man, etc.

I've just realized, that Mega Bloks issued some iron Man sets. What do you think about the clones? Have you ever used clones, like Nnenn? ( http://lego.blog.hu/2010/04/15/gyasz_74 )

Clones?! Nheeeccc.... Nooo! I never bought clones and I don't really think I would ever do so! Even knowing that I love Marvel movies, I rather not have any LEGO set, than buying a clone brand.

Do you have professional assistant to make the photos of your moc, or you are making those also?

Wow! I would love to! ;D No, I’m the one who takes the photos too, most of them were taken with my cellphones (I know, I should be shamed…), but I haven’t got the chance to buy a good camera yet! Anyway, there’s an exception: my Museum – since it’s my biggest MOC ever –, was photographed on a studio by a professional photographer friend of mine.

What was you first moc, which you can consider as a real moc today?

Well, probably this one, built in September 2008.

And at last, a bonus question: are you using separor to separate the bricks? :D

Yeah! I have two! :) And I need them frequently! Quite helpful parts! 

Até logo! ;)