How LEGO Friends: Heartlake the Musical Brought Heartlake City to Life

How do you make Heartlake City feel real without asking performers to imagine every scene against a blank green screen? For LEGO Friends: Heartlake the Musical, production studio Final Pixel used real-time virtual production. In a new interview, creative leads Michael McKenna and Hanah Draper share how Unreal Engine, LEGO models and practical props helped shape the look.

A LEGO world designed for human performers

The team used 3D models of actual LEGO sets as a starting point, then expanded them into environments that actors could inhabit. One key creative decision was what to build as a real foreground prop and what to create digitally. McKenna and Draper say scale and color were carefully considered to keep the city recognizably LEGO-inspired.

Why real-time visuals mattered?

The digital setting wasn’t just something to add later. Actors could see the animated world around them while performing, helping them feel immersed in Daisy’s journey from the real world into her own LEGO creation. That’s a different experience from acting toward an empty green screen. 1

The behind-the-scenes challenge: timing

Virtual production still takes meticulous planning. Camera and wall positions needed regular adjustments, while the cast, lighting team and art department had to stay in sync. Draper also points to crew expertise as an ongoing challenge, with Final Pixel Academy helping train people for this type of production. 1

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