Morgan Neville recently spoke with the BBC’s Mark Savage about his new documentary Piece By Piece, an innovative look at Pharrell’s creative journey—all brought to life through Lego animation. Inspired by Pharrell’s own pitch for a Lego film, Neville embraced the idea to uniquely capture Pharrell’s beats and artistic vision. The documentary uses colorful Lego pieces to translate Pharrell’s music and creative thought process, visualizing his synesthesia and the shapes and colors he associates with sounds. This distinctive approach has earned praise for its playful style, though some critics questioned the decision to omit Pharrell’s Blurred Lines plagiarism trial, a pivotal moment in his career.
Neville considered including the high-profile case, where Pharrell and Robin Thicke were ordered to pay $5 million to Marvin Gaye’s estate, but ultimately felt it didn’t fit the documentary’s focus. Instead, Piece By Piece centers on Pharrell as an artist, using interviews with collaborators like Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dogg to explore his path as a musical visionary. Neville describes Pharrell as a “Wizard Of Oz” figure—someone who prefers shaping the soundscape from behind the scenes rather than stepping into the spotlight. Through its Lego animation, Piece By Piece offers a fresh take on the music documentary, presenting Pharrell as an innovator who thrives in the creative shadows.
Source: bbc.com