Already adapted in many countries, the LEGO Masters format finally arrives in France from December 23 at 21:05 p.m. on M6. For those who do not know the concept of this LEGO-style reality TV competition, it is a construction competition on imposed themes that brings together eight pairs, with a phased elimination to determine which duo of participants will pocket the € 20.000 promised to the winners. The adaptations of the format already broadcast in other countries have found their audience and having watched a few of them, I found it rather entertaining.

The French version presented by Éric Antoine, magician and favorite of the moment at M6, therefore uses the mechanics and tests already seen in other adaptations of the show (collaborative construction of an amusement park, assembly of a bridge who must bear the heaviest possible load, etc ...) and a duo of judges decides at each stage of the fate of the different pairs.

For the French version of the program, the jury is made up of Georg schmitt, an entrepreneur who benefits from the certification LEGO Certified Professional (LCP) and Paulina Aubey, a visual artist who produces mosaics using LEGO bricks. The US version of the show had the right to a jury made up of Jamie Berard and Amy Corbett, two seasoned designers from Billund. I regret a little that the production of the French version did not call on French-speaking designers employed directly by the brand, the jury having full powers in this competition.

As with the other adaptations of the format, the eight pairs of candidates in the running, presented as the crème de la crème of construction based on LEGO bricks in France, are identified by a nickname that allows them to forget their first names and find each other easily a champion according to his affinities with the theme displayed from the launch of the show.

The casting : "lovers"with Aurélien "PointBrick" and his companion, the "Belgian dads"with two MOCeurs in their forties,"crazy artists"with two young visual artists from the Fine Arts,"father and son"a duo that brings together the young Youtubeur Yann Graoully and his father, "brick geeks"a duo that brings together Guillaume "DisneyBrick" Roussel and his mate Loïc, "Parisian students"presented as the intellectuals of the competition with Maximilien MaximusBricks et Thibault "Barrelroll"stated, "the unknown"a duo formed by production with Johan "Legollywood" and a banker, and finally "the technician and the creative"a duo composed of David "Hand Solo", a boy who built himself a prosthetic arm from LEGO bricks and Sébastien "Sistebane", co-founder of the Power Brick association and editor of the French-speaking magazine Briques Mag.

The format of the show being archi-scripted, more than the elite of French-speaking LEGO, we find in fact more or less the same profiles of amateur duos or more experienced builders already present in all versions of the show. broadcast in other countries. I already have my little idea on the probable finalists and on the duo that will emerge victorious from the French version, but I'll let you make your predictions.

Even if the format of the show is very structured and that several of the pairs are probably only there to serve the rise to a final of technicians used to handling LEGO bricks, I hope that the editing of the different episodes does not won't overdramatize too much, M6 usually getting a ton of it with guys peeling carrots or baking cakes. In the end, whether the show is scripted and probably scripted until the final victory is not that big of a deal, if it's done well and it's both rhythmic and entertaining.

It now remains to verify that the various competing duos will be able to produce creations of the level of those seen in other variations of the LEGO Masters concept and that the suspense is maintained until the end so that this family entertainment manages to retain its loyalty. audience over the weeks and does not end on W9 at 23:00 p.m. from the second episode. And don't forget that this is only reality TV with a final cut on which the various candidates did not have a say.

Here we go: the production company EndemolShine France launches a cast to find the different teams that will compete in the French version of the LEGO Masters show. The concept has already been successfully implemented UK et in Australia and the American version is currently being released in the USA on the FOX channel. The French version should a priori be broadcast on M6 and possibly end on W9 if the audiences are not quickly there.

The mechanics of the show, identical in all the countries where it is broadcast, are relatively simple: several pairs compete against each other during different thematic construction challenges to be met within a given time and the jury eliminates a team at the end of each challenge until 'so that only one pair remains in competition.

Make no mistake, this is above all a reality TV concept with LEGO sauce and the pairs who will succeed in passing the stage of the current casting will have to have a little more to offer than their know-how in building materials based on LEGO bricks: endearing or annoying personalities, couple, family team, great stories to tell, etc ... the profile of the candidates will weigh at least as much in the balance as their ability to assemble bricks.

A warning for all those who would be tempted by this adventure: During the broadcast, you will become a "public" character and you will therefore not escape criticism (or praise), especially on social networks. Think carefully before embarking on this adventure, you will often be judged on criteria that go far beyond the scope of this reality TV program and you will not control the image that the program sends back to you, especially in the way it is edited, cut and arranged to create the dynamics essential to the success of the show.

That being said, if you want to apply, just write to castinglm@endemolshine.fr. The production company does not give details on the content to be provided during the pre-registration, you will probably obtain more information on the file to be constituted after a first contact by email.

After the United Kingdom, Australia and soon the USA, the concept Lego masters could well arrive soon in France on M6 according to the article of the magazine TélécâbleSat Hebdo below.

The principle of this show, launched in the United Kingdom in 2017, is as simple as that of a classic competition but in LEGO style: several teams compete in challenges involving brick-based constructions. A panel of judges decides who continues the adventure, who returns home and the best win. In the UK version, Matthew Ashton (VP Design at LEGO) was one of the jury members.

It now remains to be seen what M6 will do with this concept of a family program which has already proven its worth in other countries.

(Thanks to Nicolas for the info)