Super Charly The Movie
My Third Feature Film
It’s 2020 and Covid has spread across the world. I had been dealing with it really well until an unfortunate event placed me in hospital for three months.
While in Hospital my mind was taken back to one of my favourite childhood toys, ‘Super Charly.’ An Italian toy, which focused on Cowboys and Indians, expanding to other characters and all for the grand price of ninety nine pence! The perfect item to make a young boy part with his pocket money. These toys gave me endless hours of fun, creating my own adventures during the 1970s and early 80s and past the age where a person should have put down his toys and began contemplating the more serious matters of growing up. But that’s boring!
Concept Trailer 2020
Test Blender renders
Anyway, fast forward a few decades and I’m lying in a hospital bed and pondering on life, the universe and everything and, as I was a child, during moments of personal crisis, Charly came to me. Unfortunately the physical Charly was sitting in my loft at home, so I couldn’t pick him up and create an adventure, but I could lie in my bed and allow Charly to be the start of a new story…a new movie!
Compositing test
Close to the time that I am coming out of hospital I was allowed my camera, also I had some of my Super Charly’s brought in and I began to create the concept trailer above.
Taking from my own life, I decided I wanted to create a child friendly, family movie which had something to say regarding mental health.
So, I came up with a storyline, ideas for scenes and, with my camera, I did some rough stop motion filming with the toys.
When on leave from the hospital I shot some bits of running around and when I was deemed well enough to have a laptop, I began to edit with a free bit if software and created the concept trailer.
As I write these words it is now 2026 (I’m updating the Super Charly page to reflect the change with the website in general.)
There has been many variations of the script. A lot of work regarding the special effects and how I would realise this movie.
So there has been CGI work using Blender. I have played with motion capture, 3D scanning and retro-reflective filming, to help capture the live elements to the compositing effects work.
Over the past five years I have kept a blog diary here on this website. The posts are not always regular, but I try my best to keep up and comment on the work that has been done to get this project made.
I am going under the assumption that no one is going to just hand me the budget to make this feature movie, so I am attempting to put in place all the required skills and filming techniques which this motion picture will require; for a bargain basement budget.
I’m confident that by 2027 I’ll be in a position to say the immortal words,
‘Action!’
Blender
To visit Blender please click on their logo.
Brekel
Brekel have been around for some time. Their products range from free (with limitations), an evaluation version (Full programme for a month) and paid products. Please check it out. I do find this form of motion capture fun and rewarding.
More motion Capture
Not just motion capture, but also retargeting BVH or FBX motion files which have been created via one source and then required to be used in another programme (Of course, this, for me, is Blender). There is also AI capturing with Rokoko. Please check them out.
Be kind Love life Be amazing
Lets all try to be a little nicer, kinder and caring towards others. We do live in a wonderful world. I know there is lots of darkness and hardship all around us, but the more of us who believe, then slowly we will all help in turning the darkness into light. Have a great month everyone.