WORK LOG - Prop Professor Simon Wright from Captain Future / Capitaine Flam

Greetings.
I don't think it has ever been made, but I am starting a scratchbuild of Professor Simon from Captain Future - you know, the flying brain from the Toei Animations 1978 anime of that 1930s scifi series of novel?

Here's who's we're talking about:
Niklas Knaack: Simon Wright

There was a "looking for info" for that same prop a little while ago, in 2011, that didn't lead to much:
http://www.therpf.com/f11/simon-wright-captain-future-looking-infromation-121491/
but it did point to someone's video of what seems to be a very low number production of what should be a real-size prop - apparently made by some European toy company.
I got lucky (well, its the language - really. Most documentation I found online are French, referring to Capitaine Flam instead of Captain Future. Hey, I speak french!) and found out somewhere that had what appear to be "production sketches" - I posted it in that thread, but here's it.


That will be my main reference for "canon" of Professor Simon.

Back to "my" project.
I am starting to gather the essentials, and then will build the rest.

First thing first, I didn't want to sculpt a brain (or mould a cast of my own. lol) so I got an anatomically correct gelatin mold from a halloween store. Its appropriately sized, solid translucent white plastic.

It doesn't quite look great on picture, but will be PERFECT for the project.

I also got a weird looking lamp with 5 goosenecks, for the eyes. I originally tought to use the 4 for the tubes in the back, but then realized they need to be smaller. I'll need some work on them but otherwise I think its OK.

The next big part I am looking for, is the dome. I tough it would be easy to get a 12 inch clear dome, but apparently the "normal sizes" for those are 8, 10 and 18 inches. I have found a plastic place in california that could make one on-order for me at 65$+shipping, but am still looking for better deals
http://www.therpf.com/f13/where-get-11-12-inch-clear-domes-175420/

Well, that's where I am right now. Will post progress when I have some, but it is not a "in-a-hurry" build, progress might be slow.

Feel free to post opinions, ideas, comments or questions!

I think I got the properly sized smaller gooseneck tubes for the back, in USB led lights. They aren't as cool being that they don't have boltable ends, but is about half the diameter which seems OK when compared to the on-screen character and character sheet. Plus it was dirt cheap.

I also got what I think will turn out nice for the eye section Some weird battery operated LED light clip-ons. Dismounts and breaks out nicely; I'll look at using putty to rework the surface to my own tastes, but they sure do a nice squeleton for my purpose. Unless I find better.

I love obscure props. The captain future pulp is actually a pretty fun read, too.

Keep up the progress!

Nick

Thanks!
I sure will do.

It used to be one of my favourite shows as a kid.

I figure the professor is a better challenge than lightsabers or proton packs - which I did - while being less mainstream than astromechs - which would be in my "maybe one day" list.
Plus, being more obscure leads to having less "premade ressources" - the result should be even more rewarding.

It just cool to see stuff that hasn't been done to death and speaks to more of a personal obsession rather than some current trend.

Also doing something from an old cartoon like that lends itself to a bit of artistic interpretation.

I also like the idea of a "prop" that is also a character.

You could sound files into an MP3 player and have it talk on command perhaps?

You are right about artistic interpretation. Plus, there are many roads to be taken for a prop. Making a "real-life representation of the cartoon" or a "what if there was a movie made out of that show" leads to something similar but different.

For one, I am already wondering if I should keep the brain blue like in the TV show, or if I'll make it more realistic. The TOEI animation team likely decided for blue to be less gruesome, while the original Edmond Hamilton concept was literally a brain in a cubic box.

So I am wondering if I should make the brain pinkish, or blue, or blue with lelds to make it glow.

I am still undecided.

I didn't think of making Simon talk... that's a cool idea. Afterall, its a prop/character!