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Fireball XL5 marked a historic turning point for Gerry and Sylvia Anderson as it was their first true science fiction production. Although the Anderson's previous effort, Supercar , involved the exploits of an advanced flying car, Supercar was actually supposed to have taken place during the then 'present' time of 1959/1960. Thus, Supercar was not technically a science fiction series. Fireball XL5 was also the first true Supermarionation program. Indeed, the Anderson's coined the term to advertise Fireball XL5.
This page contains information about the 5 minute "pilot" or test show for a Captain Scarlet CGI show made in 1999.
We received a DVD from Margetts, the company helping investors for the Captain Scarlet CGI show currently in production. This article contains images and a brief summary from the 90 second trailer on the DVD.
This page contains images and information covering the shooting of the short promo films for the BBC in 2001. A Joe 90 replica puppet and BIG RAT set was made specially for the shoot.
Captain Scarlet marked an important transition point in Supermarionation history. Gerry Anderson had always been dissatisfied with the unrealistic proportions of his puppet characters. The large cartoonish heads and small bodies of the puppets used in Fireball XL5 and Thunderbirds had been dictated by the size of the solenoids used to actuate the puppet's movable lower lips. By 1967 solenoids became available which were small enough to be mounted within the puppet's bodies instead of within their heads. These new solenoids made it possible for the sculptors to reduce the size of the puppet's heads to proper human proportions.