When your actors are only an inch tall, their resumes actually don’t matter that much.

I’m casting characters for a video series, you see… or, you will see… about a trio of inch-tall fellows building a ship. No acting experience necessary, no ship-building skills. Heck, you don’t even need flexible joints!

There are three characters – Major Sir Addison St. James Lord Hildebrand Mornington III (the Major), Lester Howdie, and Foretop Jake Callop.

The challenge in finding 1/72 figures lies in discovering guys that aren’t doing anything. The Major in the picture comes from a Italeri British Artillery 1805 set (6041). He didn’t make the cut, sadly. Although a nice looking fellow with a good start on the paint, that spyglass forever stuck to his face rather limits his expressive opportunities.

Instead, the Major will be played by a fellow two spots over on the same sprue. Instead of a spyglass, he’s holding a slow match, waiting to apply it to the fuze of a waiting gun. He carries a look of determination and you can see his face. That’s a big step.

Lester had yet to be painted at the time of the picture. He comes from Hong Kong via a knockoff of the Airfix Cowboys set (A01707). I think. I found him in a baggie filled with both cowboys and Indians. He had the least flash of all the guys in the bag (a sign of that Hong Kong heritage) and that cool, I’m about to draw my other pistol stance.

Foretop is my favorite of the bunch – I knew he’d have the job the second he swaggered into the studio. He’s the least barbaric member of the seadogs featured in Mars Figures’ Pirates of the Caribbean set (MS72009). He had a ton of flash, and his base was none too flat. But that wild, wide open face sealed the deal.

These guys are the heroes of the upcoming Tales of the Black Falcon video series. They’ll stop-motion their way through the building of the Black Falcon plastic model ship kit.

We’ll talk more about this fabled sailing ship in another post, but the kit we’re building was produced by Atlantis Models several years ago. I know what you’re thinking – gasp, this is a priceless collector’s item! How could you?!?

First, I’m not a collector. Second, you can get the same kit from Amazon* today, produced by the Czech company Smer. It’ll run you $17. Hobbylinc.com also sells the Atlantis version for $24, but it’s on backorder.

Finally, this ship is just a knockoff the original 1962 Aurora kit. No tears. No remorse.

Ah, but for all that, she’s a lovely little tub.

Now that we have the cast assembled, they’ll go into wardrobe to get ready for their big-screen debut.

Follow along as we assemble the video studio, build the ship, and bring our miniature adventure to life!

*As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from each qualifying purchase. Thank you for supporting Tales of the Black Falcon.