CALLICO, owner, Doug Calli A Special Effects CAD/CAM based design and fabrication company. Specializing in live action effects, motion control, set design, electronic, and mechanical props and gags.

Our purpose at CALLICO is to provide top talent and service, from proven professionals, resulting in spectacular effects. Among this group are motion control, mechanical, electronic, hydraulic, amusement ride engineers, display, on set pyro technicians, fabricators, set designers, decorators and sculptors.

A Sample of "high tech" services Smart Props (embedded systems development). Using real time microprocessor emulators, highly sophisticated or simple props can be programed and tested, while the circuit board is being manufactured, reducing the "turn around" time and ensuring a successful prop. Electronic CAD/CAM systems at CALLICO "speed up" the entire process of creating, programing and stuffing circuit boards.  Designs are created, tested and manufactured from the same electronic file, resulting in a smooth transition from imagination to reality! On the left, an example of an electronic CAD design used on Batman and Robin.  This circuit controlled locking pins and status conditions of the Bat Cave Turntable. On the right, the same circuit in layout form, ready for manufacture, using state of the art electronic CAD/CAM software. Mechanical CAD/CAM brings the same "turn around" advantages, enabling numerically controlled milling machines (CNC), to work from precise CAD drawings.  Plotted drawings are produced for fabricators at CALLICO, outside vendors, or in the case below, resolving clearance/obstruction issues before manufacturing. From "Die Hard with a Vengeance", a plot of the subway car's path over time, as it leaped onto the subway platform. Director John McTiernin, used this plot to stage his scene. Stunt Coordinator Terry Leonard used the plot to position his stunt personnel safely, while we (SPFX Coordinator Phil Cory's crew), used this plot to avoid a large building column in the path of the train, and determine exactly the site of the crash. Raster Scan to Vector DXF Conversion. Utilizing the latest raster to vector hardware and software. "One off", artistic craftsmanship can be quickly converted to CNC machining commands, providing multiple props in short order. The Bat Saw pictured below was created by Ron Goldstein, at Matt Sweeneys Special Effects Inc., raster to vector conversion by CALLICO. On the right, the artist sculpture after scanning in high resolution. On the left, a DXF style output allows CNC machines to mass produce each item, to exacting detail. top of page