A very special television series is soon coming out of the unlikely location of the Hospital das Clinicas' Institute of Orthopaedics in São Paulo, Brazil.
The Adventures of Leca and Her Friends is not coming out through the auspices of any channel you've heard of (in the U.S., Brazil or anywhere else for that matter). Instead, it's being produced by a man who hasn't left his hospital bed since the age of one. The ambitious show producer is now 45.
Longtime Hospital das Clínicas resident Paulo Henrique Machado has not only conceived Leca, but is also the director of what he's hoping will be a full-fledged animated series for children about characters -- much like himself -- with disabilities.
Machado, who lives with the paralyzing viral disease poliomyelitis (aka polio) and has been confined to a hospital bed almost his entire life (with the need for an artificial breathing apparatus), has spent the last 21 years of his life learning how to produce graphic designs and, amongst other things, 3D animation.
In the past, Machado has worked on 2D animation, as well, and has even helped to develop various websites/campaigns for healthcare professionals, all from his hospital bed. He hopes to employ his creative and technical skills in bringing to life the 12 scripts he already has on hand for Leca, which involves the adventures of his lifelong partner and hospital roommate Eliana Zagui ("Leca") and he.
"The program aims to convey a message of inclusion and appreciation of differences in the most natural and genuine way as possible through dialogue and mostly exposing and facing the difficulties as they really are, without any outline of guilt, charity, or victimization," Machado's Catarse (a Kickstarter-like site, which refers to itself as the "first crowd-funding platform in Brazil") page states (as translated).
The Catarse page goes on to explain that Machado and those helping him with his endeavor have more than just the gumption and skills, along with their near full season of episode scripts ready to roll. They've also already produced: the storyboard for the pilot, the animatic for the opening credits and concept art for the characters.
The pilot of Leca involves "Leco" (Machado, not to be confused with the eponymous Leca) going to a theme park where he's disheartened to discover there are no adaptive rides for someone with his condition to enjoy. This spurs a series of scenes involving ride coupons and chocolate, and kicks off the subsequent episodes that are all based on true events.
These events range in subject from the traditional (a trip to the circus and zoo) to the outrageous (a visitation by an F1 pilot).
Machado and his friends are now looking to complete financing of Leca so that they can finish the 3D production and professionally pass through the post-production process involving everything from proper sound dubbing to "logistics of the final product" (DVD burning, shipping, etc.).
Machado is joined by artist/animator (and art instructor) Bruno Saggese, whose work has appeared in the likes of MAD Magazine (and whose animation can be seen here) and journalist/teacher Sônia Avalone, who has also supported Machado through the script process.
The team has already received nearly half of the funds they need to see Leca through its completion process and have 19 days left until the Catarse campaign closes.
"Contamos com sua ajuda!" ("We count on your help!"), the team proclaims on its campaign page.
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