Interview with Paul Capello, a.k.a. 'Crimson Sky'

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Kurtis Kronk
Brian

Mar. 4, 2005

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Interview with Paul Capello, a.k.a. "Crimson Sky"

Today we will be talking to world-renowned case modder, Paul Capello (a.k.a. "Crimson Sky"). Many of you may know Paul from his website, TheBestCaseScenario.com, or from following his worklogs such as "Doom 3: Project Mars City" and "Project Nighthawk: Skunkworks F117A." We are working with Paul to create some exciting new content for TheTechLounge, but before we get into that let's find out a little bit about the man creating these incredible works of art.

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Before I get started, I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to conduct this interview, Paul.

It's my pleasure Kurtis--It gives me the opportunity to light up a nice cigar, relax and discuss my favorite subject, case modding!

The first thing I'd like to do is get a little background information on you. (Where did you grow up, go to school, work, etc. to get to where you are now?)

Well I was born in Brooklyn, NY a long, looong, time ago. The Earth cooled, and dinosaurs ruled the planet--wait I'm not that old actually. In some ways I feel like I was the child of a military family, having moved quite a bit from city to city; I was passed around to various family members like a three-bean side dish at a dinner table after my parents divorced. If any readers out there can relate, they understand just how difficult this can be for a teenager, but trust me and hang in there--it gets better once you're old enough to make your own decisions.

My older brother, Luciano, took me under his wing when I was sixteen, and he had me work with him in his small business doing carpentry and building cabinets. I had always loved to build models and miniatures, and carpentry opened me up to a whole new world of tools and techniques that would be crucial later on when I branched out on my own path. Working full time at seventeen years old didn't leave much time for school, so I decided to just get the GED and get on with life. Within a few years I was working on feature films, building sets, props and creating old-school mechanical special effects. I had begun a life of artistic creation that I would never turn away from. The rest of the 80's was a blur so I won't go into that.

Where did the name "Crimson Sky" come from and what significance does it have for you?

I think it was in 1994 or '95 when I made the name up for my AOL account. I believe it's a line from a U2 song... "We're free to fly the crimson sky, The sun won't melt our wings tonight..." It has nothing to do with the game. I long ago killed my AOL account, but I still have the screenname.

What other mediums have you used to express yourself, besides PC modding?

My other great love is miniature model making. Being able to take the raw materials and duplicate anything in miniature has always been something I was able to do, and it held a deep fascination for me. I was never much of a plastic kit type of model maker, although as a young kid I really liked building WW2 aircraft, so I could light them on fire and play Godzilla. When I was about 24, I wanted to build miniatures professionally for a studio here in Manhattan that created props for print, film and television. The owner was a Japanese man, a well known master model maker. I interviewed with him for a job, but after looking at my modest portfolio of miniatures, he said "I can't hire you because you are considerably more skilled than I am." It was an honor. Although I haven't done miniatures in a long time, you can see my passion for it reflected in some of my mods.

What really got you interested in PC modding?

Although I have been building my own PC's for ten years, I was a late comer to the modding scene--I stumbled on some case modding websites in the Winter of 2000. I had been laid off from a cushy dot-bomb startup company and decided to get the tools out and try my hand at chopping up my beige PC case.

Continuing with the previous question, what did you do to that beige case, as your very first case mod?

As a model builder I had lots of spare parts that I use for kitbashing and scratch-building. I had boxes full of anatomical model parts like skulls, hands and other pieces. It was natural for me to want to use these parts to some extent on my first case mod, and the result was the "Alien Case Mod". I had a really good time making it, and it was clear to me that I was hooked on modding from that point!

When it comes time to build a new computer, where do you buy your hardware?

As a computer enthusiast, I'm always on the hunt for a good hardware bargain online. If it's the difference of just a few bucks, I'd rather shop at a retailer that has a wide selection of the latest gear, fast shipping and good return policies like Newegg.com.

Favorite tool?

I can't say I have a favorite tool, but I do like really well made ones...

I guess I like the big machines like the bandsaw and drill press. Anything made from Bosch, Foredom and DeWalt are very nice. I've "adjusted" cheap tools now and then with a small sledgehammer if I felt it was potentially dangerous. It's just not worth the risk, and safety comes first.

It's no secret that you have created some of the most amazing case mods to date, which can be seen at your site, TheBestCaseScenario.com... Which one presented the greatest challenges?

I'd have to say it was The Matrix: Rebirth 8.0 case. Not only was it my first scratch-built case, but also quite small, having used a Mini-ITX motherboard. The other technical challenge with that piece was the animatronic, servo controlled fetus, which is about 1.2 inches in length with a skeleton made from brass and steel. The finished case was topped with mirror acrylic, and that is really difficult to keep scratch-free and pristine; anyone who has built an acrylic case knows exactly what I'm talking about.

Do you ever wish you had a team of gnomes to do your busy-work for you - i.e. sanding, priming!?

Gnomes are scary. But I wouldn't say no to a team of Playboy Playmates.

What is the worst mistake you've made when modding?

When I completed my piece "The Matrix: Regenerator" in 2003 I took it to the CPL LAN event in Dallas, where after powering it up, the graphics card began to slowly die on me. It was a near disaster, but I was able to get a replacement for it fairly quickly and get up and running again. Then that card began to die out. I wound up replacing the motherboard (to be honest, I "adjusted" it) and graphics card. As it turned out, the standoffs for the first motherboard were not the correct ones, and the board was shorting out against the case because they were too small. I completely stripped the case in my hotel room and replaced the parts just in time for the case mod contest. It was an amazing feat considering the complexity of the design.

What is the best "mistake" you've made?

To answer that I'll quote Scott Adams: "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."

Who inspires you? *cough* TheTechLounge *cough*

People who have the courage to pick up some tools and materials, create their first case mod and share it on the forums with all of us.

What do you hope to be doing ten years from now?

Sitting on a shady porch in Summertime with my wife, sipping a cool drink, and looking at a big beautiful tree on my own property.

Please tell our readers a bit about some of the things we're going to be working on together.

Well they should be really juiced, because some very cool PC modding videos and instructional tutorials are going to be available right here only on TheTechLounge!--It's time we had some high quality videos out there that help both the beginner and pro modders alike with their own projects, and that's just what we have planned for the rest of the year so stick around!

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As Paul mentioned, we're collaborating on some really exciting exclusive content available only at TheTechLounge. While we don't want to spill all the beans just yet, we do have a short video just to give you a taste!

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2 User Comments

1 - Posted by ProfessionX on October 31, 2008 - 7:59 am

This guy is one cheap ass sob.

2 - Posted by Kurtis on October 31, 2008 - 12:44 pm

Well... that's random.

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