Just a quick post, as I am getting ready to host the next meeting of the Guardians of Gallifrey–busy, busy, busy (Treats, pinata, booksale items, games, and photo op props don’t prepare themselves!).
Staffing the table for the Guardians didn’t leave many opportunities for photos from the festival, but here are a few:
The Guardians’ boothDaleks!River and Vashta Nerada cosplay with the Delegate from Alpha Centauri
For the fans who were interested in our TARDIS, K-9, and Dalek crafts, you can find the patterns for them on this Blog, in the posts dated April 4, 2020, May 25, 2020, and May 31, 2020. Enjoy!
Bits and photos that didn’t make it into the February Gallifrey Guardian, suitably captioned: ALL SPOILERS, ALL THE TIME!
Jack Forsyth-Noble was present on the first day of Doctor who Series 14 filming playing a character named Will. Forsyth-Noble had his television debut in Coronation Street in 2021.
Jack Forsyth (photo from Models Plus)
Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson were filmed with the TARDIS at Giltar Point on the Coast Path in Pembrokeshire on January 23. The actors wore warm robes over their costumes as they rehearsed. The film crew set up a base at Salterns in Tenby, as filming was expected to extend to January 27. The local paper, the Tenby Observer, ran an article about the filming, including photos.
Love this shot of the TARDIS silhouetted against the sunset. The setting almost looks like a quarry…now I’m feeling nostalgic–you Classic fans know what I mean!
Below are more photos from filming in January. Thank you to all those fans who post on Twitter, and to cultbox.co.uk for bringing it all together.
Finally, the post that should have started the whole SyFy Bartow 2023 trilogy! SyFy Bartow is a science-fiction street festival held annually in Bartow, Florida for the past ten years.
This year’s theme was Star Trek. Last year’s event attracted an estimated 30,000 attendees. The festival took over several city blocks downtown on Saturday, February 18, with vendors, fan clubs, food trucks and FANtastically decorated cars.
One of the first tables I saw was staffed by our friends at StoneHill, Anne and her crew, promoting Necronomicon [September 22 – 24 at Embassy suites USF in Tampa – shameless plug by me! jl].
Near them were the Dalek Builders (Florida Brigade), with two impressive full-sized Daleks.
An outdoor stage featured acts like “the Amazing Ralph and his Accordion” and “Klingons Lore Singers of Kag;” an Outer Rim lightsaber demonstration; panels on Pokemon, Star Trek, and cosplay; musicians; and the Miss SyFy Bartow Pageant, Costume Contest, and Awards for Car and Art Show winners. One street was lined with photo ops, mostly with Star Wars backgrounds.
A TARDIS was set up in the intersection at the center of the Car Show, and was the site of many a selfie by Who fans. (No, I don’t know who supplied the TARDIS, but I’m going to do my best to find out!)
You’ve already seen pics of Who fans and merchandise, but here are a couple more shots, followed by links of interest.
One last vendor with some Doctor Who merchandise was PopCulturama (or possibly Pop Culture Rama). I was unable to get their website address, but you may be able to find them on Facebook.
Several of the artists will create custom art to the client’s specifications.
A quick post from the Bartow SyFy event, which I attended on Saturday. (More details in future posts.) Tonight I just wanted to show proof that I was not the only Doctor Who fan there!
This last picture was of a whole family of Who fans, who kindly took a photo of me in the TARDIS (which might show up in a future post).
Very brief post today: I’ve been streaming The Simpsons (one episode at a time) for the past year. In Season 23, Episode 9, “Holidays of Future Passed,” Daleks patrolled the streets of London in front of Saint Beatles Cathedral. Another Dalek chased a scantily clad young woman in and out of the Benny Hilton.
…the bits that didn’t make it into the January issue of the Gallifrey Guardian, that is.
Series 14 news (may contain spoilers):
Auditions for the Fifteenth Doctor’s companion were held on September 24 and pre-production officially began on September 26. The director for the first filming block was Dylan Holmes Williams. Principal photography began in December. Filming occurred on December 5; the exterior of the Thirteenth Doctor’s TARDIS was visible in photos posted on official Doctor Who social media. Russel T Davies wrote in DWM that Episode Two “contains the words Liverpool, legions, and non-diegetic” and the first line of Episode Seven’s script is “INT. COFFEE BAR, USA – DAY, 1947.”
Scott Handcock’s Production Diary in Doctor Who Magazine reported that Sam Care is the cinematographer working with director Dylan Holmes Williams on Block One. Some pre-filming location scouting was reported in November in “urban environments” and a “sporty location” which required life jackets. A photo at a coastal location on a particularly stormy day was described as “the most stunning, perfect location to open an episode.” The cast participated in a block One read-through on November 30. Agency casting calls requested trendy types and smart-looking business types. Block Two filming will include the holiday special with Ncuti Gatwa’s full-episode debut as the Fifteenth Doctor. Mark Tonderai will direct Block Two, consisting of at least two episodes.
Millie Gibson said Ruby’s haircut is “a bit punky, a bit spiky.” Jane Trantor, executive producer, said: “Ruby’s one of those girls that will go to a charity shop and pick the best item off the rack.”
Dylan Holmes Williams directed two episodes filmed in December. Block One was produced by Chris May with production coordinator Sandra Cosfeld and editor Tim Hodges. Script supervisor Scott Handcock, in his recurring column for DWM, wrote that there are monsters in Block One which are difficult to describe without referencing enemies of the Fourth and Seventh Doctors. Pam Downe, the costume designer for the 60th anniversary specials, continues as costume designer for Series 14. Claire Williams is the new hair and make-up designer; she worked with Ncuti Gatwa on Sex Education.
Jane Tranter described one of the sets used for the new season: “…the ceiling height in the studio where we’ve built the new TARDIS [interior] set is higher than Pinewood’s 007 Stage!” Producer Phil Collinson said that after that, filming moved out to a “far-flung location further west in Wales.” Filming occurred at the White Cross Inn in Groeswen, Wales, and at the locks at Cardiff Bay Barrage. Ncuti Gatwa posted a few photos on Instagram of filming on a very cold night in Penarth on December 17. He captured a break between takes with several actors wrapped in warm clothing; one person appeared to be wearing a Santa hat. Gatwa and Millie Gibson were filmed on Cardiff Bay Barrage in Penarth on December 16 and 17, by a production crew described by the local paper as “70-strong” and “very large.” The shoot required a floating pontoon towed into one of the entrance locks in the Barrage and safety boats were present in case anyone had to be rescued from the frigid water.
The first images of the Fifteenth Doctor and his companion Ruby Sunday in costume were release by the BBC on December 17. Gatwa and Gibson shared a video of themselves in costume at a car park at Alexandra Head, located above the north end of the Barrage. See it here: YouTube Shorts
A set was created at Capitol Shopping Plaza in Cardiff on January 3, with large posters advertising a political party named Albion and the slogan “Bigger Better Bolder Britain.” Fans have been speculating about the use of the word “Albion” which, as one put it, “is becoming a recurring word in Who” [see comics and audios]. Albion was the earliest known name for Great Britain. Radio Times reported that the Boots store was transformed into a campaign office for fictional politician Roger ap Gwilliam, who appears to be played by Welsh actor and musician Aneurin Barnard.
RT’s source, a Twitter thread, placed the episode in 2046 and stated Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday was seen on set wearing glasses and Albion gear. Another fan tweeted that “a blonde actress [not Gibson] and a man with an orange cap” were filmed outside the campaign office. Extras wearing business attire and clothing with the same campaign slogans lined up inside the shopping center. In the evening, the crew filmed a scene indoors of a victory party with signage saying “2024 General Election” and maps of London with election results. Actors playing campaign supporters were heard cheering “Roger! Roger! Roger!”
A Twitter post of a photo supposedly taken of the inside after filming ended showed a close-up of a desk with what appears to be a cube from “The Power of Three.” [As I have been unable to confirm this with any other source, it may be a hoax. – jl] Filming moved outdoors again later in the evening, showing a sign with an unusual logo and the words “…ZONE POWERED BY LEOWN CORPORATION.”
The production moved to Swansea University Bay Campus in Wales for filming from January 4 through 7. The film crew shot a scene involving two actors encountering a giant slug-like monster with tentacles and a segmented carapace. The campus was set dressed with signs which said “FINETIME,” “DIAMOND PLAZA,” and “ARCHITECT HIGH C.C.ARBROATH.”
OTHER NEWS (no spoilers):
Doctor Who has earned another entry in the Guinness Book of World Records, this time for the longest gap between TV appearances of an actor playing a television character—57 years and 120 days. That record is now held by William Russell, for his portrayal of First Doctor companion Ian Chesterton, who was last seen in The Chase, June 26, 1965 until The Power of the Doctor screened on October 23, 2022. Doctor Who already holds a number of Guinness World Records including the most consecutive sci-fi TV episodes ever (871 so far); the Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Doctor Who Characters, at the La Mole Comic Con in Mexico City in 2016; and the world’s largest-ever simulcast of a TV drama for 2013’s broadcast of The Day of the Doctor.
Peter Capaldi and Ncuti Gatwa both attended the Scottish BAFTA awards, Gatwa because he was nominated in the Actor Television category and Capaldi to accept the award for Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television. The award is one of Bafta’s highest accolades and is presented to people who have made significant contributions in either major feature films or network television programs. In his acceptance speech, Capaldi gave a shout out to Gatwa and revealed that Steven Moffat was looking for a new Doctor Who when they met for the first time at the Scottish BAFTAs.
Rumor: The episode budget for Doctor Who could triple due to the recent deal between BBC and Disney, according to Broadcast. Industry executives speculate the budget may rise to £100m, with the existing £1-3m per episode budget tripling to £10m in 2023. Spin-off series are also rumored to be a possibility, with The Mirror reporting that Cybermen, Daleks and Weeping Angels may get their own Marvel-style spin-offs with money from Disney. Sontarans and Sea Devils were also mentioned in the article. The BBC, contacted by The Mirror for comment, said it was too early to comment on any plans. The Mirror further claims that new sources of funding (not related to the Disney deal) have allowed the BBC to animate more lost episodes to mark the 60th anniversary, beginning with the Season Four stories The Smugglers and The Underwater Menace. The BBC also plans to colorize certain stories from the Hartnell and Troughton eras for broadcast next year, likely to include An Unearthly Child.
And now, leftover photos (yes, there are spoilers). For details, see your January issue of the Gallifrey Guardian.
Ruth Madeley as Shirley BinghamJosh Snagha plays a young friend of Rose (Donna’s daughter)UNIT helipad at Wolf Studios backlotNeil Patrick Harris as the ToymakerSpaceshipBeep the Meep
Most of the photos are from the BBC/Wolf Studios and, as usual, my primary source was cultbox.uk — thanks!
Just a quick note to let anyone out there know I am still around, just suffering from a lengthy case of writer’s block and an absolute aversion to the computer. I’ll post again when I can shake it off, but don’t hold your breath. My apologies…
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Doctor Who fans helped each other hang on during the pandemic; we were just following the fine example set by the folks who make the show. For me, it all began with Jodie’s message to the fans (in character as the 13th Doctor) reassuring them that they would get through this and urging them to “listen to the doctors.” While it was comforting for the young fans for whom it was obviously intended, the thought behind it was also heartwarming for the older ones.
Chris Chibnall continued to boost our spirits by posting a message on the BBC’s website at the start of the original lockdown: We’re living through some strange times right now.With people staying home, and families stuck together, I thought maybe a few little presents from Doctor Who might help. Something to read, together or alone. New treats, from the people who make Doctor Who.We’ll try and post things here once or twice a week…
Stay safe,
Chris X
True to his word, over the next few weeks the site featured new short stories from Russell T Davies, Steven Moffatt, Paul Cornell, and others.
Emily Cook of Doctor Who Magazine started “watch-alongs” of Doctor Who adventures. The BBC’s Doctor Who family quickly added their support, with writers, actors, and even showrunners supplying tie-in mini-sodes, animations, or short stories for the viewings.
Doctor Who extended its support beyond its fans. During The Big Night In (a special night of programming to “celebrate the acts of kindness, humour, and the spirit of hope and resilience that is keeping the nation going during the…pandemic”) ten actors who had portrayed the Doctor recorded a “thank you” for the NHS and frontline workers.
Several Doctor Who-related organizations not officially associated with the BBC also made material available to fans for free. Big Finish Audio provided “lockdownloads” for fans in April of 2020. Conventions made videos of past events accessible online. A quick search of YouTube turned up hours of mini-sodes, specials, interviews, and other material, some fan-made.
With such selfless examples, how could we not strive to be kinder to each other by creating sources to help fans through the self-isolation of that first year?
Our own Bob Brinkman had the brilliant idea of publishing the temporary fanzine Tales from the Matrix during the pandemic. He took on the massive job, with impressive results, while continuing to produce the Gallifrey Guardian. This led to a collaboration between DWCA members who had launched DR Productions Audio, which provides a showcase for fan audios and podcasts. Some of the stories in Tales from the Matrix were chosen to be adapted for audio. It was, as Bob referred to it, “the fruit of the multi-club associations forged during COVID.”
We, along with other fan clubs such as the Prydonians of Prynceton, began making much of our content available to non-member fans. GoG Blog posts were made that included trivia contests, instructions for crafts, and links to sites with more ways to pass the time in lockdown. No Doctor Who fan with internet access could complain of having too little content (from around the world!) to occupy their time. [My favorite link was to the “Homemade Who” video compilation.]
While keeping each other busy was helpful during times of social isolation, sincere and caring messages of encouragement gave us the strength to do what was necessary. Quite a few from the Doctor made it into the GoG Blog. The tagline on one of my early COVID-related posts was, “Until next time—stay strong, stay safe, and STAY HOME!” A rare personal note was included in my News column for the April 2020 issue of the Gallifrey Guardian: I know it’s rough out there right now, but we have a chance to save the world just by staying home!
From Arthur’s Lord President’s column December 2020: On the Wholiday season, it’s all about the Fam. As we eagerly await a new adventure with the Doctor’s Fam, we must make a sad necessary change this month, for the safety of ours. Due to concerns of COVID 19, GoG cannot meet in person this month…A huge THANK YOU to everyone, for sticking with us…By blood or not, face to face or virtual, Fam is precious. Any way you can be with family, enjoy the season. And the Doctor, of course. A phrase that really touched me came from Bob, also referring to the cancellation of the WHOliday Party: “While we understand that many of you may be disappointed, we are missing one another now, so that when we gather next, noone will be missing.”
Was there a moment during this ongoing crisis when you were lifted up by the outpouring of love and support shown by the Doctor Who community? Share it with fandom; you might help someone else who needs a lift right now.
On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone who attends our meetings for being responsible and understanding, and helping to keep us all safe.
NEXT TIME: Charitable Who
(…and because this post seems a little too sentimental, here’s some fun–a link to a costume contest judged by Jodie Whitaker and David Tennant in June of 2020 from The Late Late Show with James Corden.)
For a while now (well, over a year—I’m the ultimate procrastinator!) I’ve wanted to blog about what makes Doctor Who different from other shows. It’s not just that the main character changes regularly into another person, or that conflicts are usually solved without the hero resorting to violence, or that the time travel format allows for a wider range of storylines, from straight historical to the wildest sci-fi. I’m thinking more of the community of people involved, both in front of and behind the camera (or the desk), and even the fans themselves. A recurring theme of both primary actors and visiting guest stars is how welcomed they feel.
Jodie Whittaker, on filming during the pandemic: …what was immediately reassuring is as soon as you got on set, no matter if the logistics or the face of the show seemed different because of masks and all of that, all of the heart and all the love was still there and it was still great fun. We were able to be safe as we could be and as caring as we could be and not lose the atmosphere on the set. It was such a pleasure to be around people, so I was delighted!
Jacob Anderson (Vinder from Flux) asked the difference between Doctor Who and other sets he’d been on: It actually feels like walking into somebody’s family home. Everybody knows and cares about each other and you can tell that this is a group of people who have spent a lot of time with each other and would choose to continue to. There are some people who have been working on the show for fifteen years and you feel that, but you can also feel Jodie and Chris’ influence on the environment. It’s just a really welcoming, comfortable, warm place to work.
He went on to talk about the fans: I tend to hide a bit whenever there’s any type of announcement but in the immediate announcement I saw some really nice “Welcome to the family” type tweets from Whovians, “Welcome to our crazy family, it’s going to be an adventure!” I really appreciated that and thought it was really nice.
Adjani Salmon (Nick from Eve of the Daleks) from an interview: It felt like we were welcomed into a family…The entire Doctor Who clique is like a family and a unit. It feels like a family working together and when we were in a high pressure environment it was still this synergy of everyone working and moving and getting it done.
And in a Tweet: Working on Dr. Who was like going to a friend’s house for the holidays. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly.
The cast also seems great at keeping their spirits up and being responsible while working through the pandemic. No whining, no complaining, just acceptance of what must be done. In an interview with the Sunday Times last year, Jodie said: We’ve had to be very cautious with filming because we have a duty of care to everyone involved. Things are slower but it hasn’t dampened our energy on set. Everyone’s in the same boat: the world has to carry on during the pandemic while managing the risk.
[Previous comments of Jodie’s regarding the COVID crisis have appeared on this blog; see last year’s January 14 post.]
NEXT TIME: How the Doctor Who community supported each other during lockdown.
The Guardians of Gallifrey | GoG BLoG 