RTS award win for The Mill

Thursday, 25 November 2010 - Reported by Harry Ward
The Mill have won the 'Digital Effects' award at this year's Royal Television Society Craft and Design Awards.

The visual effects company were rewarded for their work on The Pandorica Opens.

The the RTS explained:

"The judges were impressed by some beautifully integrated effects and by green screen. 'This is about as good as it gets on TV' they said."

Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss's Sherlock won three awards; best picture enhancement, best tape and film editing in a drama, and best original title music.

The Mill have also produced visual effects for Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.





FILTER: - Awards/Nominations - Series 5/31

A Verity Lambert Biopic

Wednesday, 24 November 2010 - Reported by Harry Ward
A short film about Verity Lambert and her struggle to get Doctor Who made will broadcast online in early December.

The film is written by two film students from the University of Central Lancaster. Thomas Cowell and Joey Guy have produced the ten minute biopic which will focus on the key stage of production for the very first episodes of Doctor Who between August and December 1963. More details about the production of this film can be found here.

London, 1963. Verity Lambert, the woman in charge of the BBC's new children's show, is facing somewhat of a struggle. Not only has she got to make a TV show with the entire scope of time and space (on a small budget), but she also has to face bitchy co-workers and arrogant male peers.

"Verity" shows how she fought for the Daleks right to exist on TV, battled against jealous co-workers and ended up triumphant with a national success on her hands. It will be broadcast on YouTube in early December.

You can follow updates at Thomas Cowell's blog.





FILTER: - People - Online - Auto/Biography - Classic Series

Ingrid Pitt 1937 - 2010

Tuesday, 23 November 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who: Ingrid PittThe actress Ingrid Pitt has died at the age of 73.

Ingrid Pitt had two roles in Doctor Who. She played the role of Galleia in the 1972 third Doctor story The Time Monster. Galleia was Queen of Atlantis and the wife of King Dalios. In 1984 she returned to the series to play Solow in the fifth Doctor story Warriors of the Deep. During the eighties she also co-wrote a Doctor Who story The Macros with her husband Tony Rudlin which, though it never progressed into a televised production at the time, was later produced by Big Finish as part of their Lost Stories series.

Pitt was best known for her work in horror films of the 1960s and 1970s. She was born in Poland on 21 November 1937 as Ingoushka Petrov. She had a German father and a Jewish mother and as a result she and her family were imprisoned in a concentration camp during the second World War. In 1965 she made her film debut in Doctor Zhivago, playing a minor role. In 1968 she co-starred in the low budget science fiction film The Omegans and in the same year played in Where Eagles Dare opposite Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood.

Her work with Hammer Film Productions elevated her to cult figure status. She starred in The Vampire Lovers, and Countess Dracula, as well as having a small part in the cult film The Wicker Man. She founded her own theatrical touring company and starred in successful productions of Dial M for Murder, Duty Free, and Woman of Straw.

Pitt made her return to the big screen in the 2000 production The Asylum. The film starred Colin Baker and Patrick Mower. In 2003, Pitt voiced the role of 'Lady Violator' in Renga Media's production Dominator. The film was the UK's first CGI animated film.

She died earlier today at a hospital in south London after collapsing a few days ago.




FILTER: - Obituary - Classic Series

Happy Birthday, Doctor Who

Tuesday, 23 November 2010 - Reported by Dean Braithwaite

Doctor Who is 47 today!

The first-ever episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child, was broadcast on this date in 1963.

The official Doctor Who site has a small feature to celebrate the show's 47th anniversary, including a clip featuring the original TARDIS crew of William Hartnell, Carole Ann Ford, William Russell and Jacqueline Hill.

BBC Archive has a feature on The Creators of Doctor Who.

AOL Television has put up an ultimate guide slide-show so "you can reminisce about all those wonderful Doctor Who filled times and characters".

Digital Journal has a piece, "Happy 908th Birthday, Doctor Who", about the confusion surrounding the Doctor's actual age.







FILTER: - William Hartnell - Classic Series - Press - BBC

DVD Updated Release Schedule

Tuesday, 23 November 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who: The ArkThe third Doctor Who DVD release of 2011 has been confirmed as the First Doctor story The Ark. This will be released in the UK on 28 February with a release in the US and Canada following a week later on 8 March. A release in Australia is expected soon after.

The first release of the year is the Fourth Doctor story Meglos, which following its previously announced release in the UK on 10 January and in the US and Canada on 11 January, has now been confirmed for an Australia release on 20 January helping to fulfill the desire of 2|entertain to release all titles worldwide within a much smaller timeframe.

The second release will be the Third Doctor Story The Mutants released in the UK on 31 January and in the US/Canada on 8 February.

As part of the catch up, the Fourth Doctor story, The Seeds of Doom, released in the UK in October, will be released in the US/Canada on 8 March.

For full details see our release schedule.




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Paradise Towers coming to DVD

Monday, 22 November 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who: Paradise TowersThe Seventh Doctor story, Paradise Towers is due for DVD release in 2011 according to a blog by the story's writer Stephen Wyatt.

First shown between 5th October and 26th October 1987 the four part story stars Sylvester McCoy as The Doctor with Bonnie Langford as Melanie along with guest stars Richard Briers as the Chief Caretaker, Elizabeth Spriggs as Tabby, Judy Cornwell as Maddy and Howard Cooke as Pex.

The story was the second story of Season Twenty Four and was directed by Nicholas Mallett.

In his blog Wyatt confirmed he has recorded an interview for inclusion on the disc as well as being part of the commentary team.

A novelisation of the story, written by Wyatt, was published by Target Books in December 1988 and it was released on VHS in October 1995.




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

It also Travels in Time

Sunday, 21 November 2010 - Reported by Harry Ward
RIPT Apparel are offering a Doctor Who t-shirt which will be on sale for today only.

The design features a quote from The Ninth Doctor when he comes back for Rose to tell her that his space ship also travels in time. The t-shirt is $10 (about £6) and is available in men's, women's and children's sizes. Alternatively you can purchase the hoodie version for $38 (about £23).

Previous Doctor Who t-shirts from RIPT include the popular "Whosicle" design.

Available for:




FILTER: - Merchandise - Series 1/27 - Christopher Eccleston

Series Two for just 99p?

Saturday, 20 November 2010 - Reported by Harry Ward
Doctor Who: See SawOnline video catch up and rental service SeeSaw is offering the chance for fans to vote for the entire second series of Doctor Who to be made available to rent for only 99p.

David Tennant's first season as The Doctor is in competition with Lost, Life on Mars and Only Fools & Horses. The show with the most Facebook 'Likes' by Monday 22nd November at 9am will be available to rent on the Tuesday after for 99p. You will then have up to 90 days to watch the series.

To cast your vote head over to SeeSaw's Tight Tuesday page.




FILTER: - Online - Series 2/28

Vincent and the Doctor nominated for Mind Award

Thursday, 18 November 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Vincent and the DoctorVincent and the Doctor, written by Richard Curtis has been nominated in the Drama category at this year’s Mind Mental Health Media Awards.

The nominations will be judged by an independent panel of media professionals and mental health service users. The awards, which celebrate the best portrayal of mental distress and reporting of mental health in broadcast media, will be held at the British Film Institute on Monday 22nd November 2010.

See the the full list of nominations here.




FILTER: - Awards/Nominations - Series 5/31

Filming begins in Utah

Wednesday, 17 November 2010 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Filming for the new series of Doctor Who has now commenced at the Valley of the Gods in South-Eastern Utah. Matt Smith (who had reportedly arrived in Utah after his appearance on The Late Late Show at around midnight), Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Alex Kingston and Mark Sheppard were all spotted during the course of the day's activities.




One scene observed included Amy being chased by MIBs in a Cherokee Jeep.


Filming is expected to continue in Utah until the 19th November.




FILTER: - Series 6/32 - Production - Filming Reports