Additional Filming Notes

Tuesday, 18 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
A couple more reports from the past several days regarding shots being taken on location in Cardiff, presumably for episodes 9 and 10 in the new season; click on the spoiler tag to read them. Meanwhile, a brief mention from one of the security guards to an Outpost Gallifrey correspondent: "They've just signed up to do another lot next year." Although you can take that in stride, as it's not likely any decisions will be made prior to the start of broadcast. (Thanks to Alex Willcox, Paul Mount)
Paul Mount:
Last scene filmed - several times - showed a dozen or more 'zombified' humans in gasmasks - they looked like patients, nurses, etc, lurching out of the hospital doors. lots of mist drifting across and a cleverly-placed arc light on the other side of the road cast an extremely spooky shadow of a treebranch right across the building. Looked quire eerie. in other news....filming quite behind schedule but no-one particularly worried. Daleks...(note plural) very effective and super-sophisticated in filming for the Shearman episode, filming moves to barry island (home of Delta and the bannermen) for a week's filming next week and...start date for series on TV said to be first week in March. Now some of this came from the security bod who also said they'd filmed 17 episodes so far and that Christopher Biggleswade was the Doctor (when I corrected him he said he was always getting the names confused....Bigglewade is apparently a guest star in one episode or other. I've never heard of him myself) so there may be cause for some uncertainty but he seemed to know what he was talking about. Also said CE was a great bloke (he was chatting amiably to some young fans between takes tonight) and Billie is "lovely..."


Alex Willcox:
There didn't seem to be much happening this morning, so I went back to bed for a couple of hours. I've just got back, and the place is being set up for tonight's filming. It is indeed Albion Hospital. There's a big Red Cross flag on the front of the building, and sandbags around the entrance and the gates. A quick chat with a security guard revealed a couple of titbits - they've been filming inside since noon, and will be doing exterior work after dark. The whole road's going to be blocked off, as "It'd look a bit odd, set in the 1930s, with modern cars going past."

The Hospital was mocked up with the same Albion Hospital sign used previously. Sandbags were placed around the doors and the main gate. A big Red Cross flag hung from the front of the building, and the windows had crosses of tape over them. A corrugated iron fence had been erected above the outer wall, with KEEP OUT signs, and several wartime posters, about A4 in size. The three I saw were: one about reusing old bottles, another giving advice on constructing your own air raid shelter, and the third warning not to burn or destroy wastepaper - every scrap is needed for the war effort. Another large sign saying Danger - Keep out was on the gates.

The first shot recorded was of The Doctor walking up to the gates of Albion Hospital, rattling them and, finding them locked. He takes out his sonic screwdriver, which shines a blue light, and the padlock opens. He then opens the gate and walks through. The camera starts high above the gate and swoops down, taking in the Albion Hospital sign, ending up at ground level as Chris walks into shot. We had a good view of the camera monitor, and this swoop looks very effective. After a few takes of this, a close-up of the sonic screwdriver and padlock was recorded.

The next shot was of the zombies coming out of the doorway (freshly painted blue!). There were about two dozen by my reckoning; men, women and children; all in period costume and wearing gas masks. I remember a large chap at the front in a purple tank top, two schoolgirls in brown coats, with satchels, and I think a nurse. They all appeared to have a cut or scar on their right hands. The zombies walked out of the door, and straight down the pathway to the main gates - no other movement or emotion at all. Three takes were recorded of this shot.

Finally, an establishing long shot of the Hospital was recorded from two positions on the far side of the road.

After all this had finished, we hung around for a few minutes, went over to the only member of the crew left around, tidying up, and asked if we could nab the posters. Much to our surprise, he said yes! We got props!

In between takes of the first shot, the camera assistant (whose name I didn't get) came over to chat to us. She confirmed that the filming was for The Empty Child, and told me about the shots they were filming, describing the Zombies as having "Empty Child Syndrome", though then told me that this was not a scripted name, and was just the name the crew use. She said she'd seen the TARDIS set, and that it was very good, and massive. I tried to find out where they were filming next, but naturally, she wouldn't tell me. She did say though that "You wouldn't want to go where we're filming next."

Finally, I'd just like to say that the crew were very courteous in tolerating our presence. Especially the Director who, after we were moved to the other side of the road when they noticed we were in view of the camera for the final scene, made the effort to come over and thank us for moving.




FILTER: - Production - Series 1/27

Brief Press Mentions

Tuesday, 18 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Reports from several locations including DigitalSpy say that Christopher Eccleston "has apparently been taking his role as the new Doctor Who very seriously" and is said that he has "refused to speak between scenes, and has asked his fellow actors and crew members not to talk to him." "It brings me out of character," The Mirror quotes him as saying. Though, of course, there have been no authenticated reports of this, and everyone who's been on the set says quite the opposite about Mr. Eccleston, so we don't believe it at all. Also, the Sun on January 18 ran a short piece on Simon Pegg, including his quote "I will not be playing a young Davros" that appeared last month on the unofficial Spaced website (and reported here at OG). Nothing at all new, however. (Thanks to Chuck Foster, Mark Donovan)




FILTER: - People

Time Space Visualiser 70

Tuesday, 18 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Issue 70 of Time Space Visualiser (TSV), the New Zealand Doctor Who fanzine, is now out and features revelations from newly-discovered documentation about what was edited out of 1960s episodes in New Zealand; a no-holds-barred interview with David J Howe and Stephen James Walker in which they reveal why the Telos Novellas had to end - and also give a book-by-book commentary; a stunning eight-page Third Doctor and Ice Warriors comic strip; an 'extended edit' of the Missing Years update interviews from the Lost in Time DVD, and much more besides packed into 100 pages. TSV is available by mail order and Paypal is accepted as a payment option. For more details visit www.doctorwho.org.nz. (Thanks to Paul Scoones)




FILTER: - Magazines

Billie Speaks

Tuesday, 18 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
During a radio promotion for the tsunami relief program "Radio Aid" on Monday, Billie Piper phoned in and spoke briefly about the new series. She confirmed that it will be starting, as far as she knows, "at the end of March" and when asked who would be doing the theme tune she said "as far as I know it will be the original". The question asked of her was quite confused at this point, with both radio presenters (Zoe Ball and Shane Richie) doing impressions of the theme, so it's possible that she meant it would be the original composition rather than meaning it would be the Delia Derbyshire version, but this remains uncertain. She also put forward the "hoody" she says she wore in the first two episodes to be auctioned on eBay as part of the aid appeal. (Thanks to Dave Dickinson)




FILTER: - People

Baker Gives Money

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
From this week's UK "Popbitch" gossip zine: "Popbitch favourite Tom Baker was spotted on Beak St, Soho last weekend. A young man went up to him and asked for his autograph. Baker noticed the chap was carrying a textbook and said, "You're a student aren't you?" "Yes," replied the chap. "Ah, you have my deepest condolences," replied Tom, who then grabbed the book and slipped a ten pound note inside.




FILTER: - Tom Baker

Okonedo Nominated

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Sophie Okonedo, who recently starred as Alison in the animated Doctor Who serial "Scream of the Shalka," was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role and as part of Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for the film "Hotel Rwanda" as part of the Screen Actors' Guild Awards, being presented in early February. (Thanks to Joey Reynolds)




FILTER: - People - Online

Mal Young in The Stage

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
This week's edition of The Stage has a feature article on Doctor Who executive producer Mal Young, who it was recently reported is leaving the BBC (and the new Doctor Who series) and joining 19TV. While the article doesn't mention Doctor Who, it does talk about Young's career and future plans. (Thanks to Paul Hayes)




FILTER: - Production - Series 1/27

Mind Robber DVD Note

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Although we previously announced the BBFC's clearance of several extra items from the forthcoming UK DVD release ofThe Mind Robber in May, one item does not appear on that list: the Basil Brush sketch "The Himalayas." It was originally classified as part of the "Horror of Fang Rock" DVD release, but was bounced to "The Mind Robber" due to disk space issues. (Thanks to the Restoration Team)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Eurovision Tie-In?

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
An article at the Eurovision song contest website notes that the BBC1 broadcast of "Making Your Mind Up," the pre-Eurovision show which giving viewers the chance to vote for the UK entry, may also include the launch of the new series on the same night, the first weekend of March. The article also states news from the latest issue of DWM that Colin Baker has submitted a possible entry for the UK selection. However, it's very likely that the notation is purely speculative, as we continue to hear late March as the targeted air date. (Thanks to Planet Who for the report)




FILTER: - DWM - Broadcasting

Mark Gatiss on New Series

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
An interview posted on the TwitchFilm website with writer Mark Gatiss discusses many topics including the new series. In the interview, conducted very recently, Gatiss notes that he was "in Cardiff yesterday, at the press junket, and it was - I can say without affectation - one of the most exciting days of my entire life." On the subject of Christopher Eccleston: "He's brilliant. He's brilliant. I think the show will surprise a lot of people and that, particularly, Chris will. He's known for his intensity, his rather scary intensity, which he DOES have as the Doctor. And equally, if you know him in real life, he's a really good laugh and a lovely man and it' s that sort of duality that he brings to it. He's like a kind of crazy child, but then when he tells you off you quake in your shoes. It's actually kind of a Tom Baker-ish quality, but in a completely different way." On the Daleks: "They're back. They are. That's true. I saw one yesterday and cried real tears. It's a marvelous story by Rob Shearman and I can't think of a better way of bringing them back. It makes your hair stand on end, it's so spooky. Intense. Dynamite, really." On whether it will continue after this series: "Oh, well, everyone wants it to continue, obviously, but it's a real killer. I mean thirteen forty five minute episodes may not sound like a lot but the thing is that apart from a few two-parters they're all one offs, so you need new sets, new situations, and new casts. It's really exhausting. When my episode was finished recording I shot the League film and did several other things and by the time I cam to see my episode they still had five more to shoot. It feels like so long ago! Russell [Davies, another Who writer] said to me "We've discovered the show that will kill us all." But, god yes. We'd love to continue." And on whether he'd want to write for subsequent seasons: "Oh, god yes. I don't want to just do one. I feel like having been privileged to be part of the team that brought it back in what I feel is such a marvelous way I'd like to leave a legacy of stories. Of course mostly I'd like to be Dr. Who!" For more on his thoguhts and to read the full article, visit theTwitchFilm site. (Thanks to Peter Weaver, Paul Hayes)




FILTER: - People - Production - Series 1/27