DVD development update
Tuesday, 23 August 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Some news on possible future DVD releases emerged at the Fantom Films conventions held over the weekend:
Back in 1964, the story Planet of Giants had originally been filmed as a four-part story, but had the latter two episodes combined into one in order to tighten the plot for a better paced series opener. Though the original recording no longer exists, actress Carole Ann Ford, who played the Doctor's grand-daughter Susan, mentioned at the Dalek Invasion Earth convention that she had recently recorded an audio version of the original script for that fourth episode, The Urge to Live, which she believed is to be for a DVD release of the story.
Further 'lost' material also seems likely to see the light of day. Back in 1979 the final story of Season 17, Shada, had to be abandoned due to BBC strikes with only parts of the studio sessions completed; appearing at the Timelord Tales convention, both Victoria Burgoyne (Clare) and Daniel Hill (Chris) reported that they'd been involved in a new audio recording of the script for the unfilmed material, in which other original cast members participated including Lalla Ward (Romana). They also discussed the missing scenes being recreated in animation, and believed this could form part of a DVD release of the story in the future. (Producer Ian Levine has confirmed that the actors were talking about his production, but that the cast hope for an 'official' release.)
A recent fire at the Sony warehouse facilities in Enfield led to loss of much of the DVD and CD stock held there, including Doctor Who DVDs due to be distributed by 2|Entertain. However, the company has reported that this will not affect the release of Day of the Daleks, due out on the 12th September (available to pre-order).
The Restoration Team have recently revived their website that delves into the technical issues involved in restoring the classic Doctor Who stories for DVD release - the site had been in mothballs since The Space Museum/The Chase back in January 2010. The site is in the process of being brought up to date, and new articles have now been added for the first Revisitations boxed set and for Mannequin Mania.
Further snippets for DVD production have been tweeted by the Restoration Team; this includes an appeal by Chris Chapman for anybody who could provide contact details for Peter Walker (the young boy in The Reign of Terror) - if you can help please let him know.
Back in 1964, the story Planet of Giants had originally been filmed as a four-part story, but had the latter two episodes combined into one in order to tighten the plot for a better paced series opener. Though the original recording no longer exists, actress Carole Ann Ford, who played the Doctor's grand-daughter Susan, mentioned at the Dalek Invasion Earth convention that she had recently recorded an audio version of the original script for that fourth episode, The Urge to Live, which she believed is to be for a DVD release of the story.
Further 'lost' material also seems likely to see the light of day. Back in 1979 the final story of Season 17, Shada, had to be abandoned due to BBC strikes with only parts of the studio sessions completed; appearing at the Timelord Tales convention, both Victoria Burgoyne (Clare) and Daniel Hill (Chris) reported that they'd been involved in a new audio recording of the script for the unfilmed material, in which other original cast members participated including Lalla Ward (Romana). They also discussed the missing scenes being recreated in animation, and believed this could form part of a DVD release of the story in the future. (Producer Ian Levine has confirmed that the actors were talking about his production, but that the cast hope for an 'official' release.)
A recent fire at the Sony warehouse facilities in Enfield led to loss of much of the DVD and CD stock held there, including Doctor Who DVDs due to be distributed by 2|Entertain. However, the company has reported that this will not affect the release of Day of the Daleks, due out on the 12th September (available to pre-order).
The Restoration Team have recently revived their website that delves into the technical issues involved in restoring the classic Doctor Who stories for DVD release - the site had been in mothballs since The Space Museum/The Chase back in January 2010. The site is in the process of being brought up to date, and new articles have now been added for the first Revisitations boxed set and for Mannequin Mania.
Further snippets for DVD production have been tweeted by the Restoration Team; this includes an appeal by Chris Chapman for anybody who could provide contact details for Peter Walker (the young boy in The Reign of Terror) - if you can help please let him know.
10 Aug ClassicDW: Something on COLONY DVD betrays original release date.
On release, see whether you can spot it!!!
10 Aug ClassicDW: Some hiccups solved - REVISITATIONS 3 takes one step closer to its 2012 release!
12 Aug Ed Stradling: Hoping to have the extra material for the Happiness/Dragonfire DVD set
finished by the end of today.
12 Aug RTnewsfeed: Busy times continue for Mark Ayres with a third new 5.1 surround mix
just commissioned.
13 Aug RTnewsdfeed: Can't move for Martians in Grading Suite 2 at TV Centre this afternoon!
14 Aug Ed Stradling: now off to TV Centre to deliver #doctorwho DVD feature i've done
with Nicholas Pegg
14 Aug Ed Stradling: have just finished grading the last complete Doctor Who episodes for DVD
14 Aug Ed Stradling: (although there may be some additional work in some cases)
15 Aug ClassicDW: Lovely piece about our talented team working on REIGN OF TERROR: http://t.co/NNlCGFc
17 Aug Peter Crocker: 6 part Hartnell story finally delivered. Deleting 2.5TB data highly satisfying.
18 Aug Peter Crocker: I'd forgotten how much fun out-of-phase polygon telecine inserts of
scratched, dirty film can be.
19 Aug Ed Stradling: Soon interviewing Ronnie Marsh, ex BBC drama exec and de facto exec producer
of DW and many other shows. Tweet me your questions for him!
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