Doctor Who In Comics exhibition

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Cartoon Museum in London is to launch a new exhibition in July; entitled Doctor Who In Comics (1964-2011), the museum will be displaying a variety of artwork from throughout the lifetime of the series that have appeared in publication like Doctor Who Magazine, IDW, annuals, yearbooks, etc.

Curator Anita O'Brien said:
There will be about 90 pieces of original Doctor Who artwork including work by Dave Gibbons, John Ridgeway, John Canning, Adrian Salmon, Barrie Mitchell, Martin Geraghty, Ben Templesmith and Mark Buckingham - and many others - many of which will never have been displayed in public before.
It is hoped to include artwork featuring all eleven television Doctors, and also in his movie persona of Peter Cushing.


The exhibition will run from 27th July until 30th October. See the museum website for full information about their exhibits and admission details.

(with thanks to Anita O'Brien, The Comic Museum




FILTER: - Exhibitions

The Reign of Terror - animation update

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Theta-Sigma, animation partners with Big Finish for the recreation of missing episodes in 2|Entertain's The Reign of Terror DVD release, have provided an update on how the project is progressing:
We are now two days into production. After a fantastic preproduction period, images are pouring out of the studio. Meticulous research has been done, even involving the help of Paris University's Archaeology Department to get some of the period features, which do not appear in the extant episodes, correct. 3D models of every set used have been built as guides for our artists. Model sheets of the main characters and key backgrounds are now being painted. There's a fantastic buzz surrounding the project. Every member of the team is focused on getting detail and accuracy to the highest possible level.
The company have also sent a copy of a promotional poster created for 2|Entertain's ClassicDW Twitter account.

(with thanks to Austen Atkinson, Theta-Sigma)





FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Torchwood: Miracle Day - UK Preview

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Last night saw the first episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day - The New World - receive its UK premiere at the British Film Institute; cast and crew were in attendance for the screening in front of both press and fans.

The screening was followed by an Q&A with its stars John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and Bill Pullman, and writer/executive producer Russell T Davies; other members of the cast and crew were present in the audience, including Kai Owen, Tom Price, executive producer Julie Gardner and director of episode one, Bharat Nalluri.



Avoiding spoilers for what comes up later in the series, the guests focused upon their many anecdotes from the shoot, with Barrowman and Myles discussing the excitement of making the show at Warner Bros - not to mention the pranks the former likes to pull! - and Pullman commenting on what it was like to work with his Welsh co-stars on the project. When asked about if the show could become fully "American" in later (potential!) series, Davies indicated that he'd want Torchwood to remain Welsh at its heart.

Highlights from the Q&A are expected to be available to watch on the BFI website from next week.


Prior to the screening, the press were able to chat to the stars about the show, and the BBC have published an article including a video interview featuring Barrowman, Myles, Pullman and Davies discussing their thoughts on making a new, co-funded series in America.


"There's no time to breath, it slams you in the face with action, with drama and with the best narrative we've ever told."


"Jack's a hero, but he's been a bad guy in his times, so there's more depth and I think the audience love that - they like to see their characters portrayed a little flawed."


"In amongst all that, you have great big Torchwood chases, stunts and thrills, and jokes, and tragedies as well - so it's the same old Torchwood world."


"This character is almost like the impossible scenario - can you survive this? - which is to be clearly fingered as the worst person anyone has ever meet ... given this chance at immortality."


Bill Pullman appeared on BBC's Breakfast this morning, discussing the development (and name!) of his character, and also on what he thought of Russell T Davies:
I wasn't expecting - I'm thinking prototypical Welsh like Anthony Hopkins or Richard Burton, dark, moody - but he's bright, just such a passion, he is such a generous spirit, and very special to everybody that works with him. He has really, now, quite a following in the States - he and Julie Gardner run a very professional operation.
 

Davies himself can be heard discussing how he took the show from Wales to Los Angeles tonight on Front Row (BBC Radio 4) from 7:15pm.





FILTER: - Torchwood - Special Events - UK - Miracle Day (Series 4)

A Good Man Goes to War - Chart Placing

Friday, 17 June 2011 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who RatingsThe final episode of Doctor Who before the summer break, A Good Man Goes to War, just missed out on a top twenty place becoming the 21st most watched programme of the week.

The week was dominated by Britain's Got Talent, which was stripped across the week taking 12 of the top twenty places in the chart and helping to give ITV1 the top nineteen programmes.

Doctor Who was the second most watched programme on BBC Television just being edged out of top place by The Apprentice which had 40,000 more viewers.

The figures do not include those watching on iPlayer, where over 1.2 million people accessed the episode within 7 days of the broadcast, against The Apprentice's 1.0 million.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Ratings - UK - Series 6/32

Canadian Premiere Date for Torchwood: Miracle Day

Friday, 17 June 2011 - Reported by Harry Ward
The Canadian channel, SPACE has announced that the new series of Torchwood will start on July 9th at 9pm ET with the first episode, The New World.

This currently only leaves the United Kingdom out of the four initial countries broadcasting Miracle Day to announce when the show will premiere; the BBC Press Office released details yesterday for Week 27, but Torchwood did not feature in the schedule listings leading up to the 8th July.





FILTER: - Canada - Torchwood - Miracle Day (Series 4)

Torchwood infiltrates SDCC2011

Thursday, 16 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Starz have announced that the cast of Torchwood: Miracle Day will appear at the annual Comic Con taking place at the San Diego Convention Center on 22nd July 2011.

A panel for the show is scheduled for 10:00am at the event, with Starz naming the following to appear for the Q&A session: John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness), Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper), Bill Pullman (Oswald Danes), Mekhi Phifer (Rex Matheson), Alexa Havins (Esther Drummand), Lauren Ambrose (Jilly Kitzinger) and series writer Jane Espenson.

The event will also present a special advanced screening of the third episode of the series, Dead Of Night, on the 21st at 9:30pm - the evening before its official broadcast date.


The San Diego Comic Con is no stranger to Torchwood: back in 2009, John Barrowman appeared on a panel alongside Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Euros Lyn to promote Torchwood: Children of Earth.








FILTER: - Torchwood - Special Events - USA - Miracle Day (Series 4)

Experience move to Cardiff (update)

Thursday, 16 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Earlier this month, BBC Worldwide revealed details on its plans to install the Doctor Who Experience at Cardiff Bay during the spring next year. Today, Welsh media outlets have been reporting on how this project will be partly financed by Cardiff County Council through its council tax revenue.

A council spokesperson explained how the initial financing will prove ultimately beneficial to the city's future economy:
The council is progressing the feasibility of a commercial agreement to house the BBC Worldwide Doctor Who Experience on a site at Porth Teigr, Cardiff Bay.

The principle of the deal is for all the council’s costs to be covered by income generated by the scheme.

Feasibility costs are between £50,000 and £60,000 but projections show that the Doctor Who Experience could bring in around £13m per year to the city’s economy. The Doctor Who Experience would attract 40,000 new overnight tourists each year, worth some £7m per annum, and will support over 200 full time equivalent jobs in the city each year.
Councillor David Walker observed:
Once the council has agreed terms with the BBC we then need to know the investment that the public purse will make in this development.
However, what was initially thought to be a permanent home for the Doctor Who Experience has now been revealed as a temporary measure being built on land that is earmarked for residential purposes; permission is currently being sought to construct what is being described as "a massive tent" to house the adventure and exhibition aspects of the attraction over the next five years. Whether this is an interim solution before a final, permanent home has been built remains unknown.


Update: Leader of Cardiff Council, Councillor Rodney Berman has informed Doctor Who News that:
Just to clarify Cardiff Council fully supports securing the DW Experience despite some nitpicking by press and opposition.



(with thanks to Simon Watkins and Cllr Rodney Berman; original details via the South Wales Echo)






FILTER: - Exhibitions

Torchwood: UK broadcast date still uncertain

Thursday, 16 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
With just three weeks until Torchwood: Miracle Day premieres on Starz on 8th July, potential viewers in the UK are still awaiting a date for when the series will air on BBC1(HD).

Speculation over the planned timeslot has raged ever since the Starz announcement in March, and it was hoped by by fans in the UK for a similar Friday 8th July evening premiere - however, the BBC Press Office have now released details for Week 27, and Torchwood has not been scheduled for any time that week.

The confirmation that Miracle Day won't be shown on the same evening as the United States is not unexpected, as this coming Friday sees the new, final series of My Family commencing at 9:00pm on BBC1, followed by a repeat of Miranda at 9:30pm - based on its post-watershed content, the 9:00-10:00pm timeslot seemed most likely for Miracle Day (Children of Earth was in shown at this time for similar reasons).

As the weekly coverage from the BBC only reaches 8th July, it cannot be confirmed quite yet whether the series will commence over the following weekend, as with UKTV in Australia (Saturday 9th, 9:30pm), or at a later date.

SPACE have also yet to confirm their premiere date for Canada.





FILTER: - Torchwood - UK - Miracle Day (Series 4) - Broadcasting

Alt.Fiction Literature Festival 2011

Thursday, 16 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
This year's Alt.Fiction Literary Festival takes place at the QUAD, Derby on 25th-26th June, and is to feature a many writers from the worlds of Doctor Who and Torchwood.

The event's co-Guest of Honour is Dan Abnett, author of Border Princes and of some 40+ comics/novels in his career; he will be making a keynote address on the Saturday, as well as panels, readings and podcasts.

Long-term Doctor Who writers and modern series contributors Paul Cornell (Father's Day, Human Nature/Family of Blood) and Rob Shearman (Dalek) are also at the event, alongside a number of other BBC Books writers including
Guy Adams, Paul Finch, James Goss, Una McCormack, Mark Morris, Sarah Pinborough and books editor Steve Tribe.

Tribe says:
We’re really pleased to be bringing the authors of our latest Doctor Who and Torchwood books to Alt.Fiction 2011. Last year’s event was a highlight of the year – a great opportunity to talk to readers and authors, and perhaps to meet some potential future writers for our ranges.
Alt.Fiction Coordinator Alex Davis says:
It's hugely exciting to be working with BBC Books on this year's event, and I'm delighted to have authors and screenwriters of this calibre taking part. Our BBC Books panel is bound to be a highlight, with no less than nine people participating!

As well as the Doctor Who guests, the Festival will some 50+ authors, agents and editors participating, covering the worlds of science fiction, fantasy and horror. For full details visit the Alt.Fiction website.

(with thanks to Aaron Gilling, Writing East Midlands)




FILTER: - Special Events - Books

International iPlayer rollout for Western Europe

Wednesday, 15 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Jana BennettThe international version of the BBC iPlayer moved one step closer to fruition, with the BBC's President of Worldwide Networks and Global iPlayer, Jana Bennett, presenting the plans for a staged rollout across Western Europe over the coming months.

Speaking at the 2011 Banff World Media Festival yesterday, she explained that, unlike the domestic version, the international iPlayer is not restricted to programmes that have already been shown on television.
The freedom from catch-up means that we've got a lot more flexibility in terms of what we put on there and how we present it. In overseas markets where the whole gamut of the BBC's linear broadcast isn't available then applying the on-demand model we have in the UK doesn’t make sense.

Whilst it won't happen overnight, our ambition is to present a timeless mix of classic and contemporary UK creativity, showcasing the best of British content from the 1950s to the present day. Vintage British creativity but fresh and for the future.

We want the global BBC iPlayer to imaginatively engage an on-demand audience with the best classic and contemporary British shows.

This version of the iPlayer will initially be a beta service available on Apple i-platforms, though other mobile and Internet-based access are expected to follow later. It was originally believed that the United States rather than Europe was the target for the initial roll-out, with the BBC's Director General, Mark Thompson, reporting in March that it would be offered as a monthly fee under the $10 mark; the European price is yet to be finalised, but is expected to be around €6-7 a month.





FILTER: - Online - Broadcasting - BBC