Officially no series 8 in 2013

[StCoop]

Here's the link to that JLC interview BTW. (It does contain some stuff which might be spoilers or could just be supposition on behalf of its author, so be warned.)

http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/...s-8505559.html

[chardman]

ATimson wrote:

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A placard from BBC Worldwide. If they don't know what's going on, there are bigger problems at hand in the BBC...

Well, a placard from BBC Worldwide informing toy dealers of air-dates that they felt were important to toy dealers, and not informing them of a possible whole slew of (possible) additional air-dates that may have been omitted from that placard because the PR folks at BBC Worldwide didn't feel they were at all pertinent to toy release schedules.

Not revealing a lot on unnecessary information to toy manufacturers and retailers in NOT a sign of "bigger problems at hand in the BBC", or that "they don't know what's going on", but a sign that everything is exactly as it has ever been at the Beeb, as it sounds pretty much like their SOP, particularly where DW is concerned.

[StCoop]

chardman wrote:

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Well, a placard from BBC Worldwide informing toy dealers of air-dates that they felt were important to toy dealers, and not informing them of a possible whole slew of (possible) additional air-dates that may have been omitted from that placard because the PR folks at BBC Worldwide didn't feel they were at all pertinent to toy release schedules.

Well, since they won't be shooting anything that isn't the Anniversary or Christmas Special until September at the earliest, if there is anything left unannounced it's not actual Doctor Who.

[chardman]

StCoop wrote:

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Well, since they won't be shooting anything that isn't the Anniversary or Christmas Special until September at the earliest, if there is anything left unannounced it's not actual Doctor Who.

But I'm talking about the anniversary. I think it'll be comprised of more than one episode. It'd be important for toy dealers to know the date of the first of these, and not necessarily at all important that they know anything more than that about the Anniversary Episodes or their air-dates, so why announce it to them on a placard?

[StCoop]

chardman wrote:

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But I'm talking about the anniversary. I think it'll be comprised of more than one episode.

The one they've only got 4-6 weeks to shoot in, in real 3D, which Moffat admits will slow things down. It takes them 2.5 weeks to shoot a regular 45 minute episode as it is.

[Mark_Nguyen]

Do we know for sure if they're shooting with 3D cameras or doing it in post? If the latter, then the extra time would only be used to set up the 3D shots that show off the extra dimension.

Haven't we already concluded this is a terrible idea? Unless they do some sort of limited theatrical release (which would be great), who the hell is ever going to watch it in 3D?

Mark

[StCoop]

Mark_Nguyen wrote:

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Do we know for sure if they're shooting with 3D cameras or doing it in post? If the latter, then the extra time would only be used to set up the 3D shots that show off the extra dimension.

Yes they are shooting in native 3D. Something the BBC have done a grand total of once before with a drama. (And had to compromise by keeping the shots relatively simple in order to get it done in time.)

[chardman]

StCoop wrote:

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The one they've only got 4-6 weeks to shoot in, in real 3D, which Moffat admits will slow things down. It takes them 2.5 weeks to shoot a regular 45 minute episode as it is.

And you're still assuming that they cannot begin work months ahead of that 4 to 6 week span.

We know that they are shooting the hour episode which is to air on the anniversary itself in 3D. That doesn't in any way negate the possibility of additional anniversary episodes being made in the conventional way to air after the one that airs on the anniversary itself. Likewise, it doesn't negate the possibility that crews are already at work on producing most of the parts of this multi-part anniversary story which don't actually require Matt Smith's presence, so that when he does become available, they can focus exclusively on shooting his scenes, as everything else will already be done.

Let us assume, for instance, that this anniversary "arc" story requires a number of lengthy flashbacks to The Doctor's early days on Earth. Such scenes could easily be shot by Gatiss, right now, concurrent to the footage he's already shooting for "An Adventure in Space and Time". Again, I'm talking about footage that would already be shot, and in the can, well before the official start date of the Anniversary shooting schedule, and wouldn't require any more shooting time than what you mention.

[Mr Awe]

^^ Well, I guess it's good to remain optimistic, but that just doesn't seem realistic. My guess is that if there are multiple anniversary episodes it'll be with the ones that we already know about. Say a multi-part the spans from the anniversary to the Christmas special. And/or into season 8.

That's *if* they extend the anniversary theme. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, that's the only way I can see it feasibly happening. I certainly don't see them adding additional episodes in between now and season 8.

Mr Awe

[Samurai8472]

They could have David Bradley recreate some actual 1st doctor moments instead of David Bradley playing William Hartnell as the 1st doctor.

Maybe the 1st doctor thinking of stealing the TARDIS.

[Brendan Moody]

Doctor Who production is large-scale and gets noticed, even when the producers would prefer otherwise. There's no way for Gatiss or anyone else to be filming or even preparing to film the show without fans and/or the media finding out about it. At this point, with Moffat still (per the costume designer) working on the script, they're going to be rushing to start by the announced late March/early April date, not looking at secret filming before that. Unless we're to assume that he's finished the secret script, which is being worked on by the secret costume designer, and somehow filming alongside An Adventure in Space and Time without any of the people who are taking pictures of it noticing...

I appreciate the desire to imagine ways in which there could be more than ~120 minutes of Doctor Who being made for the second half of 2013. It still baffles me that they couldn't pull together something more than that. But there's no sign of it happening, and given the time-scale on which the show is made, it's already too late. If they were making a second anniversary special to air before Christmas, they'd be doing it before Matt Smith's three-month break, not after. Because there's no way a substantial portion of the anniversary is going to be done without the current Doctor.

[chardman]

Brendan Moody wrote:

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Doctor Who production is large-scale and gets noticed, even when the producers would prefer otherwise. There's no way for Gatiss or anyone else to be filming or even preparing to film the show without fans and/or the media finding out about it.

Of course people notice, which is specifically why you contrive for Gatiss to shoot a docudrama in the first place, so that one can more easily disguise work on the "secret" project as part of another project that's only tangentially related. Cool deal, because in addition to producing a nice docudrama, you also give yourself a perfect cover for filming flashbacks of the same period the docudrama covers.

At this point, with Moffat still (per the costume designer) working on the script, they're going to be rushing to start by the announced late March/early April date, not looking at secret filming before that. Unless we're to assume that he's finished the secret script, which is being worked on by the secret costume designer, and somehow filming alongside An Adventure in Space and Time without any of the people who are taking pictures of it noticing...

And costume designers never lie, do they? Also, why would the costume designer have to create any additional costumes? We're talking about simply using the actors from Gatiss' docudrama, in the costumes that have already been made for them.

I appreciate the desire to imagine ways in which there could be more than ~120 minutes of Doctor Who being made for the second half of 2013. It still baffles me that they couldn't pull together something more than that. But there's no sign of it happening

Ya mean other than the fact that the executive producer claims that the notion of a merely 60 minute anniversary episode is poppycock?

and given the time-scale on which the show is made, it's already too late.

Unless it's already well in the works. Heck, even if Moffat is still working on the final script, he may have had a general idea in mind since the very beginning, and has shot additional material throughout his time as show-runner, for possible inclusion in this anniversary arc. That said, there may be scenes/sequences of the anniversary story that have been in the can for years.

If they were making a second anniversary special to air before Christmas, they'd be doing it before Matt Smith's three-month break, not after.

Precisely. And exactly what I've been saying all along. I've repeatedly suggested that they'd shoot Smith whenever he's available, both before and after his break, and during the break, when he's not available, focus on sequences where Matt isn't needed.

Because there's no way a substantial portion of the anniversary is going to be done without the current Doctor.

Why not? There are plenty of scenes in virtually every episode which don't directly feature the Doctor himself. And if it's a multi-doctor story, or a story that plays heavily on his own history, and thus is flashback heavy, why would they need the current Doctor be available for scenes that focus primarily on his earlier incarnations? There were, after all, sequences in The Five Doctors that focused exclusively on longish sequences of the individual incarnations. I seem to recall a rather sizable portion of the story Involving Pertwee and Liz Sladden, which didn't involve Davidson at all, save as a disembodied voice over a walkie talkie. In fact, most of the scenes involved only one incarnation at a time, and the number of scenes where they directly interacted with the then current Doctor were few at best.

[The Wormhole]

chardman wrote:

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Ya mean other than the fact that the executive producer claims that the notion of a merely 60 minute anniversary episode is poppycock?

Honestly, I'm having trouble believing Moffat on that one. Rule 1: Moffat lies. That is an actual quote from Moffat himself.

[Venardhi]

StCoop wrote:

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Yes they are shooting in native 3D. Something the BBC have done a grand total of once before with a drama. (And had to compromise by keeping the shots relatively simple in order to get it done in time.)

In general you want much simpler and steadier camerawork with slow and deliberate editing when you're shooting in 3d. I haven't seen what it is you're referring to but don't mistake such things as (necessarily)trade-offs when they are quite intentional in order to get the most out of the medium.

[StCoop]

chardman wrote:

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Unless it's already well in the works. Heck, even if Moffat is still working on the final script, he may have had a general idea in mind since the very beginning, and has shot additional material throughout his time as show-runner, for possible inclusion in this anniversary arc. That said, there may be scenes/sequences of the anniversary story that have been in the can for years.

Anything is theoreticaly possible but that doesn't make it probable.

The series has fallen further and further behind in production since Moffat took over to the extent that they'll only have shot one episode in eight months. The idea that they've somehow found the time and money to do all this secret shooting is wishful thinking.