The Confidentials

[Marc]

Are there any copyright restrictions applying the confidentials? It just seems all these great features but they never seem to get shown outside the U.K.

In Australian we got the the abbreviated versions which I found a bit disappointing.

If Space iin Canada is the new home for Doctor Who maybe they can show them instead of the 1000th repeat of Stargate SG-1.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

They seem to use a lot of music in them IIRC.

 

[captcalhoun]

this may well be the source of the problem: the use of the music. they only get their initial 50-minute/one hour broadcast once and then they're slashed to the first 15 or so minutes for re-runs even in the UK.

 

[23skidoo]

As noted, music rights is a big issue. If you watch the original versions (and without violating BBS rules, let's just say they're not too hard to find) there's usually a lot of pop music used. Also, many include clips of and interviews with actors from the Classic Series and I guess they didn't want to pay the extra fees for DVD release.

But I think the biggest issue is the length. Each Confidential is at least 45-50 minutes long. In order for them to include them all, the 6-7 disc sets would suddenly become 14-15 disc sets, and you think they're expensive now...

And we haven't even begun talking about any release of the OTHER behind-the-scenes series, Totally Doctor Who.

Alex

 

[Rarewolf]

then they're slashed to the first 15 or so minutes for re-runs even in the UK.

They get the occasional odd full broadcast when you least expect it. It's just 45 + 15 is easier to schedule.

Even some of the 15' edits have music replacements.

 

[Turbo]

Maybe Moffatt will fix that little issue. I'd love to get at least a few full-length Confidentials over here.

Though I do remember hearing that the Classic Series clips have clearance problems too, though I can't imagine what those would be since both ranges of DVDs are released by the same company in R1.

 

[Classic Fan]

This issue has plagued NuWho fans since 2005. The confidentials would marketed on the dvds/or in a tv guide somwhere as Docto Who: Confidential (cut down)

Its never bothered me personally as i have the glorious internet at my disposal, and besides i watch them on BBC3 after the initial braodcast.

But, given that Who is now being released on Blu-Ray (all be it slowly), as there is a helluva lot more space on those discs, maybe they can squeeze on the full confidentials as the space available. Maybe not the rights, but still, its worth a shot.

 

[Marc]

This issue has plagued NuWho fans since 2005. The confidentials would marketed on the dvds/or in a tv guide somwhere as Docto Who: Confidential (cut down)

Its never bothered me personally as i have the glorious internet at my disposal, and besides i watch them on BBC3 after the initial braodcast.

nice for those who can get it or can use the BBC iplayer.

And tv networks wonder why the hell people download stuff of the net

 

[23skidoo]

But, given that Who is now being released on Blu-Ray (all be it slowly), as there is a helluva lot more space on those discs, maybe they can squeeze on the full confidentials as the space available. Maybe not the rights, but still, its worth a shot.

I agree. My comments above re: there not being enough space does apply to the DVD versions. However I think the question needs to be asked first as to whether BBC Video has any intention of upconverting the first 4 seasons. They are doing it to The Next Doctor (we'll find out tomorrow how well it worked out when it hits stores in the UK), so it's not impossible. But BBC Video and 2 Entertain have made some rather puzzling "because it won't make enough money"-type statements about no-brainer topics in the past, like animating lost episodes and the like. So they could decide to not bother upconverting the first 4 seasons, especially if they follow through with calling Matt Smith's first season "Season 1" which suggest they might move their attentions away from the Eccleston/Tennant eras altogether.

That said, according to the TARDIS Index File Wikia site, citing an interview with the head of the DVD range, there may in fact be animated reconstructions of a few episodes like Tenth Planet Part 4 on the way, so if BBC Video is changing its mind about something like that, then maybe they could decide to upconvert Seasons 1-4 and, perhaps, revisit the Confidentials question.

I do know that some of the "Cutdowns" have removed a lot more than just the pop songs and interviews with Sylvester McCoy and Colin Baker. I saw the original version of the "Blink" edition of Confidential and I was quite upset that the Cutdown version on my DVD didn't include most of the interview footage with the episode's guest stars, in particular Carey Mulligan.

Also, if they do put out Blu-Rays of the earlier seasons, surely there'll be room on the Series 2 discs to squeeze in the TARDISodes, too. In particular the one made for School Reunion which actually explained why the Doctor and Rose came to be at the school in the first place.

Alex

 

[Bacl]

Aren't all of these on youtube?

 

[23skidoo]

Aren't all of these on youtube?

Shh! The men in black will get you!

Frankly, virtually anything that is broadcast on the BBC or anywhere else will show up in an "alternative venue" that you can access at your own peril. But the point is that for people wanting to see Confidential episodes in DVD and Blu-Ray quality, and somewhere other than a computer screen, they're out of luck. YouTube offers videotape resolution at best, and while high-resolution files are sometimes uploaded for these things (if you're willing to download dozens of gigabytes for a 30 minute show)*, unless Blu-Ray burners come along for home PCs, it's pretty useless if you want to watch them on a big high-def screen.

Alex

* Estimated based upon a 900Mb 1080 file I downloaded that was of a barely 5-minute performance.