Who’s Who of Doctor Who?
Written by Ian Cullen on July 31, 2008 – 5:19 pm -
Top Executives Speak of Personal and Professional Interest in the BBC Television Classic.
By Dr. Joe Di Lella
Although scheduled as one of the star guests in this year’s San Diego Comic Con Doctor Who panel, Russell T. Davies was instead back home in his office in England working on another very successful BBC series, Torchwood, according to panel member Julie Gardner (Executive Producer).
Though the large auditorium gave out a collective moan, Gardner did assure the audience that the longtime Doctor Who writer was given “parcels of food generously slipped under the door from time to time”, which brought the fans much needed comic relief, and pointed towards a fun recollection of personal trivia and personal commitment to the beloved British series and American import.
Along with (Doctor Who writer and new Executive Producer) Steven Moffat Gardner admitted that though she watched the series as a child, she was not a ‘big fan of the series’ until after she joined the Doctor Who family. With scripts from Russell and Stephen, she added that she turned from a so-so fan to a professional TV producer who was “simply thrilled to be a part of the series.”
For Moffat, his involvement in the show is ‘exciting’ and “not like a real job like working at a hospital.” In fact, Stephen added, “Writing is not hard work, really.”
With a passionate view of the BBC series, Steven Moffat spoke as if he was a child again, remembering the good old days of his youth. “I remember being a devoted fan boy of the series – who wasn’t?” Stephen said, giving a nod to his Ms. Gardner as if he were chastising the casual attitude of her earlier comment.
“My mum would always tell me on the playground that if I were a good boy I could watch Dr. Who. So each week I would watch the show and think to myself, ‘I was a very good boy this week.’ If I received tapes of the show for my birthday or at Christmas season, I knew I was a very good boy the entire year.”
Today, Gardner’s biggest fear is that of not accomplishing the job she is paid for or acting like a “poor little fan boy” afraid of producing for a series with such cultural acclaim. “My only fear is finishing my script,” Stephen remarked in an offhand manner. “Or others finishing theirs.”
When asked by an audience member if writing for Doctor Who was challenging because of the different actors who come along so often to play the title role, Steven Moffat answered, “No – we write for the character. It is up to the actor to bring the page alive in his own unique way.” No matter the specific actor involved, “I strive to write a complex, emotional story like a feature length movie,” added Julie Gardner. Concerning David Tennant, the current and tenth Doctor of the series, both agreed that the actor has always lived up to and beyond their expectations.
Where does the inspiration come from to write for Doctor Who? “I have such vivid memories from my youth – especially of the frightening ones,” Moffat stated. “For me, I write Doctor Who from my childhood perspective – so I write terrifying stories.
Referring to the popular “Silence in the Library” episode, one fan asked, “Is Dr. River Song a character we will see in the future?” Gardner, as if biting her tongue replied, “If you mean is she his wife? No comment.” Stephen added, “Sure, the Doctor might sneak out one night to meet with her.” When asked if Dr. River Song knew all the incarnations of The Doctor, Moffat answered, “She has met them all in the past,” but declined to say any more on the subject.
On a similar theme, the question of whether Rose and her Doctor of a parallel universe might make an appearance, both producers took the “no comment” stance again. “I really can’t tell you,” Moffat replied. “But can you blame the good Doctor? He had to drop that clingy girlfriend.”
Referring to the “Time Crash” episode created especially for broadcast during the BBC’s Children in Need show, which featured a brief encounter between the Fifth and Tenth Doctors, fans asked if there would be more stories like it in the future.
“There is no hard and fast rule against it,” Moffat replied, “but there must be a good reason for one. It must not be a stunt . . . if there is a great story with each man at different places in their respective lives . . . but remember, that part of the story would only last for eight minutes, so it must be a hell of a plot [for this small segment of the Doctors to show up].”
Are there artistic differences amongst the writers? “Not really – except for the horse coming out of the mirror in the “Library” episode,” answered Julie Gardner, laughing as she looked over at Steven who wrote the famous scene.. “Do you know how difficult it is to have a horse fly out of a mirror?”
When asked if there is anything they would change to their previously aired shows, Moffat admitted, “I didn’t want to kill the children in the Library story.”
“But the way it was shown,” added Julie, “you don’t see the deaths. The impact of the child deaths was important.” Shaking his head, Moffat agreed, but hated that the story had to come up to that that particular point of dramatic climax.
Concerning their favourite Doctor Who stories of all-time, although Steven replied, “They’re all bloody brilliant,” but Christmas Invasion is considered his personal best. For Julie Gardner, Utopia was a “pure adrenaline rush.”
Are there ever continuity error fears in the staff writing room? “Of course not, I remember it all,” Moffat remarked as he smirked to the crowd. “There are never continuity mistakes simply because the good Doctor changes it all,” a comment which brought applause from the over 3,400 in attendance in Ballroom 20 of the San Diego Convention Center.
As for bringing back old favourite characters, Moffat replied, “New monsters and new friends are needed for the next generation of eight year old boys and girls. Julie Gardner added, “We are making nostalgia for the future.”
“It would be hard to shoot K9, wouldn’t it?” added Moffat and the audience howled at the last comment of the panelists before the crowd was shown the preview clip of this season’s opening episode to be aired in December of 2008.
Tags: Comic Con, Doctor Who, Julie Gardner, Steven Moffat
Posted in Convention Reports, SF-TV & Movie News | No Comments »
Venom, Spider-Man Spin-Off Movie in Development
Written by Ian Cullen on July 31, 2008 – 4:18 pm -
By Ian M. Cullen
It would appear that Sony Pictures plans for the Spider-Man franchise are not likely end any time soon. With Spider-Man 4 currently in development – plans are now being made to do a movie about Venom who made his first appearance in the much-criticised Spiderman 3 movie.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio hopes that a Venom movie would act as an antidote to the aging Spider-Man movie franchise – much like the Wolverine movie will do for the X-Men movies.
Trying to get any spin-off movie up and running let alone one based on a villain can be tricky.
The studio had commissioned a draft of the script from Jacob Estes, a writer of the specialty film Mean Creek which was released several years ago by Paramount Classics.
Since the spec script was commissioned, as is often the case, things have changed. The studio reportedly has other plans for the movie – which will take the story in a completely new direction from the Estes script – and are seeking a new writer to help them piece it all together.
Casting for the film is also no simple matter. Topher Grace played the role in Spider-Man 3, but agents have been looking at the role for their clients because Sony are apparently not confident that Grace would be able to carry a tent poll movie.
Venom made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man Comic in 1984 and was the first alien symbiotic enemy to grace the world of Marvel Comics. The alien’s first appearance was in Secret Wars Volume 1 issue 8, when Spider-Man used an alien machine to construct, he thought, a new costumre to replace one damaged in the many battles fought during that series.
In actual fact, the suit was the alien symbiont that became Venom, which Peter Parker finally shook off in the comic in a similar way to that shown in Spider-Man 3 once its true nature become all too clear.
After this Venom went on to join with Eddie Brock – its most well known host – in issue 298 of Amazing Spider-Man, released in 1986.
Originally Venom was portrayed as a lonely mute creature craving the company of a host. In recent times Venom has been shown to be very abusive of its hosts – and now has the power of speech.
The teaming of David Michelinie, Mike Zeck and Todd McFarlane were the creative force behind the Venom Symbiant.
Tags: Marvel Comics, Sony Pictures, Spider-Man, Venom Movie
Posted in Comic Book Corner, SF-TV & Movie News | No Comments »
Command Gold is back for Trek Movie
Written by Ian Cullen on July 31, 2008 – 4:07 pm -By Ian M. Cullen
In a brief audio clip posted at the Hollywood Outbreak website, actor Chris Pine, who plays the younger Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Star Trek movie, talked about what an honour it was to be a part of the movie and let slip that Gold was back in for commanding officers on Star Trek. Transcript is below.
“It is fantastic I had a lot of fun,” Pine said about working on Star Trek. “I think the movie that JJ (Abrams), Bob (Orci) and Alex (Kurtzman) wrote – and I got a chance to participate in – is really good. People will be surprised at how good it is.
“It’s pretty spine tingling.
“I wasn’t a huge fan of the series growing up,” he admits. “I obviously watched it and knew about it. Just the image of Captain Kirk on the Bridge in the chair is so iconic. Even if you’re a fan or not you know it. You know who he is – and if you see that Gold shirt, you know what you’re looking at. So it was very interesting….”
“He had a Gold Shirt?” interjects the interviewer.
“Oh yes,” Pine replied. “I’ve probably given something away by saying that, but I’m so tired at this point. But you know, it’s really funny because just the other day it was an imaginary ship in Burbank but it does feel good and it was a real honour being asked to do it.”
• You can hear this brief interview excerpt here.
Tags: Chris Pine, Star Trek
Posted in SF-TV & Movie News | 1 Comment »
