Doctor Who Interview with Jay Burke

Earlier in the week I also conducted an interview with the creator of The Writer’s Blog, Jay Burke, who discussed his love of Doctor Who and what inspired him to create his own new animated series with the Doctor and his companion Eve Miller…

B: When did you first watch Doctor Who, and what makes it special to you?

JB: Well, I first began watching Doctor Who when it returned to our screens in 2005, and ever since then my love for the show really has grown. I think what makes it such a great programme to me is the whole concept of Time Travel and how your stories can be set anywhere in space and time; it really does add variety. I’m also a fan of the writing on the show. They get some fantastic writers and they really do make each adventure its own. I love it!

B: What inspired you to initially create your own animated Doctor Who series, and what do you hope your series can offer fans?

JB: Captin Franko has been a huge inspiration to me! His series really did spark my enthusiasm in creating my own series and hopefully the positive influence from his series will spark some enthusiasm for others in my own series. As for what I hope I can offer fans, well, its more Doctor Who for a start! Its gonna give you an entirely new take on the Doctor and his companions and I think that adding voice actors to the series will really enhance the story-telling and your connection with the characters.

B: As well as scripting your own animated series, you have worked on other projects such as Captin Franko’s series – how does writing for your own series compare with writing for other peoples’ series?

JB: It’s quite funny, but I think I prefer writing for another’s series! I really enjoyed working on the ‘Picnic at Asgard’ script (not saying I don’t enjoy writing my own!) and I think having Captin Franko there to look over what I’d written and point me in the right direction really enhanced the script. It’s very different to writing for your own series because for me now there’s so many variables to take into account and the story-telling is pretty limitless, whereas writing for someone else you’re slightly more restricted and refined.

B: James Hall has said that his interpretation of the Doctor will be more serious than the recent Doctors on television – had you always planned to show a more serious Doctor, or were you simply impressed with James’ portrayal?

JB: I’m not too sure about this question, to be honest. It was Captin Franko’s script idea that really got me thinking about a darker Doctor, and I think James managed to tap into this and see where he was coming from. James’ portrayal is going to be more serious in some aspects but he will still have a light hearted side when it comes to his companions. I say this, but I’m pretty much in the dark about what James specifically wants to do with the character! I’m just waiting to hear what he makes of the lines on the page; I’m as excited to hear him as you!

B: What were the challenges you faced when designing the stories for this upcoming series, and what surprises are in store for the Twelfth Doctor and Eve Miller?

JB: The most difficult thing in designing the series has got to be the episode scheduling! You’ve got to account for so many things; making sure the two-parters are distanced enough, making sure you haven’t got two episodes set in the past, present, or future next to each other. I’ve found that to be the most difficult thing.
Surprises… well I can leak a few I suppose! The Doctor and Eve will be facing a variety of enemies, both new and old. We can expect to see Daleks stranded in the Wild West, Cybermen planning their next invasion in Devon, and the Oblivion drawing closer!

B: Thank you for taking the time to complete this interview Burkey, and I wish you all the best with the release of your first series!

Doctor Who Interview with Captin Franko

Earlier in the week I conducted an interview with the creator of Christel Doctor Who, Captin Franko, who discussed the success of his first series and also what we can expect to see from the Doctor and Tabitha in his upcoming second series...

B: What inspired you to initially create your own animated Doctor Who series, and what do you hope your series offers fans?

CF: When Doctor Who returned to the Television in 2005 I was immediately hooked (again) and I had been doing some little bits of writing on and off in my spare time. It really didn’t take long to put my two hobbies together. I began to write a number of short stories about the Ninth Doctor and Rose but when David Tennant came along I stepped up my plans and decided to see if I could put a whole series together. My initial ideas were very grand and completely ‘un-writeable’.

The series that you see today is probably about the 18th version of what I originally started out with. As the series has developed I hope that it has given people the chance to experience Doctor Who in a slightly different way. I wanted to put my own slant on it and so I wrote in my own version of the Eleventh Doctor. This was a Doctor that I could shape and not have to worry about what was happening in the real ‘canon’ of the television series. Obviously I try and stay as close as possible but it gives me more freedom to play about with the Doctor, and more obviously the interior of the TARDIS.

B: The first full series of episodes were released last year, and proved to be a great hit with fans – what do you think was your best achievement when creating the series?

CF: If I had to pick one thing out from the series as a whole it would probably be the plot arc that I managed to weave into the whole 13 episodes. It was subtle, yet it worked, and completely took people by surprise. I had people sure that Davros was coming back... so when Rassilon walked up to the TARDIS doors I would like to think that it took a lot of people by surprise! I must say some of it happened as spur-of-the-moment writing. I knew where I wanted to get to but the way that I did it was changed with pretty much every episode I wrote. In the end it all worked out fine.

B: Your spectacular spin-off series ARNIE is coming towards the end of its first series – what inspired you to create the idea of the mysterious android, and had you always planned to create a whole series about him?

CF: If I’m honest ARNIE was born out of a need for a sixth episode for Series 1 and a considerable amount of luck. I had written 12 stories and still had a space. I also had a number of ideas to choose from. When I eventually chose to tell ARNIE’s story I began fleshing the back story of the character out in my head and decided that it was something that was just not going to fit into a single episode. Thus, the spin-off series was born. The whole idea that he somehow knows the Doctor and the Doctor does not know him plays nicely in hand with the fact that he does not know who created him. Plus I have also been able to use the series to seed certain plot arcs for upcoming stories that will span the entirety of the Christel Doctor Who universe.

B: If you were given the chance to go back and change anything from Christel Doctor Who, would you decide to do anything differently?

CF: I wouldn’t change any of the stories, because I think as a series of stories they play well together. The changes I would make are more aesthetic. I would have uploaded the episodes through YouTube from the start. Yes, it would have meant splitting them in half, but with the quality you get it is more than worth it. ARNIE Series 1 has proved that and indeed I shall be uploading Series 2 of Christel Doctor Who through YouTube. I would also change the subtitles in the first few episodes, as they took a while to get right and I can’t help but worry that it took away a little from the storytelling side of things.

B: What were the challenges you faced when designing the stories for the upcoming second season, and what surprises are in store for the Doctor and Tabitha?

CF: Probably the biggest worry for me at the moment is that Series 2 will be as well received as Series 1. I got some really good reviews for Series 1 for which I was very grateful, and I am working my hardest to make sure that Series 2 is even better. As far as surprises go... that would be telling, but I can tell you that this is the year of the Trojan and that the Doctor’s hearts will be broken. The plot arc is a lot less subtle this time around, but should hopefully smack you clean between the eyes when all is revealed. This is also why the finale to this series runs to 3 parts instead of the traditional 2. Oh, and of course, nobody knows just what those pesky guardians of time are up to yet!

B: Thank you for taking the time to complete this interview Captin, and I wish you all the best with the release of your second series!

Torchwood: Miracle Day Russell T Davies Video

Torchwood: Miracle Day - Interview with Creator Russell T Davies

Thanks to Combom for originally posting about this video.

Doctor Who The Mutants DVD Extra Clip

Doctor Who Magazine 430 Cover and News

The cover for Doctor Who Magazine 430 has now been revealed via their Facebook page, and tells us more about what we can expect from the issue. The issue comes with a new look and includes interviews with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, who secretly reveal their opinions on each other’s dress-sense, acting ability, and snogging skills!

The other features include all the latest news about the first half of Series 6, a brand new comic strip for the Eleventh Doctor, and a list of all the classic stories to be released on DVD this year.

DWM 430 goes on sale on 13th January 2011.

David Tennant and Catherine Tate Interview - 'Much Ado About Nothing'

Doctor Who Alex Kingston on The Late Late Show

Doctor Who Advent Calendar Barnaby Edwards

Doctor Who Advent Calendar Eleanor Matsuura

Doctor Who's Karen Gillan in Shortlist Magazine

It has been reported that Karen Gillan features on the front cover of this week’s Shortlist Magazine, which is handed out every week in major cities across the United Kingdom, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Glasgow. The full interview is available to read online, and Karen also took part in a photo shoot.

How does it feel being a role model?

“That’s a tricky one. You’ve got to get the right balance I think. You can’t live your life thinking about how it’s going to affect everybody else. You’ve got to have your own life and do what you want to do, but it is something I take into consideration and I wouldn’t want to fall around drunk or anything.”

What’s it like working with Matt Smith?

“Matt is so focused he really inspires me. That sounds really cheesy, but it’s true. I’ve never met someone so focused and he never slacks off. He’s really driven. And his approach to acting is really creative. Rather than just reeling off the lines, he changes it every time. It’s an intense day. He takes it very seriously, but that’s not to say it’s not fun. In fact, part of our taking it seriously is messing around between takes, because I feel like it’s us staying in character and being silly.”

Doctor Who A Christmas Carol Katherine Jenkins Interview on Breakfast

Doctor Who Interview with Blink and CaptinFranko

Yesterday evening I completed an interview with CaptinFranko, where we discussed Doctor Who, my blog, and the episode that I have written for his second series of Christel Doctor Who. We also talked about what we could expect from the blog next year and my upcoming writing projects.

The full interview can be read here.

Doctor Who Christmas Radio Special Announced

It has been announced that there will be a special Doctor Who broadcast on BBC Radio One during the Christmas season this year. The news was revealed by the Eleventh Doctor himself, Matt Smith, who mentioned the radio special during an interview alongside Karen Gillan on the Fearne Cotton Show. The interview mainly concentrated on the release of the new Series Five Box Set.

The details of this radio special are currently unknown, but the full interview with Fearne Cotton is now available to view via BBC iPlayer.

Doctor Who Stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan on Daybreak Video

Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, who play the roles of the Eleventh Doctor and his companion Amy Pond, appeared on this morning’s edition of the breakfast programme ‘Daybreak’. The video above shows them talking to Christine Bleakley and Adrian Chiles about the Doctor Who Series Five Box Set, which is now available to buy in shops across the UK.

Doctor Who Live Murray Gold Interview

The Doctor Who composer Murray Gold was also interviewed behind the scenes at a Doctor Who Live performance, where he discussed his variations on the Doctor Who theme tune and how he came up with the tunes for all three Doctors and their assistants.

This video is from Digital Spy, and was originally posted by Combom.

Doctor Who Live Matt Smith Interview

The Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith was interviewed behind the scenes at a Doctor Who Live performance, where he discussed his work on the Christmas Special and sixth series of the show. The interview ended with Smith summing up the Christmas Special in three words, and complimenting Steven Moffat on his excellent ideas.

Unfortunately the sound quality varies in this video, but is still enjoyable to watch.

Doctor Who Composer Murray Gold Interview

The Doctor Who composer Murray Gold appeared on yesterday’s edition of BBC Breakfast, where he discussed his music for the show and the upcoming Doctor Who Live tour. Gold also reveals that he wrote the Eleventh Doctor’s theme before ever seeing Matt Smith perform, as well as confirming that he will be writing music for the Christmas Special and Series 6.

The Sarah Jane Adventures Series 4 Monsters Magazine Scans

The Gallifrey Times blog has posted scans of a Sky Magazine interview about the fourth series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, which includes lots of information about the monsters which will be appearing in the show.

There are also exclusive pictures of the new creatures who will be terrorising Sarah Jane Smith's team in the new series, including a blue-painted Groske and the humanoid-vulture Shansheeth.

VISIT THE GALLIFREY TIMES

Doctor Who Matt Smith Reveals Favourite Stars

The Eleventh Doctor actor Matt Smith has recently revealed that he would enjoy Florence Welch accompanying him on his adventures in the TARDIS. When asked by journalists who he would like to act alongside in the show, Smith answered “Florence from Florence and the Machine - I'd quite like her to do one.”

He also stated “I'd quite like Eric Cantona to come and do one. That would be cool,” as well as mentioning Vincent Cassel, Hayley Atwell, Helena Bonham Carter and Rowan Atkinson as other stars he would like to appear in the show.