#whobtsdoom

Behind the Scenes of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday  (Part 21)

Except from Doctor Who Magazine #417

David Tennant on Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler): Never was more love given out by anyone than Camille.  She just exudes it, and therefore receives it from everyone around her.  I think she loves being that kind of mother figure. She loves to look after people.  She’s such a lovely person to have around - self-effacing, and just lovely.  I love her.  We share the same birthday as well.

Excerpt from Mizz magazine interview with Billie Piper (May 2006):

Mizz: The screen chemistry between you and David is amazing.  Is that ‘cause you get on in real life?

Billie Piper:  We’re kind of like a married couple, I suppose.  And that happened very quickly - I think it’s because we’re quite like-minded.

Mizz:  So, erm, how are the screen kisses?

Billie:  I love them!  Especially with David.  The secret is to make it real. I hate all that half-kissing business!

Mizz:  Do you worry you’ll always be known as Rose from Doctor Who?

Billie:  There are worse things to be associated with.  It’s great!  It will be a part of my life forever; it’s been a life-changing experience.

Behind the Scenes of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday (Part 20)  

Excerpt from SFX (Sept 2014 when “The Doctor and Rose say farewell at Bad Wolf Bay in Doomsday” won 1st place in their 250 Greatest Moments in Sci-Fi, Horror, and Fantasy poll to celebrate their 250th issue):

SFX:  Revisionists would have you believe that Who was always a show with emotional impact, but barring a couple of companion departures that didn’t really become true until Russell T Davies.  His most heart-destroying contribution was this scene, in which a holographic projection of the Doctor talks to a tearful Rose on a Norwegian beach (actually Southerndown, South Wales), with the signal cutting out just before the slow-coach can declare, “I love you”.  It’s a moment everyone can identify with because, as Davies put it, “There’s an echo of every loss you’ve ever had.” We’ve all had to bid farewell to someone we care about even if it wasn’t forced upon us by the threat of universal destruction and this moment perfectly encapulates the agony of break-up.

Russell T Davies:  Thank you!  I’m not often speechless, but that’s quite astonishing. All I can remember about that day is everyone rushing like mad to get it finished because the tide was coming in.  Camille Coduri had to stand on wooden planks in case she sank.  But what a cast - David and Billie are simply magnificent.  All directed with joy, energy, and madness by Graeme Harper. I’m genuinely surprised that it means that much to people, after all this time, and thank you to everyone who voted.

David Tennant:  I remember worrying on the day we shot this that as I was actually a projection from inside the TARDIS my hair shouldn’t be blowing in the wind.  That seemed terribly important at the time and although we didn’t find a solution to it, it bothered me for weeks.  Then I saw the finished scene and of course all that matters is the end of the Doctor and Rose’s story.  Russell had weaved some glorious magic for two seasons and it all came together so perfectly in this scene that people still talk to me about it with misty eyes all these years later (and I suspect they always will.)  Murray Gold created some heart-stopping music that accentuates the misery and Billie is just breathtakingly good.  I feel very lucky to be standing on that beach, with my hair flying around, in amongst all these brilliant elements.  Whatever else I do and wherever else I end up, this will be a moment I will forever be proud to look back on.  Thanks for having us at number one.

Behind the Scenes of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday (Part 19)  

Excerpts from TV Week’s interview with Tracy-Ann Oberman [who plays Yvonne Hartman, head of Torchwood]:

“Yvonne’s not so much evil as obsessed with Torchwood,” says Oberman.  “The organisation is good unless you’re an alien and, in Yvonne’s eyes, the Doctor is an alien.”

But he’s not the only fly in Yvonne’s ointment, as the Cybermen are on the rampage again.  “They are really scary,” she says about coming face-to-face with them on set.

“The blokes who play them are gorgeous-male specimens to die for. You can be having a good old chat with them, but the moment they’re clipped into those metal suits with the helmets, they are terrifying. And if they tread on your feet it’s really painful!”

She admits that getting the part in Doctor Who was a dream come true.  “I’ve always been one of that rare breed of women who are massive sci-fi fans and I’m obsessed with Doctor Who,” she says.  “David Tennant and I sat talking about sonic screwdrivers and our favorite Doctors. It was a special moment when I saw the Tardis for the first time - brilliant.”

Behind the Scenes of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday (Part 16)  

Excerpts from Benjamin Cook’s article in DWM #372

Army of Ghosts and Doomsday were filmed alongside Rise of the Cybermen and The Age of Steel. "We did one big ten-week shoot to cover all four episodes," Graeme [Harper, director] explains later. "That was tough - not just on me, but on the artistes, certainly on David and Billie.  I had no days off whatsoever, because I was thinking and planning all the time. It just required that amount of effort. It was especially daunting in that I was doing two-parters, which were both epics.  To do that in one big hit...!"

"It helped enormously, logistically and financially, to compress four episodes into one block," says Russell [T Davies, writer & showrunner], so that we could split resources across them. I'm not sure that we could have filmed it otherwise.

Behind the Scenes of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday  (Part 18)

Excerpts from Benjamin Cook’s article in DWM #372

To try to keep the Daleks' identity secret from the public, the shooting schedule, and the daily call-sheets issued to cast and crew, didn't ever use the word 'Dalek'; they're listed instead as 'Enemy #1', 'Enemy #2', etc.  Nick Briggs, for example, is the 'Enemy/Cyber Voice'. He's sat in front of a monitor right now, next to the director but some distance away from the set, shouting his lines into a ring modulator.   "It exorcises all your aggression, you see," he announces after the take.  "That's why I'm such a nice person."

"Do you have nightmares, Nick?" teases Graeme [Harper, director]

"Yeah. But luckily the Daleks come to the rescue."

"Nick! Briggsie!" shouts Billie from over on set.  "Do you think you could come in with your 'The Emperor survived?' line sooner, cos I'm over stepping my mark?"

"NO PROBLEM," hollers Nick, although why he does so in his Dalek voice is anyone's guess.

Behind the Scenes of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday (Part 17)

Excerpts from Benjamin Cook’s article in DWM #372

During the lunch break, the Dalek operators and Billie sit on the steps outside the warehouse-cum-studio, sheltering from the rain, and smoking like chimneys.  DWM doesn't smoke (it's bad for you, kids!) but enjoys participating in unprintable gossip, so stays put. Of what can be repeated here...

"That's a nice coat,"  Billie tells DWM.  "Where did you get it?"

Topman. They're good for coats.

"Aw, I love it," smiles Billie. "It looks retro, like it's from a charity shop."

The Dalek operators explode with laughter, which then turns into throaty coughing.

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" exclaims Billie.  "I meant it in, um, a good way."

Behind the Scenes of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday (Part 14)

Excerpts from Benjamin Cook’s article in DWM #372

DWM: Wasn't it a bit of a spoiler when it [the black Dalek] appeared at the BAFTAs?

Russell T. Davies:  "Don't talk to me about that BAFTA Dalek! I still don't know how they got that. I haven't asked, cos I don't want to know. We knew they'd asked for a Dalek, cos we had to give permission, but they said it was just for the red carpet stuff. Indeed, there was a bronze one outside, so we presumed that was that. The version on TV was quite heavily edited, cos we were gobsmacked - poor Julie [Gardner, executive producer] was on the microphone, making the speech, and couldn't even make out where the voice was coming from. And I very clearly turned round, saw it, turned to Billie and said, 'Oh, for f*** sake, it's the black one!'   Mind you, at the same time, I was thinking 'Oh, Nick Briggs must be here,' so that was nice, and then you think, 'He must've known that we'd won before we did, the bastard!'  Even stranger still, didn't the BAFTA black Dalek have a red light in its eyepiece? Cos we've never done that! How the hell did that happen?!"

Behind the Scenes of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday (Part 12) Excerpts from Benjamin Cook’s article in DWM #372

Of course, the ending of Doomsday was shrouded in secrecy right up until transmission.  Most of the crew didn't even know what was going on. 

"We kept the beach scene as secret as possible," Russell explains, "and that scene wasn't included in the shooting script - just cos they have a tendency to be left lying around!  Also, bear in mind that it came slap bang in the middle of production, not at the end, so Billie still had five more episodes to film after that! The secret stayed secret for once."

And the very last scene?

"Ah, well, that was done quietly," smiles Russell, "with a small crew, at the end of a normal shooting day. And then we made a decision to cancel the BAFTA screening of Doomsday, and to not send out DVD preview copies, just to see how it would work. David Tennant pointed out that the tabloids had ruined every single twist in The Parting of the Ways, three days before! So this was a different tactic."