Doctor Who 50 years trailer

Last updated

Doctor Who 50 years trailer
Agency Red Bee Media
Client BBC Wales
LanguageEnglish
Running time60  seconds
Product
Release date(s)19 October 2013
Directed byMatt Losasso
Starring
Production
company
Red Bee Media
Produced byCarrie Hart
CountryUnited Kingdom

The Doctor Who 50 years trailer is a sixty-second television trailer which promoted "The Day of the Doctor", the fiftieth anniversary special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who . Filmed across two days in a studio, it stars Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, with multiple other actors providing images and poses of the key characters, over whom features of the original actors would be placed. The trailer premiered on BBC One on 19 October 2013.

Contents

Summary

The sixty-second trailer features a 3D bullet time sequence through a frozen landscape filled with images from Doctor Who 's history, including the Doctor, many of his companions, and enemies, as well as a multitude of props from the show's episodes. [1] During this, the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) narration talks about him running "all my lives" from "the day of the Doctor". The trailer ends with the hashtag #SaveTheDay. [2]

Filming and production

Red Bee Media, which had previously produced trailers for Doctor Who such as the 2008 campfire trailer, was hired to work on a special trailer for the fiftieth anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor". It was directed by Matt Losasso and produced by Carrie Hart, [3] with sound design provided by String and Tins. [4] Red Bee Media conceived the basic outline to emphasise the fact that "The Day of the Doctor" would be shown in 3D. Major elements of the trailer were recorded on 15–16 August 2013, at Stage 1 of Black Island Studios in London. The original costumes and props were supervised by Andrew Beech. During filming, actors were hired to pose as the key characters, over whom the features of the original actors were placed: [3] [5]

The images of Matt Smith (Eleventh Doctor) and Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald) were captured on 2 September 2013 in London, while Smith's narration was recorded on 5 October during recording of "The Time of the Doctor". [3] [5] Many of the camera movements were recreated in the software Flame. To do this, the cameras were tracked and stabilised, before being recreated into a stable camera movement. This stable movement allowed the inclusion of more subtle references from the show. [4]

The trailer features the first image of William Hartnell presented in high-resolution colour, which took several hours to achieve. Doctor Who 50 years trailer William Hartnell.jpg
The trailer features the first image of William Hartnell presented in high-resolution colour, which took several hours to achieve.

The still of William Hartnell (First Doctor) is the first image of the actor to be presented in high-resolution colour. [3] [5] To create the image, Losasso sourced a black-and-white image from the episode The Web Planet (1965), and spent hours placing elements from a double over the top of the original still in Adobe Photoshop to manipulate the image to colour. Following this, Framestore visual effects supervisor Oliver Bersey added slight edits, before adding subtle 2D manipulations to give a 3D effect. Bersey also created a matte painting of the vast landscape that appears at the end of the trailer. [4]

Release and reception

The BBC announced the trailer on 19 October 2013 alongside a promotional image of all eleven Doctors. [6] [7] The trailer aired on BBC One the same day at approximately 8:20 p.m., after Strictly Come Dancing , [6] and was subsequently released on YouTube. [8] The Verge 's Ellis Hamburger called it "essential viewing for any Doctor Who fan", [1] and Radio Times felt it "was the sort of thing that could only have been made for a fanbase as fervent as Doctor Who's". [9] #SaveTheDay trended on Twitter after the trailer was released, [2] and the video received almost one million views on YouTube within two days. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Doctor Who</i> British science fiction TV series (1963–present)

Doctor Who is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterrestrial being called the Doctor, part of a humanoid species called Time Lords. The Doctor travels in the universe and in time using a time travelling spaceship called the TARDIS, which externally appears as a British police box. While travelling, the Doctor works to save lives and liberate oppressed peoples by combating foes. The Doctor often travels with companions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jemma Redgrave</span> British actress (born 1965)

Jemima Rebecca "Jemma" Redgrave is a British actress, and a member of the Redgrave family. She is known for her roles as the title character in Bramwell (1995–1998) and as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart in Doctor Who and its upcoming spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea. As well as a career in television, she has appeared in many stage productions and on film, including her portrayal of Evie Wilcox in the Merchant Ivory film Howards End.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eleventh Doctor</span> Fictional character from Doctor Who

The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is played by Matt Smith in three series as well as five specials. As with previous incarnations of the Doctor, the character has also appeared in other Doctor Who spin-offs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Smith</span> English actor (born 1982)

Matthew Robert Smith is an English actor. He is known for playing the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who (2010–2014), Prince Philip in Netflix's historical series The Crown (2016–2017)—for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination—and Daemon Targaryen in HBO's fantasy drama series House of the Dragon (2022–present).

The End of Time (<i>Doctor Who</i>) 2009–2010 Doctor Who episodes

"The End of Time" is a two-part story of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 25 December 2009 and 1 January 2010. It is the fifth Doctor Who Christmas special and the last entry in a series of specials aired from 2008 to 2010. It marks the final regular appearance of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and introduces Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor. At the time, it was the last Doctor Who story written and produced by Russell T Davies, who shepherded the series' return to British television in 2005 and served as the series's executive producer and chief writer, until he returned to the position in 2022 for the 60th anniversary specials onwards.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 5 2010 series of Doctor Who

The fifth series of the British science-fiction television programme Doctor Who was originally broadcast on BBC One in 2010. The series began on 3 April 2010 with "The Eleventh Hour", and ended with "The Big Bang" on 26 June 2010. The series is the first to be led by Steven Moffat, who took over as head writer and executive producer when Russell T Davies ended his involvement in the show after "The End of Time". The series has 13 episodes, six of which were written by Moffat. Piers Wenger and Beth Willis were co-executive producers, and Tracie Simpson and Peter Bennett were producers. Although it is the fifth series since the show's revival in 2005, the series' production code numbers were reset.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 7 2012–2013 series of Doctor Who

The seventh series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who was broadcast concurrently on BBC One in the United Kingdom, and was split into two parts as the previous series had been. Following its premiere on 1 September 2012, the series aired weekly with five episodes until 29 September. The remaining eight episodes were broadcast between 30 March and 18 May 2013. The 2012 Christmas special, "The Snowmen", aired separately from the main series and introduced a new TARDIS interior, title sequence, theme tune, and outfit for the Doctor.

<i>An Adventure in Space and Time</i> 2013 British television docudrama directed by Terry McDonough

An Adventure in Space and Time is a 2013 British biographical television film, starring David Bradley, Brian Cox, Jessica Raine and Sacha Dhawan. Directed by Terry McDonough, and written by regular Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss, it premiered on BBC Two on 21 November 2013, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the science fiction television series. Further, international broadcasts of the television film were made after its premiere on British television.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 8 2014 series of Doctor Who

The eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who began on 23 August 2014 with "Deep Breath" and ended with "Death in Heaven" on 8 November 2014. The series was officially ordered in May 2013, and led by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, alongside executive producer Brian Minchin. Nikki Wilson, Peter Bennett and Paul Frift served as producers. The series is the eighth to air following the programme's revival in 2005, the thirty-fourth season overall, and the first series since series five not to be split into two parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Day of the Doctor</span> 2013 Doctor Who episode

"The Day of the Doctor" is a special episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, marking its 50th anniversary. It was written by Steven Moffat, who served as an executive producer alongside Faith Penhale. It was shown on BBC One on 23 November 2013, in both 2D and 3D. The special was broadcast simultaneously in 94 countries, and was shown concurrently in 3D in some cinemas. It achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest ever simulcast of a TV drama and won the Radio Times Audience Award at the 2014 British Academy Television Awards.

<i>Doctor Who</i> specials (2013) 2013 special episodes of Doctor Who

The 2013 specials of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who are two additional episodes following the programme's seventh series. In addition to the traditional Christmas episode broadcast on 25 December 2013, a feature of the revived series since 2005, there was also a special celebrating the 50th anniversary of the programme broadcast on 23 November 2013, both airing on BBC One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Time of the Doctor</span> 2013 Doctor Who episode

"The Time of the Doctor" is an episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, written by Steven Moffat and directed by Jamie Payne, and was broadcast as the ninth Doctor Who Christmas special on 25 December 2013 on BBC One. It features the final regular appearance of Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and the first full appearance of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor following his brief cameo in the previous episode "The Day of the Doctor". The episode also features Jenna Coleman as the Doctor's companion Clara Oswald, plus several enemies of the Doctor, including the Daleks, Cybermen, Silence and Weeping Angels.

"The Night of the Doctor" is a mini-episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was made available on BBC iPlayer and YouTube on 14 November 2013, as part of the BBC One lead-up to the show's 50th anniversary special. It was written by Steven Moffat and starred Paul McGann as the Doctor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War Doctor</span> Incarnation of a fictional character from Doctor Who

The War Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. He was portrayed by the English actor John Hurt. Although he precedes Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor in the show's fictional chronology, his first onscreen appearance came eight years after Eccleston's; the War Doctor was retroactively created by showrunner Steven Moffat for productions celebrating the show's 50th anniversary. Hurt would reprise the role in the 2015 audio drama series The War Doctor until his death in 2017, with actor Jonathon Carley taking over the role from 2020 onward.

<i>The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot</i> 2013 British TV series or programme

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot is a 2013 comedy spoof and homage to the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It appeared on the BBC Red Button service after the broadcast of "The Day of the Doctor", the official 50th anniversary special. The programme was written and directed by Peter Davison, who stars alongside fellow former Doctor actors Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker and Paul McGann. It features appearances from then-stars of the show Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman as well as former stars David Tennant and John Barrowman. Additionally, then-Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat, his predecessor Russell T Davies and numerous others connected to the programme all appear as themselves in a more or less parodic manner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fifteenth Doctor</span> Incarnation of a fictional character from Doctor Who

The Fifteenth Doctor is the current incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa. His first series companion is Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson.

<i>Doctor Who</i> specials (2023) 2023 special episodes of Doctor Who

The 2023 specials of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who are three special episodes that aired between 25 November and 9 December 2023, to celebrate the programme's 60th anniversary. They were written by Russell T Davies and marked the start of his second tenure as showrunner, having served in the role from the start of Doctor Who's revival in 2005 until leaving in 2010. The specials were broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and on Disney+ internationally.

References

  1. 1 2 Hamburger, Ellis (20 October 2013). "BBC's Doctor Who 50th anniversary trailer is filled with hidden Easter eggs". The Verge . Vox Media. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 Dowell, Ben (19 October 2013). "Doctor Who: Fans react to the dazzling Day of the Doctor trailer". Radio Times . Immediate Media Company. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Pixley, Andrew (August 2014). "The Day of the Doctor". Doctor Who Magazine . Vol. The Year of the Doctor: The Official Guide to Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary, no. Special Edition 38. Royal Tunbridge Wells: Panini Comics. p. 12.
  4. 1 2 3 "Doctor Who 'The Day of the Doctor - 50 year trailer'". Framestore. October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Ainsworth, John, ed. (2016). "The Day of the Doctor and The Time of the Doctor". Doctor Who: The Complete History. 74 (17). London: Panini Comics, Hachette Partworks: 75–77. ISSN   2057-6048.
  6. 1 2 "Doctor Who Trailer to Celebrate the Last 50 Years". BBC. 19 October 2013. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  7. Connelly, Brendon (19 October 2013). "New Doctor Who Trailer To Air On The BBC Tonight, First Look Image Arrives". Bleeding Cool . Avatar Press. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  8. Davis, Lauren (19 October 2013). "50th Anniversary teaser flies through the history of Doctor Who". io9 . Gawker Media. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  9. "Doctor Who 50th anniversary teaser trailer: the best of what you may have missed". Radio Times . Immediate Media Company. 21 October 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  10. Chapman, Matthew (21 October 2013). "Doctor Who brings back past Doctors for 50th anniversary episode trailer". Campaign . Haymarket Media Group. Archived from the original on 24 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.