Category Archives: Interview

Convention, Cosplay, Doctor Who, Fun stuff, Interview

Film & Comic Con Bournemouth, Dorset – September 2016

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Tom Project Indigo outside Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Welcome to Film and Comic Con Bournemouth at the BIC!

Hello and welcome to another Film & Comic Con in Bournemouth!

This is the third convention organised by Showmasters in my home town and it always gets a big turnout. The people of Bournemouth love a chance to meet actors from their favourite TV shows and films and buy awesome merchandise! Showmasters were very generous and gave me a Press Pass so I could report on this event for my Project Indigo readers.  

Film & Comic Con Bournemouth took place at the BIC once more on the 3rd and 4th September 2016. I went on both days because there were different Doctor Who actors there on each day and I wanted to meet all of them!

When I arrived on Saturday I explored the stalls straightaway as I have been caught up in the Pokemon Go craze and I was really keen to find a Pokeball. There were so many stalls that there was bound to be one on one of them. Many stallholders had made their items and liked the chance to show their skills.

Small World Pictures at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Bob shows his Doctor Who Small World Picture

One stall that caught my eye was called Small World Pictures. I met the artist Bob Ford who draws a lot of amazing Sci Fi drawings. He uses pen and ink to draw very detailed pictures with little characters. Each picture takes him 35 hours to make which must be tiring. His Doctor Who picture was spectacular and contains all the Doctors and all the companions up to today. Make sure to take a look at his website to see what he can do!

Doctor Squee and Claire selling Dottie’s Charms
What does your Doctor smell like?

I also saw Doctor Squee from Gallifrey Stands Podcast on another stall. He and Claire were holding a stall called Dottie’s Charms selling sci-fi style jewellery and Doctor Who lip balms and candles. The candles are all inspired by Doctor Who characters such as the Fourth Doctor Jellybean, the TARDIS Blueberry Muffin and the Dalek Dark Chocolate. You should definitely check out Dotties’s Charms if you like Sci-Fi themed goodies!

Tom Project Indigo meets Doctor Who and Blakes Seven actress Jacqueline Pearce at Film and Comic Con Bournemouth
Hello Jacqueline Pearce aka Chessene from The Two Doctors!

After shopping it was time to meet the stars. The first person I met was Jacqueline Pearce. She played Chessene in The Two Doctors (1985) and has done multiple roles in Big Finish episodes. She is most famous for playing Servilan in Blake’s Seven. Jacqueline was nothing like her Doctor Who character as Chessene was a bad guy and Jacqueline was very kind. I asked Jacqueline my questions and she told me all about Seville where she filmed The Two Doctors. If Jacqueline could go anywhere in time and space she would like to go to Edwardian times because she loves the frocks!

sam_9112

After Jacqueline I went next door and met Christopher Fairbank who played Fenton in Flatline (2014). Christopher has been in everything in the world (slight exaggeration!). He has been in Dickensian, Guardians of the Galaxy, Jack the Giant Slayer, Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides and many more that I won’t put because it is making my head hurt to think about it!

I asked Christopher about filming Flatline and he told me all about where he filmed around Cardiff in subways, a blocked off viaduct and a shopping centre and Barry Island. When filming part of the tunnel scene in a disused railway (in Winchcombe) he said that they had to be careful to stay off the railways lines in case a phantom train came. He also said it was very smelly there which added to the atmosphere.

If Christopher could go anywhere in time and space he would not like to go the future but he would like to go to the 19th Century as he is big fan of Charles Dickens. Christopher was a very jolly man and I was very happy to meet him.

After speaking to Christopher I went back home and came back the next day. On Sunday I started off in the Cosplay Zone and watched an epic lip-synch battle. Many people cosplay at conventions and it is a great chance to show what they like. I saw lots of great cosplays including many different Doctors and companions. Check them out here:-

Sarah as the Fourth Doctor
Liam as the Eleventh Doctor
Quinn as the Eleventh Doctor
Ian as the Fifth Doctor
Lucy as the Eighth Doctor
Mitchell as the Second Doctor, Ian as the Fifth Doctor

My first meet of the day was Peter Purves aka the First Doctor’s companion Steven Taylor. Peter is also well known as a Blue Peter presenter so I showed him my badge and told him about Project Indigo being featured on a Blue Peter Doctor Who special.

Tom Project Indigo meets Peter Purves from Doctor Who and Blue Peter at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Hello Peter Purves aka Steven Taylor!

Peter said he filmed Doctor Who in not very exotic locations like Egham Borough Council sandpit. He did get to Frensham Ponds to film the The Myth Makers (1965). He said he got to go to much better places for Blue Peter.

If Peter could go anywhere in time and space he wouldn’t go too far back as there are many things that make it difficult to survive. He doesn’t have much hope for the future so he would be happy just to get to see tomorrow! It was an honour to meet Peter.

Tom Project Indigo meets Doctor Who actor Richard Franklin at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Hello Richard Franklin aka Captain Mike Yates!

Next to Peter was Richard Franklin aka Captain Mike Yates, member of UNIT who helped the Third Doctor. Richard was very friendly and told me about his filming locations. He said he had 1 good location and 8 awful ones. The best was 2 weeks in Aldbourne, Wiltshire where he filmed The Daemons (1971). The first week of filming they enjoyed proper sunshine and the next week they had a snowstorm! He told me I should go there and see the Village Green and all the other places they filmed. Richard’s worst location was Dungeness Beach in January as it was very cold indeed.

If he could go anywhere in time and space Richard would like to go to the first planet with human beings. A place on earth he would like to go is New Zealand.

Tom Project Indigo meets Davros from Doctor Who, David Gooderson, at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Hello David Gooderson aka Davros!

Following Richard I went to see David Gooderson who played Davros in Destiny of the Daleks (1979) and he said the others got to go to a quarry in Swanage but as Davros he was stuck in the studio. If David could go anywhere in time and space he would go to Mars as he has been very intrigued by all the news reports about the exploration of Mars. I had a great chat with David all about school as I was starting big school the next day and he was a very cheery man – most unexpected for the creator of the daleks!

Tom Project Indigo meets Tom Hopper at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Hello Tom Hopper aka Jeff Angelo!

After David I met Tom Hopper who played Jeff Angelo in The Eleventh Hour (2010), who helps save the world by letting the Eleventh Doctor use his laptop to spread a virus. As well as Doctor Who, Tom starred as Sir Percival in Merlin and Billy Bones in Black Sails.

If Tom could go anywhere in time and space he would like to go back to the 1980’s when he was born, and also go forward to the future – in fact be just like Marty McFly in Back to the Future! He would even like to go the Wild West just like Back to the Future 3. What a creative answer. Tom was really sweet and I enjoyed talking to him a lot.

Tom Project Indigo meets Deborah Watling from Doctor Who at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Hello Deborah Watling aka Victoria Waterfield!

My last chat of the day was with Deborah Watling who played Victoria, companion to the Second Doctor. I told her I had just visited Botany Bay where she filmed Fury from the Deep (1968) and she said ‘I had forgotten all about that. Thank you for reminding me!’.

I asked Deborah if she had been to any good filming locations for Doctor Who and she said that I had to be joking. All her locations were gravel pits and tanks of foam – nothing glamorous. If Deborah could go anywhere in time and space she would like to go to the Moon. I wonder if she knows that the moon is an egg?

The Doctor Who Panel on Day 2 of Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
The Doctor Who Panel on Day 2

My last event of the day was the Doctor Who panel, where Deborah, Peter, David and Richard answered questions from the audience.

They were asked what their favourite episodes were and said:-

Deborah – Fury from the Deep as she loved the monster.

Peter – The Massacre of St Bartholemew’s Eve (1966)  which only exists in audio. Steven was heroic in the story and Peter prefers the historical stories to the monster stories.

David – Destiny of the Daleks as he thoroughly enjoyed playing the man in the chair.

Richard – Planet of the Spiders (1974) as he got to choose street clothes for Mike to wear.

They were all asked if they would like to appear in Doctor Who on TV again. Richard said he would love to but no-one has asked. Peter and David would both like to play the Doctor and Deborah would like to be the first female Doctor!

Deborah spoke about her Doctor, Patrick Troughton, and said thank you to all the fans of Doctor Who who help keep his memory alive.

It was really interesting to listen to other people’s questions and hear all about filming classic Doctor Who.

I had a really exciting weekend at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth. Thank you to Showmasters for bringing these conventions to Bournemouth and giving us all a chance to meet our heroes! Thank you to everyone who took the time to talk to me.  

Thank you for reading and I hope you stay tuned for my next post which will be coming up soon. This week I started secondary school so I will be having lots of homework. I will post as often as I can but will have to do my homework first!

Goodbye! 

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Doctor Who, Fun stuff, Interview, TARDIS

Dunbury Academy TARDIS, Winterborne Whitechurch, Dorset – March 2016

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The entrance of Dunbury Academy TARDIS
Welcome to the Dunbury Academy TARDIS!

Hello everyone and welcome to a new blog post. This time I am not visiting a filming location but rather an actual TARDIS – the TARDIS at Dunbury Church of England Academy! I read about the Dunbury Academy TARDIS in my local newspaper, the Daily Echo, and when I saw the article I thought ‘I want to go there!’. I emailed the school and got invited to have a trip through time and space on the TARDIS…

Dunbury Academy is in the village of Winterborne Whitechurch. It is a small school for the children of the Winterborne Valley in Dorset and the school’s motto is

Inspire, Learn, Empower.

I was given the opportunity to have the day off from my school so that I could visit the TARDIS and I travelled there last week by train and bus. When I arrived at the school I couldn’t help but notice how small it was compared to my own. I felt very welcome and I was immediately greeted by Mr Payne the teacher who made the TARDIS, who invited me to come and have a lesson. On Thursday night Mr Payne was awarded Nursery / Primary Teacher of the Year in the first ever Daily Echo School Awards. Well done Mr Payne!

Entering the Dunbury Academy TARDIS
Entering the TARDIS

I was greeted by some of the Dunbury students and got taken to the TARDIS which was materialised on the first floor. There was no key but I was allowed to open the door using a Sonic Screwdriver. I couldn’t stop saying ‘Wow!’ as I was so surprised – it was bigger than I thought it would be but then again, it is a TARDIS. I started exploring but suddenly Daleks appeared on the screen – we were under threat!

Daleks attack at Dunbury Academy TARDIS!
Dalek attack!
Be quiet you!
Dalek Sec!
Allons-y!

First we had to solve a coded message from Rassilon, the Lord High President of Gallifrey then we travelled around time and space meeting many historic figures. The pupils and I had to solve multiple puzzles to ensure we were safe from the Daleks, including maths, codes, Roman Numerals and Hieroglyphics. First we met Archimedes in 214 BC, then went to Egypt to meet Cleopatra in 69 BC. Next to Rome to meet Julius Caesar in 48 BC who sent us to see the Viking Explorer, Eric the Red, in 991 AD. We then went to see William the Conqueror in 1066 AD who sent us on our way to see the Doctor’s old friend (and mine!) Winnie Churchill in 1940. We finally solved the Tablet of Skaro but it was a trap – the Daleks had kidnapped K-9! After some timey-wimey stuff we found him and we were safe from being blown to space smithereens. Yay!

Told you we went to Rome!
Good doggy!

After all that excitement I had some time to interview the children about their time in the TARDIS. I asked them what they thought when they first saw it and immediately two of them said ‘Amazed!’ at exactly the same time. Someone else said ‘Speechless!’. It was built in the school holidays so when they saw it, it was a real surprise.

They have learnt all different subjects in the TARDIS but it was built as part of a Space Topic. For English they travelled to space to write a description of a planet. For Maths they have had tests and learnt about Roman Numerals. They have visited the planet Kepler 452B which is 1400 light years away. It would take 26 million years to travel there if you didn’t have a TARDIS. Kepler 452B is 60 % bigger than earth and orbits around a star. Like Earth it is in the Goldilocks Zone which means that there could be life on there. To sum it up – they have learnt A LOT of stuff! I also told the pupils about Project Indigo, especially the filming locations I have visited in Dorset which was a surprise for them.

Then it was time for Assembly and I went along to support the school and see how different it was to my school. The classes are named after trees and there were only two at the Winterborne Whitechurch base. Certificates were handed out and pupils were rewarded for their achievements. The new First Aiders got to use their skills to help out the Headmaster Mr Barker.

Mr Payne in Dunbury Academy TARDIS
With Mr Payne – look behind me!

After assembly it was home time for the pupils and I got to interview Mr Payne. He built the TARDIS because he wants to inspire children and the first time they saw it they flew through the solar system! He has also built Hogwarts and Narnia style classrooms before.

Mr Payne has been a fan of Doctor Who since he was three and his favourite Doctor is Tom Baker because he grew up with him. If you need any proof he is dressed as the Fourth Doctor in his first photo! He is also a fan of David Tennant – and if you need any proof of that he did a Magic Show with him once for Children In Need!

I asked Mr Payne where he would like to go in time and space and he said he is happy right here, right now. He really likes his class and the school and wouldn’t want to change anything. If Mr Payne had to go somewhere he would choose to see the future. He said to imagine what it would be like for someone waking up after 20 years in a coma. I think it would be very confusing to see new pieces of technology at work, and it would very sad if people in your family had passed away.

Mr Payne could design the TARDIS as he was a helicopter designer once. The TARDIS was made in his garage over two weeks – the hardest part was collecting all the egg boxes for the walls, it took him months to get them! A friend of his helped build the console and donated the Doctor Who cardboard cut-outs from work.

I asked Mr Payne if the Headmaster Mr Barker was hesitant in saying yes to having a TARDIS at school or was he quick off the bat? He said that Mr Barker said yes immediately and that the TARDIS has had lots of support from all the staff, parents and children.

The Console at Dunbury Academy TARDIS
Where to next?
Exterminate!
A TARDIS in a TARDIS

After I interviewed Mr Payne I had one last go in the TARDIS before I had to leave. The TARDIS is just Wow! I’d like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone at Dunbury Academy for their hospitality. I felt so welcome and the staff and pupils were all really nice. It is a very friendly, cheerful school and I had a fantastic day.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my time at Dunbury Academy. In a few days something exciting is happening – Project Indigo is turning 2! I hope you will come back and read about my other adventures.

Goodbye!

Convention, Cosplay, Doctor Who, Interview

Day 1, Film & Comic Con Bournemouth, Dorset – March 2016

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Noel Clarke at Film & Comic Com Bournemouth
Meeting Noel Clarke aka Mickey Smith!

Hello and welcome to Showmasters’ second Film & Comic Con Bournemouth! This event was held on March 12th and 13th 2016 at Bournemouth International Centre. I was lucky enough to be given a Press Pass so I could pop along and meet the Doctor Who actors and report back to my Project Indigo readers.

I went along on the Saturday and the weather was very awkward – it was so misty that day that you couldn’t even see the BIC! Luckily I found the BIC eventually – the huge queue was a clue. After I arrived I got my bearings and explored. The layout was different to the last Film & Comic Con Bournemouth and spread over more halls so there was more space for everybody to enjoy themselves.

Noel Clarke giving a talk at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Noel Clarke giving a talk

First I went to see a talk by Noel Clarke aka Mickey Smith, companion of the Ninth and Tenth Doctor. Noel was asked what his favourite episodes are and he said Dalek (2005) as it is the first time we see a vulnerable Dalek. From his episodes it is the ones that show the journey of Mickey’s character – Rose (2005), Rise of the Cybermen / The Age of Steel (2006) and The End of Time (2009-10).

Noel says that he has written a ‘treatment’ of the story of Martha and Mickey just for fun. I would love to see that. Would you like a Martha and Mickey spin-off? Please leave a comment and let me know. Noel said that he would like there to be a Doctor Who Universe of stories just like the Marvel Universe.

Anneke Wills at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Meeting Anneke Wills aka Polly!

After Noel’s talk I went to meet Anneke Wills who played Polly, the First and Second Doctor’s companion. Anneke was very cheerful so I felt confident to ask her my questions.  I asked Anneke where she would like to go in time and space and she said she would love to go to The Globe Theatre in Shakespearean times. She told me that once Sylvester McCoy said exactly the same thing. I would like to see Anneke and Sylvester performing together on the stage at the present Globe Theatre.

Next I asked Anneke where her favourite Doctor Who filming location was. She told me that they were usually filming in the studio but did get out to some lovely locations including Frensham Ponds, Winspit Quarry and underneath the Post Office Tower. I went to Winspit Quarry many months ago at the blast-off of Project Indigo and would like to visit the other locations too. Sadly many of Anneke’s episodes are amongst the missing Doctor Who episodes, and I really hope they are found one day.

Exploring the stalls at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Having a go at Samba De Amigo

After lunch I explored more and played in the Gaming Zone. I also went to the Cosplay Zone and watched a very bizarre version of Blind Date! There were Cosplayers everywhere, apart from Doctor Who I saw many other Sci-Fi characters and this time there were lots of girls dressed as Rey from Star Wars. I also met my #T-shirtTwin Isaac!

Joe as a past Doctor and Thomas Gladwell as a future Doctor
Brendan as the Sixth Doctor
Richard as the Tenth Doctor
Spot the difference! Tom and Isaac #T-shirtTwins!

Next I met Jemma Redgrave – otherwise known as Kate Lethbridge Stewart, daughter of the Brigadier and UNIT’s Head of Scientific Research. Kate was once blown out of an aeroplane but luckily she was caught by her Dad who was a Cyberman at the time! Jemma was very friendly and kind. She said her favourite Doctor Who filming location is The Tower of London, which is where UNIT’s Secret Headquarters are. She also liked filming in the Black Archive (which is really in the BBC Studio in Cardiff).

Jemma Redgrave at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth
Meeting Jemma Redgrave aka Kate Lethbridge Stewart!

I asked Jemma where she would like to go in time and space and she said she would like to travel near a black hole – because time goes more slowly there and when she came back she would be younger than me! I hope she doesn’t go too close, I don’t want her to get sucked in.

A few stalls down from Jemma was Noel Clarke who was a cheeky chappie and a lot of fun. Mickey is one of my favourite companions and it was a privilege to meet Noel. I told Noel about Project Indigo and he said I should go to Arizona (where Day of The Moon (2011) was filmed).  I will definitely go there one day …. Noel said that his favourite Doctor Who filming location was London.

I asked him where he would go in time and space and he said he would like to go to the future to check that all the people, animals and the world are ok. That’s a good answer Noel!

A pencil drawing of Matt Smith by artist Chris Baker
Photo or drawing? A pencil drawing of Matt Smith by Chris Baker

After all that I was very tired and decided to go home. As I was leaving I took a last look at the stalls and I bought a life-like Matt Smith print. It is a pencil drawing of the Eleventh Doctor by Chris Baker who is a very talented young artist. His drawings are so authentic that the people look like they could pop right out of the picture! I had a chat with Chris’ family and they told me all about watching the Doctor Who filming that has happened near their home in Cardiff. Chris and his Mum have even made cameo appearances in Sherlock. Please visit Chris’ website www.cjbart.com to see what he can do!

I had a lot of fun at Film & Comic Con Bournemouth- sadly I couldn’t go on Day 2 to meet up again with Simon Fisher – Becker and Iain McNiece as I have met them both before and they are both nice blokes. Thank you Showmasters for bringing these events to Bournemouth – I’m looking forward to the next one in September!

Thank you for reading  and I hope you’ll come back again next time when I tell you all about a special  trip I have just had in a TARDIS …..

Good bye!

Autographs, Convention, Cosplay, Doctor Who, Interview

Hampshire-Con, Eastleigh – July 2015

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Peter Davison - the Fifth Doctor

Hello and welcome to H- Con – Hampshire TV, Film and Comic-Con which was held at Fleming Park Leisure Centre in Eastleigh on the 25th and  26th  July 2015.

Sorry about the delay in reporting but I have been on holiday in Wales and have only just come back! When I heard about H-Con I was very excited as this was my chance to meet the Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison- I delayed my holiday and made a slight detour to Eastleigh to take my chance!H-Con is presented by Sci-Fi South Collectors, working in Partnership with Timeless Collectors and supporting Starlight Make-A-Wish Foundation.

I turned up in my Fifth Doctor Cosplay because I hoped the Fifth Doctor would be happy to see me in his costume – I customised my Third Doctor Sonic Screwdriver with some tinfoil and it looked just like the Fifth Doctor’s which he only used for four episodes before it was destroyed by a Terileptil!

As soon as I arrived I joined the queue to meet Peter Davison – I didn’t have much time so I didn’t want to lose out. When I met Peter Davison we shook hands and he said I looked good which made me feel chuffed. I was a bit nervous about meeting him but he was very friendly and made me feel more confident.

I asked him my golden questions – first, what is his favourite Doctor Who filming location? He thought that was a good question and told me it was Black Park outside London where he filmed The Visitation  (1982). The filming was in a flight path so the crew only had 8 minute windows to work and it was a nice relaxing time! He also enjoyed filming The Caves of Androzani (1984) in a Dorset quarry – there were two other film crews there at same time, one filming Beau Geste, and it was lots of fun. I have been to the quarry and I will definitely add Black Park to my list of locations to visit!

I asked Peter which is his favourite ever Doctor Who episode and he said he had to pick one of his own – The Caves of Androzani. That is one of my favourites too but if I had to choose my favourite Fifth Doctor episode it would be The Awakening (1984).

Finally I asked him where he would go in time and space if he could – he told me he would definitely choose to go back in history and he would like to witness the American Revolution.

I chose a photograph from  The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot for Peter to sign. I loved watching The Five (ish) Doctors and the Doctors all look so grumpy in the picture that it made me laugh. It was brilliant meeting Peter – he is the Third Doctor I have met after Peter Capaldi and Colin Baker!

The Five-ish Doctors Reboot

After I met Peter I explored the stalls in Hall One- there were lots of other Sci Fi stars including Sarah Sutton who played the Fourth and Fifth Doctor’s companion Nyssa. I have already met Sarah before at the Timeless Collectors Fair and she was very kind.

Next I went into Hall 2 and the first thing I saw was lizards, snakes and other reptiles – people had brought their pets along to amaze people and raise money for charity.There was lots to look at in Hall 2 including Daleks, TARDISes and the Master’s collection of Doctor Who monsters.

I had a go at the Tin Can Alley for the first time and I won a Doctor Who stationery set. This stall was raising money for Starlight. I also got to meet ET and phone home- he is sooo cute.

After I left ET I went to the Nerd Herd area and played some vintage video games – SuperMario World on a SNES and MarioKart 64 on an N64. I liked the retro games – they may not look like modern games but they entertain in the same way!

There were also cars from the movies including Transformers and Back to the Future. I had fun browsing and meeting my fellow Doctors – some for the first time and some I have met before. I had hoped to meet Doctor Squee from the Gallifrey Stands Podcast but I had to leave before he arrived. You can listen to what he got up to here. There are lots of features including an interview with Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton.

I wish I had more time to spend at H-Con but my holiday had to kick off and I needed to get back to my TARDIS! I will remember the day I met the Fifth Doctor forever.

In other news one of my companions recently met David Morrissey aka The Next Doctor Jackson Lake! I wish I had been there but it was an unexpected surprise. She asked David my golden question – if he could go anywhere in time and space where would he like to go? David said Victorian London just like in his Doctor Who story, but only if they had modern day dentistry! Thank you to David for answering my question and posing for a photo for me! I hope I get to meet him one day.

David Morrisey

Thank you for reading and I hope you will join me soon and read about the amazing locations I have just visited in Wales – New and Classic!

Goodbye!

Autographs, Convention, Doctor Who, Fun stuff, Interview

Comic Con @ West Quay, Southampton – July 2015

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Me at West Quay

Hello!

Welcome to my latest post which is all about my visit today to Comic Con @ West Quay. This is the first free to enter Comic Con in Southampton, presented by All the Cool Stuff and Nerdageddon and I decided to check it out!

On my way in I had my photo taken with a jeep from Jurassic Park and played peekaboo with a dinosaur!

Peek-a-boo

The Comic Con was held on the lower floor of West Quay, a shopping mall in Hampshire. So much fun was packed into such a small space in the middle of all the shops.

Ross Mullan

First I met Ross Mullan who played The Teller in Time Heist (2014). Ross has also played a Silent in The Time of the Doctor (2013) and was The Numbercatcher in Numberjacks (which was one of my first scares when I was little!) and he is a White Walker in Game of Thrones.

I was expecting Ross to be English but when I met him I found out that he was Canadian – and kind too! I asked him my Golden Questions – plus one more. I asked him for his favourite Series 8 episode and he said that apart from his own episode, Mummy on the Orient Express (2014) was his favourite one. One of Ross’s friends played the Mummy (The Foretold), which was a part that Ross really wanted himself but he was pleased for his friend as he did a great job.

I asked him where he filmed Time Heist and he said he filmed mostly in a studio and a warehouse, and the end was filmed in a park. He said that the warehouse was VERY cold for the other actors but that was good for him; he was wearing his Teller costume!

If he could go anywhere in time and space Ross would like to go to London in the 1960s. Groovy!

Ross doesn’t know if he will appear in Doctor Who Series 9 yet but he hopes to work on the show again in the future.

Ross Mullan The Teller

I told Ross that my nickname for The Teller is ‘Soupy’ because he turns people’s brains to soup. Ross then signed his autograph on a picture of him as The Teller – and signed it from ‘Soupy!’ I had my photo taken with him and he was very tall indeed- 6ft 4 inches.

Spencer Wilding

Next to Ross was his White Walker friend Spencer Wilding who has appeared in Doctor Who lots of times, most famously as The Minotaur in The God Complex (2011) but also as Skaldak and the Wooden King.

I asked Spencer what his favourite episode of Series 8 was but all his answers were from the era of his favourite Doctor Matt Smith. The God Complex, Cold War (2013) and The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe (2011) – co-incidentally all the episodes he appeared in!

The God Complex was filmed in Cardiff in the studios before the move to Roath Lock and some of the hotel scenes were filmed in a real hotel by the sea. His Minotaur costume was an animatronic suit that he could get in and out of in an hour.

If Spencer could go anywhere in time and space he would go to Mars but he would like to teleport there as he wouldn’t want to spend months travelling there!

Spencer Wilding

I asked Spencer if he is in Doctor Who Series 9 and he said that he couldn’t tell me. Hmmm – that got me thinking! I hope he is.

Spencer Wilding The Minotaur

Also at the Comic Con was Matthew Dale who played Little John in Robot of Sherwood (2014). I met Matthew at Southampton Comic Con 2 in March and it was nice to meet him again. He told me about the Pendragon Charity Day which is a fundraiser that will be held in Southampton at Waterstones West Quay on 11th July 2015 – Matthew will be there along with other Sci-Fi stars. I hope I can pop along!

Matthew Dale Little John

After I met the Doctor Who stars I looked at all the other stalls – Chris Barrie from Red Dwarf was signing and there were lots of chances to buy collectables or have your photo taken. There were also some Cosplayers, including Ash who was dressed as the Tenth Doctor in a very good costume. I think he is a great Cosplayer, he looked very cool.

Ash as the Tenth Doctor

I spent the afternoon shopping in Southampton but when I returned to my TARDIS I met Sci Fi Steve and his red Dalek! It was very realistic but I wasn’t scared. Steve offered me a ride in his Dalek but I said no because last time I rode in a Dalek I got very dizzy. Thanks for offering though Steve :).

Sci Fi Steve's dalek

I enjoyed my day in Southampton and I’m looking forward to Nerdageddon’s DEF-Con 4 which will be even bigger than DEF-Con 3! I love going to Comic Cons – they are lots of fun and I meet good people.

Thank you for reading, thank you to everyone who organised the Comic Con @ West Quay and to Ross, Spencer, Matthew, Steve and Ash for being part of my blog.

See you soon I hope – goodbye!

Welcome to ComicCon at West Quay

Doctor Who, Fun stuff, Interview

An interview with Jon Davey from Doctor Who – June 2015

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Jon Davey Doctor Symphonic Spectacular

Hello and welcome to another post – but this post is very special as I am interviewing Doctor Who Monster Actor Jon Davey!

Jon has been acting in Doctor Who for the last 10 years and has appeared in over 30 episodes (to date) ! He has played Daleks, Ood, Cybermen, Whispermen, Hath, Heavenly Host, Judoon and more. He has also appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures, Torchwood and Merlin. You may also recognise Jon’s face from Series 8 as he played a Droid in Deep Breath (my favourite New Who episode!) and a Unit Soldier who was killed by Missy in Death in Heaven! You might confuse Jon’s face with the actor Mark Strong’s as they look very similar. 🙂

I’ve met Jon three times, at the Fleet Air Arm Museum Dalek Invasion, the Timeless Collectors Fair and recently at the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular in Wembley. Also when I was at the Doctor Who World Tour in Cardiff he was playing one of the Daleks – I didn’t realise at the time that there were real people inside! If you get the chance to meet Jon at a Doctor Who convention make sure you say ‘Hi’ as he is really friendly and can tell you all about being a Monster Actor and about wearing the make-up and costumes!

Jon Davey
Jon Davey

Here is the interview of Jon Davey!

Hello Jon! What is the favourite monster you have played?

Probably the headless Cyberman from the Pandorica episode. It was amazing to see myself on screen with an arm and head brilliantly removed. 

What monster would you like to play?

I’ve always had a vivid memory of the Sea Devils emerging from the water. They were pretty scary as I remember so if they ever come back I would be honoured to play one. 

What is it like when you are in a costume and make-up?

Most of the costumes have slightly limited vision so rehearsing our moves with “heads off” is always essential. After that it is normally counting our steps to make sure we don’t collide with anyone or anything.

The costumes can get quite warm so doing as little as possible when we are not shooting will help generate superfluous heat.
Also inertia can be our enemy, standing still in a large costume can be harder than moving so when we are resting you will normally see the monster doing small stretching exercises to keep the body supple. A fun sight to be seen!

What monsters do you play in the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular?

This year I played the Judoon and Dalek, which was great fun, and got a few screams from the audience. 

Where have you been with the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular?

I have just been on the UK tour this year as well as Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Auckland on the Australia and New Zealand tour earlier this year.  Last year we went to Melbourne, Brisbane and Wellington on ANZ tour too, it has been amazing taking Doctor Who to the overseas fans. 

Do you have a favourite Doctor Who episode?

Probably Blink and Death in Heaven.  Great bit of story telling on both of these episodes.

Do you think you would be a good Doctor?

I would like to think so – hopefully if they are looking for Mark Strong to play the Doctor and he turns it down, I could step up to the role!

What do you do when you aren’t playing a monster?

I’m a still photographer and film maker. I spent 8 years filming mostly stop motion animated music videos for the likes of Radiohead, Scissor Sisters and Mcfly. This helped me with understanding timing and movement which helped with my monster work. 

Are you in Doctor Who Series 9?
The first rule of Doctor who Series 9 is you don’t talk about Doctor who series 9 😉 I can answer that question this autumn!

If you could go anywhere in time and space, where would you like to go?

Probably the moment before the Big Bang to see what I was like before time existed.

 

I hope you have enjoyed this interview with Jon, I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Jon Davey for taking the time to answer my questions. I will be keeping an eye out in Series 9 for him just in case he is in it!

To learn more about Jon’s work, including acting, film and photography please follow him on Twitter @jondavey007 or take a look at his website jondavey.com where he says

“No job too complicated, no idea too imaginative!”

Thanks for reading and I will see you soon I hope!

Tom.

This is Jon Davey with the new Doc