joyous things

[dbskyler]

Doctor Who S6 will be starting in less than three weeks!!!! And it's getting broadcast here on the same day as in the UK! WHEEEEEE!!!!!!

I'll be reccing Calufrax that week, and I've got to figure out what to rec on April 23rd. Would that be a particularly good day to do an Eleven-era rec, or a particularly bad day? Any thoughts? What about the day before, and the day after?

I got my package of stuff from amazon.co.uk! I don't know why, but it's much more exciting to get a package from overseas than to get the same package in regular domestic mail. I've started reading "The Writer's Tale," and I'm really enjoying it. The book could have been "The Producer's Tale," as some of the more interesting things (to me, anyway) are about how decisions for the show got made. For example, there's a section on getting Catherine Tate for S4, which starts off with RTD saying "Well, of course she won't do it, she doesn't have time," and then progressing through to the "OMG, she's going to do it" stage with all the changes that entailed to the S4 plans. There was similar stuff about planning the post-S4 specials, including a) a regeneration if DT left and b) no regeneration if he decided to stay on. Although the book is purportedly about writing, and was written by RTD, I now have a much better sense of what Julie Gardner did for the show than I used to.

I've started work on my help_japan Man From U.N.C.L.E. fic for curuchamion. It feels like Yuletide, only better, because I don't have to keep the fandom a secret and I can ask curu questions whenever I want. I'm excited, because today I got the first idea for the fic. I don't have the whole shape of it yet, but it's nice that ideas are coming to me already, and I haven't even finished my re-watch yet.

Comments

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I've no idea re. Calufrax recommendations. All I know is that I've barely read more than one fic per week of late because so many of the recs seem to be Rose-centric.

What did JG do for the show - aside from encourage RTD in his stupid obsession with unrequited love?

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Well, one of the Calufrax recs just a few days ago was for a story that I had been planning to rec, if you want to give it a try (don't worry, the story is Rose-free): http://community.livejournal.com/calufrax/368492.html

JG seemed to be the one who had the meetings and got the money. She also comes across as much better at dealing with people than RTD. For example, there's a point where RTD is deciding between using a James Moran script ("Fires of Pompeii") or a Mark Gatiss script; when he goes with Moran, Julie tells him to wait on the announcement until she's had a chance to talk with Gatiss. Which is an obvious courtesy, but it's clear that the thought hadn't occurred to RTD. (Btw, by the sound of the Gatiss script, it eventually became "Victory of the Daleks.")

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Yeah and I'd read that already after it got flagged on Sonic Lipstick.

Oh well, I always knew RTD had no bloody manners whatsoever. If he had, he'd have been a lot less obnoxious in the way he said things. (eg telling everyone that Moffat's scripts were the only ones he didn't freely edit - ie make worse.)

[pitry.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah - my appreciation for Julie Gardner skyrocketed after this book!

I'd say rec Eleven on the 23rd. What better date? :D

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Okay, Eleven it is, then! :D

And yes, I'm really impressed with Julie Gardner now.

[shadowturquoise.livejournal.com]

I've put off reading The Writer's Tale because I felt RTD way overstayed his welcome and I was so sick of him by the time that he left. I've calmed down a bit and have thought that I'd like to read it just for the behind-the-scenes info. I think you've talked me into it. Also, I need a reason to not despise JG for encouraging RTD on the Rose obsession.

Yay! You're reccing! I always thoroughly enjoy your recs and have added several new favorite authors to my list because of them. I think starting the week with an Eleven "post-season 5" fic would be good. That way we can see how right or wrong the author's prediction turned out to be.

How's the vid coming?

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

There's quite a lot of behind-the-scenes info in it -- much more than I expected, actually. Almost nothing from the set itself, because RTD wasn't usually on set, but there's stuff about casting, and planning episodes, and managing the media, and deciding when to make announcements about things.

The whole thing is an email conversation between RTD and Benjamin Cook (a journalist friend), so you do get a LOT of RTD, but I was happy to discover that he didn't try to paint himself in the best possible light. Obviously it's all from his viewpoint -- and I don't always agree with his viewpoint -- but I still find it interesting to read, and I think he really tried to be open, honest, and self-reflective. If you do decide to read it, I'll be curious to know what you think of it!

Oh, yay, I'm glad that you're glad that I'm reccing! Of course, if you enjoy my recs, it must be because you have good taste. ;D (Okay, similar taste to me.) But that's so exciting that you've found new favorite authors. Calufrax really is one of the best things about DW fandom, I think.

But hmm, I can't even remember reading any post-season 5 Eleven!fics, let alone one that I would want to rec. That is a nice idea, though. I'll look around Teaspoon, but no promises on that.

The vid is currently one minute and twenty-four seconds in length, so about halfway done. I decided the next clip will be from an episode I didn't own, so I bought it and it's currently on its way to me from Amazon. Meanwhile, I'm still putting more of the episodes I do own onto my computer, and that's a long and sometimes frustrating process. "Masque of Mandragora" has been particularly troublesome because of various technical glitches, and I don't even know for sure if I'll use any scenes from it! But I'm on hold anyway at the moment, so I might as well persevere.

[thisbluespirit]

I'm so pleased - that all sounds pretty nice for the moment! As we were saying before, nice post is always nice and overseas nice post even more exciting, naturallly.

I'm sure you will find something nice to rec. You could ignore the date, post something with a dragon in it cos of St George, or find some sparkly Eleven fic. I will await your choice with interest. :-)

Also: yay, fic! (Even if, darn, I don't watch The Man from UNCLE....) :-D

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I'm actually thinking now that I should target the Eleven!fic for April 22nd, as by the time I get up on the 23rd it will be just a few hours away from air time in the UK. (At least, I think so. What time does Doctor Who get shown over there?)

Or as you say, I can just ignore it completely and rec something with a dragon in it. Yes.

I've been doing a re-watch of Man from UNCLE, and there was a scene where the two main characters were coming up from a submarine into arctic water, signified by floating ice. Except the "ice" was very obviously pieces of styrofoam, and I burst out laughing at how completely unconvincing it was. It might even deserve a mention in silly_sfx despite not being a sci-fi show. (Ah, television in the '60s.)

[thisbluespirit]

Um, it is usually some time between about 6.00 and 7.15, most usually 6.30/6.45 ish? Sorry, last season seems a long time ago now!

You can never go wrong with a dragon. On the other hand, I can't think of many Who fics with dragons, but why let these little details get in the way? (Actually, what really happened with St George and the Dragon could totally be a Dennis Spooner type Hartnell historical. That would be v. cool. Ian and Barbara probably were the knight and the princess and Vicki would want the dragon as a pet. After all, both she and the Doctor are very fond of committing arson. :-D Sorry. That is a lovely thought. I'll see if I can get someone to write it up quickly all ready for your reccing...)

Heh, oh dear, silly_sfx - I keep over-tiring myself, but I am a bit more able to comment and post again now, so I'll get you my list some time before you rec, I promise that much!!! Well, the title of the comm is not show specific, so it is up to us modly sorts to allow in any old 1960s show. Actually, I think quite seriously a lot of it (certainly in Britain) comes from the theatre and it is all very Henry V where the audience has to recognise that the stage can't be the vasty fields of France, but use their imaginations. As long as the writing and acting is good enough, why not have a painted backdrop? Or something.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

So if I post at 9 a.m. here, that's 5 p.m. there, with only an hour or so before broadcast. I think it might be nicer if people had something to read during the day. Hmm, maybe I'll do the "April 23rd" post late on the 22nd so it will be available in the morning in the UK.

Not that this is going to be THE ultimate fic to read while waiting for the premiere, though. I do have an excellent Eleven!fic in mind to rec, and everyone should read it, but it's not like it's a prequel to S6 or anything!

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

p.s. -- please do NOT over-tire yourself on silly_sfx's account! It should be fun, and I'm really not worried about it. Whenever you're ready to start it up will be fine with me, seriously. :D

[thisbluespirit]

Heh. Thanks. I will try not to do anything silly, although it is ridiculousy easy for me to overtire myself at the minute. However, manageable low-pressure goals to have are a good thing and 'type up silly sfx list from notebook' is good. But, yes, you mustn't hold your breath or anything, 'cos it could be sometime!