Doctor Who producer reveals selection process for lost story animations

If you’ve been curious about the process of choosing which series get remade in this format, executive producer Paul Hembury has shed some light on it during his latest interview with Doctor Who Magazine.

In my perspective, I’d like to share that the decision-making process is quite multi-dimensional. We ponder over which narratives have the highest potential for commercial success – as BBC Studios invests in these ventures, making it essential for us to consider its marketability. After all, we are a commercial entity.

Additionally, we examine the quantity of remaining resources and historically, we’ve speculated on which of the lost tales might reappear. However, it’s important to clarify that we don’t possess any special knowledge in this regard!

Regarding The Savages, he clarified that they had numerous photographs available as references. Furthermore, he believed the animation was exceptionally accurate because no complete episodes from the series are still in existence.

He stated, “I don’t think we’ve overstepped our bounds, rather, we’ve used a bit of creative freedom. This is partially due to our confidence in the audience’s appreciation for our work. Our primary goal is to deliver an engaging broadcast, but at the same time, we strive to act responsibly.

In my perspective as a film critic, I can affirm that Director AnneMarie Walsh was utterly dedicated to maintaining the authenticity of this cinematic endeavor. Her and the crew’s intention was clear – to remain faithful to the essence of the source material.

She added: “For The Savages, it’s both the script and the dialogue’s audio recording. However, as an animator, I believe we should take advantage of our unique flexibility. After all, why limit ourselves when we can make the most of our medium?

At a recent exclusive showing of The Savages, I had the privilege to share an exciting update as a film enthusiast – plans are in motion to boost the creation of new Doctor Who animated episodes, aiming to fill gaps left by lost stories!

He clarified that instead of working on them one by one, our goal is to speed up the process of creating them more rapidly.

Our aim is to kick off the next project fairly quickly, yet without finishing the current one first, we’d like to begin the one following it. In essence, our objective is to have multiple projects running concurrently, not in succession.

Everything seems to be falling into place nicely. Although we haven’t finalized the agreement yet, we remain optimistic that there will be further opportunities ahead.

Doctor Who Magazine 615 is on sale now.

As a passionate movie buff, I’m thrilled to share that come the 12th of April in 2025, I’ll be counting down the hours until Doctor Who season 15 graces our screens! The magic begins at 8am on BBC iPlayer, and later in the day, it will also air on BBC One. Can’t wait to join the TARDIS crew on their latest adventures!

Plunge headfirst into my personal journey through the Doctor Who saga: a comprehensive review of each episode dating back to 1963, along with cast and crew rosters, behind-the-scenes tidbits, and unique content sourced straight from the TopMob vaults.

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