Possibility of Outsourced production?
This is basically how the NHS works nowadays - some health services are delivered in-house, others are offered out to tender and private providers can apply for the contracts. It works OK and is probably the norm for commercial TV anyway.
During the 'big gap' of 1989-2004 I was wishing the BBC would just sell-off Doctor Who to someone else who was willing to make it. It seemed really unfair they sat on the copyright for 15 years (apart from the 1996 movie) when I was sure other TV companies would have loved to have gotten their hands on the rights.
I guess the question is what would go with it - would the writers, cast etc go over to the new provider, or would it all be delivered entirely in-house by the new production company with the BBC simply having an overview and footing the bill?
During the 'big gap' of 1989-2004 I was wishing the BBC would just sell-off Doctor Who to someone else who was willing to make it. It seemed really unfair they sat on the copyright for 15 years (apart from the 1996 movie) when I was sure other TV companies would have loved to have gotten their hands on the rights.
I guess the question is what would go with it - would the writers, cast etc go over to the new provider, or would it all be delivered entirely in-house by the new production company with the BBC simply having an overview and footing the bill?
The thing about Doctor Who, is that it (along with Casualty) are part of the incredibly successful BBC Wales production team at Roath Lock in Cardiff, which has been a massive boost to the local economy and skills base.
Any proposal which moved work out of there would be incredibly controversial politically, and might damage the Roath Lock skills base.
Any proposal which moved work out of there would be incredibly controversial politically, and might damage the Roath Lock skills base.
Isn't the big thing here that for the first time others will be allowed to bid for the production work. The BBC would be the commissioners of the production. If I understand correctly, it doesn't necessarily mean the BBC will award the production work to others, though depending on the selection criteria, they might have to.
Originally Posted by POTD:
“The thing about Doctor Who, is that it (along with Casualty) are part of the incredibly successful BBC Wales production team at Roath Lock in Cardiff, which has been a massive boost to the local economy and skills base.
Any proposal which moved work out of there would be incredibly controversial politically, and might damage the Roath Lock skills base.”
“The thing about Doctor Who, is that it (along with Casualty) are part of the incredibly successful BBC Wales production team at Roath Lock in Cardiff, which has been a massive boost to the local economy and skills base.
Any proposal which moved work out of there would be incredibly controversial politically, and might damage the Roath Lock skills base.”
But as the story makes clear this move is a placatory one to avoid another potentially damaging disagreement, so damned if you do, damned if you don't, and it's potential impact is much wider issue than just Roath Lock.
Blimey, is it 1991 again? I remember seeing the same story in relation to Doctor Who in DWM in 1991/1992.
Originally Posted by Rooks:
“Blimey, is it 1991 again? I remember seeing the same story in relation to Doctor Who in DWM in 1991/1992.”
“Blimey, is it 1991 again? I remember seeing the same story in relation to Doctor Who in DWM in 1991/1992.”
Was there any truth to that story in the end, what with the co-produced 1996 movie, or was it about something completely different?
Originally Posted by Mulett:
“Was there any truth to that story in the end, what with the co-produced 1996 movie, or was it about something completely different?”
“Was there any truth to that story in the end, what with the co-produced 1996 movie, or was it about something completely different?”
I'm not sure in regard to Doctor Who. It was definitely true in regard to the BBC as they were forced to outsource shows to independant production companies (40% I recall but I might be mis-remembering). I do recall the likes of Gerry Davies and Terry Nation trying to get the rights to produce Doctor Who as independant producers in 1991-ish but, from memory, Doctor Who was in a co-operative mode from at least 1992/1993 (as Alan Yentob received a call about it during the filming of "30 years in the Tardis"
While I'm concerned about the future of the BBC (from the Tories and people with agendas) and stuff like this doesn't look good for them, I have to say that I am interested to see what others could do with DW.
Personally series 9 was very poor and I don't have faith in what the BBC are doing with DW, the fact they have kept Moffat on for so long despite the problems that's caused (and the poor work he has delivered) is quite questionable, they seem to fear change or taking any risks so stick with Moffat to the damage of the program.
Also, and I don't know if this is Moffat or comes from further up then him in the BBC, but the show really lacks creative guts, the show plays so safe and mundane, its about a alien who can take his human friends anywhere in time and space and they make it feel small and mundane, perhaps this comes from a fear of not wanting to scare the audience away and decrease the ratings, but that thinking is misguided and some what insulting to the audience, you can do weird odd quirky alien things and still be popular (look at Guardians of the Galaxy which was very successful or even Star Wars) yet DW seems to hold back.
DW needs to spread its wings more, Sleep No More had its problems (stupid eye dust monster idea) and proved to be unpopular but at-least it was trying to do something different from the run of the mill, Heaven Sent was a great episode breaking away from the usual tone the show has, more stuff like this or at-least the creative decisions and will to try things and shake things up is needed... other wise we just get what we got for most of series 9 which is drab same old 2005 revival DWness, its got tired (fact the head writer has doesn't help) due to being to similar for to long, the show hasn't mixed things up enough but rather its stuck to much to a familiar template that was successful in its 2005 re-launch.
There needs to be a sense of wonder exploration adventure and alien amongst the human drama of the companion experiencing these things via the Doctor and how that effects them. What we've been getting just feels like trips down the road and its all very mundane safe contrived and unexciting, oh its the daleks again hi, oh its the master again hi, oh doc lets find an explosion to run away from because apparently I'm aware I'm in a TV show and invincible, oh hi zygons, oh hi ME who we keep running into despite having a machine that can travel the incredibly vast distances of time and space because for some reason we stay in the same small corner, oh I'm dead again oh I'm back again.
Ofcourse there's no guarantee that a new team behind DW would be better and they could play even safer than what the BBC has, and which is very likely if its done by people who have a commercial interest, but as it stand now, after a series that I found so disappointing lacklustre and worse of all dull (DW should never be dull, it can be bad it can be terrible but never be dull, take risks sometimes it will work brilliantly other times it will crash and burn but at-least it will be note worthy in it that its not dull) I think I would take the risk and see what someone else does with it..... but then this comment is coming from someone who is disillusioned with it all and whose interest in DW's future is at an all time low, what with the prospect of yet another series with Moffat in charge instead of someone new... but the thing is who knows, the BBC's successor to Moffat (hopefully for s11 please don't say Moffat is staying to do that as-well) could be brilliant and does interesting stuff...
We'll see how it all plays out but the good thing that can be gleamed from all of this despite what ones opinion of the show's current quality is, is that there's strong interest in DW being continued to be made... which is what we all want.
Personally series 9 was very poor and I don't have faith in what the BBC are doing with DW, the fact they have kept Moffat on for so long despite the problems that's caused (and the poor work he has delivered) is quite questionable, they seem to fear change or taking any risks so stick with Moffat to the damage of the program.
Also, and I don't know if this is Moffat or comes from further up then him in the BBC, but the show really lacks creative guts, the show plays so safe and mundane, its about a alien who can take his human friends anywhere in time and space and they make it feel small and mundane, perhaps this comes from a fear of not wanting to scare the audience away and decrease the ratings, but that thinking is misguided and some what insulting to the audience, you can do weird odd quirky alien things and still be popular (look at Guardians of the Galaxy which was very successful or even Star Wars) yet DW seems to hold back.
DW needs to spread its wings more, Sleep No More had its problems (stupid eye dust monster idea) and proved to be unpopular but at-least it was trying to do something different from the run of the mill, Heaven Sent was a great episode breaking away from the usual tone the show has, more stuff like this or at-least the creative decisions and will to try things and shake things up is needed... other wise we just get what we got for most of series 9 which is drab same old 2005 revival DWness, its got tired (fact the head writer has doesn't help) due to being to similar for to long, the show hasn't mixed things up enough but rather its stuck to much to a familiar template that was successful in its 2005 re-launch.
There needs to be a sense of wonder exploration adventure and alien amongst the human drama of the companion experiencing these things via the Doctor and how that effects them. What we've been getting just feels like trips down the road and its all very mundane safe contrived and unexciting, oh its the daleks again hi, oh its the master again hi, oh doc lets find an explosion to run away from because apparently I'm aware I'm in a TV show and invincible, oh hi zygons, oh hi ME who we keep running into despite having a machine that can travel the incredibly vast distances of time and space because for some reason we stay in the same small corner, oh I'm dead again oh I'm back again.
Ofcourse there's no guarantee that a new team behind DW would be better and they could play even safer than what the BBC has, and which is very likely if its done by people who have a commercial interest, but as it stand now, after a series that I found so disappointing lacklustre and worse of all dull (DW should never be dull, it can be bad it can be terrible but never be dull, take risks sometimes it will work brilliantly other times it will crash and burn but at-least it will be note worthy in it that its not dull) I think I would take the risk and see what someone else does with it..... but then this comment is coming from someone who is disillusioned with it all and whose interest in DW's future is at an all time low, what with the prospect of yet another series with Moffat in charge instead of someone new... but the thing is who knows, the BBC's successor to Moffat (hopefully for s11 please don't say Moffat is staying to do that as-well) could be brilliant and does interesting stuff...
We'll see how it all plays out but the good thing that can be gleamed from all of this despite what ones opinion of the show's current quality is, is that there's strong interest in DW being continued to be made... which is what we all want.
So are we going to get an Indian guy saying "Hello. My name is the Doctor. How may I be of assistance to you today?" while blatantly reading from a script?
Originally Posted by be more pacific:
“So are we going to get an Indian guy saying "Hello. My name is the Doctor. How may I be of assistance to you today?" while blatantly reading from a script?”
“So are we going to get an Indian guy saying "Hello. My name is the Doctor. How may I be of assistance to you today?" while blatantly reading from a script?”
If we're lucky
Originally Posted by DICKENS99:
“But as the story makes clear this move is a placatory one to avoid another potentially damaging disagreement, so damned if you do, damned if you don't, and it's potential impact is much wider issue than just Roath Lock.”
“But as the story makes clear this move is a placatory one to avoid another potentially damaging disagreement, so damned if you do, damned if you don't, and it's potential impact is much wider issue than just Roath Lock.”
For a deeper understanding, this is from the joint statement between the BBC and Pact - talking about programming other than Childrens, Current Affairs and Sport:
Quote:
“13. In the other Network TV genres, the proposed competition-based system would involve new, extra commissioning opportunities through a combination of:
o Natural commissions;
o Decommissions;
o Creative tendering of some established/returning series that are under commission to in-house at the point of inception of BBC Studios; and
o Commissioning briefings on up-coming opportunities for replacement ideas.
14. Creative tendering would be a BBC Commissioner-led process, i.e. BBC commissioners would determine if an existing, established/returning series needs to be creatively refreshed and third party producers and BBC Studios would be eligible to compete. Creative tenders of established returning series would be on a production-for-hire basis, with the BBC deciding on the location in line with its Out-of-London commitments and retaining the IP as based on an original BBC format. Absent
creative tendering, existing established/returning series would be re-commissioned from BBC Studios.”
“13. In the other Network TV genres, the proposed competition-based system would involve new, extra commissioning opportunities through a combination of:
o Natural commissions;
o Decommissions;
o Creative tendering of some established/returning series that are under commission to in-house at the point of inception of BBC Studios; and
o Commissioning briefings on up-coming opportunities for replacement ideas.
14. Creative tendering would be a BBC Commissioner-led process, i.e. BBC commissioners would determine if an existing, established/returning series needs to be creatively refreshed and third party producers and BBC Studios would be eligible to compete. Creative tenders of established returning series would be on a production-for-hire basis, with the BBC deciding on the location in line with its Out-of-London commitments and retaining the IP as based on an original BBC format. Absent
creative tendering, existing established/returning series would be re-commissioned from BBC Studios.”
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacent...-statement.pdf
Originally Posted by be more pacific:
“So are we going to get an Indian guy saying "Hello. My name is the Doctor. How may I be of assistance to you today?" while blatantly reading from a script?”
“So are we going to get an Indian guy saying "Hello. My name is the Doctor. How may I be of assistance to you today?" while blatantly reading from a script?”
I think it's more likely it will end up a Bad Wolf production rather than we'd see the doctor travelling in a TATARDIS.
Originally Posted by POTD:
“The thing about Doctor Who, is that it (along with Casualty) are part of the incredibly successful BBC Wales production team at Roath Lock in Cardiff, which has been a massive boost to the local economy and skills base.”
“The thing about Doctor Who, is that it (along with Casualty) are part of the incredibly successful BBC Wales production team at Roath Lock in Cardiff, which has been a massive boost to the local economy and skills base.”
Yeah that's why my money would be on Bad Wolf. Aside from the obvious prior experience they've a stated intention of having their production base at a permanent studio in South Wales, and when they set up earlier this year they made forecasts of attracting in the region of £100 million to the economy of Wales over the next 10 years.
If the BBC have been shopping around to solve a problem like Moffat it would be strange if they hadn't spoken to Tranter and Gardner. They're already in bed with them on the His Dark Materials project
Originally Posted by Mulett:
“During the 'big gap' of 1989-2004 I was wishing the BBC would just sell-off Doctor Who to someone else who was willing to make it.”
“During the 'big gap' of 1989-2004 I was wishing the BBC would just sell-off Doctor Who to someone else who was willing to make it.”
Duh. They were trying to sell it off during the "big gap". That's the whole reason there was a big gap. It was only when the BBC realised that they hadn't actually messed up the rights situation completely by trying to outsource it and could still make it in-house that they brought Doctor Who back.
Originally Posted by TheCorinthian:
“Duh. They were trying to sell it off during the "big gap". That's the whole reason there was a big gap. It was only when the BBC realised that they hadn't actually messed up the rights situation completely by trying to outsource it and could still make it in-house that they brought Doctor Who back.”
“Duh. They were trying to sell it off during the "big gap". That's the whole reason there was a big gap. It was only when the BBC realised that they hadn't actually messed up the rights situation completely by trying to outsource it and could still make it in-house that they brought Doctor Who back.”
The BBC has never tried to sell-off Doctor Who. It has however looked at alternative ways of producing it, including co-production. For instance, after 1989 it was looking for an independent production company to relaunch the show but eventually managed the 1996 movie as a co-production between Fox, Universal Pictures, the BBC and BBC Worldwide. All of those options involved the BBC retaining the rights.
Amazon would be a viable co-financier or backer. They did Series 3 of Ripper Street.
In the next 10-15 years I doubt there will even exist a TV schedule. It'll all come down to streaming and downloading which would dictate whether a programme is popular enough to recommision.
In the next 10-15 years I doubt there will even exist a TV schedule. It'll all come down to streaming and downloading which would dictate whether a programme is popular enough to recommision.
Originally Posted by Airborae:
“Amazon would be a viable co-financier or backer. They did Series 3 of Ripper Street.
In the next 10-15 years I doubt there will even exist a TV schedule. It'll all come down to streaming and downloading which would dictate whether a programme is popular enough to recommision.”
“Amazon would be a viable co-financier or backer. They did Series 3 of Ripper Street.
In the next 10-15 years I doubt there will even exist a TV schedule. It'll all come down to streaming and downloading which would dictate whether a programme is popular enough to recommision.”
I can't see viewing habits changing so quickly for it to happen as soon as 15 years.
DW is at the cutting edge of viewers choosing the iPlayer over the telly but still you get 5m watching DW on the box and maybe 1-1.5m picking iPlayer.
Another thing that I think will slow the growth of streaming down is that it doesn't have as much content as a good old-fashioned telly. For example: I like to watch old DW's and Star Trek's and I have no free streaming options for those. I have to use the telly.
Paid streaming could bring all the content of TV to us, but how many viewers are realistically going to give up watching TV for free so they can pay for the same stuff to be streamed?
In my opinion the death of TV is decades away yet.
Originally Posted by Airborae:
“Amazon would be a viable co-financier or backer. They did Series 3 of Ripper Street.
In the next 10-15 years I doubt there will even exist a TV schedule. It'll all come down to streaming and downloading which would dictate whether a programme is popular enough to recommision.”
“Amazon would be a viable co-financier or backer. They did Series 3 of Ripper Street.
In the next 10-15 years I doubt there will even exist a TV schedule. It'll all come down to streaming and downloading which would dictate whether a programme is popular enough to recommision.”
BIB: There's going to be fourth series of Ripper Street early next year that will also be shown on the Beeb later in the year.
I've always thought Matthew McFadyen would make an excellent Doctor.
Originally Posted by DS9:
“I can't see viewing habits changing so quickly for it to happen as soon as 15 years.
DW is at the cutting edge of viewers choosing the iPlayer over the telly but still you get 5m watching DW on the box and maybe 1-1.5m picking iPlayer.
Another thing that I think will slow the growth of streaming down is that it doesn't have as much content as a good old-fashioned telly. For example: I like to watch old DW's and Star Trek's and I have no free streaming options for those. I have to use the telly.
Paid streaming could bring all the content of TV to us, but how many viewers are realistically going to give up watching TV for free so they can pay for the same stuff to be streamed?
In my opinion the death of TV is decades away yet.”
“I can't see viewing habits changing so quickly for it to happen as soon as 15 years.
DW is at the cutting edge of viewers choosing the iPlayer over the telly but still you get 5m watching DW on the box and maybe 1-1.5m picking iPlayer.
Another thing that I think will slow the growth of streaming down is that it doesn't have as much content as a good old-fashioned telly. For example: I like to watch old DW's and Star Trek's and I have no free streaming options for those. I have to use the telly.
Paid streaming could bring all the content of TV to us, but how many viewers are realistically going to give up watching TV for free so they can pay for the same stuff to be streamed?
In my opinion the death of TV is decades away yet.
”
Yeah I don't imagine a family sitting down together to watch Doctor Who on Christmas Day via iPlayer. Big no no from me.
