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Post by thethirddoctor on Mar 28, 2018 10:51:26 GMT
With the discussion of why no Big Finish authors getting the opportunity to write for the tv series, I have been inspired to ask, Why is Rona Munro the only writer of a Classic episode to have been given the chance to write for the new series?
Obviously, some of them are getting too old, and may have retired. Rona Munro is 58. What about Ben Aaronovitch (54), Ian Briggs (60) and Marc Platt (65)? All wrote for season 26.
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 28, 2018 11:27:35 GMT
As broached with Andrew Smith in the BF thread, they haven't written for TV in a long time (Aaronovitch hasn't in nearly 20 years, Briggs in nearly 30), so that goes into something of a grey area over eligibility (changes in formats, development and production methods, commissioning guidelines etc etc etc), whereas Munro is still writing film and TV, albeit much less frequently (but with Ken Loach's son, so some leeway there). Plus, they may be busy with their own projects (Rivers of London, Big Finish), or not even write at all anymore (Briggs does marketing now).
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Post by thethirddoctor on Mar 28, 2018 17:02:53 GMT
As broached with Andrew Smith in the BF thread, they haven't written for TV in a long time (Aaronovitch hasn't in nearly 20 years, Briggs in nearly 30), so that goes into something of a grey area over eligibility (changes in formats, development and production methods, commissioning guidelines etc etc etc), whereas Munro is still writing film and TV, albeit much less frequently (but with Ken Loach's son, so some leeway there). Plus, they may be busy with their own projects (Rivers of London, Big Finish), or not even write at all anymore (Briggs does marketing now). Your points are valid, but those writers were 12 years younger when the series came back. |
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Post by J.A. Prentice on Mar 28, 2018 18:57:32 GMT
I suspect there's still a leeriness about classic Doctor Who amongst the BBC execs. Moffat recently hinted he'd considered McGann for Day of the Doctor and the BBC had refused. Munro most likely got in on the strength of her other work, though I'm sure Moffat was thinking of Survival. I think they're less scared of the classic stuff now than they were in 2005, when we initially had very little to tell us it wasn't a straight-up reboot, but they still might not be willing to give classic writers a shot.
Aaronovitch probably has the best chance, but because of the brilliant Rivers of London series rather than because he worked on the classic series. Of course, this also makes him quite busy and he'd probably prioritize his novels over an episode of Doctor Who (which I can't begrudge him for at all).
Speaking for myself, I'd love to see more stories from Platt, Aaronovitch, Briggs, and Munro, and I really hope the BBC does get more classic writers in the future.
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 28, 2018 19:33:20 GMT
As broached with Andrew Smith in the BF thread, they haven't written for TV in a long time (Aaronovitch hasn't in nearly 20 years, Briggs in nearly 30), so that goes into something of a grey area over eligibility (changes in formats, development and production methods, commissioning guidelines etc etc etc), whereas Munro is still writing film and TV, albeit much less frequently (but with Ken Loach's son, so some leeway there). Plus, they may be busy with their own projects (Rivers of London, Big Finish), or not even write at all anymore (Briggs does marketing now). Your points are valid, but those writers were 12 years younger when the series came back. Well, Briggs had been out of action since 1990 anyway. But beyond that, Davies only ever wanted to work with Bob Holmes and that was an impossibility. Either he didn't like or simply didn't feel other writers matched what he wanted for the series. He wanted the show to feel, look and sound different to the pop culture butt-of-jokes it had been for a good 16 years, and hiring people from that era could well have sent the wrong message. Plus, when the show became a hit and big names like Gaiman, Cotrell-Boyce and Curtis wanted in, well, that only diminished prospects further. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2018 20:20:52 GMT
Because we need new blood not relics from the old days of Who.
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Post by thethirddoctor on Mar 28, 2018 21:03:55 GMT
Because we need new blood not relics from the old days of Who. That's interesting you say that, cause I was listening to a repeat of "The Doctor and Douglas" on BBC iplayer (it's still available), about the time Douglas Adams was involved in Doctor Who. Steven Moffat says that if Douglas hadn't died, he'd be writing for NuWho. But, you wouldn't want relics from the old days of Who. |
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Post by Audio Watchdog on Mar 28, 2018 21:13:29 GMT
Sometimes the train just leaves the station. There can be any number of reasons why none of the writers named have been offered slots. With its revival the show very clearly moved on to a different style of breaking & telling stories that maybe the previous show runners didn't feel comfortable bringing in writers who were not currently active in writing for TV & film. All that said, I'd take a Marc Platt story anytime someone wants to give me one.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2018 21:18:50 GMT
Because we need new blood not relics from the old days of Who. That's interesting you say that, cause I was listening to a repeat of "The Doctor and Douglas" on BBC iplayer (it's still available), about the time Douglas Adams was involved in Doctor Who. Steven Moffat says that if Douglas hadn't died, he'd be writing for NuWho. But, you wouldn't want relics from the old days of Who. No I wouldn't. As I said. |
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Post by Audio Watchdog on Mar 28, 2018 21:22:22 GMT
Of course the biggest problem with Douglas Adams still being alive and writing for new Who is he probably never would have finished it.  |
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Post by constonks on Mar 29, 2018 0:02:22 GMT
I expect the Beeb is far more interested in new writers - writers working in television for other shows with a proven, recent record of success - especially now that the series is moving onto its latest Brand New Everything stage. As much as I like Aaronovitch and Platt, I doubt we'll see Chibnall calling on anyone from pre-2005 - possibly not even from pre-2018.
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Post by omega on Mar 29, 2018 0:49:46 GMT
Which is why it's so great Big Finish is around to give these writers a chance to not only write new Doctor Who stories, but with the Classic Doctors and companions as well.
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 29, 2018 14:09:39 GMT
I'm reposting this from my Chibnall's writersroom thread, as I feel it ties into some of what's been said:
Who is arguably the most coveted writing gig in British television. Not just because it's a cultural icon and a chance to fulfill childhood dreams, but because it represents a jump to the highly lucrative American market. Many NuWho alumni have gotten US TV and even film gigs post-their episodes: Moffat got Tintin, Cross got to work with DelToro and write Crossbones, MacRae and Roberts got Librarians, Cornell Elementary and Graham Childhood's End and an episode of Electric Dreams.
The American market doesn't just offer bigger budgets, more broadcasters/distributors and a bigger audience than UK productions can, but also much bigger paydays. In the coveted 'writer's room' system, a writer doesn't just get paid for the script and then residuals/a buyout (the network pays you what they think the total residuals of repeats will be), you also get paid for your time in the room. Yes, you get paid for eating donuts and going over the series arc and your episode in a process that can last several weeks.
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