Doctor Who & Tardis Re-Materialise in Camelot

Investment by BBC Wales in the ratings winner Doctor Who continues to grow, with a new dedicated centre bringing production for the first time under one roof, near Cardiff. Referencing ancient links between the Principality and King Arthur, Doctor Who production staff have taken to calling their palatial new headquarters “Camelot.”

By all accounts facilites there are generously proportioned, but more important, they bring together production departments and operations that were previously scattered all over Wales.

Executive Producer and head writer Russell T Davies is clearly impressed by the new workplace:

“They kept on telling me this place was big. I've worked on telly, I've seen big. Until I saw Camelot. My God it's big! It's like a Hollywood lot!”

Work on the new Who headquarters started on 6^th February and Studios 1 & 2 were completed one month later. The new complex will house not only Doctor Who, but the spin off series Torchwood and work on the Torchwood facilities began on 20^th of March.

Davies acknowledges that the driving force behind the new facilities is Julie Gardner, Head of Drama for BBC Wales.

“Julie Gardner's pioneered this with Torchwood Producer Richard Stokes and the inimitable Susie Liggat all blazing with ideas, while the project itself has been handled by Ed (Thomas, Doctor Who Designer) and his right hand man Stephen Nicholas.”

Current production space for Doctor Who has been quadrupled. Camelot boasts no fewer than six studios divided into two units, with 20 production offices and 25 offices for art department, between them providing workspaces for up to 135 staff.

Studio sizes are generous:

Studio 1   6,545 sq ft

Studio 2   6,120 sq ft

Studio 3   9,165 sq ft

Studio 4   3,575 sq ft

Studio 5   5,330 sq ft

Studio 6   7,957 sq ft

It took five miles of black drapes to furnish that lot, but in additon there are 20 scene bays for storage and five edit suites, so programmes can be assembled right next door to where they were filmed. In an effects rich drama, green screen is a must and Doctor Who has a six-metre high infinity curved green screen.

     CRITICISM MISDIRECTED

As with any new major development, there are detractors and a few rumblings of dissent have reached the ears of the Doctor's greatest champion, but he feels they are misdirected crticisms.

“I still find plenty of moaners complaining that the much-longed-for BBC Wales Drama Department isn't what they expected – simply because it is making huge primetime dramas with worldwide sales instead of small, intense show called I Was Born in Wales and I'm Cross.”

       THE BIGGER PICTURE  

Visionary Davies, with sights set on far greater things, dismisses this as small nation thinking; “Camelot is here,” he says as he looks to the future with his Arthurian eye. 

 “So that's Doctor Who and Torchwood combined. I hope Doctor Who Confidential gets recommissioned, Gillane (Seaborne) and her brilliant team would love it here and deserve to be part of it. In fact with all these studios we even have room for a third drama – got any ideas?”