THE DWM INTERVIEW

BBC Studios’ Time Lord Victorious saga includes a five-part YouTube series. The animation’s co-directors, PETER CADDOCK and JON DOYLE, show EMILY COOK how they brought Daleks! to life.

PETER CADDOCK and JON DOYLE

Peter Caddock, the Director of Immersive Technologies and Virtual Reality at Studio Liddell.

The masters of Skaro amass in Daleks! (2020).

H ello!” exclaims Peter Caddock. “It’s Pete!” says Jon Doyle. Daleks! directors Pete and Jon have invited Doctor Who Magazine to join them on a video call to discuss their latest project.

“These calls have become part of our lives now,” says Jon, “especially with this being a lockdown production. We’re communicating this way all the time.”

“Which is why it’s important that I get my background right,” says Pete, laughing. Moments later, an image of the planet Skaro appears behind Pete.

“Oh, that’s a big epic shot, that one,” says Jon.

Pete holds a miniature TARDIS to his webcam and fl ies it around the screen. “An example of our quality animation now being shown,” he says.

Jon laughs, then joins in the fun. “Right, I’m going to get my model Daleks out. It’s all happening now. There are Daleks everywhere. EXTERMINATE!”

“Is there a Doctor in the house?” jokes Pete, landing his toy TARDIS on Virtual Skaro. “Actually, we should probably introduce ourselves properly, shouldn’t we? I’m the Director of Immersive Technologies and Virtual Reality at Studio Liddell.”

Pete explains that Salford-based Studio Liddell “has been around since 1996. They’ve been involved in animation since before computer and technical illustration. Around 2007 they joined with [the animation studio] Cosgrove Hall Films, which is where Jon used to work, to do animation on children’s series like Rory the Racing Car, Fifi and the Flowertots, Cloud Babies and Ranger Rob. Studio Liddell’s also done broadcast TV and virtual reality entertainment, so we’re well equipped. Essentially, we’re storytellers and content producers and any platform is our delivery mechanism. Our paths of working with Jon have aligned quite a few times.”

“I’ve worked in the animation industry for many years,” explains Jon. “I’m a producer, a director; I design as well. I love it - it doesn’t feel like a job. I’ve got quite a long history of working on things like Danger Mouse, children’s television stuff and pre-school shows. There’s usually quite a gentle pace to it all. So co-directing Daleks! with Pete felt like the biggie. It was a big, exciting thing for me.”

Daleks! is not the fi rst Doctor Who animation Jon has worked on. “Prior to this, when I was at Cosgrove Hall, we worked on Scream of the Shalka. That was in 2003 and I think it was the fi rst time we brought 2D digital animation for online delivery to Doctor Who. After that, in 2006, I worked on the DVD release of The Invasion, replacing some missing Patrick Troughton episodes. Again, that was with Cosgrove Hall.