Graeme Harper: Difference between revisions

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Harper made an uncredited on-screen appearance in ''[[Colony in Space (TV story)|Colony in Space]]'', where a photograph of him in costume was used to portray [[Martin Jurgens]], the [[Adjudicator]] whose credentials had been stolen by {{Delgado}}. The same photograph was later reused in ''[[The Brain of Morbius (TV story)|The Brain of Morbius]]'' to portray a [[The Doctor (The Brain of Morbius)|past incarnation of the Doctor]].<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/NNp4TKQGdcDpbL5S1txB7s/the-fourth-dimension The Fourth Dimension - The Brain of Morbius], [[BBC One]]</ref><ref>[https://www.patreon.com/posts/forgotten-lives-42809147 research] by [[Paul Hanley]]</ref>
Harper made an uncredited on-screen appearance in ''[[Colony in Space (TV story)|Colony in Space]]'', where a photograph of him in costume was used to portray [[Martin Jurgens]], the [[Adjudicator]] whose credentials had been stolen by {{Delgado}}. The same photograph was later reused in ''[[The Brain of Morbius (TV story)|The Brain of Morbius]]'' to portray a [[The Doctor (The Brain of Morbius)|past incarnation of the Doctor]].<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/NNp4TKQGdcDpbL5S1txB7s/the-fourth-dimension The Fourth Dimension - The Brain of Morbius], [[BBC One]]</ref><ref>[https://www.patreon.com/posts/forgotten-lives-42809147 research] by [[Paul Hanley]]</ref>


[[John Nathan-Turner]] originally wanted Harper to direct ''[[Yellow Fever and How to Cure It (TV story)|Yellow Fever and How to Cure It]]'', an episode penned by [[Robert Holmes]] to be part of [[season 23]]. However, the episode was abandoned when the show was put on hiatus. ([[INFO]]: ''[[The Mysterious Planet (TV story)|The Mysterious Planet]]'')
[[John Nathan-Turner]] originally wanted Harper to direct ''[[Yellow Fever and How to Cure It (TV story)|Yellow Fever and How to Cure It]]'', an episode penned by [[Robert Holmes]] to be part of [[Season 23 (Doctor Who 1963)|season 23]]. However, the episode was abandoned when the show was put on hiatus. ([[INFO]]: ''[[The Mysterious Planet (TV story)|The Mysterious Planet]]'')


In [[1993 (production)|1993]], he had begun work to direct the planned 30th Anniversary film ''[[The Dark Dimension (TV story)|Lost in the Dark Dimension]]'', [[Writer|written]] by [[Adrian Rigelsford]]. The film was eventually cancelled, much to Harper's dismay. [[Gary Russell]] named Harper as his preferred director for an imagined scenario in which his [[1995 (releases)|1995]] [[Virgin Missing Adventures]] novel, ''[[Invasion of the Cat-People (novel)|Invasion of the Cat-People]]'', had been a televised story.
In [[1993 (production)|1993]], he had begun work to direct the planned 30th Anniversary film ''[[The Dark Dimension (TV story)|Lost in the Dark Dimension]]'', [[Writer|written]] by [[Adrian Rigelsford]]. The film was eventually cancelled, much to Harper's dismay. [[Gary Russell]] named Harper as his preferred director for an imagined scenario in which his [[1995 (releases)|1995]] [[Virgin Missing Adventures]] novel, ''[[Invasion of the Cat-People (novel)|Invasion of the Cat-People]]'', had been a televised story.
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=== Documentary appearances ===
=== Documentary appearances ===
* ''[[IMC Needs You! (documentary)|IMC Needs You!]]''
* ''[[IMC Needs You! (documentary)|IMC Needs You!]]''
*''[[Direct Route (documentary)|Direct Route]]''
* ''[[Direct Route (documentary)|Direct Route]]''


== External links ==
== External links ==
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[[fr:Graeme Harper]]
[[fr:Graeme Harper]]
[[Category:Doctor Who directors]]
[[Category:Doctor Who directors]]
[[Category:SJA directors]]
[[Category:SJA directors]]

Latest revision as of 20:34, 3 November 2024

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Graeme Harper (born 11 March 1945[1] in London) has directed several Doctor Who television stories, being the first (and only) director of stories in both the classic 1963-1989 series of Doctor Who and the 2005 revived series.

Before becoming a director, he was assistant floor manager for Colony in Space, Planet of the Daleks (with John Cook and Sue Hedden) and Planet of the Spiders. He was also production assistant for The Seeds of Doom and Warriors' Gate. His directorial credits include episodes of the spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures. The first Doctor Who story that he directed was The Caves of Androzani, although he also performed uncredited directorial work on Warriors' Gate during the short period where credited director Paul Joyce was fired from production.[2]

His work on The Caves of Androzani was notable for his highly innovative directorial style at the time. Unlike his predecessors, who would observe filming from a booth and relay their instructions via the production assistant on the floor, Harper would work from the actual set, giving instructions to the actors in person. Additionally, Harper utilised more diverse and cinematic shots, offering freer and more dynamic camera control in filming. His energetic, personal style of directing was widely praised by the show's staff and audience, with Peter Davison himself stating that he would've stayed on the show longer had Harper's methods been more prevalent throughout his tenure (DCOM: The Caves of Androzani).

Harper during the filming of The Caves of Androzani

Harper made an uncredited on-screen appearance in Colony in Space, where a photograph of him in costume was used to portray Martin Jurgens, the Adjudicator whose credentials had been stolen by the Master. The same photograph was later reused in The Brain of Morbius to portray a past incarnation of the Doctor.[3][4]

John Nathan-Turner originally wanted Harper to direct Yellow Fever and How to Cure It, an episode penned by Robert Holmes to be part of season 23. However, the episode was abandoned when the show was put on hiatus. (INFO: The Mysterious Planet)

In 1993, he had begun work to direct the planned 30th Anniversary film Lost in the Dark Dimension, written by Adrian Rigelsford. The film was eventually cancelled, much to Harper's dismay. Gary Russell named Harper as his preferred director for an imagined scenario in which his 1995 Virgin Missing Adventures novel, Invasion of the Cat-People, had been a televised story.

Harper has written about his experiences in directing Doctor Who in his book, Calling the Shots, co-written with Rigelsford.

The "Harper treatment"[[edit] | [edit source]]

Graeme Harper's trademark is including a distorted image of a main character in most of the stories he has directed. It has occurred often enough for it to be considered something of a directorial "signature". Characters are seen through magnifying glasses in Rise of the Cybermen, Army of Ghosts, Utopia and The Unicorn and the Wasp, seen in reflections in The Caves of Androzani and Turn Left and through a curved window that gives a fish-eye effect in Journey's End.

Credits[[edit] | [edit source]]

Doctor Who[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Sarah Jane Adventures[[edit] | [edit source]]

Unproduced stories[[edit] | [edit source]]

Documentary appearances[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]