Special Effects (reference book)
Unlike other fictional universes, the Doctor Who universe is created solely by fiction. To us, this is not a valid source. Information from this source can only be used in "behind the scenes" sections, or on pages about real world topics.
Doctor Who Special Effects was a Doctor Who reference book published by Beaver Books and Hutchinson in August 1986.
Publisher's summary
When is an alien monster not an alien monster? Or a spaceship not a spaceship? Or a bleak planet in the outer galaxy not a bleak planet in the outer galaxy at all? Answer: When it’s a special effect
In this book, Mat Irvine, who has worked on Doctor Who for many years, takes you behind the scenes of this most famous of all science fiction series. There you can discover how the flying Tardis and fighting Daleks came into being. You can find out how spectacular battles and exploding planets are filmed — and how a scriptwriter’s idea for a ‘mobile computer, shaped something like a dog’ became K-9. In short, you can enter the extraordinary and fantastic inter-galactic world of DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL EFFECTS
Subject matter
The Chapters are divided thus:
- Special Effects in the Beginning
- Behind the Scenes on Doctor Who
- Planning Effects
- Constructing Effects
- Doctor Who and the TV studio
- On Location
- Models and Miniatures
- Monsters and Creatures
- The Daleks
- K9 - The Dog
- The TARDIS
- Doctor Who in the Future
Notable features
- Features behind the scenes information and photos on:
- Pyramids of Mars
- The Masque of Mandragora (credited in the book as The Mask of Mandragora)
- The Face of Evil
- Image of the Fendahl
- The Robots of Death
- The Invisible Enemy
- The Invasion of Time
- The Stones of Blood
- City of Death
- The Leisure Hive
- Meglos
- State of Decay
- Warriors' Gate
- The Five Doctors
- Warriors of the Deep
- Resurrection of the Daleks
- Vengeance on Varos
- K9 and Company - A Girl's Best Friend
- There are also some photos and behind the scenes information on Blake's 7.
Notes
Author Mat Irvine was involved in creating special effects for a number of Tom Baker and Peter Davison-era serials. He also contributed a chapter to The Doctor Who File.
