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195) SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY/FOREST OF THE DEAD

31 May - 7 June 2008

Viewing Figure: 6.27M/7.84M

Plot

The Doctor is called to The Library where they meet an archaeological team and discover the shadows hold dark secrets

Cast

David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), Alex Kingston (Professor River Song), Colin Salmon (Dr Moon)

Eve Newton (The Girl), Mark Dexter (Dad), Sarah Niles (Node 1), Joshua Dallas (Node 2), Jessika Williams (Anita)

Steve Pemberton (Strackman Lux), Talulah Riley (Miss Evangelista), O-T Fagbenle (Other Dave), Harry Peacock (Proper Dave)

Jason Pitt (Lee), Eloise Rakic-Platt (Ella), Alex Midwood (Joshua), Jonathan Reuben (Man)

​

Uncredited Cast

Ruari Mears (Proper Dave Suit Creature), Sean Saye (Other Dave Suit Creature), Ellen Thomas (Anita Suit Creature)

Crew

Steven Moffat (Writer), Phil Collinson (Producer), Euros Lyn (Director), Dan Mumford (1st Assistant Director)

Jennie Fava (2nd Assistant Director), Sarah Davies (3rd Assistant Director), Jonathan Allott (Location Manager)

Jess van Niekerk (Production Co-ordinator), Debi Griffiths (Asst Production Co-ordinator),Kevin Myers (Production Secretary)

Sian Warrilow (Production Buyer), Lisa Hayward (Contracts Assistant), Non Eleri Hughes (Continuity), Helen Rayor (Script Editor)

Joe Russell (Camera Operators), Steve Rees, Jamie Southcott (Focus Pullers), John Robinson (Grip)

Jeff Welch (Boom Operator), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Peter Chester (Best Boy)

Steve Slocombe, Clive Johnson, Ben Griffiths (Electricians), Tom Lucy (Stunt Co-ordinator), Alisa Berk (Choreographer)

Stephen Nicholas (Chief Sup Art Director), Jonathan Allison (Art Dept Production Manager)

Arwel Wyn Jones (Supervising Art Director), James North (Associate Designer), Amy Pope (Art Dept Co-ordinator)

David Morison (Set Decorator), Joelle Rumbelow (Props Buyer), Ellen Woods (Standby Art Director)

Sarah Payne, Peter McKinstry (Design Assistants), Shaun Williams (Storyboard Artist), Phill Shellard, Nick Murray (Standby Props)

Will Pope (Standby Carpenter), Julia Challis (Standby Painter), Keith Freeman (Standby Rigger)

Paul Aitken, Phil Lyons (Property Masters), Matt Wild (Dressing Chargehand), Barry Jones (Senior Props Maker)

Nick Robatto, Penny Howarth (Props Makers), Gafin Riley (Practical Electrician), 

Matthew Hywel-Davies, John Whalley (Construction Managers), Mark Hill (Workshop Manager),  BBC Wales Graphics (Graphics)

Lindsay Bonaccorsi (Costume Supervisor), Rose Goodhart (Asst Costume Designer)

Barbara Harrington, Louise Martin (Costume Assistants), Pam Mullins, Steve Smith, John Munro (Make-Up Artists)

Andy Brierley (Casting Associate), Ceres Doyle (VFX Editor), Samantha Hall, Chris Blatchford (Post Production Supervisors)

Marie Brown (Post Prod Co-ordinator), Ben Ashmore (SFX Co-ordinator), Danny Hargreaves (SFX Supervisor)

Neill Gorton (Prosthetics Designer), Rob Mayor (Prosthetics Supervisor), Mark Bright, Matthew Clarke (On Line Editors)

Mick Vincent (Colourist), Matt McKinney, Chris Tucker, Mark Wallman (3D Artists), Russell Horth, James Moxon, Julie Nixon

Greg Spencer, Arianna Lago, Lyndall Spagnoletti, Bryan Bartlett, Murray Barber, Adriano Cirulli, Simon C Holden (2D Artists)

Simon Wicker, Charlie Bennett (Matte Painters), Jenna Powell, Rebecca Johnson (VFX Co-ordinators)

Marianne Paton (VFX Production Assistant), David Bowman  (On Set VFX Supervisor), Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer)

Paul McFadden (Supervising Sound Editor), Doug Sinclair (Sound Editors), Paul Jefferies (Sound FX Editor)

with thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music), Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director)

Julie Scott (Production Executive), Oliver Ager (Production Accountant), Julian Howarth (Sound Recordist)

Louise Page (Costume Designer), Barbara Southcott (Make-Up Designer), Murray Gold (Music), The Mill (Visual Effects)

Will Cohen, Marie Jones (Visual FX Producers), Dave Houghton (Visual FX Supervisor), Any Effects (Special Effects)

Millennium FX (Porspethics), Crispin Green (Editor), Edward Thomas (Production Designer)

Rory Taylor (Director of Photography), Debbi Slater (Production Manager), Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner (Executive Producers)  

​

Uncredited Crew

Nick Britz (1st Assistant Director), Anna Evans (2nd Assistant Director), Heddi Joy Taylor (3rd Assistant Director)

Gareth Skelding (Location Manager), Kath Blackman (Contracts Assistant), Llinos Wyn Jones (Continiity), Sian Elen Palfrey (Camera Operator)

Anna James (Focus Puller), Dai Hopkins, James Holloway (Grip), Bryn Thomas, James Drummond (Boom Operator), Clive Johnson (Grip)

Ciaran Thompson (Standby Art Director), Al Roberts (Design Assistant), Matt North (Standby Props), Jon Grundon (Props Maker)

Albert James (Pracial Electrician), Sheenagh O'Maragh, Andi Mears (Costume Assistants), Morag Smith, Cathy Davies (Make-Up Artists)

Amy Rogers (Casting Associate), Ray Parker, Kevin Meredith, Jeff Matthews (Sound Recordists), Joe Russell (Director of Photography)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Hensol Castle, Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan

  • Victoria Park, Victoria Park Road West, Cardiff

  • Palace Road, Llandaff, Cardiff

  • Cryws Medical Centre, Wedal Road, Heath, Cardiff

  • St Catherine's, Kings Road, Canton

  • Dyffryn Gardens, St Nicholas, Vale of Glamorgan

  • Upper Boat Studios, Trfforest

  • Brangwyn Hall, The Guildhall, Guildhall Road, Swansea

  • Aloca Emp Swansea, Waunarlwydd Works, Titanium Road, Swansea

  • Swansea Library, Alexandra Road, Swansea

Deaths

  • [death fails to follow The Doctor this time]

Production Days

  • 27 Days between Tuesday 15 January - Thursday 20 March 2008

Production Errors

  1. After the shot where Proper Dave is revealed to have shadows, the camera cuts to a different angle where it is revealed that Proper Dave has only one shadow. 

  2. When Miss Evangelista dies, she has lost one green bar, but in a later shot, she loses the same bar again 

  3. A boom microphone can be seen entering the shot, as Doctor Moon and Cal's Dad are talking to each other

  4. The Doctor tone of voice changes during the two times we see the sonic screwdriver project an image of Donna

  5. There are several times when The Doctor touches River Song' sonic screwdriver, however the camera changes do not match The Doctor's hand positions on the screwdriver

  6. When Anita gets two shadows,she 'Didn't do Proper Dave any good', at this moment, Anita now only has one shadow. Anita then gets her second shadow back again in subsequent scenes 

  7. During the playground scenes, Ella runs by and clearly has a scraped left knee, long before she falls to the ground and scrapes her knee on the ground â€‹

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Working Titles

  • Forest of the Night

  • River's Run

  • Space Library

Verdict

An atmospheric tale steeped in mystery and wonder and the some of the series’ scariest creature ever to appear. The two episodes are darker in style, tone, direction, and writing. The Doctor must outrun an enemy which is almost impossible to escape, the dark and shadows which lurk around every corner. The Doctor meets a group of archaeologists who have no idea what they are getting themselves into and subsequently begin to be picked off one by one. One of the characters turns into one of the longest series arcs ever to be seen on the show which continues for a long period of 8 years! The library sets are robust and have plenty of character as do the CGI shots which make the whole ordeal gigantic. A few clever writing tricks are thrown in by can be a bit confusing to follow with the constant distraction of The Doctor – River Song being a future thing. Donna is at her weakest especially in the data ghost world, her direction is flat and best not to get interested in. The whole jumping from one moment in your life to next is a mess, visually done well but honestly it’s not wonder we weren’t witnessing Donna funeral after two jump cuts. The Vashta Nerada are original and can be compared to Space Kook from 'Scooby Doo' an interesting comparison which makes the characters all the more intriguing even if they do have the power to rip someone clean of their flesh in seconds. A good all around two-parter which is certainly likeable but that’s about it. ***

Number of Production Days: 5

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