INSPIRATION
Ok, so officially, we don't do new AFT stories. But there are always exceptions, when I'm exceptionally inspired or for special occasions like Christmas. Last year, inspired by The Power of the Doctor, I wanted to relaunch the AFT repeats with a new Christmas story. This was one of the ideas I came up with on 30th November 2022, based purely on the title Twelfth Night, it had to be a 12th Doctor story - admittedly, not one of my favourite Doctors. Given his continuing struggle with being good or not, a retelling of Dickens' A Christmas Carol (yes, I know it's already been done on the TV show!) seemed appropriate.
The original idea was very nebulous but featured the Doctor about to vanquish an enemy, possibly a dalek and wrestling with his conscience. In the present he'd meet Bill while Yaz, Ryan and Graham were in the future section. Finally, the Doctor chooses to be a bad person and kill the enemy, but only to confuse the mind wraith that's caused the whole illusion.
Returning to the idea on 4th October 2023, knowing that Donna would return in the anniversary specials, I knew I had my past AND future sorted. I wanted this story to be far more whimsical and light than last year's quite doomy "Let It Snow".
For the enemy, I considered the Silents, the Weeping Angels or even the Ood but I knew it needed something new.
CAST
12th Doctor (B&M pack), Pepper Meanstix (custom), Donna, 10th Doctor, Missy (B&M pack), Bill (B&M pack).
Pepper Meanstix (a corruption of Santa's "real" elf, Pepper Meansticks) is a Toby Zed figure. His torso had already been painted green for when he appeared in the 3rd Doctor story "The Time Riders". I added the hat, collar and cuffs and painted his ghastly face. He was created on 9th October, painted on 11th October and the back of his head was teased on instagram.
SCRIPT
The script was started on 9th October and finished on the 12th. Donna's 'kick it's arse' line was totally nicked from the Wild Blue Yonder trailer.
SHOOTING
I started taking the pictures on 13th Oct with the relatively simple set of "companion heaven" which was just a silver crepe paper background.
On the 14th Oct, I shot Pepper's lair for the "past" sequence. This set uses a lot of bits and pieces I have in store including a Hulk pressure chamber, a Halo Cryochamber and lots of computers from the McFarlane Batman 66 batcave. Pepper's lever is an accessory from (I think) some Clone Wars figure. The viewscreen from the 2009 Star Trek enterprise set is above the lever and was supposed to show a view of a snowy city but since it doesn't appear in any shot, that didn't happen.
The Vault was the set I struggled with. I didn't have a lot of time but I thought it should at least try to look like what we saw on TV. It's very simple with paper windows stuck on the black backcloth. The centre piece is made of strips of blue paper with my mini Christmas tree and pipe-cleaner tinsel in the middle. It was put up on 26th October and the necessary pics taken the next day.
On 29th October, I shot the scenes in the Doctor's "purgatory" using printed purple stone walls I had in stock.
The last location was the street where the Doctor chases Pepper. You probably recognise it uses bits of Bannerman Road from The Sarah Jane Adventures. Those pictures were done on 31 Oct.
EDITING
Editing began on 27 October using photoshop. The pictures were added in the order they were taken, with the final images from the final location being added on 31 Oct.
Though the script was written in anticipation that Donna would be healed and would survive the specials, I waited until after the specials aired before completing the lettering, just in case I needed to change anything.
Since this is the first time I've used this new version of photoshop to edit stories, I wasn't sure what size to make the lettering. As a result, the letters were too big on the first page and I had to redo it. All the lettering was done on 10th Dec 2023.
CONTINUITY
This story obviously takes place during series 10. The Doctor has Bill as his companion, Missy in the vault and mentions Nardole. It's probably set after Empress of Mars because Bill is aware of Missy.
Missy saying the Doctor has been very naughty for the past 700 years is me mis-remembering her 1000 year sentence in Extremis.
TRANSMISSION
The first teaser image of Meanstix was shown on instagram on 11th October. The title of the story was dropped, also on instagram) on 11th December.
The story went online on 23rd December 2023.