This part of the diary will cover episode 5 and 6 as well as any additional news and information that has popped up since then.
Disclaimer: I have not seen any of the episodes being filmed. Unlike Alex, any speculation from me comes from a position of a person who knows nothing for certain about the new series.
January 2011
16th January
With the rehearsal day for Episode 5 in full swing, Robert Llewellyn found the time to give out a few minor spoilers. He posted an audioboo on his Man in the Rubber Mask audioboo page which revealed a bit too much than he could reveal about the new series. He later took it down but not before the internet managed to get all cogent information out of the audioboo.
He revealed that a previous episode featured a GELF. Whether he is using it as a generic term or is specifically talking about the pig-nosed Kinitawowi GELF from Series VI and VII is unclear.
He also posted the picture seen above, it apparently isn’t the final mask but rather a test mask and it is sans make-up.
He also revealed something non-spoilery, they would be using the first week of February for pick-ups for the whole series.
Dave also released a video of filming of the camera rehearsals from Episode 4 which given a look at the corridor (which is in the same style as used in previous series) as well as a quick peep at Kryten’s costume.
18th January
The accidental spoilers didn’t end with Robert Llewellyn. Boxer David Haye bumped into Danny John-Jules at Shepperton and posted a picture. Danny happened to be in full costume at the time.
20th January
Camera rehearsal and Audience recording day for Episode 5 went without a hitch. Robert Llewellyn even found time to tweet during recording, though the mistake in the tweet suggests he didn’t have massive amount of time:
Mid show tweet. Good so fat.
Because they couldn’t record the middle of the episode (possibly because they needed the StarBug set which doesn’t seem to have been built at this point) they treated the audience to a viewing of a rough cut of episode 1.
Once recording was complete he posted a couple more tweets:
On my way home. Good night tonight. Top notch audience. Thank you all. Last tweet done without glasses. ‘good so fat’ indeed.
One doesn’t like to tempt fate but I don’t think this series is going to disappoint. Truly wonderful scripts from
@DougRDNaylor
21st January
Ganymede and Titan continued their series of fantastic spoiler free set reports. As with the previous reports the episode was rather well received, even when the middle of the episode was left unrecorded:
It really does feel like a sort of offshoot of series II & series III writing styles, with the humour developing naturally through some good character comedy, and with less emphasis on shoe-horned one liners.
The report seems to indicate that it is the cheaper episode of the series, with only one evident guest star:
The show’s only guest star appeared as a voice-over in the next scene
The report also discusses the rough cut of Episode 1:
Cut together though, it’s a good episode, better than pretty much all of series VII, certainly better than anything in VIII, but maybe not quite reaching the heights of the earlier series in my humble opinion. Still, on screen it looked fantastic, and there were some great running gags and character comedy.
23rd January
Rehearsal on Episode 6 takes place and Robert Llewellyn given us a quick tweet on the episode:
Just read through last episode of Red Dwarf X. Really looking forward to shooting this one. V funny.
24th January
Early morning, shortly before being rubbered up one again, Robert Llewellyn posted a quick audioboo. He reveals that, as with Craig Charles in Episode 1, Chris Barrie has been stricken with the flu but would be trooping on with the episode.
25th January
Richard Naylor revealed an interesting tidbit on Episode 6 on twitter:
Looking forward to the last RD show this week. Totally different style to first 5.
26th January
Dave posted another sneak peak of Series X. This time we can clearly see Lister and Rimmer’s outfit as well as a blurred look at the Drive Room.
Richard Naylor also tweeted that he had been coaxed into being an extra in Episode 6.
27th January
In the wee hours of the morning, Doug took to twitter to complain about his lack of sleep, presumably caused by the stomach bug he would later tweet about.
He also tweeted somebody describing ‘Stoke me a Clipper’ as their favourite episode with the response:
Then I think you will like RD X.
This gives an insight into how Doug sees Series X. Comparisons by other people have matched it to pretty much every series so it is interesting to see Doug’s perspective.
Richard Naylor tweeted that Episode 6 features two of his favourite guest stars in Red Dwarf history:
Just about to start rehearsal for last RDX show. This ep contains possibly two of my fav. guest parts of any rd ever.
Later in the day, just before the audience were set to go in, Robert Llewellyn revealed on twitter that they were filming a scene that they did not manage to get in the bag on the Tuesday or Wednesday:
We are frantically shooting a scene now, trying to finish before the audience arrive. Tense? I should co-co.
A couple of hours later Richard Naylor tweeted that the episode was technically very difficult which may account as to why they ended up having to scramble to complete a scene just before the audience arrived.
28th January
Robert Llewellyn posted a blog post about Episode 6 which discusses some of the various problems the episode faced to get made which may give additional explanation as to why they needed to rush the scene before the audience came in.
Ganymede and Titan posted their final set report. It is very cagey in information because so much needs to be kept secret about the episode. This report does seem to be the most positive report yet:
I think episode 6 is a culmination of everything that’s great about Red Dwarf X. I really like this series, but I love this episode.
They do reveal this titbit of information:
You’ll recall from previous reports that there are two standing sets, the bunk room and the Red Dwarf drive room and the latter of those has been completely replaced for this episode. Well, I say replaced, it’s actually a very heavy redressing but it was one that was instantly noticeable as we walked in and it’s a set that will make a lot of people very happy.
Putting on my speculation hat, I would say the Drive Room has been redressed as a StarBug set, this would be reinforced by the following sentence:
In addition to that, there’s an entirely new section constructed round the back, out of sight of the audience, that expands on the new set.
This would presumably be the mid-section of StarBug. This may be why in the past few episodes they have not been able to record parts of the episodes, they have not had the StarBug set available to them.
30th January
Ed Moore revealed on twitter that the audience seating was being removed and in its place would the set for the model shooting:
#reddwarf model unit moving into K stage where the audience seating was tomorrow.
31st January
After being pestered on twitter during the pick-up week, Robert Llewellyn posted a massive gob-smacking spoiler, Kryten’s legs.
Richard Naylor also posted a lovely towering view of the Red Dwarf stage.
February 2012
1st February
Richard Naylor posted a picture of the model shoot (left) accompanied by the following tweet:
I’m probably flying a little too close to the sun with this one.
#redddwarf model shot.
I may be reading too much into this, but that tweet and picture may then be referring to the part Doug mentioned on twitter months ago in which something on Red Dwarf would fly into the even horizon of a sun.
3rd February
A glut of updates on the models came out, the official website posted an article on the models while Dave posted a video of the model mid-refurbishment. It was clear from these updates that the model for Red Dwarf would be the unused Remastered model from 1998 but now shortened.
4th February
Robert Llewellyn tweeted that the pick-up week was over and Series X had wrapped:
It’s a wrap. Red Dwarf X is in the can!
5th February
Robert Llewellyn updated his blog with a post on the end of filming and he included a sneaky picture of Danny John-Jules censoring a moniter featuring Cat and Lister in the sleeping quarters.
He also reiterates his view of the quality of Series X:
It is, I think I can say without prejudice, classic Red Dwarf, much closer to series 4,5 and 6 than anything else we’ve done since.
8th February
Doug took to twitter to answer a question posed to him about which Rimmer (the 1-VII version or the VIII version) features in Series X (and IX presumably), he responded with the following:
Watch RDX and all will be revealed in Show 6.
15th February
After things going a bit quiet for a week, silence was broken with Richard Naylor taking to twitter for people’s views on teaser trailers for Series X with the following tweets:
How do you guys feel about a teaser trailers? Would u want a 1 min thing with original material ala new Dark Knight?
What sort of thing would you want to see? Montage? Or a model shot followed by a small sequence… any ideas send them my way.
It’s a tricky thing to get right. You want to save the best moments for the show but equally you want to show off the great bits before.
Was thinking along lines of tucking away 20-30 seconds of original material inside a 1 min shell of captions and logo etc. So not a full min
17th February
A new Red Dwarf YouTube page launched to accompany the official twitter page. They posted their first video with the cast reading out a statement while sitting on one of the seats from the new drive room.
24th February
Richard Naylor confirmed the length of the episodes on twitter:
Episode run time will be 30’00 minutes not 22’00.
This means the episodes will be slightly longer than the first 52 episodes which had an allocated time slot of 29:30 and usually bounced a few seconds under that. Adverts are a small price to pay for an extra 30 seconds of content!
27th February
Doug Naylor took to twitter to ask if people would prefer opening titles or more content, as you can see by his second tweet, the answer was clear:
RDX – Given a choice between opening titles or an extra 20 secs of show or more show and faster closing creds what would it be? Vote now!
Seems peeps want 2 keep opening titles, keep closing credits + keep more show. This is possible as shows can be 30 mins instead of 29.30!
He went on to ask a couple of other question on twitter:
Next question: should most music links be versions and variations of Red Dwarf theme tune as in days of old?
Last question for tonight. Opening titles: sombre (like S1 and S2) or montage of clips from the show like S3 – S8?
28th February
A minor setback hit the production as Doug Naylor explains on twitter:
Discovered today no money was put in the budget for music, apart from opening + closing credits.
Me and a kazzoo for action sequences then.We’ve had music links in ever single series. No-one ever had to hum them + I’m not even allowed to hum Mr Goodall’s as we don’t have rights
Is it possible to make a set of bag-pipes out of a Producer’s intestines? I may try anyway.
29th February
The problems with the music may not be as major as the tweets from Doug would seem to indicate. Richard Naylor posted the following on twitter:
Spent the morning listening to reddwarf series 1 music stings, so many brilliant ones that never got used. Now off to soho for a pre-grade
Robert Llewellyn also managed to reveal what may be considered a massive spoiler while doing the Triangulation podcast. The following is a transcript of what he says:
There is a wonderful, and I’m not going to give away the plot… there’s a moment that really stands out… there’s some time travel in Red Dwarf, where the time travelling machine is of a Swedish design and we have to put it together ourselves and we do it so badly, of course, it goes wrong and there’s a fabulous episode where we’re basically searching for a way to get back to our own time. But we’ve gone back in time quite a long way and we’re on Earth and we meet a very significant figure and it’s buried into the dialogue very beautifully and it doesn’t sort of reveal itself until this moment when the very famous historic figure turns around and introduces himself.
This would seem to tie in with the previously mentioned tweets by Doug:
Research Question: How could u make a galvanized nail in 23 AD? I’ve got the nail how do I galvanize it? I’m in India but cud be in Britain.
Trying to make a lemon battery in AD23 – easy apart from galvanized nail – oh and I’m in India.
Totally galvanised. If you want to come to the show I’ll get you a couple of tickets. The Show is called Lemons.
Going by set reports it would seem that this is all referring to Episode 3. So if my speculation hat is straight then Episode 3 is called ‘Lemons’ and is about a poorly made time machine sending the gang back to AD23 in India and forcing them to have to make a lemon battery power the time machine to get back. If my speculation hat is not on straight, that is all codswallop.
March 2012
1st March
Doug Naylor confirmed on twitter that the episodes would be shown to an audience:
Planning to show some rough edits to invited audience in April to record laughter on show sequences not so far seen.
2nd March
Doug Naylor brought more woes of the production describing the first model shoot as “disastrous” and bringing news on re-shoots:
Just off to see Bill Pearson to look at models for our miniature reshoot.
Miniature refurbs looking really good – detailing so much better and not even finished yet!
Great news: Steve Begg, Skyfall Vfx super heard about our disastrous first miniature shoot and has offered to help!!
1st shoot brought 4ward in sched with little notice 2 save £. Mins not ready or built in a day, no test shoot, director busy on main shoot.
So pleased Bill Pearson and Steve Begg who weren’t involved in our 1st miniature shoot are on the reshoot.
3rd March
After the two bits of bad news regarding the production (music and models problems), Seb Patrick, the web-master of the official Red Dwarf website, written a blog about why people should remain positive about Series X.
Richard Naylor responded on twitter to this blog with a positive outlook:
Btw music/model news is not negative, only going to benefit production. Having BP and SB on board will add tons. Music will be sorted.
13th March
Richard Naylor updated us on twitter on the production of new models:
Just been down to Bill Pearson’s workshop, he’s nearly finished building a fantastic new ship for RDX Series X.
Not a new Red Dwarf ship btw.
It would seem then that they are building the StarBug model.
16th March
Doug Naylor again took to twitter to ask a question on the production. This time he was looking for help with the way they should film the models:
Q: Miniature shoot, 7 foot model, not brilliant up close. Red Epics. Do u shoot 4/5k 35mm lenses or 2k 16mm with 16-9 extraction?
Richard Naylor also updated us on twitter on the ongoing edit on the series:
Finished fine cut of RDX Show 1. Up there as one of RD’s best in my humble opinion.
19th March
Richard Naylor confirmed on twitter that Red Dwarf X wasn’t as wrapped as was previously thought. A further day of shooting would be required:
One day pick up scheduled in a few weeks.
A Diary of Red Dwarf X: Part 1 can be found here.
A Diary of Red Dwarf X: Part 2 can be found here.
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