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Post by LanceM on Jun 9, 2006 21:57:57 GMT
Wouldn't we all be extatic if 40 missing troughtons turned up. He is my favorite doctor, and so little of his work survives. Any recoveries would be great, even if it were only one episode I would be happy.
Lance.
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Post by Daniel O'Brien on Jun 10, 2006 9:54:34 GMT
The last two recoveries were both from Hartnell stories, so I guess it should be Troughton's turn. Alas, I don't think the world of Doctor Who episode recovery works like that. As people have pointed out, Troughton's episodes didn't sell as well overseas, so there were never as many 16mm film copies in circulation. I remain hopeful that a few could turn up, but the recovery of 'Tomb of the Cybermen' 1-4 is likely to remain a one-off.
More 8mm snippets are a possibility, but the technology of the time made film-recording an entire episode impossible. Even when the Super 8 format came in (1970s?), the film cartridges only lasted around 3 minutes.
Home video recordings can't be ruled out, as the discovery of 'Space Pirates' 2 proved. That said, does anyone know how long this tape can last? I recall that Galton and Simpson's home-recorded 'Steptoe' tapes were very hard to play. The tape coating was turning to glue, or something like that.
16mm film collectors and ex-BBC employees still seem the best bet. Hopefully, all the wild rumours and speculation will result in something concrete. Even if it is 'Space Pirates' 3.
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Post by William Martin on Jun 10, 2006 13:47:50 GMT
I'd say Hartnels I think they were more widley sold but who knows?
I agree about the super 8 which I think was 1966 or 67 but there were other systems single 8(also 67) and stndard 8(which goes back to the 1930s) also some rich person could have used an 8mm cartridge that lasted longer some large 8mm cameras could take 200' reels that would last up to 15 minutes
but I agree totaly about the BBC employees, that still is the best bet.
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Post by Greg H on Jun 12, 2006 9:13:13 GMT
Indeed. There does seem to be a prevailing opinion that any home video recorded Troughton would be from the last season, but didnt someone tape each episode of the ice warriors on home video, taping over each old episode with the new one? Anyhow, home recording technology was available for most of Troughtons run wasnt it??? I guess the trick is now to find any material before it becomes completely unplayable. Easier said than done........ pity there isnt some way of tracing everyone who owned one of these players.
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Post by Daniel O'Brien on Jun 12, 2006 12:57:05 GMT
Hadn't heard the 'Ice Warriors' story. I guess they could have ended up with part 6 on tape. Or did they carry on through the rest of the season, which would leave us with 'Wheel in Space' part 6. No gain either way, sadly.
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Post by William Martin on Jun 12, 2006 13:39:28 GMT
It should be possible to trace owners from sales records, either from the stores that sold the videos or the companies they were ordered from, I should think there would be problems from the data protection act but that is one place to start, perhaps someone with legal knowledge could help here?
other aproaches could be to place ads in electronics magazines or local newspapers.
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Post by Greg H on Jun 12, 2006 13:50:50 GMT
Actually, yknow I am feeling the strong urge to try and track down early video recorder owners. What magazines can we get free adverts in in the classifieds that these guys might read??? Thinking hats on!!!
Also does anyone know anything more about where these machines would have retailed from in the vague remote off chance that there is still any kind of documentation lingering?? I doubt its stil;l filed away, but you never know!!!!
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Post by madman on Jun 12, 2006 16:04:11 GMT
I think the people who did the recordings are quite likely to have passed on (as their equipment no doubt has) or lost interest in specialist magazines. So, their families may have a box of tapes in the loft (my dad has audio cassettes of the R1 charts from years ago up there). The way to reach anyone who has such a stash (which they probably feel is worthless, or have forgotten about) would therefore be to appeal widely, I think. I emailed the METRO (free London newspaper) letters page last week with this: Do any Metro readers have, or know someone who has, any old first-generation video tapes? The earliest domestic video recorders came out in the late 60s – and I don’t expect yours to still be working! But I’m very interested in tapes made of TV at the time for an archive project. Could anyone who’s got any get in touch via Metro? ...and... Dear Editor – would you please pass on any replies I might get to this? I don’t know how you operate with appeals like this. If my project turned up any fascinating ‘lost’ telly, it’d be a great story for Metro!! Regards [etc.] So far I have had no response from them and doubt they have/will place my letter I was thinking if someone got back to me with any tapes, I'd pore over any labels and look into contacting an archive facility with the ability to play the recordings. I don't know how age/storage conditions may have affected any such tapes, but picture distortion can perhaps be partly remedied and audio is irrelevant (as are title sequences) since these can be replaced. I really think this is a serious avenue for missing-eps hunters! Anyone else got any ideas about how to track down any tapes that could be out there?
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Post by Daniel O'Brien on Jun 12, 2006 16:41:47 GMT
Good luck with the home video hunt. It's a long shot - to say the least - but certainly worth a try. I suppose anyone who kept TV shows would have tried to store them safely, as the tapes cost so much.
I don't think tracking down everyone who bought a machine in the 60s is an option. Confidentiality aside, it's unlikely anyone would keep these records for 40 years. The BBC wasn't the only company with storage issues.
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Post by Bobby Clark (synthpopalooza) on Jun 12, 2006 16:53:41 GMT
I think the best way is the most basic and dirty way ... ask your friends and family, or any acauaintances, if they either owned an old 60's VTR machine, know somoene who did, or maybe might have any old VTR tapes from that era. And never give up ... always pursue every lead.
Another good place to start is clubs for collectors of old VTR machines and tapes.
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Post by William Martin on Jun 14, 2006 15:44:24 GMT
we could always ask Andy at www.totalrewind.org/infodesk.htmif he has any ideas or contacts, perhaps he may be persauded to put an notice or at least a link to here on his site and there's always 405 Alive Magazine I'll have a look around for some more ideas
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Post by Greg H on Jun 14, 2006 16:30:11 GMT
We could always just "think geek" (I am one btw) and try and get free adds in any computing / electronics etc magazines that run free adds, even ask em via email if they are interested in running a brief article. I mean what are the chances of a sci fan or two working for those sorts of magazines? Not trying to upset anyone with stereotyping, but just saying!!
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Post by LanceM on Jun 14, 2006 17:27:40 GMT
Also, since DW and other missing shows have a following and people who watched the shows back in the day may have sympathy to help return some of thier favorite childhood television programs. Who knows.
I am also interrested in the possibility of missing episodes resourfacing from home recordings. If say a episode of DW resourfaces from an old Shibaden or N1700 tape, would the RT team be able to present it for DVD release ? Of course it all depends on the shape of the videotape ect. An interresting idea, does anyone have any thoughts on the matter ?
Lance.
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Post by Bobby Clark (synthpopalooza) on Jun 14, 2006 18:31:41 GMT
It's entirely possible. After all, the missing Steptoes which were found on Shibaden have (to my knowledge anyway) been released by the BBC. However it would all depend on the quality of the recovered footage. Still, the restoration team have been known to work miracles before! Anything's possible.
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Post by Daniel O'Brien on Jun 14, 2006 19:34:22 GMT
I saw the home-taped Steptoes when they were rerun on BBC2. While the picture quality wasn't great, it was certainly watchable. I don't know if current digital technology could upgrade the image.
Presumably, none of the Doctor Who production team are thought to have videotaped shows on home equipment. I guess Galton and Simpson earned more than the average BBC employee.
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