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Home , Julie Gardner, Media in Cardiff, Russell T Davies

Interview

Interview with

Russell T Davies was born and benefits for . You only have to ask educated in before taxi drivers, newsagents, pubs, shops attending Worcester College, and hotels; all benefiting from the

Oxford where he read English people working on the programme

Literature, graduating in 1984. spending their money, and also visitors

He worked in theatre before to the sets. Also crowds of families moving to the BBC first as floor enjoy watching the filming. The manager and production programme uses local sound and assistant, later establishing camera crews, multi-media support himself, as a producer, and services, post-production, dubbing and writer. His first television drama editing. had my doubts about this at was a serial for children entitled first, having worked at Granada where

‘’. He then wrote there is a BAFTA winning craftsman in

‘Children’s Ward’ in 1992 while every corner of the building. What would working for Granada. Since then the dubbing be like in , what about he has built up an impressive post-production – how good would it be? writing record which includes I had genuine doubts. But they are contributions to highly acclaimed brilliant. It turns out that just because dramas such as ‘Touching Evil’, you haven’t seen their work, it doesn’t

‘The ’, ‘Linda mean that they haven’t got the skills. It

Green’, ‘New Street Law’, and just means they haven’t had the

‘ as Folk’ often working in exposure. The professionalism and gloss collaboration with the of Dr Who has been achieved by people independent film company Red. working in Wales. Some of these people

As a childhood fan of ‘Dr Who’ he was prepared to take on a risky revival of the BBC may come from outside Wales, but so programme. This has proved so successful it is in its third series, and has what, it is still a Welsh production. generated the spin-off ‘’. Both are filmed in Cardiff. Russell is a hugely talented and influential character in his field. We also have a colossal facility with 5

working studios in Upper Boat in

Treforest, where we do all the special

What was your family background? conversations on the subject of Dr Who effects. It comprises a number of old

I am the son of two teachers (Classics my name had become automatically warehouses and during filming there are and French) and I lived in a house full of connected with the programme. The probably 200 people up there, with a books. My father was genuinely learned, programme being based in Cardiff was sizeable permanent staff. and I was brought up on stories of the result of a series of coincidences and

Greek mythology, Zeus, Hannibal’s relationships. I had already worked with Have there been any disadvantages crossing of the Alps etc – all of which I (Head of Drama, BBC or problems with making Dr Who in loved. I also had a very good English Wales) on ‘Casanova’ (also with David Wales? teacher, Dr Harding, at my old school; Tennant) so we knew each other. At the Inevitably there has been some

Olchfa Comprehensive. same time as she was asked to become backlash. There are always elements in

Head of Drama, the BBC asked her to do the metropolitan tabloid press who

Essentially I was a swot and I loved Dr Who with me. The Cardiff location is laugh at Cardiff. The papers can reading. I had two older sisters who down to Julie being here. Meanwhile, I sometimes be quite patronising. both became teachers. My parents were would not have wanted to go to London However, newspaper sales are declining first generation university. where the prices are much higher and alarmingly because they are out-of-date

red tape is that much greater. However, when compared to the 50+ television

Where does the creative impetus I was quite wary about working ‘in- channels, the internet, and a million come from? house’ having been independent so it other faster ways of communicating. For

I am always thinking of stories and I was important for me for work for the example, a Cardiff fifteen year old these belonged to the West Glamorgan Youth right person. It has turned out days can communicate simultaneously

Theatre which provided me with an brilliantly. with friends in Iceland and say introduction into acting and writing. It Guatemala via www.myspace.com . was well-funded and always put on So is there an element of a Welsh The benefits of producing Dr Who in classic plays. I remember, as a fifteen Campaign here? Wales are perhaps underestimated year old, that we were invited to write a Actually, I feel very passionately that when the view that it is ‘a London play. I wrote a short play, and then there are not enough Welsh voices on programme hosted in Wales’ is another the following year, both of which the television. There are so many Irish expressed. were performed to a paying public. I and Scottish voices – I believe we need always loved it. I don’t know where the to normalise the Welsh voice on Having come from Granada in ideas come from – they come naturally television. Manchester to the BBC in Cardiff, from the way I think and work. how do the broadcast milieu

How much feedback have you had compare?

Can you explain how you became with regard to the benefits of using There are marked differences. involved with writing and producing Cardiff as a location? Manchester has a forty year history of the new Dr Who? Mostly audiences don’t really register which has had a

I have always loved Dr Who. At the time locations; they are more interested in genuinely marked effect on the culture

I was writing for and based in story-lines. But for the industry, the of the city. Actors and writers are secure

Manchester. By virtue of numerous effects are positive, and there are many in this and help is forthcoming there.

24 Interview

Cardiff is a much smaller community companies from government agencies material that is being broadcast to over and in that sense it is more closed and like Creative Business Wales. I think this a million viewers every week, and the perhaps more hostile. There are people reflects the importance of the creative quality is phenomenal. The BBC’s design who have worked here all their lives, industries to the Welsh Economy. department currently has 12 trainees. and have dreamed of a major network This is a brilliant initiative for which total success. The dream has come true, but How could young people get into credit should be given to the Head of not for them. It looks like I have just the sector, and what qualifications Design here at the BBC. swanned in from outside, despite having are relevant? been raised in Swansea. I do feel sorry I do not want to knock media degrees, Who is your favourite Dr Who? for those who have wished for similar but they do seem to be quite Of course I would say success and are not part of this. commonplace these days. When I and Chris Eccleston. But my favourite

started at the BBC when I was 22 and I from the old days is Tom Baker.

Is there a role for Public Sector had been to Oxford, no-one ever asked support? me what my qualifications were. They Could you name two things about

Not as such. The TV licence fee pays for don’t relate to what happens in the Wales you would like to change and the BBC already, and anyway you can’t workplace. I would never advise anyone two things you wish would never expect the public sector to turn things to skip their education, but in the end change? round or influence the activities of three things count, talent, luck and hard I am very proud of being Welsh but I broadcast and media. But, there could work, with hard work being the most would wish for less small town thinking, always be more enlightenment, important. and there is a Welsh trait of expecting to especially on the part of our politicians. fail – I would want to get rid of these

Having said that are Also, when I started there were only 3 characteristics. brilliant. They close off roads for us etc. channels. Now, there are over fifty. This

Also we were able to film in the means more opportunity. I can give you But things I would never wish to change

Sennedd, which was brilliant, and an example. ‘Dr Who Confidential’ on – the Welsh sense of humour is

Andrew Davies opened the Upper Boat BBC Three uses young directors, absolutely brilliant, and the Gower…….. facility. I am also aware that there is writers, editors and so on. These young support for spin-off production people are cutting their teeth on Russell T Davies, thank you

Welsh Economic Review 19.1 SPRING 2007 25