SALUTE TO RAY CUSICK, CREATOR OF THE DOCTOR WHO DALEKS

Raymond Cusick, the production designer behind Doctor Who’s Dalek enemies, has died aged 84. He worked on the BBC TV science-fiction series from 1963 to 1966.


Screenwriter Terry Nation (1930-97) wrote the episode of Doctor Who in which the Daleks made their entrance, but it was Ray Cusick who arrived at the final look, complete with eyestalk, sucker arm, and exterminator armament.

Lunchtime inspiration
In a 2008 episode of the Doctor Who Confidential TV show, Ray Cusick explained that inspiration for the Dalek design came during a lunch with special effects expert Bill Roberts, who was responsible for making the mecha-monsters. Apparently, Ray picked up a pepper pot and moved it around the table before saying, “It's going to move like that - no visible means.”

Chief enemy
Daleks have remained essentially unchanged in appearance over the half-century since they first appeared, and are still the best-known of the Doctor's enemies, and have had a new lease of life since the show's 2005 revival. Tom Spilsbury, editor of Doctor Who Magazine, has hailed Ray Cusick's design as ‘timeless’, and we have to agree with that.

And of course, the Dalek call to “Exterminate” has become something of a cultural meme, especially in the UK. Our pictures here were taken at the 2012 smallspace model show, which featured life-size Daleks moving in the streets outside, and as you can see, Imperial Stormtroopers were out in force, and Doctor Who's robodog companion K-9 was snuffling around, too.

Other TV shows
Apart from Doctor Who, Ray Cusick worked on other British TV shows, including the cop series Z Cars, Dr Finlay's Casebook and the historical drama, The Forsyte Saga.

To see Daleks for real, make a date in your diary for the 2013 smallspace model show, which will be held on July 7. 

More SMN Daleks here.

Dalek models, kits and collectibles available here.

INCOMING - HAMEX 4 MODEL EXPO DUE SUNDAY

SMN PREVIEW:
The sales tables are booked, club stands organized, hot sandwiches on order, models good to go... Yes, it’s HaMeX again, this time the fourth in the annual event series. For anyone living in reach of the Milton Keynes area in the UK, this is the model zone to head for this coming Sunday.

As usual, the two organizers will be there, with Mat Irvine displaying his many models, and Paul Fitzmaurice demonstrating airbrushes and other modelling equipment.

More kits on show
In Mat’s words, “the HaMeX show is invariably less 'things-to-see driven’, compared with Automodellismo and smallspace, as it is intended purely as a swap meet. However I'm aiming to have even more kits there than usual - some 'new old' ones have been dug out, including a range of 1:20 scale cars and I have more 'fix-er-uppers'.

More from Mat
“I will have some models on display (as it's in the publicity...!), but exactly what I've yet to decide. It won't - necessarily - be FX stuff, hence the poster just says 'model display', not 'effects model display'! I'm not saying no FX models will be there, just don't want to be specific!”

Lucky dip
So the show looks like an interesting lucky-dip of good stuff. We’ll be reporting on what actually appears week. Meantime, the pictures of HaMeX 3 should whet your appetite.

Visit HaMeX here for details on all shows. 

Paul Fitzmaurice online here.

FROM POLITE ROBO-DOG TO SNARLING KILLER-CANINE - DOCTOR WHO K-9 UPGRADE

SMALLSPACE COUNTDOWN:

The smallspace “model show for all things space, science fiction and fantasy” will be held this Sunday, July 1, and among the sci-fi stars on display will be the original K-9 robot dog from Doctor Who.

Old and new robots

The robotic dog stars at smallspace courtesy Mat Irvine (above), who has also co-written with Mike Tucker the seminal book BBC VFX. K-9 at smallspace is the original dog, but a newer one was created for an Australian TV series. Here are a couple of pix from the TV series, and note how advanced our canine mechanoid now looks.

Detail-up model

There are plenty of K-9 collectibles around, but injection kits are hard to come by, that’s for sure, so for model-makers the best bet is to start with a ready-built, then use it as the basis for a superdetailed display model. Kit-bashing from the ground up is another possibility, and if you go this route, then something entirely new might be an interesting route to take.

Deadly dog

The Sydney-based visual effects designer Nick Kaloterakis could provide inspiration, as his website features an excellent concept for a 21st century robodog, and very nasty it looks, too. It’s not just an autonomous mechanoid, but has been seriously weaponized, to become an attack dog, rather than the polite and cerebral K-9. 

Movie worker

Nick Kaloterakis has worked on movie blockbusters such as Transformers, so his robodog slots neatly into that gritty and modish genre. Nick’s images here are intended as ideas-generators, rather than examples of anything you can go out and buy, more’s the pity - but we can hope, and meantime it’s a project for kit-bashers to think about.

Visit the hugely talented Nick Kaloterakis at his Kollected website here.

Look at a radio-control K-9 here.

Other Doctor Who collectibles here.

Check out the smallspace show here.

Look inside Mat and Mike's BBC VFX here.

Mike Tucker (left) and Mat Irvine with BBC VFX book and Dalek

KENTUCKY FRIED SCIENCE-FICTION - WONDERFEST HOBBY EXPO COMING ON MAY 26-27

SMN REPORT:

The WonderFest Hobby Expo is a weekend-long feast of science-fiction, horror, and fantasy modelling that’s held every summer in Louisville, Kentucky. This year, there’ll be a star-packed lineup of movie special effects guests, and a mega-size model contest for sci-fi, horror, and comics-related subjects. Model and toy dealers will be there, as will seminars to entertain and improve sci-fi hobbyists of all ages.

Louisville's glittering nightscape.

Huge range of models, collectibles and events

There’s more - WonderFest features the how-to University, plus after-hours parties and get-togethers. There will be modelling demos, even a cinema. And of course, there’ll be plenty of collectibles from around the globe to inspect and buy. All of which sounds ace to the SMN crew, and a top get-go if you’re free and available. 

WonderFest - a growth story

WonderFest began as a modelling swap meet in August of 1990, called simply: 'The Louisville Plastic Kit and Toy Show.' The show was renamed WonderFest in 1992, and has been an ever-growing annual fixture since, with its model competition now the biggest of its kind in the world. A further part of the WonderFest draw is the guest list - famous faces who appear at the show. 

Hot 2012 guest lineup

The guests will give you a chance to meet the creative talents behind your fave movies, TV shows, books and comics. They’ll be giving talks and discussions, and for collectors, there will be scheduled autographing times. Here’s an alphabetical-order sprinkling of the talent on offer:

Julie Adams - actress

The star of Creature from the Black Lagoon will surface at WonderFest to celebrate her autobiography The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections from the Black Lagoon.

Joanna Cassidy - actress

Blade Runner star Joanna Cassidy appeared as Zhora, the beautiful and deadly replicant assassin from the groundbreaking sci-fi movie of 1982. It’s a role that’s made her a legend in genre film circles.

Eric Chu - designer-illustrator

Concept artist for the SyFy Channel revamp of Battlestar Galactica, acknowledged as a modern classic, and packed with believable - and highly modellable - star-spanning spacecraft hardware.

Who’s this? SMN’s own Mat Irvine!

The trainer and operator of K-9, Doctor Who’s original robot dog, will materialize at WonderFest, thanks to CultTVman’s Fantastic Modeling and Hobbyshop. Best known for his work on Doctor Who, for which he was a Visual Effects Designer, Mat worked in the BBC's VFX Department for more than 20 years, and contributed heavily to other classic British sci-fi shows, such as Blake's 7 and Edge of Darkness.

*** Upcoming - Mat’s Marvellous Model Museum book

Mat will also be trailing news of his in-the-works MMMM ebook, for online sale this summer. Keep an eye on this space for news and information on this exciting project - and if you’re at WonderFest, ask Mat for a signed MMMM mini-card!

Bill Moseley - actor

If you like horror, here’s the star of such features as Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Army of Darkness, House of 1000 Corpses and many more.

Giorgio A. Tsoukalos - alien expert

Star and Consulting Producer of 'Ancient Aliens - The Series' and publisher of Legendary Times Magazine, the only ancient astronaut publication in the world. 

*** There's a glitch on the link below, so visit WonderFest here.

Summation - should you go?Absolutely - as the WonderFest organizers put it: “If you dream of collecting models and toys - or simply love the movies they’re based on - you’ll GO APE over WonderFest! 

For more information visit WonderFest here.

INCOMING DIARY DATE FOR UK MODEL FANS

Here's a reminder for UK model fans that HAMEX 2 - the second Hanslope Model Expo - is being held this coming Sunday November 28. Mat Irvine will be showing many of the Special Effects models from his days at the BBC, and doubtless the Doctor Who robot dog K-9 will be there on demo as well.

Food supplies in excellent hands
The bacon butties ran out last year, which was a bit of a shame, but unsurprising really as the bacon was really something special. This year the catering crew assures the HAMEX 2 team that extra supplies have been laid in especially for the show.

Kit swap
If you make the show, then it's a good idea to bring along some spare cash, as there will be kits aplenty on sale - and as those winter nights are with us (and Christmas is coming) what better time to lay in 'a little something' for the work bench?!

For details visit the HAMEX 2 site here.

THE HAMEX MODEL EXPO - H-DAY VIDEO RELEASE

The HAMEX (Hanslope Model Expo) went off OK, and for a first-time event it really seemed to do the stuff. Mat Irvine demonstrated Doctor Who’s K-9 robodog and showed groups of science fiction enthusiasts various props and models from BBC TV series that he has worked on, including Blake’s 7 and Moonbase 3.

We made the quickie video above with an iPod Nano, which gives pretty good results bearing in mind it’s little bigger than a stick of chewing gum. The tiny machine is particularly impressive for its closeup abilities - even in fairly dim lighting the pimple-sized lens can give sharp results when recording objects as close as 20-30 mm (1 in) away. Simply amazing, especially when paired with the iMovie video editing software that comes free with any Apple computer.

Take a look at iPods here.

THE HAMEX MODEL EXPO - H-MINUS 5 DAYS...

Here’s another trail for the HAMEX event we’re involved with this coming Sunday, November 29. If you’re in reach (there’s a map on the link below), it’ll be well a visit, so do come along and visit us if you can.

HAMEX (Hanslope Model Expo) is masterminded by Mat Irvine, who will be bringing along lots of his BBC Special Effects models and props, including the Doctor Who K-9 robodog, the Liberator spacecraft from the classic Blake’s 7 TV series, and a world-first: space models from the 1973 BBC science fiction series Moonbase 3.

Mat will be hosting two informal question-and-answer sessions, one at 1130, one at 1430 - and if you’re a dog-lover (or a robot fiend) then K-9 will be in rolling-robot demo mode!

HAMEX co-host Paul Fitzmaurice of Little Cars will be there too, with a galaxy of tasty tools and accessories for model makers.

David Jefferis (‘Mr J’) of Scale Model News will show a fascinating range of items from the SMN vaults, and with luck we’ll be showing some videos too.

Check out the Hanslope Model Expo here.

Check out Little Cars here.

Mat Irvine’s site is here.

THE HAMEX MODEL EXPO - H-MINUS 24 DAYS AND COUNTING...

Here’s a trail for a UK model event later this month. If you’re in reach (there’s a map at the link below), here’s the date for your diary: Sunday, November 29. It’ll be the first - of many we hope - model events that SMN will be co-sponsoring.

HAMEX (Hanslope Model Expo) is masterminded by Mat Irvine, who will be bringing along lots of his BBC Special Effects sci-fi stuff, including the Liberator spacecraft from the classic Blake’s 7 TV series (top pic above), the Doctor Who K-9 robodog (bottom) and much more besides.

HAMEX co-host Paul Fitzmaurice of Little Cars will be there, with a galaxy of tasty tools and accessories for model makers.

David Jefferis (‘Mr J’) of Scale Model News will present the Win-A-Prize competition, plus a fascinating gallery of items from the SMN model vaults, and with luck we’ll be projecting some videos too.

Check out the Hanslope Model Expo here.

Check out Little Cars here.

Mat Irvine’s site is here.

HAMEX - A ONE-DAY EVENT FOR UK MODEL FANS

If you’re in reach of the UK’s Milton Keynes area, here’s a date for your diary - Sunday, November 19, which will be when the first model event (of many we hope) that SMN is co-sponsoring opens its doors.

The Hanslope Model Expo (HAMEX for short) is being masterminded by Mat Irvine (pictured above) who will be bringing along lots of his BBC Special Effects stuff, including Doctor Who’s K-9 robodog, the Liberator spacecraft from the classic Blake’s 7 TV series, and much more besides.

HAMEX co-host Paul Fitzmaurice of Little Cars will be there, with all sorts of tasty tools and accessories for model makers.

David Jefferis (‘Mr J’) of Scale Model News will present the Win-A-Prize competition, plus a fascinating gallery of items from the SMN vaults.


Check out the Hanslope Model Expo here.

Check out Little Cars here.

Introducing Mat Irvine: a master of the model world

SMN is delighted to welcome Mat Irvine aboard the site. Mat is well regarded as the ‘Dean of TV Special Effects’ and has written many modelling books, including two that we’ve reviewed here in the last few weeks.

Mat is also known as ‘Keeper of the Dog’, said animal being K-9, Doctor Who’s famed robodog. Mat maintains K-9 in full working order, and demos the little mechanoid regularly, to devoted Who fans. Mat is touring in the USA at present, and will be sending over on-the-spot reports while he’s on the move.

The pic of Mat above btw was featured in a recent convention in London. To see what's happening in July this year, visit the London Film and Comic Con.