We continue our weekly creator spotlight with Episode Three: Stealer of Souls, written by James Wylder, story by co-project lead Caitlin Smith and Tayla Fonseca, and illustrated by Charlie Godmer.
Writer: Caitlin Smith
Tumblr: abossycontrolfreak.tumblr.com | Twitter: @bossy_clara
How did you come to Doctor Who? What’s your journey with the show?
I got into the show back in 2010, back when I was a big Merlin fan and watching everything Colin Morgan was in. I watched Midnight, and well, that was that, I was a Doctor Who fan! Over the next few months I caught up with all of New Who, until I was ready to start watching live with The Impossible Astronaut.
Getting really into the fandom though, that didn’t start until Clara came along. I started writing meta pretty much as soon as Asylum of the Daleks aired, analysing her character and making predictions about where she might be headed (some of which even came true!). And then I just kept going, finding other fans who wanted to talk about Clara almost as much as I did.
What is your favourite thing about the show?
Clara! I would say I’m joking, but I do think that’s the truth. I don’t really have words for how much she means to me, how much of a difference she’s made to my life, my confidence and my self image.
Of course, I do have a lot of love for the show on it’s own. The themes of hope, kindness and change have shaped the way I see the world, and the way I interact with it.
So, what’s it like writing for TUA? What are you most excited for?
It’s so unlike anything I’ve done before! My previous writing experience was the short fanfics I wrote in high school and a lot of essays about Clara, so there's been quite a process to getting something of a quality we can all be proud of. It’s been a steep learning curve on the writing craft for me, but with so much support from the rest of the team and a passion for Clara to drive me, it’s definitely more of an adventure than a chore!
I’ve also loved developing the series and character arcs with Ruth and the other writers, making sure we’re true to Clara’s character while also pushing her in new directions - something I’ve particularly tried to do with this episode.
How did your episode come to be? Where did you look for inspiration: Doctor Who itself, other places, bit of both?
This episode started with Tayla’s first draft and her worldbuilding ideas, so that was obviously a big inspiration. After I came on board I looked for what this story could do with Clara and Me that would reveal new facets to their characters. For Clara in particular, I wanted to push her somewhere quite dark, somewhere the show had hinted at but never quite gone.
Sum up your episode in 3 words!
Pushing Clara’s Limits.
Writer: Tayla Fonseca
Tumblr: theonewhotravelsintime.tumblr.com | Twitter: @taylz19_TTT
How did you come to Doctor Who? What’s your journey with the show?
2006 was the year that I was introduced to Doctor Who by my step dad. I was 12 back then and it was the first time I'd heard of the series. 10 was the Doctor that got me interested in the show. Doctor Who wasn't as well known in South Africa… maybe it was shown, who knows? Now at 24, my love for it is still going strong.
It's hard to pinpoint my favourite journey with Doctor Who, but one in particular was growing up alongside it. Watching the growth between the companion and the Doctor, but most of it is all about the story arc and how you relate to the characters as the story progresses.
What is your favourite thing about the show?
My favourite thing about the show is not just the Doctor but the travelling, whether it's to the past or to the future or anywhere in between. You feel as if you're in the stories themselves. Whenever you need to escape reality, Doctor Who is the place to be.
So, what’s it like writing for TUA? What are you most excited for?
It’s an exciting experience, and getting the chance to work with another writer helps me to know where they are coming from and vice versa. I love Clara, and when Ruth was asking those who would be interested in writing about her adventures away from the Doctor I jumped at the chance and haven’t looked back since. It’s an honour working alongside so many talented writers, collaborating well as a team and swapping ideas. I’m so excited about the series as a whole and am looking forward to reading everyone else’s stories and getting feedback on ours.
How did your episode come to be? Where did you look for inspiration: Doctor Who itself, other places, bit of both?
My episode came to be after several drafts and ideas. For quite some time I had this idea of a shadowy figure who has worked behind the scenes for centuries, all to get the attention of a certain Time Lord, which set things in motion from the get-go. I started worldbuilding and just general script writing, but had help in forming the story with Caitlin.
I looked for inspiration both in Doctor Who and other places because I wanted to create an original character who would have ties to the Doctor Who universe, reading up on things and developing the planet in the story and it's inhabitants.
Sum up your episode in 3 words!
Thrilling, Mysterious, Epic.
Artist: Charlie Godmer
Tumblr: spoonlesss-artbook.tumblr.com
What’s your journey with Doctor Who? Did it inspire your art?
I've been a big fan of the show for around 10 years, and it has deeply inspired my art since I started drawing. Actually my goal when I began to draw seriously was to be able to create fan comics; something I never did. But it's still the main focus of my art, most of my paintings are portraits of Doctor Who characters and actors.
What are you most excited about when it comes to doing art for this series? What do you think are/will be the greatest challenges?
It's my first big project and it's pretty exciting to be part of it, to know that it's not just me working on my own personal project but that it's a team effort. For the greatest challenges, I would say that it's being accurate in transferring the atmosphere and characters that the authors have created.
Can you give us some non-spoilery teases about the look of the episode and the art you’re going to provide for it?
It's hard to answer at this stage without being misleading, but I would say purplely and a hint of green.
