Top 10 Fan Title Sequences
Guest contributor Andrew Gledhill-Carr shares his list.
It’s certainly not a secret that part of my love for Doctor Who goes to the inventive title sequences alone. The ever changing visuals and theme tune are one of the most exciting (and sometimes traumatizing!) regenerations the show goes through. So because of this, I have spent a great deal of time, over the years, watching every Whovian’s attempt at making their own. And oh what titles we have gotten!
Before I begin the countdown, I’d like to thank all these people who were talented enough to create such wonderful sequences, and if yours isn’t in this list, do not despair! I don’t hate you. Heck, I might not even have seen it. This is just one person’s opinion and ranking, picking the ones that stood out to me the most.
10. Doctor Who Fan Made Titles – By Jack Willett
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqISzfECvI4
To kick off this list we have a rather simple sequence, but it has a certain cinematic quality that sets itself apart from the others, even the various titles the show itself has used! The orange colours are beautifully warm and harkens rather, in my opinion, to the War Doctor. Though orange in general is such a Doctor Who colour! Between the hues of Gallifrey and regeneration energy. So it just works very well. I also adore the name titles, as they fly by in full 3D with a cinematic “woosh!” But then, I miss the 3D names we used to have so that is hardly surprising. *Cries in a corner*
9. Series 8 Title Sequence – By Auton710
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMhiEXg3XBE
I can’t quite put my finger on what I like about this one so much. I think perhaps it’s the exotic colours and shapes used that brings back memories of Baker and Pertwee’s opening credits. It also uses an excellent rendition of the theme that suits Capaldi rather well. (Courtesy of Gwylock1).
8. Original Concept “Glass” Title Sequence – By CloisterProductions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC2gFpVKMbA
This is a rather excellent show of talent and creativity. While graphically, it might not be as strong as others, for me, it’s the idea, and how that idea was portrayed that counts. Glass is actually something that works rather well to represent time, no thanks to the wonderful ITV show: Primeval, with its shard-like time doors known as anomalies. I just love how the sequence begins, changing colour and position in space through multiple glass-fragmented holes.
7. 2010 Titles Sequence V3 – By ManservantPablo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOdJXvt2S8c
Unfortunately there are some aspects to this creation that are a little rough around the edges. The credited names and title card transitions, for example. But I had to include this as it stuck so very well in memory. Incorporating elements, such as the planes, the ship and the asteroids into a very gaseous, violent time vortex works wonderfully. It makes the place feel like a chaotic, dangerous nexus at the heart of time and space, ripping into every moment of creation.
6. Modern 3D (William Hartnell) – By Omega Films
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADD3a4NIBKE
This is what we might have seen if Hartnell was given a more conventional vortex. I’ll admit, I don’t think it quite matches the alien majesty of the original it is based from. It is, however, just exceptionally wonderful to experience that “what-if” reality and see his classic, camera-feedback sequence turned into a journey through a time tunnel.
5. Alternative 2011 Titles – By Sam Woodhall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbegYFQKAYg
Special shout-out to this sequence, as it was one of the first fan-creations I ever saw. And I thought it excellent. While not as complex as others, I find the green colour and name credits just fantastic to observe. The way the names curve and tilt, like the camera Field of View is exceptionally high, is just very visually appealing to watch and the dramatic rays of light behind the logo makes for a suitably dark and mysterious experience.
4. MegaMix Title Sequence – By NeonVisual
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ6baspw2sk
To pick a sequence from Xander David-Hugh’s fantastic repertoire of titles is to pick an all-time favourite episode of the show itself. It’s nigh impossible with so many excellent choices! However, I really liked the cinematic aspect to this one. The way the TARDIS enters with a super high quality render of its bulb (to spend such detail to just a small aspect of the ship astonished me) and then explodes into stars is just so exhilarating to observe. And everything after is equally excellent. Also notice the very subtle detail of seeing the console room through the windows? I have never quite seen that done before.
3. 8th Doctor Dark Eyes Titles – By Jack Willett
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APxb-GIood0
This is such an excellent visualization of the Big Finish, Eighth Doctor theme in title form. I just had to put it so high. The purple ribbon-like energy is absolutely stunning to watch. It is dark, magical and mysterious. I especially love how as the show title vanishes, there is a beautiful pulse that distorts and changes the vortex as the words: Dark Eyes come in. It gives those mysterious titular words such gravitas within the sequence. The slower, restrained TARDIS also adds a dream-like calm to the spectacle.
2. Series 8 Title Sequence – By John Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJrqA0auTSY
There were two title sequences I would have killed to have as the official Series 8 credits. This was one of them. I think it’s fair to say, that if Tom Baker was the Doctor in 2015, this is what we might have gotten. It totally captures that nostalgic vortex design and makes it completely new again! I love how the tunnel’s texture doesn’t actually move. It’s wonderfully bizarre, like time and space is frozen and wrapped around into a gap that the TARDIS can traverse. Such a beautiful concept. And the 3D names are just so excellently rendered that this might yet be the record for title graphical quality!
1. Original Concept Peter Capaldi Intro – By Billy Hanshaw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXOBHnWiinY
Luckily for everyone, I didn’t have to kill after all, because this became (more or less) the official sequence for Series 8. It is excellent in every way. I have never seen such a unique idea, and to have its essence play at the beginning of every episode for the Twelfth Doctor (as far) is a present I did never, ever expect to receive.
I just adore the purple and black colours used here, and I honestly believe that this might have been something Hartnell would have had if he was the Doctor today. The TARDIS flies by so elegantly on the spiralled clock backgrounds that it is rather shocking to see, as we are so used to it speeding through like it’s piloted by a mad-man.
Well done Billy, you totally deserved the spotlight as part of the show’s history.
(Also, shout-out to Hardwire Productions. Your arrangement of the 2005-2007 theme tune is so good, I still cry at both how epic it is and the fact it wasn’t used alongside the official titles.)
Well I hope my list was somewhat satisfactory, and I hope you’ll let me know in the comments on your thoughts on the ranking. I’m sure I’ve missed some excellent productions on the internet though, so if you are one of those people, I am very sorry! But rest assured I’ll come across it eventually. That’s a promise!
