Visual effects designer

s were the people in charge of what was called "visual effects" during the 1963 run of Doctor Who. The title is only historically accurate, however, because the film industry has since differentiated between "visual effects" and "special effects". Most of what Doctor Who "visual effects designers" did would now be considered "special effects" by BBC Wales, because most of it happened in-camera during principal photography, rather than during post-production (although much of these effects indeed were achieved in separate sessions, added in as film inserts).
In addition, many VEDs amassed mostly "special effects" credits and awards outside of Doctor Who. This strongly suggests the true nature of their work.
== A variety of credits ==
This position was credited in several ways. Because of interchangeability of the terms "special effects" and "visual effects" during the 20th century, the job sometimes was credited with "Special Effects Designed by" on the occasional serial as far back as The Wheel in Space. The position was also credited as simply "Visual Effects" on a few serials, dating to The Tomb of the Cybermen. However, with the Barry Letts producership, the majority of serials bore the credit, "Visual Effects Designer". The position was still in flux, however, and some serials bore both "Visual Effects" and "Visual Effects Designer", and one serial had the credit "Visual Effects Design".
Beginning with Tom Baker's first story, the name of the position was standardised as "Visual Effects Designer". It was never changed again during the remainder of the original run of the programme.
== List of visual effects designers ==
=== Season 4 ===
* The Evil of the Daleks - Peter Day and Michaeljohn HarrisUncredited on surviving episodes; however, Troughton serials typically gave expanded crew credits only on the final episodes. It's entirely possible the person or persons named here were credited on the last episode, but since it no longer exists, that fact can't be verified without access to the BBC archives.
=== Season 5 ===
* The Tomb of the Cybermen - Peter Day and Michealjohn HarrisThis is a rare Troughton-era example of the credit being simply "Visual Effects". Like most Troughton-era crew credits, this one only came on the final part of the serial.
* The Abominable Snowmen - Ulrich Grosser and Ron Oates
* The Ice Warriors - Ron Oates and Bernard Wilkie
* The Web of Fear - Ron Oates
* Fury from the Deep - Peter Day and Len HuttonThere are no surviving episodes of this serial. Therefore, the credits as transmitted can't be examined. It's impossible, without access to the BBC's archives, to know whether the person or persons named here were actually credited on screen.
* The Wheel in Space - Bill KingUncredited on most episodes; part 6 has Bill King under "Special Effects Designed by". His company, Trading Post, is not named on this episode.
=== Season 6 ===
* The Dominators - Ron OatesCredited on final part only, under "Visual Effects Designed by"
* The Mind Robber - Jack Kine and Bernard Wilkie
* The Invasion - Bill King (Trading Post)
* The Krotons - Bill King (Trading Post)This is the first and only credit for Bill King where the use of parentheses makes it clear that Trading Post is the company to which King belongs. For clarity, we use the parentheses throughout this chart.
* The Seeds of Death - Bill King (Trading Post)
* The Space Pirates - John Wood
* The War Games - Michaeljohn HarrisCredited on last episode only, under title of "Special Effects designed by". Typeset makes it appear as though his name is Michael John Harris.
=== Season 7 ===
* Spearhead from Space - John HortonCredited as "Special Effects designed by" on all episodes.
* Doctor Who and the Silurians - Jim Ward
* The Ambassadors of Death - Peter Day and Ian ScoonesCredited as "Visual Effects".
* Inferno - Len Hutton
=== Season 8 ===
* Terror of the Autons - Michaeljohn Harris
* The Mind of Evil - Jim Ward
* The Claws of Axos - John HortonCredited as "Visual Effects Designer"
* Colony in Space - Bernard Wilkie
* The Dæmons - Peter Day
=== Season 9 ===
* Day of the Daleks - Jim Ward
* The Curse of Peladon - Ian Scoones and Bernard WilkieParts one and two have Ian Scoones as "Visual Effects Designer". When Wilkie joins him on parts three and four, the credit becomes "Visual Effects". Wilkie was supposed to be credited on the first two episodes, but an oversight by one of the production team meant he only gained credit on episodes three and four. (INFO: The Curse of Peladon)
* The Sea Devils - Peter Day
* The Mutants - John Horton
* The Time Monster - Michealjohn Harris
=== Season 10 ===
* The Three Doctors - Michaeljohn HarrisOnly credited on the first and last episodes; no one is credited for this position on the middle episodes.
* Carnival of Monsters - John HortonCredited as "Visual Effects Design".
* Frontier in Space - Rhys Jones and Bernard WilkieBoth individuals are listed as "Visual Effects Designers".
* Planet of the Daleks - Clifford Culley
* The Green Death - Ron Oates
=== Season 11 ===
* The Time Warrior - Jim Ward
* Invasion of the Dinosaurs - Clifford Culley
* Death to the Daleks - Jim Ward
* The Monster of Peladon - Peter Day
* Planet of the Spiders - Bernard Wilkie
=== Season 12 Beginning with this season, the name for the position would remain fixed at "Visual Effects Designer" through to Sylvester McCoy's last serial. Serials past this point bear the title "Visual Effects Designer", unless otherwise noted. ===
* Robot - Clifford Culley
* The Ark in Space - John Friedlander and Tony Oxley
* The Sontaran Experiment - John Friedlander and Tony Oxley
* Genesis of the Daleks - Peter Day
* Revenge of the Cybermen - James Ward
=== Season 13 ===
* Terror of the Zygons - John Horton
* Planet of Evil - Dave Havard
* Pyramids of Mars - Ian Scoones
* The Android Invasion - Len Hutton
* The Brain of Morbius - John Horton
* The Seeds of Doom - Richard Conway
=== Season 14 ===
* The Masque of Mandragora - Ian Scoones
* The Hand of Fear - Colin Mapson
* The Deadly Assassin - Peter Day and Len Hutton
* The Face of Evil - Mat Irvine
* The Robots of Death - Richard Conway
* The Talons of Weng-Chiang - Michaeljohn Harris
=== Season 15 ===
* Horror of Fang Rock - Peter Pegrum
* The Invsible Enemy - Tony Harding and Ian Scoones
* Image of the Fendahl - Colin Mapson
* The Sun Makers - Peter Day and Peter Logan
* Underworld - Richard Conway
* The Invasion of Time - Richard Conway and Colin Mapson
=== Season 16 ===
* The Ribos Operation - Dave Havard
* The Pirate Planet - Colin Mapson
* The Stones of Blood - Mat Irvine
* The Androids of Tara - Len Hutton
* The Power of Kroll - Tony Harding
* The Armageddon Factor - John Horton
=== Season 17 ===
* Destiny of the Daleks - Peter Logan
* City of Death - Ian Scoones
* The Creature from the Pit - Mat Irvine
* Nightmare of Eden - Colin Mapson
* The Horns of Nimon - Peter Pegrum
=== Season 18 ===
* The Leisure Hive - Andrew Lazell
* Meglos - Steven Drewett
* Full Circle - John Brace
* State of Decay - Tony Harding
* Warriors' Gate - Mat Irvine
* The Keeper of Traken - Peter Logan
* Logopolis - John Horton
=== Season 19 ===
* Castrovalva - Simon McDonald
* Four to Doomsday - Mickey Edwards
* Kinda - Peter Logan
* The Visitation - Peter Wragg
* Black Orchid - Tony Auger
* Earthshock - Steve Bowman
* Time-Flight - Peter Logan
=== Season 20 ===
* Arc of Infinity - Chris Lawson
* Snakedance - Andrew Lazell
* Mawdryn Undead - Stuart Brisdon
* Terminus - Peter Pegrum
* Enlightenment - Mike Kelt
* The King's Demons - Tony Harding
* The Five Doctors - John Brace and Mike Kelt
=== Season 21 ===
* Warriors of the Deep - Mat Irvine
* The Awakening - Tony Harding
* Frontios - Dave Havard
* Resurrection of the Daleks - Peter Wragg
* Planet of Fire - Chris Lawson
* The Caves of Androzani - Stuart Brisdon and Jim Francis
* The Twin Dilemma - Stuart Brisdon
=== Season 22 ===
* Attack of the Cybermen - Chris Lawson
* Vengeance on Varos - Charles Jeanes
* The Mark of the Rani - David Barton
* The Two Doctors - Steven Drewett
* Timelash - Kevin Molloy
* Revelation of the Daleks - John Brace
=== Season 23 ===
* The Mysterious Planet - Mike Kelt
* Mindwarp - Peter Wragg
* Terror of the Vervoids - Kevin Molloy
* The Ultimate Foe - Kevin Molloy
=== Season 24 ===
* Time and the Rani - Colin Mapson
* Paradise Towers - Simon Taylor
* Delta and the Bannermen - Andy McVean
* Dragonfire - Andy McVean
=== Season 25 ===
* Remembrance of the Daleks - Stuart Brisdon
* The Happiness Patrol - Perry Brahan
* Silver Nemesis - Perry Brahan
* The Greatest Show in the Galaxy - Steve Bowman
=== Season 26 ===
* Battlefield - Dave Bezkorowajny
* Ghost Light - Malcolm James
* The Curse of Fenric - Graham Brown
* Survival - Malcolm James
== Notes ==
Category:Production team titles
Category:Doctor Who visual effects designers