10 interesting behind-the-scenes facts about Into the Dalek

Of all the New Who Dalek episodes, Into the Dalek is the one that takes the most inspiration from Classic Who when it comes to visual effects. This episode is packed with all kinds of practical effects - model shots, pyrotechnics, creative use of materials, and plenty of Dalek prop action. In this video, we are going to take a look at ten behind-the-scenes facts about Into the Dalek.
This video acts as a pseudo-remake of some of my earlier work, combing several shorter videos into an omnibus.
All footage is the property of the BBC. Music by Frank Klepacki

[@The12thDimension.]

Did whoever Directed Into The Dalek return for future Doctor Who stories? Their preference for miniatures is really cool and the overall cinematography for this episode is simply incredible, probably one of the best shot episodes of the Moffat era aside from The Girl Who Waited and Rachel Talalay's episodes.

[@someguy3752]

He didn't "return" to Doctor Who at all, but he did also direct Deep Breath, the story that immediately precedes this one.

[@The12thDimension.]

@someguy3752 shame, those were 2 damn good looking episodes.

[@samueljordan3177]

He's a pretty well known low budget movie director if I remember rightly

[@princecharon]

The 'paintball gun with little gunpowder packets' idea seems like something that could be used on a lot of other productions where you're shooting a prop. I wonder how often it is, though.

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

It's fairly common in BBC shows.

[@luis99tv]

The best modern era Dalek story

[@timecontroller8800]

A bold and accurate statement while it’s not my favourite I do really like it because it gives us a glimpse of a proper dalek space war something we reallyyy need because in new who we haven’t really had the daleks do a proper operation and plan that hasn’t got earth involved in some way only 4 episodes don’t have the daleks attacking earth in any significant way which really makes the doctor who universe seem that bit smaller so we really need to have the daleks attack another planet and it would probably give the writers a bit more freedom with the daleks as u could even blow up this planet that’s something u can’t do with earth

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

Great use of the toys in this one!

[@ReiverBlue1971]

LOVELY stuff! Some unusual but still interesting info.

[@anndra8687]

The effects and prop work on this episode are just fantastic. It's possibly the high point of Dalek action. I hope they do more like this

[@mr.valeyard8810]

I like the idea of certain daleks having cushioning implanted in the casing and they hide it like a jock hiding a plushie.

[@Lumibear.]

This episode looked great, even the digitally added laser beams lit up the backgrounds a little, the effects were so well thought through that it really made it all feel real, not bad considering what a totally crazy premise it has.

[@timecontroller8800]

This to me always proves why doctor who doesn’t need really expensive budgets and lots of CGI as all it needs is some creativity and practicality and they can achieve something that looks way better than some massive movie budgets that waist millions on some things that don’t even look that good

[@chrisb3585]

I highly recommend the book Doctor Who A Book Of Monsters by David J. Howe (published in 1997) for a lot of the behind the scenes facts and stories concerning Classic Who's roster of monsters and villains, including a whole chapter dedicated to the Daleks.

[@59rlmccormack]

No clue what to say here. Nice work gathering details.

[@AnubisX1]

Just goes to show that practical effects will always trump cgi. The CGI daleks post parting of the ways have always looked dodgy and have progressively got worse right up this day. CGI has its play, to compliment practical, the slugs from dot and bubble perfect example of this. Practical monster, enhanced with CG.
The model shots for the daleks always look amazing, best example of this is time of the doctor where they used the 18inch voice controlled daleks.
I've never understood why the CGI dalek props look so off when the VFX department has full access to the props. It should be impossible to get them so wrong, when fans produce more accurate CGI daleks. The only time the show got them right was series 1.
Still as much as I love this, it will never beat the VFX delight of remembrance of the daleks. Well the explosions in that your not allowed to do anymore.

[@azarothshadowsoul]

Carrying on Wilfred Mott's tradition of using a paintball gun to fight the Daleks I see? 😆🐙🔫

[@badwolf66]

The effects certainly weren't Rusty!

[@ZOMBiFOX13]

I love this episode

[@grahamturner1290]

🐙