The first release is BTR Video's first-ever project, Doctor Who serial Rapture the Heavens. This mammoth production took nearly 12 whole months to realise from beginning to end, and is one of our most popular films of all time. Despite having several technical flaws (such as being shot on VHS-C), the engaging script, acting, and incidental music are what carry the production.
DOCTOR WHO: RAPTURE THE HEAVENS BY WITOLD TIETZE AND MATTHEW KOPELKEAfter hearing disturbing reports on a local news bulletin about an infectious microbe in the Brisbane water supply, the Doctor decides it's time these reports were investigated, and teams up with an old friend of his to help him -- Jennifer Langard.
Discovering that the CSIRO holds all the answers, the Doctor and Jenny attempt a raid on the local facility to find a sample of the virus so that the Doctor can use the Tardis' computers to work on an antidote.
Once there, the Doctor is plunged into a world of insider dealing, treachous deceit, and international marketing. However, one thing is certain: Mr Joseph Gutnick wants the viral strain that is threatening to tear Brisbane apart. And he's prepared to go to any lengths to get it.
Even the destruction of an entire country is not a concern of his...
The Doctor: MATTHEW KOPELKE
Jennifer Langard: JANA KILDEY
Newsreader: TED TIETZE
Cameron Haines: JACOB ALDRIDGE
Joseph Gutnick: WITOLD TIETZE
Security officers: SAM ANDREWS and DAVID HUTCHISON
Rainor Vance: KANE MAJOR
Louise Murnau: WENDY MUSGROVE
Sharpshooter: SCOTT MARSHALL
Theme music by RON GRAINER, realised by ALISTAIR LOCK
Incidental music by CHRIS THOMPSON
Sound design: MATTHEW KOPELKE
Title sequence: CHRIS SUTOR
Videotape editor: MATTHEW KOPELKE
Camera: WITOLD TIETZE
Additional camera: SCOTT MARSHALL, DAVID HUTCHISON, KANE MAJOR and MATTHEW KOPELKE
Electrical and Lighting: TED TIETZE
Producer: MATTHEW KOPELKE
Assistant director: SCOTT MARSHALL
Director: WITOLD TIETZE
Storyline (c) 2000 BTR Productions -- no attempt is being made to supersede or infringe any other existing Copyright in relation to Doctor Who, which remains property of the British Broadcasting Corproation
This feature is presented with extras of:
- Trailer
- Bloopers
- Incidental music by Chris Thompson
- Stormfront, a re-edited and re-engineered Special Edition of Rapture the Heavens
DOCTOR WHO: DEEP UNDERCURRENTS BY DARRAN JORDANThe Doctor and Guy arrive at a seaside town after hearing disturbing reports of ships being sunk out in the ocean by some unearthly force. The Doctor feels the situation needs investigating, and Guy feels the need for a holiday.
The pair of them set off in a hired boat to discover just what is going on. Why are boats sinking in calm weather? Why has there been a strange glow sighted in the ocean depths? Before long, their boat is attacked out at sea -- but by whom and why, the Doctor doesn't know.
All he does know is that Guy is in danger -- and he must find him before whatever is out there is able to claim more lives...
The Doctor: MATTHEW KOPELKE
Guy Anwar: KANE MAJOR
Walker: SUSANNAH TILLER
Walker's costume by SUSANNAH TILLER
Incidental music by GEOFFREY BURGON and PETER HOWELL
Camera / Videotape editor: WITOLD TIETZE
Producer: MATTHEW KOPELKE
Director: WITOLD TIETZE
Storyline (c) 2002 BTR Productions -- no attempt is being made to supersede or infringe any other existing Copyright in relation to Doctor Who, which remains property of the British Broadcasting Corproation
This feature is presented with extras of:
- Bloopers
- Return to Shorncliffe, location visit documentary featuring writer Darran Jordan
- Special Edition
DOCTOR WHO: TIME TO GO HOME BY PETER GREHANThe tramp lives on his own. He doesn't bother any other living soul. He lives in a deserted garage, in a deserted abandoned home, in a forgotten city. He is the perfect nobody.
Enter a mysterious stranger with a strange story to tell. A story of bright lights in the sky, a story of alien worlds, a story of spaceships. A stranger who steps in from the cold, threatening rain, and into the dry, safe world of the tramp.
The question is: which of them is sane? The stranger with his even stranger story, or the safe and down-on-his-luck tramp...?
The Doctor: MATTHEW KOPELKE
Tramp: DAVID HUTCHISON
Camera / Videotape editor: WITOLD TIETZE
Additional camera: KATHRYN FALLON
Music composed by PAUL HILDEMITH, performed by THE ORF SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Producer: MATTHEW KOPELKE
Director: WITOLD TIETZE
Storyline (c) 2002 BTR Productions -- no attempt is being made to supersede or infringe any other existing Copyright in relation to Doctor Who, which remains property of the British Broadcasting Corproation
This feature is presented with a Bloopers extra.
Reminders
> Each week, BTR cast and crew are available online to hear what the listeners have to say about the latest releases and re-releases, what went over well and what wasn't so successful. In just a few short weeks' time, there will be even more for BTRchat to sink its collective teeth into -- with the ABC's Australian premiere screening of the new Doctor Who series starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper now confirmed for Saturday nights at 7:30pm (local time) commencing 21 May, BTRchat is set to become the first stop for Australian viewers to drop in and discuss their first impressions of the series with fellow viewers and fans.
BTRchat is on at the BTR website, http://www.btrproductions.org, each Saturday night at 11pm Brisbane time (GMT+10). For other parts of the world, and with Daylight Saving changeovers recently completed, this timeslot equates to--
- New Zealand: 1:00 Sunday
- Adelaide and Darwin: 22:30 Saturday
- Perth: 21:00 Saturday
- UK: 14:00 Saturday (summertime)
- GMT: 13:00 Saturday
- US/Canada Eastern: 9:00 Saturday (summertime)
- US/Canada Central: 8:00 Saturday (summertime)
- US/Canada Pacific: 6:00 Saturday (summertime)
> BTR's WAP service provides BTRnews to your mobile phone or PDA at tagtag.com/btrpro/. The WAP service can also be accessed from the greater Web using the Wapaliser at http://www.gelon.net -- type any WAPsite address into the text box and click "WAPalise" to have the content of the specified WAPsite delivered in a representation of one of a number of WAP-capable mobile phones.