Behind the Scenes: The Challenges of Working with Real Babies in Doctor Who’s Latest Episode

Swapping real infants for dolls in television and film productions is a common practice, especially in the UK, due to strict laws and regulations governing the working hours of child actors. In a recent episode of Doctor Who, titled “Village of the Angels,” the use of dolls in place of real babies was necessary to adhere to these regulations.

According to actor Dipo Ola, who plays Joseph Williamson in the episode, the use of dolls was a practical solution to ensure that the production could stay within the limits set by the actors’ union and child performance laws. Each child actor on set is required to have a performance license, and productions must accurately report the amount of time each child spends on set and ensure that they have appropriate breaks to be with their parents or assigned guardians.

While the use of real babies may have been preferable for the actors in terms of holding them, their limited ability to act and unpredictable behavior made filming challenging. Ola explains, “You can’t control their movements, they’re not professionals.” This resulted in the need for prosthetic models and visual effects to create realistic scenes involving newborns and infants.

In addition to the logistical challenges posed by working with real babies, filming on a green screen or volume set presented its own set of unique circumstances. Actress Shobna Gulati, who plays Niska, recalls the surreal experience of acting alongside fully dressed green men shaking prams. The use of visual effects and post-production editing were crucial in bringing these scenes to life.

Despite the challenges faced by the cast and crew, it’s clear that their efforts paid off in creating a compelling and visually stunning episode. Fans may have differing opinions on the use of dolls in place of real infants, but it’s evident that the production team went to great lengths to ensure that the episode stayed true to the vision of showrunner Russell T Davies.

Overall, the behind-the-scenes look at the use of dolls in place of real babies in “Village of the Angels” provides insight into the intricate and often overlooked aspects of television production. It serves as a reminder of the creativity and resourcefulness required to bring a script to life on screen, even in the face of strict regulations and logistical challenges.