Tardis Deadlines and the Reveal...

We are on the final push now with an impending deadline fast approaching when the #Amazing Space film crew would be back to film the "Reveal". One of the key features of the build was the "drawbridge " style front which could be lowered to form a deck for the kids to play on. Sounds simple enough, but as the front was so heavy it would require a winch to crank it up and down. The hardest part was siting the winch so it wouldn't be in the way and yet accessible. This required trial and error attempts with small pulleys and adjusting the hinges at the bottom so the Tardis front could be lowered and raised safely.

  Once we had that cracked , it was time to turn to the interior. We needed to build two bunks one of which could fold away, storage and a desk for Erin , plus space for Joel's sensory equipment. All of the interior was built from salvaged timber from Erin's school, like the old shelving in the picture. This timber had been old cupboard doors, shelves in the kitchen and an old desk and chair found in the cellar. This was my favourite part as we turned  old junk into something special with a little imagination and a lick of paint.

  As we were going to need power to the Tardis I stole an idea from our Campervan, by using a camping electric hookup lead. This saved a lot of money and made the Tardis easier to move in the future. The last things to go in were the seat/mattress pads for the bunks and these were the one thing I didn't make. A good friend works at a local upholsterers' and they made up two seat pads at cost price.  The night before the "Big Reveal" was due to be filmed two stylists came up from Channel 4 to help us "Dress" the Tardis  so it looked it's best for the camera's. Erin found this part great fun as it meant we got to play with smoke machines and fairy lights. By the time we turned in for bed that night , the Tardis looked a truly magical place.





  The next day dawned full of excitement, when the film crew descended on us...Our kitchen was churning out bacon butties for the crew and the morning was spent filming lots of exterior shots using "polecams"..(literally cameras on poles) and the smoke machine for "atmospheric effect". George Clarke (Presenter of George Clarkes "AmazingSpaces" ) turned up later in the morning to do the filming and interviews with me and Erin. He was a consummate professional who made us feel relaxed and was as nice in person as he is on TV.

 

 

 

So was it worth it?? You bet!!It was great fun building the Tardis and the film crew from Channel 4 were the best. But in the end none of that mattered, as the real reason we build the Tardis was for Erin and Joel to play in and inspire they're imaginations. Has it worked?...Well they have been in the Tardis EVERYDAY since we finished filming last year and Joel just loves being there, particularly lying on the top bunk gazing through the roof lights..So what's next?. Well we decided to enter the Tardis for the #Shedoftheyear competition running in April 2015 So you never know you may see more of the Tardis on the telly later this year... #fingerscrossed

Oh.....and the cost...£293.29p...  :-)