Ian McCulloch to join Dimensions 2014 convention Big Finish roster

Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston) will join the panel of Big Finish guests at the upcoming Dimensions 2014 convention, being held at the Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle on 24-26 October 2014.

Other Big Finish guests involved with the Survivors audio dramas include: Ken Bentley (director, writer), David Richardson (producer), Jason Haigh-Ellery (executive producer) and Matt Fitton (writer, script editor). Also appearing at the convention over the course of the weekend, as part of the Doctor Who guest line-up, are Louise Jameson (‘Jackie Burchall’, writer) and Terry Molloy (‘John Redgrave’).

Ian McCulloch - Greg Preston - Survivors - S1 studio day - 2003

Big Finish release trailer for Survivors audio book

Big Finish have released a first trailer for the unabridged audio-book of Terry Nation’s 1976 Survivors novel, voiced by Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant).
 

 
The CD and download versions of the Survivors audio-book, which will be released in December 2014, can be pre-ordered from the Big Finish web shop.

Survivors - Terry Nation - Big Finish - audiobook
Survivors – Terry Nation – Big Finish – audiobook

Big Finish publish episode and cast details for series two Survivors audios

Big Finish have published the episode titles, script writers and cast details for the second series of Survivors audios, scheduled for release in June 2015.

Script editor Matt Fitton has contributed one script, cast member Louise Jameson has penned another, with director Ken Bentley providing the remaining two.

As well as renewed focus on the original trio of core Survivors characters – Abby Grant (Carolyn Seymour), Greg Preston (Ian McCulloch) and Jenny Richards (Lucy Fleming) – series two sees the return of original characters Jackie Burchall (Louise Jameson) and Daniel Connor (John Banks). Amongst the new characters being introduced in the second series are Russell (Tim Treloar), Ridley (Bernard Holley), Molly (Fiona Sheehan) and Irvin Warner (Tim Bentinck).

1: Dark Rain by Ken Bentley
Introducing: Tim Treloar as Russell, Bernard Holley as Ridley
Months after the plague, storms batter the country. As Abby resumes the search for her son, Jackie and Daniel fight for their lives.

2: Mother’s Courage by Louise Jameson
Introducing: Fiona Sheehan as Molly
The search for Peter leads to Aberystwyth, and a community of women who have cut themselves off from the outside world. But what appears to be a safe haven could be nothing of the sort…

3: The Hunted by Ken Bentley
Introducing: Tim Bentinck as Irvin Warner
Greg, Daniel and Russell need the help of survivalist Irvin Warner, who is hiding out in the Brecon Beacons. But predators are roaming in the barren countryside too…

4: Savages by Matt Fitton
Wounded, split apart and fighting for their lives, the survivors discover that survival isn’t everything…

Lucy Fleming (Jenny Richards), Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston), Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant), Louise Jameson (Jackie Burchall), John Banks (Daniel Connor), Bernard Holley (Ridley), Tim Treloar (Russell), Fiona Sheehan (Molly), Tim Bentinck (Irvin Warner)

Producer David Richardson
Script Editor Matt Fitton
Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs

The second series of Survivors is available for pre-order (in CD and digital download formats) from the Big Finish site.

Survivors - audio book of Terry Nation's novel

Big Finish complete recording on second series of Survivors audio adventures

Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant), Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston) and Lucy Fleming (Jenny Richards)
Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant), Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston) and Lucy Fleming (Jenny Richards) in the Big Finish studios, October 2014

Recording of the second series of Big Finish’s Survivors audio adventures has completed this week, and all four episodes are now being scheduled for editing, mixing, music and all post-production tasks ahead of the June 2015 release.

I had the great privilege of attending one of the week’s recording sessions, and was able to interview the cast in between the recording of different scenes and listen in (from the engineer and director’s booth), as sequences from the first episode of the new series were rehearsed and different takes recorded.

Material from these new interviews will be published next year on our dedicated Big Finish Survivors site and in the new edition of The End of the World? book that we’re currently beavering away on.

Ian McCulloch to appear at Abertoir horror film festival

Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston, Survivors) is appearing at the Welsh international horror film festival Abertoir (@AbertoirFest) being held at Aberystwyth Arts Centre in Ceredigion, 11-16 November 2014.

On Saturday 15 November McCulloch will join director Luigi Cozzi for a screening of their 1980 Italian cult sci-fi horror Contamination (one of three Italian horror movies McCulloch starred in shortly after finishing work on Survivors).

On Sunday 16 November, special event An Evening with Ian McCulloch will see the actor and musician in conversation and performance:

Acclaimed actor Ian McCulloch will be taking to the stage for a light-hearted evening looking back at his elaborate career in film and television. Best known for his leading role as Greg Preston in the 70s BBC TV series Survivors, we of course love him for his iconic appearances in three Italian horror movies: Zombie Flesh Eaters, Zombie Holocaust and Contamination. His horror work also includes Hammer House of Horror and The Ghoul, and other work includes Where Eagles Dare, Cromwell, The Professionals and Doctor Who.

We’re delighted to have lured him here to Aberystwyth where he will also be joining us for a Q&A after a screening of his film Contamination on 15th November.

A wealth of entertaining anecdotes takes us through his acting career that Ian promises will be accompanied by video clips, stories and the imminent threat of his guitar!

Ian McCulloch - Contamination  - film poster
Ian McCulloch – Contamination – film poster

The Abertoir festival boasts an extensive programme of screenings, including UK premieres, special events and competitions, showcasing horror films of all different types and genres.

Big Finish reveals cover art for upcoming Survivors audio-book

Big Finish have released the cover artwork for the upcoming audio-book version of Terry Nation’s 1976 Survivors novel. With its ‘shattered glass’ design, the cover art evokes comparison with the original UK paperback and hardback editions of the book – which featured a smashed photo frame containing a portrait of Abby Grant.

Unabridged and voiced by Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant), Survivors – audiobook of novel will be released in a six-disc CD set and in a digital download version in December 2014. Both versions of the Survivors audiobook are available for pre-order on the Big Finish site.

Survivors  - Terry Nation - Big Finish - audiobook
Survivors – Terry Nation – Big Finish – audiobook

A deadly virus spreads across the world as quickly as the passenger jets that encircle it. Within weeks, most of the global population is dead.

The human race is thrown back into the dark ages. The few left alive must rely on the most basic skills to survive one day to the next.

Abby Grant ventures out into a strange new England, her husband dead, the fate of her son unknown. Jenny Richards flees London. Engineer Greg Preston arrives from abroad. Desperate lone travellers come together, their instinct to form a community, even if that means rebuilding civilisation from scratch. But not all who are left have such high ideals…

And while she has the chance of a new beginning, Abby cannot settle until she knows the truth. Has her son survived?

Written by: Terry Nation | Number of Discs: 6 | Duration: 360ms approx | ISBN: 978-1-78178-451-8

Louise Jameson discusses her work on Big Finish’s Survivors dramas

A new interview with Louise Jameson (Jackie Burchall), in which she discusses her highly praised work on the first series of Big Finish’s Survivors audio adventures has been added to the Big Finish Survivors mini-site of Survivors: A World Away.

Says Louise of signing up to take part in the series:

I said ‘yes’ before I’d seen a word. I don’t normally do that, but I trust Big Finish so much. David Richardson has become a really good mate. And as you say, the series was so highly acclaimed too. I didn’t see how it could fail, really. I think they’ve done a fantastic job with the soundscape. They say that the best pictures are on the radio, and I think that they’ve achieved that with Survivors.

Louise Jameson - Jackie Burchall - Big Finish - Survivors - audio dramas