Produced to mark the BBC's science fiction season in late 2014, MY LIFE IN SCIENCE FICTION comprises three short (20 minute) programs, each offering a different perspective on the genre - especially in the cinema.
The first, "My Life in Science Fiction" offered a series of interviews with actors involved in groundbreaking SF series or movies, including Richard Dreyfuss (CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND), Anthony Daniels (STAR WARS), Keir Dullea (2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY) and William Shatner. All of them offered a series of anecdotes about their experiences of working on the series; what rendered the interviews out of the ordinary was their shared belief that SF had transformed their lives, mostly for the better. This was not only expressed through improved career prospects, but also through the actors' belief that by working on futuristic material they had acquired some kind of clairvoyance. This might have been a transitory feeling, but it was something they were grateful for.
The second program, "Invasion of the Fans," focused on familiar material - specifically the lengths to which aficionados of particular movies (e.g. Trekkies) are prepared to go in pursuit of their obsessions. The link between SF movies and the (re- )construction of identity was emphasized, as well as the ways in which people from mundane backgrounds could acquire a purpose in their lives.
Finally, "Days of Fear and Wonder" featured podcasters David Monteith and Barry Nugent visiting various venues in the British Film Institute's massive SF season, held in autumn 2014. Many of these venues were unusual: FLASH GORDON (1980) was screened at the British Museum; while the new documentary SUPERMARIONATION (2014) appeared at the British Film Institute. The podcasters recorded their impressions of these screenings, together with interviews with celebs such as critic Mark Kermode and astronomer Tim O'Brien. This program provided a fitting coda to the series, pointing out the extent to which SF ruled our lives, despite the genre still having a rather checkered reputation.
The first, "My Life in Science Fiction" offered a series of interviews with actors involved in groundbreaking SF series or movies, including Richard Dreyfuss (CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND), Anthony Daniels (STAR WARS), Keir Dullea (2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY) and William Shatner. All of them offered a series of anecdotes about their experiences of working on the series; what rendered the interviews out of the ordinary was their shared belief that SF had transformed their lives, mostly for the better. This was not only expressed through improved career prospects, but also through the actors' belief that by working on futuristic material they had acquired some kind of clairvoyance. This might have been a transitory feeling, but it was something they were grateful for.
The second program, "Invasion of the Fans," focused on familiar material - specifically the lengths to which aficionados of particular movies (e.g. Trekkies) are prepared to go in pursuit of their obsessions. The link between SF movies and the (re- )construction of identity was emphasized, as well as the ways in which people from mundane backgrounds could acquire a purpose in their lives.
Finally, "Days of Fear and Wonder" featured podcasters David Monteith and Barry Nugent visiting various venues in the British Film Institute's massive SF season, held in autumn 2014. Many of these venues were unusual: FLASH GORDON (1980) was screened at the British Museum; while the new documentary SUPERMARIONATION (2014) appeared at the British Film Institute. The podcasters recorded their impressions of these screenings, together with interviews with celebs such as critic Mark Kermode and astronomer Tim O'Brien. This program provided a fitting coda to the series, pointing out the extent to which SF ruled our lives, despite the genre still having a rather checkered reputation.
