Difference between revisions of "Closed Planet"

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Delia created effects and backgrounds for a 1962 science fiction radio drama ''[[Closed Planet]]'' by [[John Hynam]]<ref name=genome/> for the BBC Light Programme.<ref>[[DD162002]]: Yellow notes for Closed Planet, page 1.</ref>
 
Delia created effects and backgrounds for a 1962 science fiction radio drama ''[[Closed Planet]]'' by [[John Hynam]]<ref name=genome/> for the BBC Light Programme.<ref>[[DD162002]]: Yellow notes for Closed Planet, page 1.</ref>
  
On one of her papers for [[Closed Planet]], Delia notes an idea for [[Time On Our Hands]],<ref name=DD161912/> which is also from 1962.
+
=Plot=
 +
A spaceship far from Earth is hit by meteors, one engine is damaged, and they obtain special permission, given the circumstances, to land on a planet where visits are not allowed from other civilizations.
  
In January 2016, it turned up in an enthusiasts' archive of American radio programmes when it was rebroadcast as episode 49 of "SciFi Friday".
+
They land on the planet and are visited by a high-up alien dignitary who tells them that they must not venture further than a certain distance from the ship or they will be destroyed.
  
=Plot=
+
While the crew is becoming paranoid about being watched by the aliens, a black african member of the crew steals one of the alien guard's vehicles, drives into town, complains about the drinks that they serve there, is arrested, runs from the police and is shot.
A spaceship far from Earth is hit by meteors, one engine is damaged, and they obtain special permission, given the circumstances, to land on a planet where visit are not allowed from other civilizations
 
  
While the crew is on the planet, a black african member of the crew who has gone mad steals one of the alien guard's vehicles, drives into town, complains about the drinks that they serve there, is arrested, runs from the police and is shot.
+
Meanwhile, back at the ship, our heroes follow the above events on "view-screens" and also discover that one of the only two women in the crew is missing, presumably stolen by the aliens. They attack the guards, steal another flycar and fly to the city to rescue her.
 
 
Back at the ship, our heroes have followed these events on "view-screens" and find that one of the only two women in the crew is missing. They attack the guards, steal another flycar and fly to the city to rescue her.
 
  
 
In the end, one of the crew members has a baby and the ship lifts off. (Sorry, I couldn't stand following the rest of it!)
 
In the end, one of the crew members has a baby and the ship lifts off. (Sorry, I couldn't stand following the rest of it!)
  
The Radio Times entry described it as:
+
Its Radio Times entry describes it as:
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>
 
Time: Somewhere in the future<BR>
 
Time: Somewhere in the future<BR>
Line 22: Line 20:
  
 
=Scenes=
 
=Scenes=
 +
Most of Delia's backgrounds start with a musical effect which then fades into the background sound for the scene, lasting throughout it and punctuating the dialogue.
 +
 
Dividing it into sections with different (or no) Delian backgrounds:
 
Dividing it into sections with different (or no) Delian backgrounds:
  
* 00:00-07:10: Intro and meteor hit to the spaceship (Spaceship interior background, a whistle)
+
* 00:00-07:10 Opening and meteor hit to the spaceship (Spaceship interior background, a whistle)
* 07:10-08:10: Records Office interior (hum with tremolo)
+
* 07:10-08:10 Records Office interior (hum with tremolo)
* 08:10-10:52: Working on the engines (as above with noise and computer beeps and internals)
+
* 08:10-10:52 Working on the engines (as above with noise and computer beeps and internals)
** 08:37-08:53 Loudest/clearest samples of engine room background
 
 
* 10:52-19:34 Orbiting the planet
 
* 10:52-19:34 Orbiting the planet
 
* 19:34-24:26 The ambassador's visit to the spaceship
 
* 19:34-24:26 The ambassador's visit to the spaceship
** 22:35-22:45 Sombre chords "This is understood"
+
* 24:26-30:11 First moments on the planet surface (no background)
* 24:26-30:11 First moments on the planet surface. No sound except for:
 
** 28:35-28:51 Arrival of the ambassador's flycar
 
 
 
 
* 30:14-32:07 Consternation and alarm
 
* 30:14-32:07 Consternation and alarm
** 31:40-31:43 The alarm
 
 
* 32:07-45:37 Listening to police radio (no background)
 
* 32:07-45:37 Listening to police radio (no background)
** 32:32-32:30 Alien speech (backwards human speech)
 
** 42:50-43:10 "Good night" (shimmering enchantment)
 
 
* 45:37-48:18 Flycar takeoff, interior background and landing
 
* 45:37-48:18 Flycar takeoff, interior background and landing
 
* 48:18-55:32 On the planet surface (filtered noise then silence)
 
* 48:18-55:32 On the planet surface (filtered noise then silence)
* 55:32-57:23 "Look at this tiny child here", ship takeoff and outro.
+
* 55:32-57:23 "Look at this tiny child here", ship takeoff and closing.
 
 
Most of Delia's backgrounds start with a musical effect which then fades into the background sound for the scene, lasting throughout it and punctuating the dialogue with effects.
 
 
 
=Makeup tapes=
 
Delia constructed it with four makeup tapes<ref name=DD161912>[[DD161912]]: Pink notes for Closed Planet, page 1.</ref> on the [[TR90]] and [[Ferrograph]] tape recorders and the "[[KU]]" and "[[RGD]]", whatever they are, and seems to reuse elements of [[Time On Our Hands]] in one place.
 
 
 
The four tapes contain:<ref name=DD161912/>
 
* Tape 1: basic inc- high sine
 
* Tape 2:
 
** Band 1: opening
 
** Band 2: timed slides
 
** Band 3: timed K.U.
 
** Band 4: [[Ferrograph|Ferro]] loop / [[Time On Our Hands|TOOH]] + sliding using the [[RGD]] and [[TR90]]
 
** Band 5: band of times slides
 
** Band 6: timed K.U. arpegs.
 
** Band 7: Copy + E of Ferro loop
 
* Tape 3: first mix with []<ref>'''[]''': Square waves.</ref>
 
* Tape 4:
 
** Band 1: loud bass distortion
 
** Band 2: q.u.[?]
 
** Band 3: filthy
 
** Band 4: good (first mark[?] now on tape 2) using the [[Ferrograph]], [[TR90]] and [[KU]].
 
  
 
=Extracts=
 
=Extracts=
 
* Opening
 
* Opening
"Very high and eerie, desc. semitones, down to steady far mar[?]. Moving forward - higher and further."<ref>[[DD161932]]: Pink notes for Closed Planet, page 2.</ref>
+
"Very high and eerie, desc. semitones, down to steady far mar[?]. Moving forward - higher and further."<ref name=DD161932>[[DD161932]]: Pink notes for Closed Planet, page 2.</ref>
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Opening}}
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Opening}}
 
* Meteor warning and strike
 
* Meteor warning and strike
Line 75: Line 46:
 
* Ship landing
 
* Ship landing
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Ship landing}}
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Ship landing}}
*End of shift hooter
+
* Arrival of the ambassador's flycar
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - End of shift hooter}}
 
* Arrival of the flycar
 
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Arrival of the flycar}}
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Arrival of the flycar}}
 
* Good Night
 
* Good Night
Line 83: Line 52:
 
* Flycar takeoff
 
* Flycar takeoff
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Takeoff}}
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Takeoff}}
* Flycar anding
+
* Flycar landing
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Landing}}
 
{{Spectrogallery|Closed Planet - Landing}}
 
* Ship takeoff and outro
 
* Ship takeoff and outro
Line 89: Line 58:
  
 
=Papers=
 
=Papers=
* [[DD161912]] [[DD161932]]: Two pink pages of notes, paperclipped together
+
Delia's papers contain:
* [[DD162002]] [[DD162024]]: Two yellow pages of notes and diagrams, stapled together
+
* Two pink pages of notes, paperclipped together, listing what's on each of the four makeup tapes and with notes for [[Time On Our Hands]].
 +
* Two yellow pages of notes and diagrams, stapled together, listing the effects she was to create and their internal structure
 +
<gallery>
 +
Image:DD161912.jpg|[[DD161912]]: Pink notes, page 1
 +
Image:DD161932.jpg|[[DD161932]]: Pink notes, page 2
 +
Image:DD162002.jpg|[[DD162002]]: Yellow notes, page 1
 +
Image:DD162024.jpg|[[DD162024]]: Yellow notes, page 2
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
=Tapes=
 +
Delia constructed it on four makeup tapes<ref name=DD161912>[[DD161912]]: Pink notes for Closed Planet, page 1.</ref> using the [[TR90]], [[Ferrograph]] and [[RGD]] tape recorders and the [[Keying Unit]].
 +
 
 +
The four tapes contain:<ref name=DD161912/><ref name=DD161932/>
 +
* Tape 1: basic inc- high sine
 +
** Band 1: single []<ref name=square/> notes + f.b. - approx. 1 per 6"
 +
** Band 2: .,.-./\/\.-.,. rand. & Doppler - approx. 1 per 15"
 +
** Band 3: cont. high sine + f.b.
 +
** Band 4: low blocks
 +
* Tape 2:
 +
** Band 1: opening
 +
** Band 2: timed slides
 +
** Band 3: timed [[Keying Unit|K.U.]]
 +
** Band 4: [[Ferrograph|Ferro]] loop / [[Time On Our Hands|TOOH]] + sliding using the [[RGD]] and [[TR90]]
 +
** Band 5: band of times slides
 +
** Band 6: timed K.U. arpegs.
 +
** Band 7: Copy + E of Ferro loop
 +
* Tape 3: first mix with []<ref name=square>'''[]''': Square waves.</ref>
 +
* Tape 4:
 +
** Band 1: loud bass distortion
 +
** Band 2: q.u.[?]
 +
** Band 3: filthy
 +
** Band 4: good (first mark[?] now on tape 2) using the [[Ferrograph]], [[TR90]] and [[Keying Unit|KU]].
 +
 
 +
=Analysis=
 +
{{Thumb|Time On Our Hands - Spread Whole-Tone Chords}}
 +
The element that it has in common with ''[[Time On Our Hands]]'' is a spread chord of six notes, each a whole tone distant from the previous one, most evident in the Opening, in "Good night" and in the Closing. The order of note presentation is different here, but the chord is the same.
  
 
=Availability=
 
=Availability=
* Broadcast on 24 October 1962 at 20.31 on the Light Programme.<ref name=genome>[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?q=%22closed+planet%22 ''Closed Planet'']] on the BBC Genome Project.</ref>
+
* Broadcast on 24 October 1962 at 20.31 on the Light Programme.<ref name=genome>[http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?q=%22closed+planet%22 ''Closed Planet''] on the BBC Genome Project.</ref>
* Its rebroadcast as episode 49 of American radio series "SciFi Friday" is archived [http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/B%20Series/BBC4%20Afternoon%20Play/BBC4%20Afternoon%20Play%20xx-xx-xx%2062-xx-xx%20Closed%20Planet%20=%20sf.mp3 in the OTRR Library], from which the following is cropped.
+
* Its rebroadcast as episode 49 of American radio series "SciFi Friday" is [http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/B%20Series/BBC4%20Afternoon%20Play/BBC4%20Afternoon%20Play%20xx-xx-xx%2062-xx-xx%20Closed%20Planet%20=%20sf.mp3 archived in the Old Time Radio Researchers Library], of which the play itself runs from 02:09.00 to 59:32.12.
{{Play|Closed Planet}}
 
  
=Reference=
+
=References=
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
 
[[Category:Piece]]
 
[[Category:Piece]]

Revision as of 10:59, 6 June 2016

DD161932 (detail)

Delia created effects and backgrounds for a 1962 science fiction radio drama Closed Planet by John Hynam[1] for the BBC Light Programme.[2]

Plot

A spaceship far from Earth is hit by meteors, one engine is damaged, and they obtain special permission, given the circumstances, to land on a planet where visits are not allowed from other civilizations.

They land on the planet and are visited by a high-up alien dignitary who tells them that they must not venture further than a certain distance from the ship or they will be destroyed.

While the crew is becoming paranoid about being watched by the aliens, a black african member of the crew steals one of the alien guard's vehicles, drives into town, complains about the drinks that they serve there, is arrested, runs from the police and is shot.

Meanwhile, back at the ship, our heroes follow the above events on "view-screens" and also discover that one of the only two women in the crew is missing, presumably stolen by the aliens. They attack the guards, steal another flycar and fly to the city to rescue her.

In the end, one of the crew members has a baby and the ship lifts off. (Sorry, I couldn't stand following the rest of it!)

Its Radio Times entry describes it as:

Time: Somewhere in the future
In the New Age interplanetary travel has become an everyday occurrence. and Time rather than Distance now sets the only limit on man's exploration of the universe. It seems, however, that Outer Space. like our own familiar world, also has secrets to hide, frontiers to guard, "security" zones to protect. Such a place is the "closed" planet, and only dire necessity may excuse the deliberate infringement of its astral neutrality by visitors from Earth.

Scenes

Most of Delia's backgrounds start with a musical effect which then fades into the background sound for the scene, lasting throughout it and punctuating the dialogue.

Dividing it into sections with different (or no) Delian backgrounds:

  • 00:00-07:10 Opening and meteor hit to the spaceship (Spaceship interior background, a whistle)
  • 07:10-08:10 Records Office interior (hum with tremolo)
  • 08:10-10:52 Working on the engines (as above with noise and computer beeps and internals)
  • 10:52-19:34 Orbiting the planet
  • 19:34-24:26 The ambassador's visit to the spaceship
  • 24:26-30:11 First moments on the planet surface (no background)
  • 30:14-32:07 Consternation and alarm
  • 32:07-45:37 Listening to police radio (no background)
  • 45:37-48:18 Flycar takeoff, interior background and landing
  • 48:18-55:32 On the planet surface (filtered noise then silence)
  • 55:32-57:23 "Look at this tiny child here", ship takeoff and closing.

Extracts

  • Opening

"Very high and eerie, desc. semitones, down to steady far mar[?]. Moving forward - higher and further."[3] Closed Planet - Opening - Spectrogram.jpg

  • Meteor warning and strike

Closed Planet - Meteor warning and strike - Spectrogram.jpg

  • Chords "This is understood"

Closed Planet - Chords "This is understood" - Spectrogram.jpg

  • Ship landing

Closed Planet - Ship landing - Spectrogram.jpg

  • Arrival of the ambassador's flycar

Closed Planet - Arrival of the flycar - Spectrogram.jpg

  • Good Night

Closed Planet - Good night - Spectrogram.jpg

  • Flycar takeoff

Closed Planet - Takeoff - Spectrogram.jpg

  • Flycar landing

Closed Planet - Landing - Spectrogram.jpg

  • Ship takeoff and outro

Closed Planet - Ship takeoff and outro - Spectrogram.jpg

Papers

Delia's papers contain:

  • Two pink pages of notes, paperclipped together, listing what's on each of the four makeup tapes and with notes for Time On Our Hands.
  • Two yellow pages of notes and diagrams, stapled together, listing the effects she was to create and their internal structure

Tapes

Delia constructed it on four makeup tapes[4] using the TR90, Ferrograph and RGD tape recorders and the Keying Unit.

The four tapes contain:[4][3]

  • Tape 1: basic inc- high sine
    • Band 1: single [][5] notes + f.b. - approx. 1 per 6"
    • Band 2: .,.-./\/\.-.,. rand. & Doppler - approx. 1 per 15"
    • Band 3: cont. high sine + f.b.
    • Band 4: low blocks
  • Tape 2:
    • Band 1: opening
    • Band 2: timed slides
    • Band 3: timed K.U.
    • Band 4: Ferro loop / TOOH + sliding using the RGD and TR90
    • Band 5: band of times slides
    • Band 6: timed K.U. arpegs.
    • Band 7: Copy + E of Ferro loop
  • Tape 3: first mix with [][5]
  • Tape 4:
    • Band 1: loud bass distortion
    • Band 2: q.u.[?]
    • Band 3: filthy
    • Band 4: good (first mark[?] now on tape 2) using the Ferrograph, TR90 and KU.

Analysis

Time On Our Hands - Spread Whole-Tone Chords

The element that it has in common with Time On Our Hands is a spread chord of six notes, each a whole tone distant from the previous one, most evident in the Opening, in "Good night" and in the Closing. The order of note presentation is different here, but the chord is the same.

Availability

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Closed Planet on the BBC Genome Project.
  2. DD162002: Yellow notes for Closed Planet, page 1.
  3. 3.0 3.1 DD161932: Pink notes for Closed Planet, page 2.
  4. 4.0 4.1 DD161912: Pink notes for Closed Planet, page 1.
  5. 5.0 5.1 []: Square waves.