Creating Mr. Ring-A-Ding: A 2D Cartoon Villain for Doctor Who

Designing Mr. Ring-A-Ding

• 🎨 The character Mr. Ring-A-Ding is described as a two-dimensional cartoon character, unique among Doctor Who villains.
• 💡 Initial designs involved many variations, including different body types, but the final style focused on a 'bendy rubber arms' aesthetic.
• 🎭 The process began with a two-foot acrylic cutout of the character, featuring a pig snout and wisps of hair, serving as a reference for actors and crew.

Animation Process

• 🎬 The real work on Mr. Ring-A-Ding began after shooting, involving the painstaking task of bringing the 2D cutout to fully animated life.
• ✍️ Artists used traditional 2D animation techniques, drawing directly on a screen with a Cintiq, similar to methods used in the 1920s-1940s.
• ✨ The animation team, comprised of skilled animators, worked for months to bring the character to life, with the final animation being described as an 'ultimate magic act'.

On-Set Challenges

• 🎾 Actors and crew had to interact with a simple acrylic cutout or a green prop, which would later be transformed into a scary creature through post-production editing.
• 🎥 Camera teams and producers collaborated to figure out how to effectively film the scenes involving the 2D character, using the cutout as a visual guide.
• 🤯 The contrast between the on-set reference (like tennis balls for monsters) and the final on-screen appearance highlights the 'magic of the edit'.

Collaboration and Impact

• 🌍 The creation involved cross-continent collaborations and tens of thousands of hours of work.
• 🌟 The effort was deemed worthwhile, resulting in the animated character appearing in Doctor Who Season 2, Episode 2.
• 💬 Actors Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu discussed the unique experience of acting alongside a cartoon character.