Ever dreamed of producing your own TV show packed with action, adventure, and alien invasions? The BBC's Mission DALEK competition provides the perfect opportunity for Doctor Who fans.
This contest offers a 1 GB collection of sound, video, and photo assets for crafting a new adventure to share online via Twitter with #MissionDALEK. (Note: While the competition is UK residents only, the assets are free for fans worldwide.)
It's part of the BBC's Go Digital initiative, promoting digital creativity—alongside launches like the micro:bit programmable computer, which we'll cover later this year.
Craving Daleks invading your local town center or mall? Or the TARDIS materializing outside your home? Mission DALEK empowers you with official assets to make it happen.
Beyond the slim chance of winning, the true value lies in these reusable images, videos, and audio clips—paired with your creativity and basic editing tools.
Start by downloading assets from the Mission DALEK resource page—images for photo stories or clips for video productions.
Feel free to supplement with your own content, like custom artwork for stop-motion or animations, or series figures spanning 50+ years of Doctor Who.
The sound effects pack is invaluable. For editing, use free tools like the best free video editors for Windows or Kdenlive for cross-platform needs. Record dialogue with Audacity, tweaking for authentic Dalek or Cybermen voices.
As a lifelong Doctor Who fan—publisher of Kasterborous.com since 2005 (featuring podcasts and print/digital magazines, as detailed in How I Published My Magazine Online and in Print)—I recently curated must-see episodes and jumped into Mission DALEK.
The assets sparked ideas for a 90-second story. Here's the premise:
This is where you'll find the clues:
Downloads can be slow on BBC servers, especially daytime—plan ahead and preview files.
Rules mandate using only provided assets (post-2012 Doctor Who universe), whether competing or creating as a global fan.
My simple tale: The Doctor lands on a Dalek ship, reprograms a Dalek to spark civil war and distract the fleet.
Expect Dalek explosions, scheming councils, Cybermen, Ice Warriors, Missy/The Master, Silence, Silurians, Weeping Angels, Zygons—plus silent clips for custom audio.
Here's my final Mission DALEK entry:
It turns out crafting a precise 90-second story is challenging...
Fans embraced it, uploading YouTube entries launch day. These are solid starts, but expect bolder projects soon.
We believe that these are reasonable efforts given the assets on offer. But it seems likely that more ambitious Mission DALEK projects will surface on YouTube in the coming days and weeks.
Will you craft a Doctor Who episode with Mission DALEK? Should more shows offer assets for fan creations? Share in the comments.
