Kevin Jon Davies

The schedule became more punishing towards the end. The early eps were being broadcast as we finished animation for eps 5 & 6. I’m writing a book about it all.

Later eps became a bit more ragged, with several pieces delivered as ungraded one-light prints, fresh from the film labs straight to the gallery edit session….
(by myself on a couple of occasions).

(Cont..)

Some of those transfers were done in the studio in between the scenes of performances by the actors. Ep one was all edited and graded and matched to Peter Jones’ pre-recorded voice. (Peter did his recordings quite separately from everyone else in his own sessions.)

(Cont…)

You were, but my brain makes these random obscure connections. Sorry!

That’s a really good question. I’m full of random trivia about that production and about Douglas himself, but… I really don’t recall if he knew!

That sounds like a “Future Sailors” lyric from “The Mighty Boosh”!

Ooh! Was that during a studio recording day or one of the gallery-only sessions? (I have the dates).

Mindless Jerks artwork for Hitchhiker's Guide TV series drawn by KJD (c) Pearce Studios Ltd. 1980.

Paula NM Jennings (Worst Poet) artwork for Hitchhiker's Guide TV series drawn by KJD (c) Pearce Studios Ltd. 1980.

#OTD 45 years ago (7 Oct 1980) according to my diary, I drew these images for the Hitchhiker's Guide BBC TV series. Douglas Adams as both the ad exec and as Paula, the worst poet in the universe. I was 19 years old and having fun.

Timely clip…

Enjoyed recording this!

Worth a listen if you like a bit of archive telly. Nice to hear knowledgeable pros (who've done the homework) talking so enthusiastically.

That's stuntman Eddie Powell, isn't it? Not sure I've seen that pic before.

YouTube video by Joe Spins the Globe A tour of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station - Part 1

Do you want some inspiration for your arctic research station, your deep space facility or your remote settlement game?

Check out this excellent video of this South Pole Station.

youtu.be/gQ3_gZ3ZS_4?...

Loved the film you made with his help... "Moon" with all its practical models and effects. Top-notch.

Lovely, talented bloke, Bill P. Worked with him, on and off between 1980 (Hitchhiker’s) and 1997 (Space Island One).

Wow, that's a real stinker of a review!

I'll be speaking about the life and work of #42DouglasAdams at the Faversham Fringe (in Kent, UK), on Sunday 19 Oct 2025, at 5:30pm.
Tickets only £6:
www.ticketsource.co.uk/handofdoompr...

Top right is the door communcation panel as seen recycled later by the BBC in "Blake's 7" and on Marvin the Paranoid Android's chest unit. A BBC FX designer told me about it.

I recognise the blue Dalek there. It's "Salvador", belonging to a friend Alistair Lock, who operated it on "30 Years in the Tardis" when we had it invade the console room.

I hope so, what with Health & Safety Depts and compulsory risk assessments.

Death of a publishing dream: how the Unbound revolution b... The literary disrupters enjoyed great success with their crowdfunding model, signing authors that other publishers overlooked. And then the money ran out…

Strong read this morning in the Observer on the collapse of Unbound, featuring @alexdecampi.bsky.social, @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social and myself.

observer.co.uk/news/busines...

I interviewed Roger Christian, set decorator of Star Wars/art director on Alien. He used aircraft scrap parts to make the sets look busy with extraneous industrial detail. Each element had a history of input from many minds and years of refinement, adding a rich complexity to the film's visuals.

Douglas' first novel was such an enormous hit, each book deal that followed earned bigger and bigger advances. The BBC Radio and TV fees pale into insignificance next to the earning power of the books - in 43 languages and never out of print. All we gotta do is write classic books that worthy!

@dirkmaggs.bsky.social - I'd forgotten all about writing this report, but not the actual recording/mixing sessions.
#thehitchhikersguidetothegalaxy

Data Link, a computer magazine, rang up Pearce Studios in early 1981 asking which system we used for Hitchhiker's. Rod told them it was all hand-drawn. They asked if the book had the new Sinclair mini flat-screen TV built into the prop? No, it was back-projection. They were very disappointed.

I never had any doubt. Great news about your win.

I'm hanging on in the hope of seeing all pledges fulfilled. Thanks for your support.

The book is still on offer at the new company Boundless, so I assume they wish to continue with the project. No money is currently owed to me, but I have yet to sign a formal agreement with them. We live in hope.

I was working with a TV production company in Bristol to whom I’d previously applied and sent my CV and showreel. I wondered if they still had my reel? They pointed to a filing cabinet. I opened the tragic bin of CVs, reels and hopeful cover notes, dumped unceremoniously higgledy-piggledy inside!

Thanks for the heads-up, Chris.