Romana's Sonic Screwdriver

NTBBCPD

Well-Known Member
I have known info about the source of this prop for years and now I have been able to confirm it.

Background
Back in 1986, I was at a convention with my props and caught the attention of one of the guests, John Nathan Turner. We had a few discussions that weekend about reusing props, bits and set pieces from one episode for others (no big surprise).
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Lately, I have been following the threads on this forum about this prop so I bought the DVD of the episode the prop was in.
When I watched the episode what I saw was different from what everyone was drawing. I recognised the piece for what it was but wasn’t sure where it came from.

Then I remembered the talks with JNT!

The prop "Romana's Sonic Screwdriver" is an antenna, most likely off of one of the old military radios use by U.N.I.T. (see my avatar) with a few pieces of tape added to it.

I'd like to thank my source for confirming that it was indeed an antenna with a few pieces heat shrink tubing added to it.

He also said that Lala Ward thinks she still has it, but hasn't seen it in years


Edward.


Here's my version of the Romana's Sonic Screwdriver compared to the screen cap.
 
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Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Wow! Nice reveal. Now we just need to determine the make and model of the radio. :cool

(I can't see your pics BTW)
 
Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Thank you. So basically, any old 40+" telescoping walkie talkie antenna would do the job? VERY interesting!
 
Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

popcorn.gif
 
Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Back on 11-27-2011 RogueScout wrote:


Everyone please read


Effective immediately, REMOVE all reference to my work from this thread. Going forward, I do not give ANY permission to have any part of it replicated or used in development of this project and any use therein will be constituted as RECASTING on behalf of the artist. Again, remove all reference to my work, this includes any images which are owned by me as well as any image that was created with the use of my intellectual property. This is not negotiable.

-RS

Yet since then all of the "Romana's Sonics" that I've seen on this site are just that.

Even RS said that his design was the best he could come up with at the time from watching the scene on video.

With DVDs and Hi-res TV's it is possible, As I have shown, to produce a repilca based on the screen-used prop and not somebody elses work.


Come on people, the real prop is known. it is boring and bland. But it is what it is.

Please, Stop making the Harry Potter Sonic Wands and get back to what this forum is about, recreating Screen used props as accurately as possible. (while having fun doing it.)

....
...

OK, there is so much more to this forum than recreating Screen used props as accurately as possible, I'm just trying to make a point...
 
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Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Please, Stop making the Harry Potter Sonic Wands and get back to what this forum is about, recreating Screen used props as accurately as possible. (while having fun doing it.)

....
...

OK, there is so much more to this forum than recreating Screen used props as accurately as possible, I'm just trying to make a point...


Wow, and since I am the only one actively selling a "Harry Potter Sonic Wand" , I guess that is directed at me. I had a long post written up, but I think I need to step away from the pc, because I am hoping that I am reading too much into your post.
 
Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Wow, and since I am the only one actively selling a "Harry Potter Sonic Wand" , I guess that is directed at me. I had a long post written up, but I think I need to step away from the pc, because I am hoping that I am reading too much into your post.

Please don't take it personally,

It's actually a plea directed at anyone who is thinking of doing a Romana's Sonic from now on....

Yours and the other three that are currently out there were based on screen caps and Influenced by the work of RS.

Now that you know what the real prop was based on, if you were to design a Romana's sonic now it would look a lot different.

Even you say in your post that your's is not a Romana's Sonic, but a Time Lady's sonic.

There is no way in heck that I would try to tell anyone what not to make.

I'd just hate to think of fans carrying around these items and others thinking they are screen accurate.

And as to the HP reference, if you were to put them on ebay as wizard wands you would sell a ton of them.... nothing wrong with that.



_______________________________________________________________
I'm not an expert on Doctor Who props..... But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Last Night
 
Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Ok, overreaction is done. That is the issue with reading the forum after getting your butt handed to you at work.

I completely understand the sentiment of continuing selling something inaccurate as something other than a custom or giving full disclosure.

I took your statements as a hit on my custom sonic, which again was made to be a cosplay/custom costume piece not an accurate replica and over-reacted.

Sorry about that. :$
 
Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Please, no need to be sorry.

It is I who is sorry if I insulted you in any way.

I actually do like the design and variations of colour that you have on your Time Lady Sonics.

If I didn't have a lathe of my own I probably be picking up one of yours.:)


Edward
 
Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Your close, but it's not a radio antennae. It is telescoping though. You need to 'reflect' a bit on your OP and the screencaps.
 
Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

weird. A sonic screwdriver thread that is turning into a meltdown. I did NOT see that coming.

Yes, you did. You're Matt Munson, legendary seering of the future and wooer of wild women. :lol

What you didn't expect was....

Inquisition.jpg


THE SPANISH INQUISITION!!!!

....nobody expects that.
 
Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Hey, when the Producer of the show and a props person from the show both say it was one of those telescopic Arial things with some tape on it.. I believe them.

If someone has other information they could have chimed in and helped out.

It seems a lot of the people here follow a certain Twitter account.

As I don't have a Twitter account, Please pass this on..


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And here I was going to order one of your fine looking Sonic replicas.....

until you called me a f-ing idiot called Edward who thinks he knows it all.

You don't know me, sir. I have never said anything bad about you.

Why couldn't you be helpful instead of mean.. you could have said Sorry NTBBCPD, you were close....but the real prop was made from....

I know you feel you have been treated unfairly by the MODs on the RPF, but please don't take it out on everyone.

Have a nice day.
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Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

And if anyone really cares.

Here's what it would look like if you made the sonic with and antenna compared to a telescopic mirror(with the mirror taken off and a piece of tube added to the bigger end)
 
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Re: Romana's Sonic Screwdriver Revealed at last!

Hey, when the Producer of the show and a props person from the show both say it was one of those telescopic Arial things with some tape on it.. I believe them.

I'm sorry, but I have to ask.

Why should we believe YOU? Seriously. You can say whatever you want was told to you, but unless you get an video recording of him saying that, how are we supposed to know you're just not full of it?

I think it's an interesting idea, but until someone comes up with a real world copy of the supposed antenna, it's still just a rumor as far as I'm concerned.
 
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