Set to Stun: Designing & Filming Sci-Fi in West London opens at Gunnersbury Park Museum

By John Freeman on October 23, 2023

Gunnersby Park Museum - Set to Stun Exhibition Poster (October 2023 - June 2024)

Beyond the stars and behind the scenes… for nearly a century west London has been home to a hive of workshops and design studios that fed into some of the country’s most iconic science fiction films and TV shows. That’s being celebrated until June next year at Gunnersby Park Museum, with Set to Stun, a major exhibition offering a look at the area’s Doctor Who connections and much more from the 1960s through to today, turning the camera onto the west London artisans, artists and crafts people who brought it all to life.

From laser beams to paranoid androids, exploring faraway planets to alien invasions, visitors can enjoy an engaging and interactive showcase of the sets, costumes, prosthetics, props, and artistic visualisations that went into British science fiction classics, including Doctor Who, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Red Dwarf.

Brought to life thanks to a successful Art Fund crowdfunding campaign that raised over £16,000 to mount it, with help from designer’s such as Mike Tucker of The Model Unit, the exhibitors have also brought the story up to date, with a motion capture interactive.

The exhibition will encompass informative and engaging content for enthusiasts and fun and fascination for families, with workshops for both adults and kids.

“Science fiction plucks us out of our daily lives and drops us in ‘strange new worlds,” say the Museum. “This exhibition is about the people who create these worlds. We’re celebrating the work of set designers, model makers, prosthetic makeup artists, composers and many more – unsung heroes who’ve captured the imaginations of millions of viewers. With its incredibly rich history of making iconic sci-fi TV and film. West London is at the heart of our story. Join us on a voyage of exploration through the museum!”

Meet a Dalek who ran riot in a Hammersmith school during Remembrance of the Daleks, and Marvin the Paranoid Android (don’t worry, he’s in a soundproof case). Check out SF props, from light sabres to a themed cookie jar, discover the story of Ealing’s own Jedi Robe, see classic Doctor Who memorabilia, the world’s greatest supplier of Star Wars merchandise – and marvel at London’s cosplayers and their homemade costumes; and admire monster portraits in a showcase of work by Delamar Academy’s Advanced Prosthetics graduates.

Alongside Set to Stun, you may also want to check out the Alien Worlds outdoor exhibition in Gunnersby Park, where you can enjoy artwork by local children from Lionel Primary School. Pupils have imagined what aliens might look like and how aliens might survive on planets with different sizes, atmospheres and landscapes… could some of these children be the future SF TV and film designers of tomorrow?

• Ian Mansfield has a review of the exhibition here on “Ian Visits”

With thanks to Steve Maslin

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.