The Doctor Who cast flew into Cape Town on January 2, 2018 for filming of Episode 2 and 3 with director Mark Tonderai. The filming continued to January 19. The film crew consisted mainly of people local to the Cape Town area of South Africa. According to a few crew CVs, it is believed that the two Series 11 Episodes filmed in South Africa are Episodes 2 and 3, with Episode 2 featuring aliens in a desolate landscape and Episode 3 based in in 1955, with some Cape Town locations standing in for Montgomery, Alabama. Episode 3 will feature some situations and characters related to Rosa Park's arrest after her refusal to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger, sparking a bus boycott.
Before they began filming in January, there was some recce (location scouting) in August of 2018. This is from the Instagram account of Danny Hargreaves of Real SFX.
Two of the people on the local crew, props fabricator Lovell Southey and visual effects artist Fir Suidema tweeted their ethusiasm.
Bradley Walsh heads to South Africa
And lands in Cape Town
Mandip Gill visited Boulder Beach in Cape Town where there are African Penguins. While she was in Cape Town, she celebrated her birthday.
From local props fabricator named Lovell Southey:
Actor Gareth Marks, who is playing a police officer in the busining boycott episode names Marak Tonderai as the director.
Tilo Poulakakis is the Director of Photography and his CV states that he is working on Episodes 2 and 3.
Props fabricator Lovell Southey is excited to see the new TARDIS.
And here it is:
The production team filmed at Macassar Beach Pavilion, an abandoned water park southwest of Cape Town, January 10-18. You will notice some figures on the structures. The consensus is their silhouettes most resemble Sontarans with their helmets on. Jodie Whittaker seems to be visible in one one of the photos. I won't say where I found these photos.
On January 14, there was some action at the Kimberley Hotel in Cape Town, standing in for 1955 Montgomery, Alabama. Jodie Whittaker, Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh were present. The set dressing sign at the Kimberley Hotel says,"We Cater to White Trade Only" This type of sign was commonly seen in the USA during segregation.
A wide shot of the Kimberley Hotel with a 195o3 American police car in the background.
Director Mark Tonderai continued to film in a desert location.
And the props fabricator had her portable workshop with "COLORED" signs consistent with 1955 Alabama.
Then back to the Cape Town area for more filming.
On January 17, there was a scene filmed which I believe depicts the night Rosa Parks refused to yield her seat on the bus. Barrack St. in Cape Town was set-dressed as Dexter Ave. in Montgomery Alabama. A neon sign for "CLUB LUNA" was also added to the set dressing of the street. A 1950s bus was given the same paint job and markings of the famous bus which now resides in the Henry Ford Museum.
And last, a photo from January 18 which ties it all together. A car with an Alabama license plate on an Instagram post with hashtag #1955.
