“This is when I wish I had my sonic screwdriver.”

The "Dark Eyes" sonic screwdriver prop was originally designed and built by David Tremont of WETA Workshop bespoke for Eighth Doctor Paul McGann for use in promotional photography for the Big Finish audio serial, “Dark Eyes” as well as for personal appearances at conventions. 

The prop was designed to emulate the Jules Verne, Steampunk style of the original 1996 TV Movie console room. With the blue crystal matching the TARDIS central column, the brass sections to match some of the controls and the wooden handle grips to match the overall console/room.

Whilst traveling on a train, the original prop gifted to Paul McGann was stolen from his bag. And so Big Finish got in touch with David Tremont at WETA Workshop once again and commissioned a second prop to replace the stolen one. This prop was then collected from WETA and presented to McGann by Nicholas Briggs at the Lords of Time convention which took place in Auckland, New Zealand on the 13th of April, 2013.

This is one of only five “Dark Eyes” Eighth Doctor sonic screwdriver props ever built by Tremont, each of which included working lights and sounds harvested from Character Options replica toys.