JMS on CompuServe (Dec 30, 1996) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
bbarrett at speedlink.com
bbarrett at speedlink.com
Mon Dec 30 22:09:23 EST 1996
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[ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
Sb: #632033-Who to thank?
Sb: #632140-G'Kar's monologue
Sb: #632085-Who to thank?
Sb: #632233-#writers
Sb: #632306-From jms re: yr 4/5
Sb: #632307-From jms re: yr 4/5
#: 632033 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
29-Dec-96 17:03:02
Sb: #Who to thank?
Fm: BRENT BARRETT
Howdy, Joe;
I don't know who to send my congrats to on this, but for once, I'm pretty
sure it isn't you. :-)
In the scene in which Delenn races to the side of the fallen Sheridan in
"Falling Toward Apotheosis," I'm amazed each time I see it by how strikingly
beautiful Mira/Delenn is in that shot as she kneels by his side, looks up in
wonder and awe at Lorien, and finally comforts John as he stirs.
I don't know if it's the lighting, the makeup, or Mira herself (it's
probably some of all three), but it's remarkable how glowing she is there.
Heck, if I didn't know better, I'd suspect Mira was pregnant or something (I've
seen such glowing beauty before when my wife was expecting).
At any rate, who would I congratulate (apart from Mira for her own natural
good looks, of course)? When we get someone looking really, really good like
that, what department is usually responsible? Or is it often a combined effort
(as I suspect it is in this case)?
Thanks,
-- Brent
#: 632036 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
29-Dec-96 17:24:47
Sb: #632033-Who to thank?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
It's a combination of just how Mira looks, her acting skills, the
lighting (thanks to our DP John Flinn III), and that something magical that
happens sometimes in front of a camera.
jms
[ Summary: Asks how long it took to write G'Kar's closing monologue in
"Z'Ha'Dum." ]
#: 632146 S5/Babylon 5: General
30-Dec-96 01:02:40
Sb: #632140-G'Kar's monologue
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Andreas' did two takes on it; I think we used the first of the two.
The writing of it...this is just an estimate, trying to remember, but I
think it took me about 10-15 minutes. Which is actually a long time for me to
stay parked on any part of the page. Obviously I already had kind of a sense
of what was going to go into it before hitting the page, but the actual shape
of it had to come in the moment.
jms
#: 632085 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
29-Dec-96 21:16:14
Sb: #632036-#Who to thank?
Fm: BRENT BARRETT
Interesting. You don't think makeup played that much of a role? I mean, I
know you agree that makeup has to be good to start with, but could the makeup
have had something "extra" that day, or would that sort of thing never really
happen? Is the makeup fairly constant over a given episode?
Thanks for the production lesson,
-- Brent
#: 632147 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
30-Dec-96 01:02:41
Sb: #632085-Who to thank?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Yeah, the makeup is fairly consistent; it's put on in the morning, and
refreshed later in the day. Basically, once they get it down, it is what it
is; I don't think they stopped to consider changing it for the emotional impact
of this one scene. Sometimes the makeup looks better than at other times.
Synchronicity.
jms
#: 632233 S2/Star Trek: General
30-Dec-96 08:23:38
Sb: #631234-#writers
Fm: MIKAL C. JOHNSON
<< "Yeah, like you'd know.">>
If you'd been in on the whole thing, you'd have seen me not only apologize for
that, but also explain that I was throwing his own words back at him. I even
pointed out that the dictionary definition of "writer" _includes_ editors
rather pointedly.
Problem here is, I don't disagree with you.
Never have.
You're jumping into the middle of something without reading through all of the
conversation.
While I do appreciate your input, you're making a serious error in assuming
that I'm an un-published writer. I've already been through all that with
Ordover and don't want to go on-and-on with it.
Central issue:
I did not ask what it takes to be a writer.
I asked a yes-or-no question.
If you want to pursue your reasoning, the answer could have been, "No, our
writers prefer to work with their own ideas."
There was no need to throw the "real writers" thing at me!
I admit to knowing little to nothing about "the industry." My contact with it
has to date been completely with my editor and illustrator (who's also runs the
presses, because he needs to pay his bills, too).
If a real writer never work off ideas from other people, then why is the Trek
line of books so prolific? Including novels of episodes written by someone
other than the person who came up with the storyline?
Isn't Star Trek the idea of one guy that other people have used?
For that matter, there are novelizations based on B5. Are these people selling
out by writing them?
I would say that a writer _prefers_ using their own ideas. And 99 times out of
100 does. But I've seen too many dedications saying thanks to someone for great
ideas and input and inspiration to believe it never happens.
To point at the vast proliferation out there proves nothing to me. I know
enough people who's work can be bought at conferences and such to know that
many of them are not professional writers. They have other jobs to pay the
bills. The writing gives them a little pocket money and no more.
I will not kiss someone's @ss just because he's got a big name in the market.
And my not taking time to write professionally has more to do with paying the
bills and keeping my marriage together than anything else. I write every chance
I get. Like I said to Ordover, I spend more time writing than I do eating.
Sometimes I even skip meals altogether so I can keep going.
No, I am not a _professional_ writer. But I'm also not a _hobby_ writer.
I am a writer. I will not accept the labels given me by someone who doesn't
know me.
Ordover, JMS, and anyone else who cares to join them;
When you've come and seen my life and what I do every day, THEN I will accept
judgments you make about me.
#: 632448 S2/Star Trek: General
30-Dec-96 15:58:32
Sb: #632233-#writers
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Mikal...you just don't get it.
jms
#: 632306 S5/Babylon 5: General
30-Dec-96 10:45:59
Sb: #628749-#From jms re: yr 4/5
Fm: SCOTT BAKER
How long did it take you to flush all this out? Or did you wake up one
morning, and say "ah ha, I have over a thousand years of story in my head."
I'm just kind of curious.
Thank's for all you've done,
Good luck on all you do!
--Scott
#: 632449 S5/Babylon 5: General
30-Dec-96 15:58:33
Sb: #632306-From jms re: yr 4/5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I saw most of it all at once, and spent the better part of a year
getting it all down on paper.
jms
#: 632307 S5/Babylon 5: General
30-Dec-96 10:46:02
Sb: #629196-#From jms re: yr 4/5
Fm: SCOTT BAKER
>> Second and most important: given everything you just wrote, WB has done
something else also: 1) they put B5 on the air when *nobody else would*, no one
else would take a chance on us, and <<
No one else gave you a shot??? How long did you have to pester people before
WB did give it to you?
>> 2) where networks usually meddle and mess around with the content and the
stories, WB has left us alone to tell the stories we want to tell, no
interference, no notes, no changes. <<
How do networks usually meddle, if I may ask?
--Scott
#: 632450 S5/Babylon 5: General
30-Dec-96 15:58:34
Sb: #632307-From jms re: yr 4/5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
It took us 5 years before we found anyone who was willing to give us a
chance with B5...we went to every major studio, every network, you name it.
Only WB was willing to take a chance with us, and have since been rewarded for
their belief with a successful show.
How do networks meddle? How *don't* they medddle? They want script
changes, cast changes, changes in the cuts of episodes, they can get in your
face about the directors you use, the writers you use...anything and
everything. And they usually do. WB has for the most part left us alone,
trusting us to tell this story right, and they deserve a lot of credit for
that.
jms
[END]
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