JMS on CompuServe (Nov 06, 1996) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS* 1/2
Brent Barrett
bbarrett at speedlink.com
Wed Nov 6 22:30:36 EST 1996
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The following posts may contain SPOILERS for
upcoming Babylon 5 episodes.
Continue at your own risk.
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THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE
RESPECTIVE MESSAGE AUTHORS AND CANNOT BE
REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED
PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
Note that JMS has expressed his public permission
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I give permission for my summaries to be reposted in
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the right to revoke this permission at any time.
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[ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
Sb: #605207-!!B5 SIM GROUP MEETING!!
Sb: #605379-Music Scores
Sb: #605412-Extras
Sb: #605189-#<Z'Ha'Dum - Praise>
Sb: #605420-<Z editing question>
Sb: #605159-<<Purple Londo>>
Sb: #605151-#<<WOLF IS EPIC!!>>
Sb: #605208-#>>ZHD - Thoughts<<
Sb: #605483-STAR TREK REAL OR NOT???
Sb: #605269-<<WOLF IS EPIC!!>>
#: 605207 S5/Babylon 5: General
05-Nov-96 10:27:41
Sb: #!!B5 SIM GROUP MEETING!!
Fm: ALAN MULVIE
Joe,
"See my prior note to you. WB has shut down other unauthorized sims, which
are violations of copyright. If you want them to come after CIS, go right
ahead."
Stupid question time. Who/what actually owns the copyright to Babylon 5 and
any spin offs? Sure you as creator own copyright on the ideas and characters,
along with the stories you write, while WB have copyright on the finished
product?
Or is it about 234 times more complicated than that?
Mlv
#: 605640 S5/Babylon 5: General
05-Nov-96 21:19:53
Sb: #605207-!!B5 SIM GROUP MEETING!!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
It's 573 times more complicated than that, but bottom line...Warner Bros.
owns the complete compyright to Babylon 5, lock, stock and barrel, the same as
with any show, as ST is a Paramount property. It's the nature of the beast.
jms
#: 605379 S5/Babylon 5: General
05-Nov-96 15:09:34
Sb: #604818-#Music Scores
Fm: MICHAEL ZITAGLIO
Hi,
<It means it's done on assignment, as part of a package, rather than buying
something created independently and acquiring the rights.>
Can someone market themselves to develop material specifically for the show
under those conditions? Its like saying, hey, Im a musician and Id like to do
some music scores for your show, do you like my style, are you interested?
Instead of saying gee, I think the last Bee Gees album would sound great in the
next episode put it in.
Mike
#: 605641 S5/Babylon 5: General
05-Nov-96 21:19:56
Sb: #605379-Music Scores
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, you must understand, we commit for full seasons, not per episode.
jms
#: 605412 S5/Babylon 5: General
05-Nov-96 15:31:34
Sb: #Extras
Fm: MR. TRACY SCHELL
Hope you can answer a question on acting. I know a young woman who is
interested in becoming an actress. Her only experience to date is working as an
extra on "The Cape". She was also asked to do extra work on a new Jodi Foster
project that is shooting footage around the Space Center. She turned this down
because she has a full time job and couldn't afford to take off for the small
pay etra work brings. Is extra work valuable experience in getting larger
parts?
She has been told that she needs to take some sort of acting class that costs
600.00 for 24 hours worth of lessons in order to get a speaking part. Is this
true? I am always leary of these places that say you can't be an actor or model
without paying big bucks. Has every extra on B5 completed some sort of "offical
acting class"?
She is affiliated with the Brevard Talent Agency. That's who called her for
work on this Jodi Foster picture.
Thanks for any information which I can pass on to her.
Mr.T- On Florida's Space Coast
#: 605643 S5/Babylon 5: General
05-Nov-96 21:20:00
Sb: #605412-Extras
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I know little of any use about acting. I don't know if being an extra
helps or not; most extras I know do only that, nothing more, and if you have no
lines, you can't progress. Acting seminars are necessary and good, but the
high priced exploitive ones are to be avoided. Best to have her hook up with a
theater and do a lot of that; most of our actors on the show, guest and
regulars, are folks with lots of theatrical (stage) training and experience.
jms
[ Summary: Loved "Z'Ha'Dum" and borrows a word from his Polish-American
gorlfriend to describe it: "Uffda." Also thinks that Sheridan is very
close to becoming a "mythic figure," something of which this poster only
thought Sinclair capable. Asks JMS to keep working on it. ]
#: 605645 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 21:20:05
Sb: #605189-#<Z'Ha'Dum - Praise>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I'll definitely keep working on it. Thanks.
Odd...I thought "uffda" was of Swedish or Norwegian origin.
jms
[ Summary: He and his buddy disagree about the Shadows' strategy in "Shadow
Dancing." He thinks they were intentionally visible to herd the refugee
ships into one place, but his buddy feels that the Shadows were trying
to sneak up on the refugees. ]
#: 605646 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 21:20:07
Sb: #605420-<Z editing question>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
You are correct.
I hope you had money riding on this.
jms
#: 605159 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 07:56:08
Sb: #605065-#<<Purple Londo>>
Fm: BRENT BARRETT
>>(And I'm very pleased with that scene...it's kinda goofy, with the minister
in particular...he's just nuts. Well, not as much as Cartagia,
obviously....)<<
He's just nuts in a fun sorta way. :-)
Did you envision the character that way, or did the actor and the character
merge into something wonderful?
I too find myself liking the character for some odd reason. I mean, it's not
the sort of character I typically find myself liking, but there's something
sort of innocent and fragile about him that's just neat.
-- Brent
#: 605647 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 21:20:09
Sb: #605159-<<Purple Londo>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Innocent and fragile is a good description...and certainly the dialogue
is written that way, and we cast him because he matches that character.
jms
#: 605151 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 06:59:39
Sb: #<<WOLF IS EPIC!!>>
Fm: S J NICHOLSON
Wowzers!! Season Four!
Saw it last night and was so blown away I had to calm down to write this.
Opening: Fantastic. The narration was a surprise! The action was superb. I
liked the way there is always a "zoom" somewhere towards the end of the
opening... really enjoyed that as it is kind of a "signature" part of the
opening - as in the first season where we zoom in on the "three" standing in C
& C. Also the music was great! Didn't it have some of the first season music
incorporated into it? I loved it!
The episode was epic! So much.
Events on Z'ha'dum (which retains it's mystery).
It was great to see what happens to Sheridan. It would have been boring to
drag that suspense out.
Centauri Prime: since Londo's dream where I first was frightened by the
Shadow's flying overhead. Somehow it was even scarier seeing it come to
fruition.
I love the way the B5 makes me frightened and make me laugh with joy and all
other emotions in between, and this is definitely one of the most impressive
episodes ever! It would take pages to describe it all. Congratulations!
Sal
#: 605648 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 21:20:12
Sb: #605151-#<<WOLF IS EPIC!!>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks. It's a terrific episode. The music now echoes season one
because in some thematic areas, we're starting to bend back on ourselves, and
close some circles, as you'll see soon.
That it affects the emotions is, for me, the goal. If you can make an
audience *feel* something, in a medium as cold as TV, you've done your job
right.
jms
#: 605208 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 10:32:14
Sb: #>>ZHD - Thoughts<<
Fm: SCOTT BAKER
Joe,
WOW! I saw Z'Ha'Dum Sunday night, and all I can say is wow!
I've been watching and reading SF for over 20 years now, and I must say this
show, is the best I've ever seen, and this episode is one of the best you've
ever done. After getting burned by some of the ST offereings and accepting
them as the best that was available, this show has been a real delight.
There are moments when something strikes you so deeply, so profoundly, that it
strikes a place deep down inside that you *FEEL* that this is a real place you
are looking into. I have to tell you, B5 has reached that point. It has
struck an universal cord on so many levels that it has become real in what it
is. It no longer feels like TV, it feels like life.
The emotional rollercoaster and the characters reactions were superb. Please
congratulate EVERYONE for an outstanding performance: Bruce, Melissa, Mira,
Richard, Claudia, and Jerry, they all made their characters appear so real and
their individual acting performances were superb.
A few thoughts if I may on where you've taken us...
* A thought struck me when Justin was describing the shadows motives, it goes
like this:
If we are fully human when we are at our best, being the most we can
be, or acheiving our ideal, then the question one would ask of oneself would be
"Who Are You?", for that is what your focus would be, on Who you are and Who
you are becomming. Traditional Jedeuo/Christian principles would call this a
state of Grace, where we were like God, who is our highest and most ideal
model. This appears to be the track the Vorlons are taking.
If, however, we are fully human in our "native" state, that is, there
is no where to go, then the question of "Who are you?" is meaningless and the
question you begin answering is "What do you want?". And that takes you down
an entirely different path, one where what would be called (by the other view)
Sin is normal and acceptable while death, destruction and mayhem are the norm.
This appears to be the path taken by the Shadows.
However, it's not quite that easy. Because you could say, the Shadows
are the bad guys and the Vorlons the good guys and alls well that ends well,
nuke the b*stard shadows and lets get on with life.
* BUT *
If the Shadows are evil and bad, what happens when the "good" start
acting like the bad and take their eyes off their Ideal, and start striving for
what they want?
The Vorlons and Minbari have been so wrapped up in the Shadows, that
they have become the Shadows. They are focusing on what they want. The
Vorlons manipulate races genetic codes to create telepaths, they manipulate
Sheridan to put him in a place to head the AOL so that he will wipe the Shadows
away, and they are so sure that they have answered the question "Who are they?"
that they have forgotten thier answer. Delenn and Kosh hide the truth from
Sheridan, don't trust him to be who he is, and then excpect him to do what they
ask?
In trying to stop evil, the Vorlons and Minbari have fallen into the
oldest trap that evil has, they have become what they fought, they have become
so busy asking everyone else "Who are You?" while they were answering "What do
you want?" that they no longer know who they are.
Tha answer is simple. It is a theme you have put throughout B5.
Forgiveness. By forgiving one another, and by being forgiven, they can begin
to answer the question of "Who are they?" again. The amazing thing is,
Sheridan has already forgiven them, he may not know it, but his actions and
message to Delenn indicate that in his heart he has, they just need to ask. So
in their fear that he wouldn't be what they needed him to be, he has become
more than them and in return already begun to answer the question he needs to
answer.
Yow, my head hurts... What do you think?
--Scott
#: 605649 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 21:20:14
Sb: #605208-#>>ZHD - Thoughts<<
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
That's an extremely good and cogent analysis. And you hit the theme
right on the head, one we'll explore in year four with the Vorlon/Shadow
situation...and which was presaged in "Infection," right in the first season,
the first episode shot. Sinclair says, in the ultimate moment in that
conflict, "You forgot the first rule of the fanatic: When you become obsessed
with the enemy, you *become* the enemy." That is what is happening here, with
these two and other parties.
It all comes together....
jms
[ Summary: A poster in hte Star Trek forum tells everyone, in essence, that
Star Trek isn't real and they shouldn't bother talking about it. ]
#: 605665 S2/Star Trek: General
05-Nov-96 21:30:21
Sb: #605483-STAR TREK REAL OR NOT???
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Actually, not to nitpick or anything, y'unnerstand, but STAR TREK *is*
real. Star Trek is a show, created and owned by Paramount Television. Note
that Star Trek is not referred to anywhere within the context of a series
episode itself...the words are never used. Because Star Trek is what the show
is, not what it's about.
So there is no argument whatsoever that Star Trek IS. It does exist. The
institutions and characters within it -- Klingons, the Federation, Romulans,
and so on -- are not real, but Star Trek in and of itself is absolutely, 100%
real. Go ask the IRS, which collects its share of revenues based on Star Trek.
So, clearly, your best bet at this point is to leave a series of messages
elaborating upon which of the seminal concepts *within* Star Trek do not in
point of fact exist. Such as, FEDERATION: REAL OR NOT? KLINGONS: REAL OR NOT?
And so on.
Please, proceed. It will provide great amusement for all of us.
Does your mom know what you're doing with her account when she's away at
work...?
jms
#: 605269 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 12:09:07
Sb: #605211-#<<WOLF IS EPIC!!>>
Fm: S J NICHOLSON
<<BUT, what the heck was orbiting Za'Ha'Dum - the flying Shadow-Eyes Deal?.
(I'm sure JMS would love that label - Sheridan's parting words to Ivanova and
Marcus as they depart C&C for a dangerous mission, "...and whatever you do,
don't get caught by the flying Shadow-Eyes Deal!" <gasps of terror>)>>
It reminded me of the "Zog" creature so perhaps it is something that these "old
ones" can produce with a Draal type of technology?
To me, "Wolf" is a better episode than most of the episodes I've seen. I'm
anxious to see if the reviews are as positive about "Wolf" as they were about
"Z'ha'dum".
I was unprepared for all this because the season openers are usually somewhat
relaxed compared with the season finales.
#: 605666 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
05-Nov-96 21:30:23
Sb: #605269-<<WOLF IS EPIC!!>>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Check out "Voices of Authority." You've seen those eyes before.
jms
[ Continued in next section -- BB ]
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