JMS on CompuServe (Mar 06, 1997) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

[bbarrett at speedlink.com]

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 [ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
    Sb: #654398-A fan says thanks...
    Sb: #654432-to sfwa from jms
    Sb: #654459-Triluminary
    Sb: #654461-to sfwa from jms
    Sb: #654478-Atonement
    Sb: #654479-Edit Process
    Sb: #654511-#To Sysops from jms
    Sb: #654585-Incongruous Advertising
    Sb: #654624-#TNT Air Order
    Sb: #654692-TNT Air Order
    Sb: #654663-to sfwa from jms
    Sb: #654586-Incongruous Advertising
    Sb: #654828-Redist. of SFWA Letter?


 [ Summary: A fan thanks JMS for being on-line and making Babylon 5. ]

 #: 654542 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    05-Mar-97  14:14:21
Sb: #654398-A fan says thanks...
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Thanks...we try.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Points out that print SF authors don't tend to be involved
   with TV and film thesedays, yet they were involved with the original 
   Star Trek. ]

 #: 654543 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  14:14:24
Sb: #654432-to sfwa from jms
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       I agree 100%.  One of the things I've been ragging on for years is that
you should bring in SF writers to work on SF shows.  Real simple logic. But the
perception there is that SF print authors can't deal with, or are disdainful
of, scripts...something SFWA perpetuated when many of their members said they
(as a group) wouldn't be able to make sense of a script.

       There are some terrific resources out there who would be invaluable to
any SF series.  That's why I gave Peter David his first shot at a live action
TV series, ditto for Christy Marx and others.

                                                                       jms



 #: 654459 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    05-Mar-97  07:45:07
Sb: #Triluminary
Fm: DOUGLAS PILIGIAN

Joe,

In Atonement Dukhat discovered that Delenn was a "child of Valen" when the
triluminary glowed.  We know that it glows in the presence of Sinclair/Valen
DNA.  Does it glow brighter if there is more of the DNA present?  i.e. did it
glow really bright when held up to Sinclair after he was captured at the Battle
of the Line?  Did they know at that time that it only glowed in the presence of
Valen's DNA?

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer not only my
posts, but the hundreds you must get daily.   This is such a unique experience,
to be able to actually ask questions directly to the show's creator/writer.  I
only wish I hadn't lurked for so long before asking my first question.

Doug

p.s. ever get your ISDN modem to work?


 #: 654544 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    05-Mar-97  14:14:26
Sb: #654459-Triluminary
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
	
       Yeah, we showed it glowing when Sinclair was catpured.  Since it
happened with Valen, they assumed it was because he had a Minbari soul, maybe
Valen reborn.
	
                                                                       jms
	
	

 #: 654461 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  07:53:26
Sb: #654420-#to sfwa from jms
Fm: ANNE L. WARNER

Joe,

I really hope you win this one!  I find myself actually attempting to write
some SF, (we'll see how that comes out!  <rueful grimace>  It's one of those
put your money... things) and I could no more agree to ignore dramatic SF, than
I could exclude any other part of the genre.

SF on screen is actually more of an accomplishment, in my opinion.  You have to
convince the eyes as well as engage the imagination.  Heinlein could describe
mechanized armor rather sketchily, and trust his readers to mentally fill in
the blanks.  It didn't (and doesn't) matter that I visualize mech- suits
differently than you do.  But a Minbari warship or a floating camera bot has to
be quite fully realized, so that one version of it makes sense to all of us,
without each adding our own finishing touches.

The SFWA is just plain wrong on this.  I suppose they probably resent what
non-SF people in Hollywood have done to some of their stories.  It doesn't
excuse such a foolish, and unproductive, attitude.  Good SF deserves
recognition, regardless of the medium.  You and a few others in TinselTown do
really good SF.  Please keep it up, and stich to your guns on this.

Anne

PS:  I love the Scriptwriting book.  It's a great read, even without wanting to
try that sort of writing myself.  It's Greg's bedtime book at the moment...


 #: 654545 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  14:14:27
Sb: #654461-to sfwa from jms
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       The only point of disagreement is that "SF on screen is actually more of
an accomplishment."  They're equal, in different ways, and certainly a movie or
TV show can, in time, start to look dated.  But a book, which exists in your
head, never grows old.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Asks if some of the earlier novels are more canon than others. ]

 #: 654546 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
    05-Mar-97  14:14:29
Sb: #654478-Atonement
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Yeah, some are more accurate than others.

                                                                       jms



 #: 654479 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  09:17:03
Sb: #Edit Process
Fm: TRENT K. JOHNSON

First, let me congratulate you on the TNT deal.  And second, a further personal
thanks for your continued fine work.  The recent episodes have been a real
treat, especially for all who have watched the show from day one.

I have a question about the editing process:  I have noticed a number of
instances where slo-mo or frame stuffing has been used in certain scenes.  Is
this something to do with a different editing process, or does it relate to the
change in satellite delivery?

Thanks and regards!

TJ


 #: 654547 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  14:14:33
Sb: #654479-Edit Process
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       I'm afraid I don't know what elements you're referring to, so I can't
answer that offhand.  On the rest...thanks.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Raymond Feist, an author who has corresponded publicly with JMS 
   on CIS for a while now, says (of Parental Controls, in general): 
   "Look, America, (he says in his best Dennis Miller voice), take a moment 
   and look over your kid's shoulders.  If yout 15 year old boy is 
   downloading porn off the internet [sic] after you told him he'd go to 
   hell for doing so, you did something wrong in the previous 14 years.  
   So put down your copy of Bible Thumpers Weekly and start working on him.  
   Don't tell me and other adults we have to put up with your standards, or 
   what you think is good for our kids." ]

 #: 654548 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  14:14:34
Sb: #654511-#To Sysops from jms
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Well said.  You really ought to consider giving this writing thing a
shot sometime.

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: See JMS' quote from one of the Sysops about the "Ass" remark 
   on the Member Service's Announcements: ]

 #: 654637 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  17:41:29
Sb: #654585-Incongruous Advertising
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

"This forum is subject to Parental Controls because the 'bot looks at the
messages here.  Parental Controls covers forums, Web pages, and newsgroups, not
Member Services."

       Yeah, I think that contradiction is kind of the point....


                                                                     jms



 #: 654624 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  17:22:49
Sb: #654405-#TNT Air Order
Fm: SCOTT BAKER

So in films the director provides the thematic vision of the movie, wheras in
TV the producer provides that vision?

--Scott


 #: 654638 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  17:41:31
Sb: #654624-#TNT Air Order
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Correct.  In many films, the director is there from the start, working
on the vision...in TV, a director comes in 2-3 weeks before you shoot, and
walks into a situation where the vision is already set.

                                                                       jms



 #: 654692 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  19:25:12
Sb: #654638-#TNT Air Order
Fm: SCOTT BAKER

So that's why you became an Executive Producer?  To protect the vision of your
work and not have a director or producer change it?

--Scott


 #: 654714 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  21:45:21
Sb: #654692-TNT Air Order
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

"So that's why you became an Executive Producer?  To protect the vision of your
work and not have a director or producer change it?"

      I sure as heck can't think of any OTHER reason to do it, given the grief
involved....

                                                                    jms



 #: 654663 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  19:09:28
Sb: #654420-#to sfwa from jms
Fm: SCOTT BAKER

>> Let me know when you folks get serious.  Let me know when you
are willing to consider that what we do in TV and film counts as
SF.  Then we'll talk. <<

Joe,

Whenever I get the chance to read your writting, I am reminded how wonderful it
is.  When I see B5, it's so easy to become wrapped up in that world, that I
forget that it is all written and fueled by you.

As to the SFWA, is there anything that we, the fans can do to help you win this
crusade?

--Scott


 #: 654715 S5/Babylon 5: General
    05-Mar-97  21:45:23
Sb: #654663-to sfwa from jms
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

      Thanks...and as for SFWA, it's an internal matter that they will have to
consider on their own.

                                                                    jms



 [ Summary: Again, the same Sysop comments on why the Member Services menu
   can say "Ass," but no one on the Forum can. ]

 #: 654852 S5/Babylon 5: General
    06-Mar-97  17:06:39
Sb: #654586-Incongruous Advertising
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       "It's important to understand the difference between CIS rules and Forum
rules."

       Not a problem.  Same rules we sometimes heard growing up.  "Don't do as
I do, do as I say."

                                                                       jms


 [ Summary: Asks if it's okay to pass on JMS' letter about the SFWA. ]

 #: 654853 S1/Forum&Technical Hlp
    06-Mar-97  17:09:07
Sb: #654828-Redist. of SFWA Letter?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

       Sure; any post of mine can be reposted elsewhere.

                                                                       jms



[END]

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