ATTN JMS: How did you hone your "Time-bubble" method of writing?

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: babylon at nauticom.net (JB)
Date: 7 Nov 1997 19:33:01 -0500
Lines: 22

	For those who don't know what "The Time-bubble" theory of
writing is, it's something I've named your style, after first seeing
some "Into The Fire" posts.  You pretty much told a poster that you
placed a time-bubble over their house in order to turn some 40+
minutes into much more than that.
	The time-bubble has appeared much more recently, especially in
"Endgame".  The amount of story you can put into such a small time
frame is incredible.  I don't think I've seen anything quite like it.
	I was wondering if this was something you learned only from
working on B5, or perhaps an older series, or even novels, etc.  Or
perhaps you picked this style of writing up from another author.
	Whatever the case may be...I can't wait to see what you will
do with the time alotted you for the TNT movies....	 

Jeff Bauer

Keeper of Jeff's Babylon 5 Update Page
http://www.nauticom.net/www/babylon

And The Storekeeper at
"The Sci-Fi Bookstore"
http://www.nauticom.net/www/babylon/store/store.htm

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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 8 Nov 1997 11:00:36 -0500
Lines: 21

>The time-bubble has appeared much more recently, especially in
>"Endgame".  The amount of story you can put into such a small time
>frame is incredible.  I don't think I've seen anything quite like it.

It's one of those things I don't know if I can explain adequately, or sensibly.
  A lot of it is totally instinctive, I don't sit down and think about it, I
 just do it.  But to dissect...part of it is the intensity of the scenes, I
 think.  Strong emotion extends time, stretches it; if you've ever been in a
 major traumatic situation, a few minutes can seem like hours.  The more you
 can put your character into a situation of intense emotions, and create those
 same emotions in the viewer, you will in effect slow down perceived time.  

Also, there's the matter of context here.  If you've set something up in prior
 episodes, in something like "Endgame" there's no set-up which means exposition
 and chews up time; you go right for the high point in the story bell-curve,
 and you stay there.  So the part you're used to seeing take only a few minutes
 at the end of an episode becomes almost the entirety of the episode; same
 result.


 jms
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