JMS on CompuServe (Apr 06, 1998) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
bbarrett at johndelenn.com
bbarrett at johndelenn.com
Mon Apr 6 21:46:42 EDT 1998
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 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
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Note that JMS has expressed his public permission
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[ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
Sb: #27248-#<I Hate nasty Rumors>
Sb: #27254-L.A. B5 mall tour Ques.
Sb: #27311-#Psi-Corps Warning/Advice
Sb: #27089-Na'toth - yay
Sb: #27348-B5 doll
Sb: #27712-#Season 6?
Sb: #27757-L.A. B5 mall tour Ques.
Sb: #27756-Accomidating Adverts
Sb: #27902-DS9 title ripoff
Sb: #Crusade Confirmed
Sb: #27909-#Crusade Confirmed
Sb: #27926-Crusade Confirmed
Sb: #27935-Any new pieces into old?
#: 27248 S2/Bab 5: General
02-Apr-98 20:43:04
Sb: #27071-#<I Hate nasty Rumors>
Fm: REBECCA ESCHLIMAN
jms,
<< I think part of the problem was that some in the cast didn't want to
ever deal with the reality of that until it hit them. >>
I think there's a deeper reality that has to do with The Standard Way
of Doing Things. If B5 were the X-Files, you, as Creator/Exec would
probably be doing extraordinary contortions to your story and to the
characters (and to the contracts of the actors) in order to sustain a
demand that managed to miraculously extend beyond the 3-year, let alone
5-year limit. To use one of your own favorite words, you're gigged if
you do and gigged if you don't. You will be gigged (by fans) for not
extending their favorite characters' storylines. If, as seems
likely, Crusade and further movies (TV or not-TV -- that is the
question) are a go, you will be gigged with great glee by the cynics
who will claim that you have sold out your pure vision of B5, whether
or not you use *any* member of the current cast. And, of course, you
will be subjected to unmerciful gigging from both (or is is 3, given
the B5 mythos?) sides of the aisle because you are ASCII-ly visible
here and elsewhere in the great wide world of the
unmercifully-expressed opinion on-line.
If I were one of the B5 actors I know I would be clinging like a keeper
to any faint hope that I could continue to have that range of actorish
challenge (and, I suppose, income). If I were part of the tech crew,
I'd be clinging like a keeper to continue to be part of
history-changing production methods (and, again, I suppose, income).
And I were you -- I'd probably be wondering why the hell I'd ever let
myself in for the brickbats (or Narn bats) you'll be receiving no
matter where the venue.
You said it once yourself -- you write with passion, otherwise, why
bother? The unfortunate result is that the same passion acts as a
virus and extends to those involved with the production and the
audience who passionately devours it. So, in the bat-storm you're
undoubtedly undergoing, I hope you still find it was worth it. I'm
sure I'm not alone in thinking that, no matter what the current
brouhaha, my entertainment would be immeasurably poverty-stricken had
your previously-announced definition of B5 not been accomplished.
-rje-
Never look a gifted horse in the mouth.
#: 27266 S2/Bab 5: General
02-Apr-98 23:20:03
Sb: #27248-#<I Hate nasty Rumors>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Absolutely, there's no question that I'm going to be hit by those with
an interest in hitting me on any side of these issues. Crusade would be done
because I want to have some *fun* after doing 5 years of angst...so there are
bound to be those who say it's selling out because it's not the same as B5 in
that respect...if I have a primarily new cast, I sold out the old cast, if I
have a primarily old cast, I'm being afraid of change...if it's too much like
B5 some will complain, if it's too different some will complain....
Which is why, at the end of the day, you can never let the complaints
(or, for that matter, the praise) tilt you one way or another. The only thing
you can do is follow the small, still voice at the back of your head that
tells the stories, and write for yourself. If you write well, enough people
will stay around to keep you on the air...if you don't, they won't. That's
always struck me as the fairest bargain around.
jms
[ Summary: "Has anyone heard if Bruce B. will be at the L.A. Mall stop
this weekend?" ]
#: 27407 S2/Bab 5: General
03-Apr-98 16:35:00
Sb: #27254-L.A. B5 mall tour Ques.
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, at this point it's Jerry Doyle, then Rick Biggs, then Jason Carter
on Saturday from 12-3:30 or so, then on Sunday it's Tracy, Peter and (I think)
Jeff from 12-3:30, both at the Glendale Galleria.
jms
[ Summary: Had a T-shirt made with "The Corps is Mother, The Corps
is Father, I wish I was an orphan." ]
#: 27408 S2/Bab 5: General
03-Apr-98 16:35:00
Sb: #27311-#Psi-Corps Warning/Advice
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Actually, that should be "I wish I *were* an orphan," if one wishes to
be technically correct....
jms
[ Summary: "Will Natoth return in the remaining Season 5 episodes?" ]
#: 27267 S5/Seas. 5 SPOILERS
02-Apr-98 23:20:04
Sb: #27089-Na'toth - yay
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, no plans for Na'Toth at this time.
jms
[ Summary: Concerning the tag on the B5 dolls that reads, "1 of 12,000,"
this fan asks, "Does EVERY doll carry that tag, meaning that it is
one OUT OF 12.000 ones or are they actually numbered 1 through
12,000? I just don't want to be ripped off." ]
#: 27402 S8/Bab 5 Merchandise
03-Apr-98 16:26:10
Sb: #27348-B5 doll
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Yeah, they all carry that tag.
jms
[ Summary: "Does this mean that C4 is having to buy season 5 off WB,
despite the fact that TNT paid for the whole shebang?" ]
#: 27855 S2/Bab 5: General
05-Apr-98 23:57:05
Sb: #27712-#Season 6?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Vast amounts of your information are incorrect; WB owns B5, for
starters. Additionally, TNT puts up a portion of the production budget, WB
puts up the rest, same as with any network show. There was some initial talk
of a sixth season by some folks over there, but I made it clear that this is a
five year story, and it ends in five years, and asked them to respect my
wishes. They did.
jms
#: 27757 S2/Bab 5: General
05-Apr-98 08:19:11
Sb: #27407-L.A. B5 mall tour Ques.
Fm: SYSOP LEE WHITESIDE
Any chance they might extend the mall tour for stops in some of the cities
they've skipped (like Phoenix?).
#: 27857 S2/Bab 5: General
05-Apr-98 23:57:05
Sb: #27757-L.A. B5 mall tour Ques.
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I haven't heard anything to that effect, no.
jms
#: 27756 S2/Bab 5: General
05-Apr-98 08:13:12
Sb: Accomidating Adverts
Fm: IAN CLASPER
Joe
How does the presence of commercial advertising breaks withing the program
affect the production/writing of an episode. Do you have to specifically build
into each program "Advert" slots to be used by advertises and how does this
affect the timing of a specific scene.
British TV (ie CH4) only has about half of the advertising as the US stations,
and it is evident that there is quite a few obvious break scenes designed
specifically for "Advert Insertion" . For instance, we do not have an advert
immediatly after in the intro, or before the End Credits.
Do you have strict guide lines saying "Advert every 10mins" for instance , or
is it a bit more free form ?
Ian Clasper - Stevenage, England
#: 27856 S2/Bab 5: General
05-Apr-98 23:57:05
Sb: #27756-Accomidating Adverts
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
It's not free-form, but it's not by the minute, either. We have an
overall running time of about 42 minutes (plus credits), and that gets divided
into teaser, 4 acts and a tag. The duration of those varies; an act can be 8
minutes or 12, as long as the aggregate is within the limits.
jms
[ Summary: "Hate to complain, but was it an oversight or deliberate
provacation that possesed you to name one of the TV movies A CALL TO
ARMS." ]
#: 27938 S2/Bab 5: General
06-Apr-98 16:45:03
Sb: #27902-DS9 title ripoff
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
The phrase "A Call to Arms" goes back several centuries, and is not
owned by anyone, DS9 did not invent it. You can only "rip off" something that
is specific to that item or thing; if they came up with a title "Chief
O'Brien's Hairdresser Dreedle," and we used that, then you'd have a point. But
this is, frankly, a case of fan myopia.
jms
#: 27908 S2/Bab 5: General
06-Apr-98 12:19:07
Sb: #Crusade Confirmed
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Today the news hit: CRUSADE: THE BABYLON PROJECT (a new series set in
the B5 universe) is a go for production starting July 27th, to go on the air
January 6th on TNT.
Also: if you can get a copy of tomorrow's Hollywood Reporter, do so:
they have dedicated the issue as a special B5 issue, and there is going to be
a lot of coverage of the show. The issue will almost certainly become a
hard-to-find item in future, and is a testament to the success not only of the
show, but recognition within the industry of what we've done to improve the
way television is made.
jms
#: 27909 S2/Bab 5: General
06-Apr-98 12:50:08
Sb: #27908-#Crusade Confirmed
Fm: ANITA KARVE
Congratulations! I'm sure you're thrilled to be able to present many more
stories from the B5 universe.
Is the Hollywood Reporter a general newsstand pub, or do you pretty much have
to be in LA or the biz to get it?
Will you begin working on casting very soon, or is that something for further
down the line?
Again, thanks for sharing the great news. You've got a lot of fans out here
who'll miss the first series but will eagerly support Crusade.
Regards,
Anita Karve
#: 27939 S2/Bab 5: General
06-Apr-98 16:49:04
Sb: #27909-#Crusade Confirmed
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
You can find the Reporter at many larger newsstands in big cities. And
we won't get to any real casting until the first few scripts are in-hand, so
we know what we're getting into.
jms
[ Summary: "Do you know if there are any plans for Kathryn Drennan to
write another B5 novel?" ]
#: 27940 S2/Bab 5: General
06-Apr-98 16:49:05
Sb: #27926-Crusade Confirmed
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I keep bugging her about doing one...it's up to her.
jms
#: 27935 S2/Bab 5: General
06-Apr-98 16:28:00
Sb: #Any new pieces into old?
Fm: TONY SCARPELLI
I've been watching all the previous season on TNT every night. While watching
some episodes, there seems to be scenes from later seasons put into the
earlier episodes. Either that or my memory is slipping away (yes I do take
Ginko Biloba).
Have you ever put in any of the later season into the earlier season?
Thanks.
#: 27941 S2/Bab 5: General
06-Apr-98 16:49:05
Sb: #27935-Any new pieces into old?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I think we've done it a couple of times, and in other cases recreated
scenes in earlier episodes that we knew we would play out in later episodes.
jms
[END]
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