ATTN JMS: Novels vs. TV

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: "Jake Mandel" <jakem at pil.net>
Date: 29 Nov 1998 14:29:06 -0700
Lines: 21

JMS,
    A couple of quick questions while you're still available....

1)   Now that you've been through the whole series, which format do you
think allows you more creativity:  novels, where you can plan out your
vision from the beginning with no interference, or television, where the
real world intrudes with budget concerns, actors leaving, etc?  I guess the
real question is what do you like better, having time to plan things out, or
having to think on your feet?

2)  You've explored a 5 year arc and stand alone TV movies, have you given
any thought to telling a story, either Babylon 5 related or something
completely new, in either a miniseries format (6-8 hours) or a limited run
series (maybe 22 episodes to start and end a story)?

Thanks for everything,

Jake Mandel




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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 30 Nov 1998 17:06:25 -0700
Lines: 34

>1)   Now that you've been through the whole series, which format do you
>think allows you more creativity:  novels, where you can plan out your
>vision from the beginning with no interference, or television, where the
>real world intrudes with budget concerns, actors leaving, etc?  I guess the
>real question is what do you like better, having time to plan things out, or
>having to think on your feet?

They're apples and oranges.  You really can't compare them.  For the bulk of
B5, there *was* no interference, and I could write as I wanted.  Yeah, you have
actors leaving and the like, but sometimes you can be halfway through a novel
and realize you need to drop somebody...and go back and revise 200 pages.  

Both are processes, neither is set in stone the first time you sit down to
begin the actual writing.  Some tools are better meant for one form or the
other, but the process is pretty much the same in both.  So I like working in
both, equally, just for different reasons.

>2)  You've explored a 5 year arc and stand alone TV movies, have you given
>any thought to telling a story, either Babylon 5 related or something
>completely new, in either a miniseries format (6-8 hours) or a limited run
>series (maybe 22 episodes to start and end a story)?

Not as such, though Crusade is a 5 year story.  And the new comic I have coming
out from Top Cow/Image is a 24 issue limited series.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com




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