[B5JMS] from jms: update

Wed Jul 23 04:36:10 EDT 2008

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From: Jan <janmschroeder at aol.com>
Date: 10 Jul 2008 16:51:07 -0700
Lines: 15

Comic-Con is less than two weeks away now they're starting to post the daily
schedules.  I see JMS's writing panel on Thursday, the only day posted so far.

So anybody else going to be here?  

JMS, are you going to be able to make the announcement that's "Near and dear to
everyone's heart" yet?  Can you give us the rest of your schedule?

Jan

-- 
I try never to get involved in my own life. Too much trouble.

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From: "jmsatb5 at aol.com" <jmsatb5 at aol.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:42:18 -0700 (PDT)
Lines: 78

Putting this on a recent thread here where it's more likely to be seen
in a quick fashion....

Several things just to update folks.

First, many thanks to all those who sent along research suggestions
and offerings to be of assistance on the project I can't talk about.
I've been swamped with deadlines and unable to reply to any of the
public notes and private emails, but as soon as I can get my head
above water, be assured that I'll be in touch with many of you.

Second, as noted in the original thread before I hijacked it, yes, the
plan at the moment is that I will be at Comic Con San Diego this year,
primarily doing my thing on Thursday and Saturday afternoons.

There is a *chance* -- mind you, it's just a slim chance but to be
honorable I must mention it -- that a work situation *may* preclude my
appearance there.  Or it may not.  I'll know more by the end of next
week, and for now as far as I know, everything's on target for me to
be at SDCC.  If that changes, I'll be sure to let everyone know as far
in advance as possible.

One final note re: recent discussions on TMoS and more Lost Tales.

B5:TLT was commissioned at a $2 million budget to, yet one more time,
"test the waters" for B5.  We did what we could with that, and that
was that.  As we did with Rangers, which also suffered from not having
a lot of money because of concerns about "is there really a B5
audience?"  Which is, of course, a foolish question from a studio that
has never really understood what it has in B5.

Of late, there have been more discussions from WB about doing more
DVDs, again at a low cost, or a cable thing, again with minimal
investment.

So for the last few months, I've been giving this whole subject a lot
of quiet thought.  And I've come to a conclusion.

B5 as a five year story stands beautifully on its own.  If anything
else is to be continued from that story, it should be something that
adds to the legacy of B5, rather than subtracts from it.

As well intentioned as Rangers and TLT were, as enticing as it was to
return to those familiar waters, in the end I think they did more to
subtract from the legacy than add to it.  I don't regret having made
them, because I needed to go through that to get to the point where I
am now psychologically, but from where I sit now, I wouldn't make them
again.

So I've let everyone up here know that I'm not interested in doing any
more low-budget DVDs.  I'm not interested in doing any low-budget
cable things or small computer games.  The only thing I would be
interested in doing regarding Babylon 5 from this point on is a full-
featured, big-budget feature film.

It's that or nothing.

And if it's nothing, I'm totally cool with that because the original
story stands on its own just fine.  I'm not lobbying for it, I'm not
asking fans to write in about it (nor should you) because such
campaigns never really have much impact...that's simply the position
I've taken up here.  Lord knows I don't lack for other things to do
these days.  I'm busier on more prestige projects with terrific people
and great film-makers than at any other time in my career.

At the end of the day, for me, it's not just a matter of getting more
B5.  It's a matter of getting more *good* B5 that respects what came
before it and doesn't have to compromise visually or in terms of
action.  The original show deserves better than that, the surviving
cast members deserve better than that, and the fans who have supported
it over the years definitely deserve better than that.  A lot better.

So I've drawn that line in the sand, and I'm happy living on whichever
side of that line the universe puts me.  Just thought you should know,
'cause it's your show too.

jms

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From: "Slitheen" <Slitheen23 at googlemail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:41:36 +0100
Lines: 24

<jmsatb5 at aol.com> wrote in message 
news:7ea6c682-3835-48b3-9fd6-0525018732b8 at 79g2000hsk.googlegroups.com...
> > So I've drawn that line in the sand, and I'm happy living on whichever
> side of that line the universe puts me.  Just thought you should know,
> 'cause it's your show too.
>
> jms
>

Well I won't lie, I was personally looking forward to more DVD's following 
TLT. Despite the lower than normal budget, I enjoyed it immensely. However, 
I perfectly understand where you're coming from. My thanks for a wonderful 
journey. One I hope isn't quite yet over (crosses fingers and hopes for 'B5: 
The Movie')

BTW, can I marry your brain?
-- 
Slitheen.
Manchester United - Back to Back Champions 2006/07, 2007/08 & Champions of 
Europe 2008.

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From: Tom <npsdsa at yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:01:38 -0700 (PDT)
Lines: 34

On Jul 15, 8:41=A0pm, "Slitheen" <Slithee... at googlemail.com> wrote:
> <jmsa... at aol.com> wrote in message
>
> news:7ea6c682-3835-48b3-9fd6-0525018732b8 at 79g2000hsk.googlegroups.com...
>
> > > So I've drawn that line in the sand, and I'm happy living on whicheve=
r
> > side of that line the universe puts me. =A0Just thought you should know=
,
> > 'cause it's your show too.
>
> > jms
>
> Well I won't lie, I was personally looking forward to more DVD's followin=
g
> TLT. Despite the lower than normal budget, I enjoyed it immensely. Howeve=
r,
> I perfectly understand where you're coming from. My thanks for a wonderfu=
l
> journey. One I hope isn't quite yet over (crosses fingers and hopes for '=
B5:
> The Movie')
>
> BTW, can I marry your brain?
> --
> Slitheen.
> Manchester United - Back to Back Champions 2006/07, 2007/08 & Champions o=
f
> Europe 2008.

I guess we cannot completely rule it out.  After all, Serenity was
made after a whole what, 13 episode season of Firefly.   Never say
never.

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From: Duggy <Paul.Duggan at jcu.edu.au>
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:56:07 -0700 (PDT)
Lines: 16

On Jul 17, 12:01 am, Tom <nps... at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I guess we cannot completely rule it out.  After all, Serenity was
> made after a whole what, 13 episode season of Firefly.   Never say
> never.

Is $40 million really enough?  After all, Serenity was made by a
writer/director who felt he hadn't told the story he wanted to tell...
and so he took any chance he could.

Here we're talking about someone who has finished the story he wants
to tell.  JMS isn't going to jump at a tiny number.

===
= DUG.
===

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From: Joseph DeMartino <jdemarti at bellsouth.net>
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:47:11 -0700 (PDT)
Lines: 17

On Jul 17, 12:56=A0am, Duggy <Paul.Dug... at jcu.edu.au> wrote:

> Is $40 million really enough? =A0

Considering what the "B5" team and its disciplined approach to
filmmaking was able to do with around $3 million in films like "In the
Beginning", "Thirdspace" and "A Call to Arms", I have no doubt that
JMS & Co. could make a better (not more spectacular, but *better*)
film for $40 million than George Lucas or the "Trek" crew could make
with three or four times that budget.

Although it would certainly be *nice* to have more.  <g>

Regards,

Joe

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From: Duggy <Paul.Duggan at jcu.edu.au>
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 05:42:10 -0700 (PDT)
Lines: 27

On Jul 17, 11:47 pm, Joseph DeMartino <jdema... at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> On Jul 17, 12:56 am, Duggy <Paul.Dug... at jcu.edu.au> wrote:
> > Is $40 million really enough?
> Considering what the "B5" team and its disciplined approach to
> filmmaking was able to do with around $3 million in films like "In the
> Beginning", "Thirdspace" and "A Call to Arms", I have no doubt that
> JMS & Co. could make a better (not more spectacular, but *better*)
> film for $40 million than George Lucas or the "Trek" crew could make
> with three or four times that budget.

> Although it would certainly be *nice* to have more.  <g>

Sure he knows how to make a series on a tight budget, but if he's
holding out for the money he wants why accept a smaller amount and
work with a tight budget again.

I don't want to listen to the commentary and hear "in the original
script we had a scene here that was cut for budgetary reasons but it
would have made the film..."

I'm not saying he needs a $350 million Superman Returns budget... but
I'd hope for more then Serenity's throw away budget.

===
= DUG.
===

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From: "Slitheen" <Slitheen23 at googlemail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:33:07 +0100
Lines: 36

"Duggy" <Paul.Duggan at jcu.edu.au> wrote in message 
news:d2a04f7e-d97c-48cc-bfc5-2f6b3c2a48d6 at v26g2000prm.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 17, 11:47 pm, Joseph DeMartino <jdema... at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>> On Jul 17, 12:56 am, Duggy <Paul.Dug... at jcu.edu.au> wrote:
>> > Is $40 million really enough?
>> Considering what the "B5" team and its disciplined approach to
>> filmmaking was able to do with around $3 million in films like "In the
>> Beginning", "Thirdspace" and "A Call to Arms", I have no doubt that
>> JMS & Co. could make a better (not more spectacular, but *better*)
>> film for $40 million than George Lucas or the "Trek" crew could make
>> with three or four times that budget.
>
>> Although it would certainly be *nice* to have more.  <g>
>
> Sure he knows how to make a series on a tight budget, but if he's
> holding out for the money he wants why accept a smaller amount and
> work with a tight budget again.
>
> I don't want to listen to the commentary and hear "in the original
> script we had a scene here that was cut for budgetary reasons but it
> would have made the film..."
>
> I'm not saying he needs a $350 million Superman Returns budget... but
> I'd hope for more then Serenity's throw away budget.
>

Yet with the Serenity budget, they made a fine film. Although yes, it would 
be nice to have more.
-- 
Slitheen.
Manchester United - Back to Back Champions 2006/07, 2007/08 & Champions of 
Europe 2008. 

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From: Duggy <Paul.Duggan at jcu.edu.au>
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:26:45 -0700 (PDT)
Lines: 34

On Jul 21, 2:33 pm, "Slitheen" <Slithee... at googlemail.com> wrote:
> Yet with the Serenity budget, they made a fine film. Although yes, it would
> be nice to have more.

You can make a fine film for any amount of money.  But at the lower
amounts some things are possible and have to be cut.

If JMS has decided that he doesn't want to do anymore B5 unless he get
the buget to make it work, I'm sure he'd want more than Joss got to do
Serenity, after all:

"Whedon's original script was 190 pages, and attempted to address all
major plot points introduced in the series. After presenting the
script to Universal under the title "The Kitchen Sink", Whedon was
asked to cut down the script to a size filmable under his budget
constraints."

Another big factor for cost is time, the smaller the budget the less
time you have to make the film.

Not to mention that the studio's marketing is usually proportional to
the amount spent to make it.  If the spent a lot they'll spend a lot
to get the hype going so they make the money back.  If the film didn't
cost much they don't care as much.  Not that I like hype and
marketing, but I'd rather the film do well at the cinemas so the
chance of well funded sequels is higher.

That said, the more money you're given the more the studio will want
to change things to ensure box-office success.

===
= DUG.
===

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From: Andrew Timson <atimson at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:53:12 -0700 (PDT)
Lines: 22

On Jul 21, 2:26 am, Duggy <Paul.Dug... at jcu.edu.au> wrote:

> If JMS has decided that he doesn't want to do anymore B5 unless he get
> the buget to make it work, I'm sure he'd want more than Joss got to do
> Serenity, after all:
>
> "Whedon's original script was 190 pages, and attempted to address all
> major plot points introduced in the series. After presenting the
> script to Universal under the title "The Kitchen Sink", Whedon was
> asked to cut down the script to a size filmable under his budget
> constraints."

Part of those "budget constraints" would include the fact that they're
paying for a two-ish hour movie, not the three-plus hour movie of that
initial draft.

(I recall Whedon saying elsewhere that he knew that not everything in
that script was going to be in the final movie when he wrote it, that
it was *meant* to be trimmed down. Don't have any cites at hand,
unfortunately, though I'll look later if you want.)

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From: "jmsatb5 at aol.com" <jmsatb5 at aol.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:39:38 -0700 (PDT)
Lines: 28

Just jumping in for a quick follow-up....

1) For those who wondered why $2M for a 2 hour movie was low when we
used to do B5 for $850K/hour...first, that was ten years ago, and
costs across the board have gone way up; second, we could amortize
costs across a season of 22 episodes, which you can't do for a stand-
alone.  Meaning, you want a given set that costs $100,000 to build.
You spread that cost across 22 episodes and the hit is small.  You can
also spread other hard costs across that period.  In a stand-alone you
have to pay for everything out of that one budget.  And on top of
that, scale for 2-hour salaries for crew and cast are higher per-hour
than a one-hour production.

2) In regards to Comic Con San Diego...it was touch-and-go there for a
while, but I'll be able to make it there after all.  The schedule for
the con is:

Writing seminar Thursday at 11.  May or may not be able to swing by
the Ninja Assassin talk at 6.

Autographs Saturday 1-3 in the main signing area, and my spotlight at
4:45.

Nothing on Sunday because I have to get back early because of work.

jms