Decided to start a new JMS SPEAKS topic since we hit 100 on the original.
Printable View
Decided to start a new JMS SPEAKS topic since we hit 100 on the original.
Subject: various publishing newsbits
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Some more related to B5 than others....
For those who haven't yet gotten the word...yes, the new trilogy of B5 books
has begun with the first volume of the Techno-Mage books, "Casting Shadows."
It's now officially just about everywhere, so I figured it was right for a
general note.
Also, Fiona Avery's debut comic, "No Honor," appeared today in comics stores everywhere. It's a good one.
Finally, for those who missed the chance to check out my two short stories on
bookface.com, they've been gathered into an anthology, "Out of the Box" edited by Lou Anders. It also has a bunch of other really cool stories by other folks that are worth checking out. It's now available via barnesandnoble.com.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Fan club redux?
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>The inside front cover contains a promotional bug fo or the fan club. Is this evidence of its impending re-instantiation as a real operating club, or is it evidence that the marketing people at Del Rey continue to promote something that they've never visited? Or, is it just a simple mistake?</font>
It's a goof.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Miss your Psycomic columns
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>Since the demise of Psycomics at the end of January, I have missed jms'
weekly columns. I was wondering if you are planning to find a new site for the columns. Also, I was wondering if you are planning to have a personal web site of your own.</font>
No to both at this point.
jms
<font color=yellow>This question was posted from Kimball to JMS</font>
Subject: Re: ATTN: JMS - your input in the books
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>How much input did you have on such books as the "Legions of Fire" series, "Psi Corps" series and "Casting Shadows?" They all say 'based on an original outline by JMS." I have read "Legions" and I am getting ready to start "Psi" and "Casting Shadows" (although I may wait until all the three books are out for Casting).
"Legions" really seemed to flow well with what the tv show had set up. It was like having a whole other season of B5.
Thank you.</font>
I write a fairly detailed outline for each of the books, anywhere from 10-20 pages each. (One, I think, hit 30 pages.) So figure anywhere from 30 to 85 pages per trilogy, or thereabouts.
It contains nearly all of the major beats, character moments and plot turns. Then the authors add in another layer in all three categories as connective tissue and do all the heavy lifting of actually making it all *work*.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS...Silent Spidey Month?
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>I noticed that there are plans in place for a "silent" month later this year (Joss Whedon must be proud). Is this going to interfere with any plans you had, or are you accepting it as challenge?</font>
They gave me the option, and I decided to go for it.
jms
<font face="Verdana">
Re:Sleeping in Light (and how old Joe looks in that final scene)
<font color="red">Given Joe was in his fifties when he filmed that and we've got another thread about how young Bester looks considering his age?</font></p>
HEY! I'm only 46 and a half, here. I know I *look* a lot older, but that's because a) I've come down a hard road, and b) B5 took it out of me.
Before I started on B5, you can see video interviews with me...I had more hair, and there wasn't a gray hair anywhere IN there. Five years later, the top was gone and what was left was almost totally gray.
So when that was filmed, I was, what? 43?
Fifties indeed.
Hrmph.
jms
</p>
<font color="red">[straight face]
Perhaps they assumed you were older due to your clearly apparent wisdom.....
[/straight face]</font></p>
Well, it sure as hell ain't *that*....
jms</p>
<font color="red">But, you have the fingers of a 20-year-old. The wrists of a 50-year-old, perhaps, but the fingers of a 20-year-old.</font></p>
That's right, and I keep them in a jar of formaldhyde on my desk....
jms
</p>
</font><font size="-4" face="Arial">
[This message has been edited by Wizz (edited March 05, 2001).]
OK...What is a "Silent" month???????
A "silent" month, to the best of my knowledge (I read it somewhere) is where there's no balloon dialog anywhere in the story. The story is told only by the pictures in the panels.
<font face="verdana">
<font color="yellow">Woah! So you came up with this and the other two trilogies 3 or so
years ago?</font>
Yes. Del Rey has been very slow in following up on this stuff, prolonging the process over the last several years. My first conversations with Del Rey about this were in 1997 (I remember because it took place in the exhibits room at Worldcon the year we won the second Hugo).
I've actually been rather dismayed that it will have taken them four years to put out nine books. The last of the outlines were done while we were still in production on the series. I think that they would've had more heat and success behind the books if they had come out on a more reasonable schedule and with a good PR campaign. As it is, they're frankly stealth books; if you don't know to look for them, you won't find out otherwise.</p>
<font color="yellow">Did you also come up with the outlines for any more books, and if so are there any plans set?</font>
No to both.
jms
</p>
<font color="yellow">If the possibility arose, would you be interested in doing Doctor Who?
You're one of the few folks I'd trust with it.</font>
Yeah, it'd be fun.
jms
</p></font>
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: soc.culture.jewish.moderated question
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>Unfortunately, the character,Ivanova, was played by an actress named Claudia Christian, a Gentile, natch. The whole character should not be taken
seriously, since it was a stupid in-joke created by J. Straczynski, Babylon 5's
creator.
This has to rank in the top one percentile ofthe top ten percent of stupid comments I have seen on the net to date.
Because Claudia's last name was Christian, this makes it an in-joke? You think I created that character then went around looking for someone named Christian
to play the part?
Does your mom know you're using her computer when you're supposed to be in bed?
The character was created to be a strong Jewish character. Period. To show that our heritage and our history goes with us to the stars. We dealt seriously and with great sensitivity with what it means to be of Eastern European Jewish heritage.
I cast the best person to walk in the room for that role. I applied an open casting rule to all parts, to allow greatest latitude in picking people without prejudice. On Crusade we had an actor of Korean descent, Daniel Dai Kim, portraying a Lieutenant named Matheson.
B5 received several awards from Jewish organizations for its portrayal of Susan
Ivanova. That aspect was used in sermons and lectures by Rabbis who seemed to have NO problem taking her seriously. Her character was the first regular series character in a futuristic space SF series who was not just Jewish, but a *practicing* Jew: sitting shiva, lighting the Menorah and consulting (sometimes reluctantly) with her Rabbi.
A stupid in-joke?
You can sit there and write off an actor and a character just because the actor who portrayed the character happened to be a Gentile? Which is in no way fundamentally different than the many fine Jewish actors who play Gentiles because the intelligent thing to do is to cast the best actor for the role?
An IN-JOKE?
The problem is not the show's, nor is it the actor's, nor is it the character's. The problem is yours.
Sir, and I say this with the love of whatever god you say you believe in, in my heart... you are an ingnorant, prejudiced putz.
jms
Subject: Re: Why the Station's Fate Still Doesn't Make Sense (spoilers I
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
1) Remember that this was the cheapest of all the B5 stations, it wasn't built to last forever.
2) You'd have to go through that thing and pull out literally tens of miles of
computer equipment, sensors, records, and other material before you could sell
it to anybody. Not to mention all the remaining weapons systems.
3) It's now like a town bypassed by the railroad...the IA now does most of what
B5 was intended to do. So as Zack says, nobody comes there anymore. The cost to maintain it in the lack of supporting business is heinous in the extreme.
So do you set guards to something that nobody uses anymore? Pay all the money to pull out all the classified stuff you don't want removed intact by salvage operations?
Or do you just spend a few bucks to blow it up, the way folks blow up old buildings now?
jms
Subject: Re: Pending DVD release
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
One aside...the release of the first DVD of "The Gathering" and "In the Beginning" has been put back a month, at my request. There was apparently some misunderstanding about which version of The Gathering to put out, and they were going to do the original version rather than the re-edit (which would go for the European market). They had already invested about $100,000 in copying
costs when I found out about this, and I asked if they could please reconsider
and do the re-edit instead. They finally agreed, which is commendable in the
extreme. It'll add one month to the release schedule, but I'd rather have the best version out there and wait the addtional 30 days.
I have to really thank WB for taking the time and spending the money to put out the right version.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: It was a GOOD story!
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>It's as if you intended for this show to be aired at 7 p.m. every day on
cable from the very beginning...</font>
Yes and no. No particular time slot was conceived of, but I wrote this with an eye to knowing what happens to series in syndication: they end up being stripped daily. So I knew it would end up being seen this way, and that was going to be the preferred way of both watching and writing it. It's when you see it that way that it actually works best, because the threads in the garment are pulled closer together, rather than years apart, and you can see the
connections and the patterns more clearly.
<font color=red>Anyway, *good* story. We really enjoyed it.</font>
Thanks.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS reintroduced me to Comics (& restored my faith)
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>Anyone have any other suggestions for me? It has been a lot of fun to
rediscover this medium!</font>
I'd recommend "Usagi Yojimbo" for a fun book. Fiona Avery's "No Honor" (www.nohonor.com) is also a fine book. The work done to return Superman's origin in the 4 issue Return to Krypton mini is very nice. I'd also suggest in reprints checking out Astro City, and the Marvels, Kingdom Come and Uncle Sam miniseries. And DEFINITELY the Mage books.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN:JMS Your thoughts on V
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>"After the cancellation of the series, the story of V continued to live on for a short time in paperbacks by Pinnacle and Tor, and comic books by DC Comics. There were talks of a third final miniseries, but the farthest that went was a script proposal by Joe Straczynski (of current Babylon 5 fame) which was rejected by Warner Brothers. </font>
Two corrections here. It wasn't a script *proposal*, which is to say, a proposal for a script, it was a full four hour miniseries script commissioned by WB which I wrote and turned in. It wasn't rejected, they loved the script, but in doing the budget for what the series would cost, they ran into the same
problems they had with the original V, which damn near destroyed WB TV because of cost over-runs. Showing an Earth based war, with all the pyros, stunts, huge cast and set requirements, location work, all that...was more than they wanted to pay for a syndicated show, which was their intent at the time.
<font color=red> Straczynski has considered developing his script into a novel, but there is no word when that will happen. "</font>
I cannot develop it into a novel because I don't own the underlying rights, WB owns them, and never intended to do any such thing. It's what we in da biz
call "dead pages."
jms
Subject: Re: Pending DVD release
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>1. Will "The Gathering" be on the DVD in pseudo-widescreen from Sci-Fi (i.e. 4:3 with picture info hidden by black bars at the top & bottom), or will it have the 4:3 as-shot version like the laserdisc?</font>
Insofar as I know it'll be 4:3.
<font color=red>2. Will "In the Beginning" show the Centauri Vorchan Cruiser blowing away the Narn ship at the ice planet/abandoned outpost and then bombarding the outpost (with missiles, IIRC), or just jump straight from the Vorchan exiting the jump point to flames on the ceiling of the bunker. In other words, will the DVD have the Sci-Fi cuts or will it have the whole thing (like the Laserdisc)?</font>
DId the snip during the SFC broadcast somehow rebound into the WB negatives vault and transmorgify the cut residing there...?
jms
Subject: Re: How did he do that?
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
We generally made deals for all episodes produced, and I used the actors as I needed them for the story.
<font color=red>While I know Star Trek references are not appreciated by some here, they did make it a point to include everyone somehow.</font>
Only problem with doing that is that it whittles away the complexity of the story you can tell, and the degree of personalization. X characters per episode = Y minutes spent with each of those characters out of a set number of minutes per episode (about 43).
I always figured, just take what I need for the story and no more than that.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN: JMS DVD Supplemental material
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>Hey, Joe!
I, for one, can't wait for the DVD's to start coming out. But I am sorely disappointed about what I understand to be the apparent lack of supplemental material (read "commentary") on them.
Supplementary material is one of the things that really makes DVD's special, IMHO. And as much as B5 has been about "behind the scenes" (on the Internet) as well as a darn good story, I think WB would be terribly remiss to issue B5 DVD's without taking advantage of the opportunity to get some of that background information down permanently. (Not to mention it'd just be plain
fun to listen to your commentaries.)
Is that the final word, or is it still in negotiation (assuming your interested in doing commentaries in the first place)?</font>
There doesn't seem to be much interest in doing it, which may stem from the fact that there are so many episodes that if you do it in 1, how do you justify not doing it for all 110? So I'm not holding my breath.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS and JC: Galens Backstory
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>How much of the Galens backstory did Peter Woodward know proir to playing him? (I really must find a copy of Well of Forever now it will mean so much
more.)</font>
He knew a fair amount, just enough needed to play the role.
jms
Subject: Re: Jms interview on Spider-Man
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>I've taken a look at the thread containing the reactions and they're almost all extreme, dismissive and resistant to change, with the exception of Warren Ellis himself.</font>
I actually couldn't find it, so I have no way to judge it. I think they're likely responding to something they *think* I'm doing rather than what I'm actually doing.
jms
Subject: Re: Thanks, JMS!
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>But the most amazing thing is, it was taped over a year before it was
shown. During that year I never saw a single hint anywhere of the contents. I do not believe any movie or TV program was ever shown such respect before.</font>
That was the remarkable thing about the series...everybody kind of knew it was
something special, and nobody wanted to be the ones to mess it up. The actors all stayed mum about it, people on the set didn't say anything...a few media folks got hold of the script, but on seeing what it was, chose to say nothing out of respect. It's kind of unparalleled.
But it's also emblematic of B5 folks...when I've done a presentation at a con, and told the audience something new, but asked them not to repeat it on the nets...guess what...they didn't repeat it. In 6 years of B5 and Crusade, if I asked a net-wired audience to keep this between me and them...they complied, out of good manner, kindness and respect. I think it speaks volumes about the quality of viewer we attract.
jms
Subject: Re: The Final Battle for...the Teapot
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>Well it looks as though the dreaded Teapot has returned to "Midnight on the Firing Line". I imagine that this problem will be corrected for the DVD release.</font>
I'll be posting this to the cifi.com/babylon5 board in a bit, but the jist of it is this....
I sat in the room with the editor while they corrected this error, and the revised copy of the episode that I received on vhs was, indeed, corrected.
My suspicion is that they've put all their emphasis on getting the correct S2-4 widescreen eps delivered to SFC in a comparitively short amount of time, and
haven't sent them the new master yet. (The closed captioning that appears there now is a different process.)
I have a call in to WB now about this, but I suspect that the above scenario is correct. I think they preferred at this stage to put all their efforts into getting the big problems done first, focusing on the smaller problems later.
jms
Subject: Re: Attn JMS: Have you or any of Bab5 peeps been Down Under?
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
I attended WorldCon in Australia a year or so ago, and enjoyed it quite a bit. It's a terrific country.
jms
Subject: Re: Why the Station's Fate Still Doesn't Make Sense (spoilers I
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
1) Remember that this was the cheapest of all the B5 stations, it wasn't built to last forever.
2) You'd have to go through that thing and pull out literally tens of miles of computer equipment, sensors, records, and other material before you could sell it to anybody. Not to mention all the remaining weapons systems.
3) It's now like a town bypassed by the railroad...the IA now does most of what
B5 was intended to do. So as Zack says, nobody comes there anymore. The cost
to maintain it in the lack of supporting business is heinous in the extreme.
So do you set guards to something that nobody uses anymore? Pay all the money to pull out all the classified stuff you don't want removed intact by salvage operations?
Or do you just spend a few bucks to blow it up, the way folks blow up old buildings now?
jms
Subject: Re: Why the Station's Fate Still Doesn't Make Sense (spoilers I
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>The one thing that never made sense to me was that by blowing up the
station, you create and disperse all that debris which then becomes a much greater hazard to navigation than one big chunk. </font>
Except of course that nobody much goes by there anymore to begin with, which is one of the main reasons for blowing it up, and 80% of the debris would be pulled down by the local planet's gravity field and burn up the atmosphere.
Jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: It was a GOOD story!
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>It's as if you intended for this show to be aired at 7 p.m. every day on
cable from the very beginning...</font>
Yes and no. No particular time slot was conceived of, but I wrote this with an
eye to knowing what happens to series in syndication: they end up being stripped daily. So I knew it would end up being seen this way, and that was going to be the preferred way of both watching and writing it. It's when you see it that way that it actually works best, because the threads in the garment are pulled closer together, rather than years apart, and you can see the
connections and the patterns more clearly.
<font color=red>Anyway, *good* story. We really enjoyed it.</font>
Thanks.
jms
Subject: Re: Attn: JMS - New short story book
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>I received an intersting email today.
"Although the Bookface.com web site is no more, the company lives on through its first book (published by Wildside Press): OUTSIDE THE BOX: THE BEST SHORT FICTION FROM BOOKFACE.COM, edited by Lou Anders.
This book features work by J. Michael Straczynski, Graham Joyce, John Grant, Fiona Avery, and many other familiar names from bookface.com."
I enjoyed the story 'We Killed Them in the Ratings by J. Michael Straczynski'.
All now I have to do is work out how to buy the book in the United Kingdom, overseas mail is a little on the expensive side.</font>
The book is available for purchase online from a variety of online resources. You can get more info at:
http://www.fionaavery.com/otb/
jms
Subject: Motor City Con error
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Just to let folks know...apparently I was accidentally listed as being a guest at the Motor City Convention in Detroit this May...I found out about this by literally picking up a genre publication and seeing my name listed there. I called the folks there, and found out what had happened, who made the mistake (not the con, it appears, but someone who was booking folks) and it's been cleared up, but just so's we're clear, the info as stated in the ads isn't correct, I won't be there due to a variety of commitments. At this juncture the only con I plan to attend this year will be San Diego Comic Con.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS and JC: Galens Backstory
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>How much of the Galens backstory did Peter Woodward know proir to playing him? (I really must find a copy of Well of Forever now it will mean so much more.)</font>
He knew a fair amount, just enough needed to play the role.
jms
Subject: Re: Attn: JMS - New short story book
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>You can buy it over at http://www.amazon.co.uk/ . It's listed there and it costs 11 pounds.</font>
I was about to post this same info...the link to the location is:
[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/202-8410844-9883059"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/202-8410844-9883059[/ame]
BTW, for those in the States, you can also order from amazon.co.uk for deliveries here. Why, you ask? Because you can get music, and reference books, and fiction, and British radio dramas that are simply NOT available here. Oddly, I've found the UK version more prompt on responses and service than the US version of late.
Jms
Well, that's at least ONE weight off my chest....
To those who've heard the news already, and those just now finding out...the SciFi Channel today announced that we have a new Babylon 5 TV movie going into production that will also serve as a pilot for a likely new series.
The movie (and the series) is under the heading of BABYLON 5: THE LEGEND OF THE RANGERS. The specific title for the 2-hour movie's story is "To Live and Die in Starlight."
There isn't much I can tell you about the story because we're kinda keeping the details under wraps as much as possible for the time being. What little I can say....
It's set in the B5 universe just under 3 years after the events of "Objects at Rest." At this point there's one major character from the B5 universe in the script (a fan favorite). Where B5 was a heavy drama with some adventure/action elements, this one is a little more skewed toward adventure with underlying drama (which is about what you'd expect from the Anla-Shok).
We've been sitting on this information for a while now...such that we're already well into pre-production. We'll be shooting this movie around mid-May, well in advance of any potential actor's strike (the script is done and so far everybody likes it a LOT).
We've already got designs coming in on a new ship, and a new *kind* of ship...and we're going to be getting more into Minbari aesthetics, technologies and philosophy.
It's got some great characters, and it's a lot of fun.
I have other news to announce on other fronts...have since the end of the year, in fact...but I'm still sitting on the details awaiting another press release from another studio. What I *can* say is that I have a firm GO order to executive produce a new series (nominally SF) that will go into production after the potential SAG strike. When that's finally over, if the strike indeed happens, we pull the trigger and go into principal photography and it's an order for a full season's worth of episodes.
I can't give you any details right now on the subject, title, studio or network. That will have to await the studio's release...so don't even ask.
As far as doing both projects at the same time is concerned...it's actually quite common, as testified to by folks like John Wells and Aaron Sorkin and David Kelly and others. So there won't be any conflict.
More later.
jms
So the SciFi Channel asked me what order I'd like to air the series in, since the folks at TNT kafuffled the airdates and schedule based on what I'd originally had in mind. The theory is, you start out with general episodes to introduce the situation, characters and story, then you focus on individual characters. The first five we shot, intended to produce this effect, got shoved to the back of the line and we then had to air the individual-themed ones *first*...essentially inverting the order.
So SFC asked me what the preferred author's order would be...and that's how they've structured it, costume change be damned. Yes, there will be some dialogue glitches now, because we looped a few things to try and do least violence to the chronology of previously shot shows...but from an overall story perspective, this is the preferred order (as best I could remember it when they called and asked).
So here is the order in which the Crusade eps will be broadcast:
Mon, April 9 8:00 PM CRUSADE RACING THE NIGHT
Tue, April 10 8:00 PM CRUSADE THE NEEDS OF EARTH
Wed, April 11 8:00 PM CRUSADE THE MEMORY OF WAR
Thu, April 12 8:00 PM CRUSADE THE LONG ROAD
Mon, April 16 8:00 PM CRUSADE VISITORS FROM DOWN THE STREET
Tue, April 17 8:00 PM CRUSADE THE WELL OF FOREVER
Wed, April 18 8:00 PM CRUSADE EACH NIGHT I DREAM OF HOME
Thu, April 19 8:00 PM CRUSADE PATTERNS OF THE SOUL
Mon, April 23 8:00 PM CRUSADE THE PATH OF SORROWS
Tue, April 24 8:00 PM CRUSADE RULING FROM THE TOMB
Wed, April 25 8:00 PM CRUSADE THE RULES OF THE GAME
Thu, April 26 8:00 PM CRUSADE WAR ZONE
Mon, April 30 8:00 PM CRUSADE APPEARANCES AND OTHER DECEITS
jms
Subject: Re: from jms re: new series
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>But have any of them been writing three monthly comics at the same time as well? http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/wink.gif At any rate, this is great news! </font>
You've gotta understand...I've always done multiple projects. While I was story editing Twilight Zone, I wrote and sold my second novel, was writing a monthly column for Twilight Zone Magazine, and hosting a two-hour weekly talk radio show on KPFK-FM Los Angeles, Hour 25.
At the tail end of B5, I was handling all the post production for B5, writing the 2 new movies, writing and setting up Crusade, writing multiple outlines for the various Del Rey novels, writing the "We Killed Them in the Ratings" novelette that was published shortly thereafter in an anthology, and writing Rising Stars.
It's just kinda what I *do*.
It's always been that way with me...I like writing in a lot of different fields at the same time because it keeps me from going stale. The more work I have, oddly enough, the better I get...I'm at my worst when I have only one thing in front of me, and I fret over it and second-guess it to death.
I sometimes think I'm the only creature known to modern science whose natural environment is hot water....
<font color=red>Marcus should remain dead just like the Beatles shouldn't get back together.</font>
As Paul noted, the Beatles cannot get back together again as long as John stubbornly remains dead....
jms
Subject: Re: JMS "fan favorite"
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
There are several glaring inaccuracies in your message....
<font color=red>Then too, consider that the Skiffy Channel had $2 million to cough up for "Battlefield Earth" but didn't have the cash to buy out "Crusade" (thank goodness, IMO) from TNT before it was canned. </font>
It's not that SFC didn't have the money, it's that the situation came up when they had *already allocated* all of their budget for the year, and would have to have dug into their budget for the *subsequent* year and they just couldn't do that. If the situation had occurred a few months earlier, it would have been very different.
Remember also that SFC wanted B5 as well to make the deal, and TNT was asking a heinous amount of money for the B5 reruns to deliberately* prevent anyone from obtaining both shows because they were afraid that Crusade would do well at SFC and embarrass the network. What TNT was asking to get bought out on B5 was more than ANYbody sane would pay.
<font color=red>(and TNT in turn, didn't have the money to hire Tallman for one episode)</font>
Also incorrect. When you do episodic TV, you look at the days per episode that somebody works. When, for instance, we had Richard Biggs do an appearance in Crusade, it only required being there for a couple of days out of a 7 day schedule.
It's standard in that kind of situation to look at the actor's weekly fee and pay them for the number of days they appear. In other words...and these are totally bogus figures, just for ease of discussion...if Actor X gets 7,000 for a 7 day shoot, then if you only need him on another show for 2 days, you pay $2,000. If you need him for the whole episode, you pay the full $7,000.
That's what we did with Richard, and what we've always done. We offered Pat the same kind of arrangement on Crusade; we only eeded her for one day's work on "Path of Sorrows." She asked to receive her usual salary for a full week. We couldn't make that deal because it would establish a precedent that would come back to haunt us bigtime.
<font color=red>In other words, we're talking a production on the cheap -- hence the Vancouver shooting location. This issue (money, honey) alone, pretty well eliminates ANY of the main characters appearing for more than a walk-on unless they're willing to work virtually for scale, which one would hope none of them are so hard-up for cash as to do. </font>
LOTS of shows are shooting in Vancouver, with all KINDS of budgets, so I don't see that your slamming Vancouver as being a cheap place has anything to do with reality. X-Files and Millennium shot up there for years and were *massively* expensive shows. So right off the bat you're dealing with a false premise.
Our budget for the TV movie is absolutely in line with what's usually spent...and if you actually knew anything about TV production, you'd know that you don't spend the money to fly someone from LA to Vancouver, put them up, and do all the rest...just to use that person for a walk-on.
The role, as written, is extensive and all THROUGH the movie. So on that final score, you're just plain wrong.
Just an advisory that one should get ones facts a bit more in line before going around slamming on people and whole cities....
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Crusade Question
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>Does the new Rangers movie (& possible series) mean that SFC doesn't want to do more Crusade? Don't get me wrong--I love the Rangers idea. I hate to see something (the Crusade story) left up in the air, though.</font>
No, it doesn't...it doesn't have any impact on that project one way or another. This is a B5 project based on the B5 ratings. Crusade hasn't even aired yet on SFC.
jms
Subject: Re: Attn: JMS Promotion
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>First off, you mention this new project is in pre-production now, with filming to begin in mid-May, well before the possible SAG strike. So, when might this strike happen, and how much leeway between needed filming time and this looming date? </font>
Writer's strike (if it happens) would be triggered on May 2nd, which is why the script has to be totally finalized before then. The actor's strike (ditto) would take place July 1st. We'd be finished well before this.
<font color=red>Secondly, with the rather odd seasons that cable goes for, seen most recently on Sci-Fi with the Farscape season premiere just last Friday, when might this pilot movie make it on the air? </font>
Airdate hasn't been finalized yet.
<font color=red>Filming starts in Mid-May, ideally, how long for filming, how long for post-production of a movie, and how long with the SFC hold onto it before putting it on the air?</font>
General rule of thumb for any kind of TV movie: 8 weeks prep, 6 weeks post, anywhere from 17-24 days shooting. Any network can hold any show for as long as they want, though the longer they hold said show, the more difficult it becomes to hold cast, crew, sets, stages.
<font color=red>Would you and your wife like to come to Agamemcon this year June 8-10? </font>
At this point, I'm only doing one con this year, San Diego Comic Con, though the invitation is of course much appreciated.
jms
Subject: Re: My Prediction about the new Babylon 5 movie.
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>In about ten/eleven days from now JMS will turn around and say...
APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!!</font>
...go to your room.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: The JPL to Continue Their Involvement...??
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>Will the Jet Propulsion Laboratories be resuming their involvement in "Babylon 5" productions, perchance? It would be great to incorporate actual, real-world space science into the fabric of the story. </font>
It's certainly something I'd pursue when it comes time to do the series.
jms
Subject: Re: from jms re: new series
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
<font color=red>Well, it's a more varied output, and I think that it's a more consistent quality of work, but the volume makes me think of Isaac Asimov.</font>
Not even close. I think I'd pretty much have to double my output to get within spitting distance of Asimov (though why anyone would want to spit on him is beyond my comprehension...).
<font color=red>The REAL question is where you manage to find all those 28-hour days while the rest of us are stuck with 24.... </font>
It came in the same transdimensional boxes ALL the aliens brought with them when they secretly invaded Earth, which were also given to their agents here, who have been charged with the task of....
Well, I've said too much already.
jms