lurkers-guide/ftp/CompuServe/cs94-10-01

These are messages from J. Michael Straczynski on CompuServe, collected by
Michele Worley (michele_l_worley@yahoo.com).

---
BABYLON 5: <EYES> FINALLY SAW IT #846124
DATE: THURS OCT 6, 1994 4:06:25 AM

     "MORE!"

     Just 3 more weeks.

                                    jms

BABYLON 5: CHRYSALIS SPOILER #843485
DATE: MON OCT 3, 1994 7:15:07 PM

     That explanation is in the very next episode.  Complete and
in full. Never said otherwise.  I've always made it clear that
this will be resolved in the first episode of year two.

                                                            jms
BABYLON 5: CHRYSALIS SPOILERS #843491
RESPONSE-TO: AndyL
DATE: MON OCT 3, 1994 7:21:02 PM

     Except, of course, that where everyone goes is important to
the rest of the story, and that the purpose of the episode is to
introduce massive change into the story overall; when Sinclair says
"Nothing's the same anymore," he's deadly serious, and so are we.
The changes won't just be transitory or for a season-end hook; these
are permanent and substantial changes in the arc.

                                                               jms
BABYLON 5: CHRYSALIS SPOILERS #843847
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 12:17:14 AM

     Thanks.  I've watched that episode, between rough cuts and
producers cuts and mixing and all the rest, something like a
dozen times...and it still gets to me.  Glad you feel the same.

                                                               jms
BABYLON 5: CHRYSALIS OF COURSE #844818
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 11:53:14 PM

     Correct; Garibaldi's aide has *always* been a plant.  I seeded him
in from the beginning, specifically for that purpose.  It was the aide
who got Sinclair out of his quarters in "Sky," was the liaison who got
Benson on line (also in security, you'll remember), and helped dispose
of the body. If you watch his reaction in "Sky," he's the one who brings
info to Garibaldi looking to clear Benson; and when Garibaldi sees through
it, you can see his aide move off looking very worried.

     Originally, it was Laurel Takashima who would have betrayed those
around her, as this character did.  When Laurel was transferred, I had
a choice: keep that arc for her replacement (Ivanova), or give this part
of it to someone else.  Now, knowing how the folks here on the nets and
elsewhere think, and knowing that they knew about the Laurel-possible-traitor
thread, I figured that everyone would assume that Ivanova would get that
part. (And, sure enough, a lot of people did.)  This became a wonderrfully
convenient blind behind which to build the *real* plant.

     And thus far, *nobody's* seen it coming.  He was right there in clear
view, we used him many times (also in "By Any Means Necessary," for
instance), and nobody ever paid him the slightest attention.

     It is, in a way, the classic magician's trick of misdirection: you
try to get everyone to look at your hand so they won't look at the huge
elephant being wheeled up onto the stage in plain sight.

                                                                    jms
BABYLON 5: CHRYSALIS SPOILERS #845725
DATE: WED OCT 5, 1994 9:41:25

      "If the Shadows are active on Earth, we need to ask why
Psi-Corps haven't picked them up."

      Yep.

                                                                jms
DATE: THURS OCT 6, 1994 3:08:01 PM #846563

     In the pilot, Lyta specifically states that once she's inside
Kosh's mind, it's all subjective; and as such, she'll be "seeing"
her own body, not his.  Hence the hand.

                                                               jms
DATE: FRI OCT 7, 1994 3:59:08 AM #847356

      Yeah, we used the photo of LBJ being sworn in as the model
when we shot that scene; interestingly enough, the day we shot
that scene was the anniversary of the day LBJ took office after
JFK was killed.  The atmosphere on set was *very* strange that day....

                                                                 jms

BABYLON 5: I NEED SOME EPISODES! #846003
DATE: THURS OCT 6, 1994 12:57:26

     "My other two (Babylon 5) tapes mysteriously disappeared."

     Have you checked the Babylon 4 tape archive?

                                                           jms
BABYLON 5: B5 QUESTIONS FOR JMS #847021
RESPONSE-TO: SIMON GRIERSON
DATE: THURS OCT 6, 1994 9:50:02 PM

     The underground high-tech will be seen again, and will have a role
to play.

     Delenn is acting slightly outside the majority opinion of the Grey
Council in her actions.

     What's going on with Delenn is not supernatural.

     There's something going on between the Minbari and the Vorlons, but
that won't be clear for a bit longer yet.

     Jason Ironheart won't be returning anytime soon.  Not at all, really,
in any sense we understand.  I don't like omnipotent beings running around
in the storyline; makes some things too easy, and other things too hard.

     No, Delenn does not become Zathras.

     And no, I'm *definitely* not taking any kinds of ideas for stories,
for movies or for episodes, at this time.  The point of B5 is that it's
a self contained novel, which is already written out.  I've got more
stories in the B5 universe running around in my head than I could *ever*
use in all the episodes, books, comics and so on.  In putting together
all of the background information, the future story arc, the character
histories, I find myself in kind of a Tolkien-ish situation, where I have
far more material than I could ever use.  Also, receiving any kind of
story ideas here on the nets endangers my presence here for legal reasons.

     Finally...as a note, your message contains spoilers, and should be
noted with brackets to keep from ruining the fun for others.

     Other than that...thanks, and I'm pleased you enjoy the show.

                                                                  jms
BABYLON 5: CHRYSALIS SPOILERS #843848
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 12:17:16 AM

     Main thing is, I'd suggest watching "Sky" just before
watching "Chrysalis."

                                                        jms
BABYLON 5: HARLAN ELLISON #837328
DATE: WED SEP 28, 1994

     Thanks, and I agree with you 100% about Harlan.
He's quite a guy.

                                                 jms
BABYLON 5: GARIBALDI & CO #838193
DATE: WED SEP 28, 1994

     Correct, I think that Michael and Bruce are either
the same age, or Bruce is a smidge older.

                                                   jms
BABYLON 5: B5 2ND SEASON #848114
DATE: FRI OCT 7, 1994 9:53:10 PM

     Yes, the season one ender is "Chrysalis;" season two starts the
following week; and we do see Bruce in the first episode of year two.

                                                                 jms
-----
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 7:43:25 PM #844492

     I think the UK will be running season two starting in December.

                                                                 jms
BABYLON 5: YEAR TWO GUEST STARS #839197
DATE: THURS SEP 29, 1994 7:51:07

     Just a note to apprise everbody on some of the guest stars on
year two of BABYLON 5.  We've been doing some pretty nifty stuff.
In just the first seven episodes of B5 we've already used the
following guest stars:

     Fobert Foxworth.  Michael Ansara.  Dwight Schultz.  Anna Marie
Johnson. Adrienne Barbeau.  Michael Beck.  Jessica Walters.  James
Shigeta.  Walter Koenig.  Russ Tamblyn.

     Not a bad start, I think....

                                                                jms
DATE: FRI SEP 30, 1994 12:22:28 AM #839599

     Still definitely interested in getting McGoohan one of these days.

                                                                   jms
DATE: SAT OCT 1, 1994 4:10:01 AM

     I don't have any personal contact with McGoohan to answer your
questions; just one more admirer of his work.

                                                                    jms
DATE: SAT OCT 1, 1994 1:00:12 AM #840685

     Oh, we have some very interesting plans for Mr. Bester....

                                                            jms
BABYLON 5: BOXLEITNER #840687
DATE: SAT OCT 1, 1994 1:00:16 AM #840687

     The way in which Sheridan comes into the storyline is *absolutely*
consistent with everything that has come before, and everything that
follows.

                                                                   jms
BABYLON 5: ATTENTION UK B5 FANS! #839011
DATE: THURS SEP 29, 1994 5:19:17

     I'm piggy-backing this message onto Brett's for the UK viewers
out there.

     "Chrysalis" airs in just a few days in the UK...Monday evening.
I would have much preferred that it air more closely to the US
broadcast, or simultaneously, but PTEN chose otherwise.

     Of all the episodes I wrote for season one, this is probably the
best of them.  This one works on every single level, including the
acting, the directing, the lighting...all of it.  It's as close to a
perfect episode that we've done.

     As you'll discover in a few days, at least half of the show's
success is in the surprises, and the planned shocks along the way.
You'll know what I'm talking about instantly, when you see it.  As
stated before, we tip over every table we've got.

     Specific reactions and spoilers posted here will hit people
literally WEEKS before it airs.  The effect, I think, would be to
dilute the impact of the story profoundly.  So I would like to take
this opportunity to ask our UK friends for a personal favor.

     Obviously, discussing the episode on local UK systems is terrific,
no problem.  If it's possible, it'd be wonderful if you could be more
general or vague in comments here.  If you have specific questions
related to the story, I'll be happy to respond to anything posted
privately here.  I know and appreciate that this would be an
inconvenience, and there's nothing that obliges anyone to go along
with this.  I ask it only as a personal favor.

                                                               jms
DATE: SAT OCT 1, 1994 1:00:14 AM #840686

     It's not so much with the hole in Sinclair's mind (though that's
touched upon in a major way)...you could say it's to do with EVERYTHING
on the show.

                                                                   jms
PROS AND PUBLISHING: WANTED - WRITERS #839612
DATE: FRI SEP 30, 1994 12:32:25 AM

     Of course, depending on how you choose to define "net revenue,"
and it can be defined so as to make it look as though there ARE no
net revenues, regardless of what may actually come in...it's possible
that the writers and artists could receive *zero* money.  (I work in
Hollywood, and I've seen how bookkeeping can make a huge profit into
a net loss.)

     There's no real way of knowing what "net profits" are until and
unless one audits your books.

     It is standard, professional behavior to offer a set fee, X-cents
per word, or a flat fee.  If you are not doing this, then I can only
conclude that something's profoundly wrong about this whole deal.

                                                                   jms
BABYLON 5: NO STORY IDEAS PLEASE #843490
DATE: MON OCT 3, 1994 7:21:01 PM

     Fox doesn't produce B5; it's Warners/PTEN, so Fox can't "can" the show.

     As for fan fiction...I try to discourage it where possible, primarily
if it's in a place where I can see it, to defuse any legal problems such as
the one that killed one of Marion Zimmer Bradley's books.  There are going
to be some B5 novels from Dell, but we're working with the writers of those
books to make sure they're *not* just unrelated throwaways, but are part of
B5 continuity, and thus nominally canon.

                                                                       jms
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 3:03:01 PM #844240

     Incorrect; now that she has been legally burned by it, MZB *is*
openly discouraging fans from "playing in her fiction," as you put it.

                                                                   jms
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 12:17:17 AM #843849

     A fan wrote an extended piece of fan fiction set in Zimmer's
universe, which ended up being very close to what Marion was working
on.  The publisher, aware of both, spiked Marion's novel for fear of
being sued.  A year or two of work down the drain.

                                                                 jms
DATE: THURS OCT 6, 1994 12:51:10 #845997

     "I'd be more than happy to sign a waiver as long as she would do
the same."

     Why should MZB *have* to sign any kind of waiver?  It's her universe.

                                                                     jms

======
John Brobston: It makes sense for MZB to sign a waiver relinquishing rights
to the fan's work.
======

DATE: FRI OCT 7, 1994 3:55:17 AM #847350

     I don't think you're seeing my point; my question was why MZB would
have to sign a waiver, not the other person.  Getting a waiver or
disclaimer from the fan is, of course, fine.  But for MZB to sign a waiver
means that she is giving up rights to her own creation...why should she
have to do that?

                                                                     jms
DATE: SAT OCT 8, 1994 1:38:29 AM #848386

     Your suggestion is fine except that it has nothing to do with
the publishing business.

                                                                jms
BABYLON 5: NO STORY IDEAS PLEASE #843851
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 12:17:21 AM

     I know I'm on for some kind of national symposium thingie (could
I possibly sound any stupider?) in February; that's all I can recall
offhand. I'll be sure to post more info the closer we get to it.

                                                                 jms
BABYLON 5: B5 MERCHANDISE #844241
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 3:03:02 PM

     The CD Rom was planned for January, but there have been a lot of
recent shakeups at Compton's, so that may get pushed back.  I'd expect
LD's sometime in the spring.

                                                                   jms
=========
QUESTION #844432:  Will the LDs be single or multiple episodes?
=========
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 7:43:26 PM #844493

    Haven't heard for sure, but I'd imagine that they'd be two to a disk,
one on each side.

                                                                     jms
BABYLON 5: COMIC BOOK #843850
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 12:17:19 AM

     I think it'll be out the first week of December.

                                                  jms
STAR TREK: DS9 2ND PART WAS AWFUL! #846002
DATE: THURS OCT 6, 1994 12:57:25

     Hey, give 'em a break...after all, there's no holodeck on DS9
to use for creating false stories...had to do *something*...couldn't
have any of this stuff actually *happen*, now could they?

                                                                 jms
STAR TREK: TREK IS DYING? #844239
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 3:03:00 PM

     The last season one episode, the quasi-cliffhanger "Chrysalis"
airs around October 24th, with the first episode of year two following
the week thereafter.

                                                                  jms
DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 3:37:06 AM #843967

     Thanks.  One thing that I think commends B5 to people is the sense --
which as Henry Kissinger said, "has the added benefit of being true" --
that the show is made by folks who *genuinely like SF*.  The majority of
people who work on B5 are fans...you walk down the halls and you see
evidence of this all over the place (particularly in the art department).

     So it's really a case of people making a show they'd like to watch
themselves.  It means respecting the audience because they/we *are* the
audience.

                                                                    jms


DATE: TUES OCT 4, 1994 1:49:19 AM #843925

     Hey...there's always section 13 if you want to look around a little....

                                                                    jms
DATE: FRI OCT 7, 1994 12:16:00 AM #847197

     "I like B5, but it's NO Star Trek."

     Thank you.  Weren't meant to be.

     That's not a dig, simply a statement of fact and intent.

     From some of the research done on the show, a *lot* of ST fans
tuned in to B5 expecting something kinda like ST...and when they saw
it wasn't it, figured it was a bad version of ST, rather than seeing
it simply as something utterly different.

     One could say, of NYPD Blue, "It's NO Cagney and Lacey."  Well,
no, it's not.  That's rather beside the point.

                                                                 jms
BABYLON 5: B5 AND COMMERCIALS #848387
DATE: SAT OCT 8, 1994 1:38:30 AM

      All b5 episodes consist of a teaser, four acts, and a tag.
I believe that ST is 5 acts and a teaser.  Our acts tend to be of
uneven length; we just write whatever feels appropriate.  Sometimes
an act can be 7 minutes, or 13 minutes, whatever is best for the story.
Overall we have the same number of commercials as ST or any other
syndicated series.

                                                                   jms
============
QUESTION #845650: In S&P, wasn't Sinclair ordering the self-destruct &
evacuation?
============
BABYLON 5: SINCLAIR'S FUTURE MISTAKE #845726
DATE: WED OCT 5, 1994 9:41:02

     The voice you hear in B2 is not Sinclair.

     Also...1) check the name spelling, and 2) unless you append my
CIS ID-number, I won't see this unless I do a full scan of topics.

                                                                jms
BABYLON 5: GARIBALDI'S MOTORCYCLE #846994
DATE: THURS OCT 6, 1994 9:35:16 PM

     I believe the bike in question was a Ninja.  And Jerry Doyle
is something of an enthusiast, which is part of what led us to that.

                                                                jms
BABYLON 5: EXECUTION SQUAD #845716
DATE: WED OCT 5, 1994 9:31:11

     As noted in "The Quality of Mercy," there are still executions,
usually spacing, for treason and mutiny, so that mainly only affects
military.

                                                                jms