|
|
- JMS CompuServe messages for July 1997. Collected by John Hardin
- <jhardin@wolfenet.com>.
-
-
- Date: 30 Jun 1997 11:58:30 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Delenn`s background
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "Considering how they refer to "The Children of VALEN" and don't
- bother to mention the name of the WIFE of Valen, I'd say patriarchal."
-
- Or they pick the more well-known of the two. We often say "Mick
- Jagger's kid" because he's the more well known of the pair.
-
- Or they could be rather subtly ignoring what they might consider
- just a bit of scandal....
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 30 Jun 1997 11:58:32 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Vadim Naroditsky <72133.1175@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- Vadim Naroditsky <72133.1175@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Will you now have to rewrite/refilm the last 4 episodes?
-
- "Will you now have to rewrite/refilm the last 4 episodes? I assume
- they were ending the arc and now you have another year."
-
- No, there's just the replacement for 422, that's all. There's a
- difference between *ending the arc* and providing a *sense of
- resolution.* By the end of 421, things had been settled in a lot of
- areas...but far more were made very clear as being Out There. You
- could view it as an epilog, or a set-up for more down the road,
- depending on whether or not there was a fifth season. Hell, there's a
- great big fat setup for season 5 right smack in the middle of the
- Franklin/Lyta scene on Mars in "The Face of the Enemy."
-
- This isn't directed at you so much, Vadim, as in general...some
- days I wonder what the hell I'm doing on the nets. We busted our butts
- to get year 5, same as we do every year (though moreso this year),
- because it would be *the most satisfactory way to end the story*. It
- *could* end in year 4, I was prepared to do that if necessary, but it
- wouldn't be as satisfactory to all concerned as year 5. So now we have
- year five. And right out of the woodwork come people -- such as a
- particularly twit-like message forwarded to me from one of the usenet
- groups -- saying that the fifth season was going to be just filler now,
- that the story was over, used up, it's all tied up, there's nothing but
- "dumb old personal stories." No more arc.
-
- And I would love nothing more than to just thump them.
-
- I sometimes wonder if they think I was walking down the street
- one day, and I came across this Arc laying in the road. And it's a
- finite package, and once it's used up, it's used up. People, I THOUGHT
- THIS STUFF UP. You watch it, but I make it...and I'm not doing this
- for my health, I didn't fight this hard to do a season of filler.
- Where's the common sense here? My vested interest in making this a
- solid story is a hell of a lot higher than ANY viewer could POSSIBLY
- bring to the table. But again and again, not to you Vadim but in
- general, it's "Oh, it's all done now, it's just filler."
-
- Yes, I fought and bled to get a season 5 so I could do filler,
- instead of going back to a network show where they'll pay me double
- what I get on B5. Absolutely. That makes a LOT of sense.
-
- I dunno...maybe I'm over-reacting...hell, I probably *am*
- over-reacting, but it seems like they never let you rest. The end of
- the Shadow War came, and folks said, "Oh, the arc is over now, nothing
- interesting can happen now," and I said there was MORE interesting
- stuff even than that coming up, and sure enough that happened, and it's
- "Oh...okay," and this happens time and time again, and now we have a
- fifth year, and it's "Oh, the arc is over, nothing interesting can
- happen now."
-
- You'd think that by now we would've proven the point...but every
- year it seems like we have to prove ourselves again and again and
- again. The confetti has barely hit the ground and they move in the
- funeral draping.
-
- I just get tired of it some days.
-
- Jerks.
-
- (Not you, Vadim, a very nice man, just venting.)
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 30 Jun 1997 16:11:14 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- I know, I know, I know...I think it's just the way we're all
- hard wired. You can get 100 plaudits, but it's the one meroon who
- busts your chops for something you didn't even *do* that sticks in your
- mind. Never met anyone yet that was different. Ah, well...onward.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 30 Jun 1997 16:11:14 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
- Subject: B5 - tnt and WB
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Yes, TNT is definitely a better home. For one thing, B5 would
- get lost on the SciFi channel among all the other shows; here, TNT will
- treat it as something special.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 30 Jun 1997 16:11:16 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Scott Baker <76072.1744@compuserve.com>
- Subject: You the man
-
- Scott Baker <76072.1744@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Will you be writting all of season 5, or is the remarkable streak
- > soon to end?
-
- No, I have no intention of writing all of S5...I'll probably do
- about what I did in S1-2, writing 11-15, with the rest being assigned
- out of the arc. And Neil Gaiman has said he's now in a place where he
- can tackle one, so I hope to work out something with him, a story worth
- his doing, to make that happen at last.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 02:15:34 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Richard M. Perry <76461.2737@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Guest Editorial
-
- Richard M. Perry <76461.2737@compuserve.com> asks:
- > There are generally two questions I get that are on this level:
- > "Why do you like *that* stuff?" (after answering "yes" to "You
- > really like that stuff, don't you?") and "Why are you involved
- > with Boy Scouts?" On a somwhat related note, did you happen to get
- > the Kingdom Come limited edition slipcover? Whose will be done?
-
- Exactly. And the question is phrased to put you on the
- defensive when there is *nothing* one needs to be defensive
- about...it's "how long have you been beating your wife?" You have to
- redefine the question to something a tad closer to reality.
-
- Re: the Kingdom Come ltd. edition...no, I didn't know about
- that. Will definitely go out and pick it up next chance I get; that
- was one of the few series I read this year, and I liked it a lot.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 02:15:36 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: You the man
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- I was planning to speak to both those folks.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 02:15:38 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "I say do that same thing you did when you first had this idea-write
- for yourself. Focus on what you want to express. Develop those ideas
- you deem important."
-
- That's the only way I can do this; only way I ever have or ever
- will.
-
- "And if you ever need a break, drop by Vegas and share some Corona's,
- limes, and a can of salt with me. We can laugh at the world together in
- the summer sun, watch some showgirls, and throw some bucks at the
- blackjack table."
-
- I don't drink, don't smoke, don't do drugs, don't gamble...I
- write. Sad, innit?
-
- "I'll steer you away from any Tyson boxing matches, though."
-
- I'm just *waiting* for him to get mad at somebody, and have that
- person reel back saying, "Hey, sorry, jeez, don't bite my head off,
- man."
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 02:15:41 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Paul McElligott <70007.3154@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Warners...
-
- Paul McElligott <70007.3154@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Actually, the show didn't REALLY change hands, did it?
- > This was more of a lateral than a punt....true?
-
- Not really, no...because the two organizations are *affiliated*
- but they continue to operate as wholly different companies, and neither
- side takes orders from the other. TNT *actively pursued* both the
- reruns (before the companies merged) and the fifth season. And they
- fought like hell to make the deal work.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 02:15:43 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Paul McElligott <70007.3154@compuserve.com>
- Subject: B5 on TNT
-
- Paul McElligott <70007.3154@compuserve.com> asks:
- > In hindsight, do you think that a deal like you've got now with
- > TNT would have helped the show if you'd gone that route in 93/94?
- > Or is that, like, a totally stupid question?
-
- "In hindsight, do you think that a deal like you've got now with TNT
- would have helped the show if you'd gone that route in 93/94?"
-
- Oh...probably, but only about 200%.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 12:43:51 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- I hadn't noticed that in the article...well, interesting....
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 12:43:52 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: John Vickery in future?
-
- (blocked) asks:
- > Couldn't you have John Vickery portray a nephew or cousin or even
- > a son of Neroon, who also became a ranger?
-
- We'll keep our eyes out for a way to bring him around again,
- same as with Wayne.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 12:43:52 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Scott Baker <76072.1744@compuserve.com>
- Subject: B5 on TNT
-
- Scott Baker <76072.1744@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Could you have gotten a TNT like deal back then?
-
- Since TNT wasn't making those kinds of deals back then, the
- point is moot.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 12:43:53 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Vadim Naroditsky <72133.1175@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- Vadim Naroditsky <72133.1175@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Joe, do you or did you write anything besides science fiction or
- > consider to write it? I think you would write excellent "global
- > adventure", I mean something like Frederik Forsait (sp?
-
- Yeah, I've often done non-SF stuff...comedy, cop shows, mystery
- shows, historical stuff, horror, essays, articles...a little of
- everything.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 12:43:58 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Catherine Becic <73414.2603@compuserve.com>
- Subject: makeup in new movies
-
- Catherine Becic <73414.2603@compuserve.com> asks:
- > My question: For the move In The Beginning, which is then to be
- > followed immediately by The Gathering on TNT in January, how will
- > you be handling the makeup? Will it be some kind of blend between
- > the pilot and the series? Closer to the series and forget that it
- > looks different from the pilot?
-
- No, we're using the series makeup, rather than add one more
- permutation.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 12:44:00 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- I'm cutting back on salt, I never see the sun anyway, and the
- showgirls can take care of themselves.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 12:44:01 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: B5 *only* on cable now??
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- It'll only be on cable, that's correct.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 22:40:51 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- Waitaminnit...just looked at the name again...is this *the*
- James Morrow? As in the writer?
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 01 Jul 1997 22:40:53 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Ray Pelzer <70475.1263@compuserve.com>
- Subject: The 5th Season
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Thanks...not too bad for a day's work....
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 02 Jul 1997 13:44:58 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Alan Mulvie <100566.1444@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- Alan Mulvie <100566.1444@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Whats the score with Mr Garibaldi?
- > Ditto Valen/Sinclair - his descendants?
- > How did Babylon 5 get destroyed?
- > (from flash forwards) Who/what was on the ship escaping?
- > Will the Narn and Centari find peace?
- > Who where the enemys referred to in War without End (Delann in
- > the future) Does Sheridan Die (in 20 years) or evolve Like
- > Lionheart? Whats the score with Lionheart?
- > Did the Vorlons genetically engineer Telepaths?
- > What else did they genetically engineer?
- > Will Clark get booted out?
- > What happens to Centari Prime (in the future - war without end)
- > What will Sheridans Son be like- Do? If Lyta can be "enhanced2 by
- > the Vorlons, what did the shadows do to their servants? How does
- > the army of Light cope with that? If "Mankind" has some of that
- > technology, what will we do with it? Whats "The Rim" and whats
- > beyond it? Why wont there be a Babylon 6?
- > Will Mars become independent or unify with earth?
- > Now the big boys have gone, are the children gonna fight?
- > Will JMS let someone else write a script?
- > And their are plenty of other loose ends if I take time to think
- > about it, so the question isnt if you will have a season 5 of
- > fillers, but will you have enough episodes to wrap up everything
- > by the end of season 5?
-
- At least a third of those are resolved in the next batch; and a
- bulk of the rest in the fifth season, plus a lot of other threads you
- missed.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 02 Jul 1997 13:44:59 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Vadim Naroditsky <72133.1175@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- No big books, though I've had two medium-sizednovels published
- so far.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 02 Jul 1997 21:36:22 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: B5 *only* on cable now??
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- I don't know the Canadian situation yet, but can't imagine that
- they would let that market go by the boards for long.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 02 Jul 1997 21:36:25 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Kevin P. Kenney <104102.352@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Now this is Scary...
-
- Kevin P. Kenney <104102.352@compuserve.com> asks:
- > And I didn't think the father that rabid of a fan?!?
- > Remember the Pinky & the Brain's Beany & Cecil spoof?
- > What are you REALLY creating here???
-
- Give me them until they're 10 and they're mine for life...insert
- evil cackle here....
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 02 Jul 1997 21:36:27 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Meryl Yourish <103470.2703@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Honor the achievement
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Thanks...y'know, someone else said that the other day, a
- reporter during an interview, that there were now two paradigms of the
- best SF ever prouduced in this country: ST and B5. That's a weighty
- compliment, and my first reaction was to get really, really tired...but
- bottom line, we did what we set out to do, kept every promise we made,
- and nothing can ever take that away. We went the distance.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 02 Jul 1997 21:36:30 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Carl Cantarella <105030.3700@compuserve.com>
- Subject: What might be different?
-
- Carl Cantarella <105030.3700@compuserve.com> asks:
- > This has been bugging me a bit every since the great news about
- > the fifth season got reported, and I can't help but wonder ....if
- > you had been assured of a fifth season going into season four,
- > are there many things you would have done differently? Is season
- > five a mixed blessing for you, coupled with any regret about
- > having had to expedite the arc to end by season four, a year
- > ahead of your predetermined five year game plan?
-
- "...coupled with any regret about having had to expedite the arc to
- end by season four, a year ahead of your predetermined five year game
- plan?"
-
- This is, again, a misnomer. The arc didn't *end* in year 4, nor
- did I end it. Which becomes utterly evident once you see the final
- episodes. All I did was to more or less isolate the incidents in year
- 5 from the preceding year, so we could go into them or not.
-
- What you have to do, which I've noted before, is to step back
- for a moment and look at the series as a whole. Every season, we do
- basically the same thing: we end on a cliffhanger, then the first 4-5
- episodes of the next season resolve the threads and the cliffhanger
- from the prior season, and then we're off onto the next thread. They
- overlap by about 4-5 episodes.
-
- So what I did was to pull those 4 episodes from the start of
- season 5 into season 4, which would otherwise have ended at 418 as the
- cliffhanger. So there wasn't really that much crammed into 4, and
- everything that was going to be in 5 is still there, with room for
- about 3-4 standalones, which will be a nice break.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 03 Jul 1997 03:20:54 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: The 5th Season
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "When you look back and reflect on what you've accomplished down the
- road, I hope the reality matches the vision you had when you were
- pitching the idea lo those many years ago."
-
- A few glitches notwithstanding...it *exceeds* the vision. I'm
- happy. It's the main piece that I will end up putting on the mantle to
- remind folks I was here.
-
- "Now, when you're done, could you please do a fantasy series, so I can
- find a job for the troll in the well at the bottom of the hill near my
- barn? He's irritating the hoses and I think he'll work for scale. . ."
- ^^^^^
-
- Irritating the hoses?
-
- May I suggest, rather than fantasy, perhaps a version of "Enema
- Mine."
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 03 Jul 1997 03:20:57 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Catherine Becic <73414.2603@compuserve.com>
- Subject: makeup in new movies
-
- Catherine Becic <73414.2603@compuserve.com> asks:
- > In that case, for the newbies, will there be some explanation of
- > why Delenn changes looks from In the Beginning to The Gathering
- > and then back for the episodes?
-
- Well, I could run a crawl on the bottom of the screen...or
- insert a commercial explaining it...otherwise, I think just letting it
- go would be best.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 03 Jul 1997 03:20:59 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: B5 *only* on cable now??
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Columbia House will be releasing the show on cassette via
- mail-order this Fall, I believe.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 03 Jul 1997 03:21:01 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: B5 finally on Video.DVD?
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- We're *talking* to the DVD folks, and things look positive, but
- that's still a long bit down the road.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 03 Jul 1997 03:21:04 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Tapes and DVD
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Yes, Columbia House has called to get graphics, so I would
- suggest that it's confirmed on tapes. Don't know the status on the
- movies, but I would imagine they'd be included...DVD is still in
- discussions.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 03 Jul 1997 13:36:54 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: O. C. Alexander <72623.3472@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Thanks...there's an awful lot in those characters and
- situations. I've tried, as best I can, to create a living, breathing
- universe, with stories you follow in any direction and find something
- interesting.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 03 Jul 1997 13:36:56 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Roseann M. Caputo <103510.1542@compuserve.com>
- Subject: General
-
- Roseann M. Caputo <103510.1542@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Why?
- > You don't drink, do drugs, etc?
-
- "I know that season 5 won't be filler, because that's not what a
- Master of his craft does. You wouldn't tolerate it from anyone else,
- so you surely will not do it yourself."
-
- Bingo. Sometimes when I try to describe what's happening on my
- side of things, I don't find the right words. Thanks for doing so.
-
- "You don't drink, do drugs, etc?"
-
- Also don't smoke or gamble.
-
- "Wow, talk about the clean cut, all american boy! <g> No vices, eh?"
-
- Two: Chocolate and coffee.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:07 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: John F Davis <73455.43@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Season 5
-
- John F Davis <73455.43@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Is season 5 going to be broadcast where I can see it or am I
- > going to have to break down and buy cable?
-
- If you're in the US, it's only available on TNT.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:09 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Congratulations & Thanks
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Thanks....
-
- "And I notice that one episode made the TV Guide list of the top 100
- shows ever."
-
- No...don't think so, though it's a great idea.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:11 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Thanks.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:13 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Yeah, but if it were easy, I guess everybody'd do it.
-
- Thanks.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:15 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: B5 *only* on cable now??
-
- (blocked) asks:
- > Will they still be aired by the syndicated stations or will TNT
- > show them?
-
- No, the final 4 of S4 will show in October, on regular stations.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:17 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: SysOp Dupa T Parrot <70040.104@compuserve.com>
- Subject: B5 *only* on cable now??
-
- SysOp Dupa T Parrot <70040.104@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Will this be something like Columbia House's special collector
- > subscriptions? For example, you sign up and get a B5 tape every
- > four weeks? Or would they offer the tapes individually or each
- > season as a boxed set?
-
- Dunno.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:19 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: B5 *only* on cable now??
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Insofar as I know, yes.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:21 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Renegade???
-
- (blocked) asks:
- > Did you write the episode of Renegade that aired (well...cabled)
- > tonight on USA? Or did my ears deceive me?
-
- I don't write for Renegade, and thus have no information on this
- other than what you just told me.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:23 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: colin heaps <100622.3610@compuserve.com>
- Subject: S5 in the UK?
-
- colin heaps <100622.3610@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Do you think it likely that TNT will be showing S5 in the UK?
-
- I haven't been apprised of the UK situation in full yet, but
- imagine that it'll go through WB as before, not TNT.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:25 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Brent Barrett <75063.3305@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Script Smart
-
- Brent Barrett <75063.3305@compuserve.com> asks:
- > This was a technical manual, wasn't it?
-
- Thanks...I'm very proud of that book.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 02:49:28 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Roseann M. Caputo <103510.1542@compuserve.com>
- Subject: General
-
- Roseann M. Caputo <103510.1542@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Do you do the gourmet coffee?
- > Joe, any chance that you'll be at the big B5 convention in
- > Pasadena in November?
-
- No one's talked to me yet about a B5 con in Pasadena in October,
- so I dunno.
-
- And yeah, I do the gourmet coffee thing. Big on Arabian Mocha
- Sanani, and Silewesi, and Sumatran. It's the one "trendy" thing I
- allow myself.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 03:03:25 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: SysOp Lee Whiteside <76711.2660@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Updates from jms
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- "Basically, Warner Bros. was not willnig to fund a fifth season of B5
- for syndication."
-
- Incorrect. Not just incorrect but *massively* incorrect.
-
- In the past, the PTEN deal had WB and the indie stations putting
- up the money for B5.
-
- For year 5, TNT *and* WB are both footing the bill for the fifth
- season. WB *wanted* to do the show, but was finding trouble in the
- current syndicated marketplace with more and more stations, and
- timeslots, being committed to other programs and networks like UPN.
- TNT provided a window, and WB went through it.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 03:03:27 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: season5 cast (rumor)
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Jerry Doyle will be in season 5 of B5.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 20:45:06 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Vadim Naroditsky <72133.1175@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Last 4 - have to redo?
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- The two novels are currently out of print.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 20:45:07 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Jonathan Kass <74130.443@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Even more congrats
-
- Jonathan Kass <74130.443@compuserve.com> asks:
- > 1) Do you envision writing the entire 5th season?
- > 2) Whose idea is that "AOL Keyword" stuff at the end of the
- > show??
-
- No, no desire whatsoever to write all of S5, nor is there a need
- to.
-
- And the difference is that AOL has set aside an entire *area*
- just for B5, so they get the notation. It would be as if they renamed
- the sfmedone section the B5 section, there's a massive difference in
- commitment.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 20:45:09 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Mars Pathfinder
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- There's nothing I can say about the current Mars mission that
- cannot be summed up in the word "cool."
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 07 Jul 1997 20:45:11 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: SysOp Lee Whiteside <76711.2660@compuserve.com>
- Subject: General
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Creation counter-programed Loscon?
-
- That bites.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 08 Jul 1997 02:10:02 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Michael Grabois <74737.2600@compuserve.com>
- Subject: San Diego Con plans?
-
- Michael Grabois <74737.2600@compuserve.com> asks:
- > What's the difference between the Saturday show and the
- > Friday/Sunday ones? And is anyone else from the show scheduled to
- > be at the con?
-
- I don't actually know what the difference is, except that I
- think the Friday/Sunday presentations involve the videos, and the
- Saturday one *may* just be me running my mouth. (I just sent a note
- asking about this, btw.)
-
- I think they've learned what other cons have learned: that it's
- best to take extraordinary measures to deal with B5 presentations.
- People show up. LOTS of people. And a cuter and more inherently spiffy
- bunch I can't imagine.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 16 Jul 1997 21:10:29 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: All
- Subject: jms in san diego
-
- Just a quick note to let folks know that I'll be in San Diego
- this coming weekend for ComicCon, at the convention center downtown.
- I'll be doing two (fairly identical) major B5 presentations Friday and
- Sunday at 11 a.m., and a "spotlight on jms" presentation (whatever the
- hell that is) Saturday at 1:30.
-
- A word to the wise: in the past, these have always been the
- largest events held at ComicCon, which has about 25,000 guests on
- average. The room they set aside for B5 stuff tends to hold about 2400
- people, so seating is kind of at a premium. Translation: try and get
- there early.
-
- I'll be bringing the season 4 bloopers, clips from upcoming
- shows, some nifty videos, and trailers for the two new B5 TV movies for
- TNT. Also, the official B5 fan club will be making its debut at a
- table in the dealer's room this weekend at SDCC, selling some nifty
- stuff including bunches of the Agamemnon cap worn by Sheridan in
- "Knives." It's identical to the prop in just about every way.
-
- See you there.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 16 Jul 1997 21:50:50 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Updates from jms
-
- (blocked) asks:
- > How can I sign up to the fan club?
- > Also, how can I get one of these boxes signed by someone going by
- > the handle "jms?"
-
- You can get info on the boxes, and the fan club, at
- www.thestation.com.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 16 Jul 1997 21:50:52 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Carl Cantarella <105030.3700@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Congratulations & Thanks
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Yeah, I know all about the project...they'd asked me to write
- it, and I read the material, but finally had to pass.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 16 Jul 1997 21:50:53 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Jonathan Kass <74130.443@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Internet World Article
-
- Jonathan Kass <74130.443@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Is the story they have true?
-
- Yeah, it happened. I haven't seen the article, but apparently
- they chide me for not using a virus checker...but what did the most
- damage was the trojan horse program that use deltree to systematically
- start deleting my hard drive, and no checker can find those.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 20 Jul 1997 21:10:50 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
- Subject: jms in san diego
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- It's okay, I know what date they hit the place, so I can be out
- of town when it happens.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 20 Jul 1997 21:10:53 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: jms in san diego
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Thanks. I don't do any convention with a direct link to Trek in
- its name, so that would leave Toronto Trek out, despite many friendly
- talks with the con organizers. Bottom line, I get gigged by ST fans
- for "poaching," and it just ain't worth the grief I get.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 20 Jul 1997 21:10:56 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Shawn D. Ratner <73753.175@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Babylon 5 Credit Card
-
- Shawn D. Ratner <73753.175@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Is that true?
-
- It's been discussed with other ideas, but nothing more.
-
- The Agamemnon caps made their debut at San Diego Comic Con, and
- were a huge hit.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 20 Jul 1997 21:11:00 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Darran Williams <101656.2143@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Babylon 5 - The Cult
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Hmmm...I don't know. I'll have to check.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 20 Jul 1997 21:11:04 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- You must understand that Claudia is one of 10 or so actors on
- the show. The other actors understood and understand that we cannot
- renegotiate contracts in mid-stream, and they are *supportive of the
- show*, and gave us extensions on their contracts so that WB could have
- time to make the TNT deal work. They are all, to a man and woman, on
- board otherwise.
-
- Claudia opted to not give the extension, where the other cast
- did, and now wants (or says she wants to) renegotiate, now that all the
- other cast members are locked down. To do so in her case, when she did
- not give us the extension, and deliberately embarrassed WB by having an
- article appear in the trades saying she was out and looking for other
- work, would be an insult to all the other cast members who have worked
- with us to date.
-
- Further, yes, she's right, in that the contract could not be
- changed so that she could go out and do movies at a moment's notice.
- By contract, we must have first call on an actor's services. That is a
- requirement of ANY TV contract with an actor who is a series regular.
- That cannot be changed for ANY actor, ANYwhere.
-
- That said...I already *told* Claudia that, even though we
- couldn't put it in the contract, I would be happy to work with her
- *informally* on this, and that if she said she needed to be gone from
- X-date to Y-date, I would write her out of those episodes so that she
- could do the movies. SHE ALREADY GOT FROM ME THAT PROMISE. I've
- already done similar things for her and other cast members on the show,
- which is how many of them have appeared in other projects. So this is,
- for me, a non-issue.
-
- No, from my standpoint, she wanted off the show, and I have no
- idea why she is running up the fans like this unless she wants to avoid
- responsibility for this.
-
- Again, this isn't a case of my word against hers. EVERY SINGLE
- CAST MEMBER was there when this went down, and MANY of them tried to
- talk her out of walking off the show. If you don't want to take my
- word for it, ask any one of them who was there, especially Bruce or
- Jeff.
-
- I would suggest the fans *not* get into this, because a) you're
- not getting solid or reliable information from Claudia, and b) it is
- simply too late. She opted to pass on season 5, whether she wants to
- admit this or not, whether she's running from responsibility from that,
- I don't know...but it was her choice. I sat with her on Thursday night
- at Midnight and told her, flat out, that I would accommodate her
- request on a personal basis, and that she *had* to either contact WB
- herself or have her agent do so the next day, or she was off the show,
- because we HAD to get the show going. The train was leaving, and she
- could be on it or not as she chose. She chose not to get on board.
-
- What you also don't understand is that we start shooting season
- 5 in less than one month. We're in the process of writing scripts
- *right now*, and have been since we got the production order right
- about the time we went to Blackpool. You can't whipsaw the writing
- back and forth -- is she in, isn't she in, maybe she is, maybe she
- isn't -- and hope to have anything in shape to shoot. That was why we
- had to know at that date. Normally we have a longer lead time; this
- time we didn't, and this has already put the scripts back a bit. The
- script with the new character is written and in; if I take it out now I
- have to replace it, and there isn't *time*.
-
- Claudia knew this. WB knew this. We were up against it. She
- had to choose to be in, or out. She chose out. It's no longer our
- responsibility, and it's flatly too late to bring her back. The door
- is closed on season 5.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 20 Jul 1997 21:11:09 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Kevin P. Kenney <104102.352@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- I answered this in the other thread. Once you read it, you may
- think differently.
-
- As for your tone, please take it elsewhere. I have no interest
- in hearing it.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 20 Jul 1997 21:35:00 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: C Christian in Season 5?
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- I personally told Claudia that we would work out the time for
- her to do a film project prior to the deadline coming for her decision.
- Other cast members knew this, and confirmed it to her.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 20 Jul 1997 21:35:01 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Alan L. Ravitch <73627.3126@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia sez this..
-
- Alan L. Ravitch <73627.3126@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Ask yourself this: why would I have done the TNT promos for the
- > 5th season if I did not want to be involved? This fax was received
- > on Friday, so what kind of game was being played by giving me
- > false hopes throughout the weekend in England?
-
- 1) This confirms what I said in my note to Brian, that I
- personally assured Claudia of the chance for time off (so Kevin, bugger
- off).
-
- 2) Neither I nor anyone else in B5 told her that she had until
- Monday. I sat with her Midnight Thursday and said she had to talk to
- her agent and get this to WB *the very next day*, Friday, or that was
- it. Jeff took it upon himself to try and talk Claudia into trying to
- work it out on Monday, out of his concern and a hope that this could be
- saved.
-
- 3) Her agent was notified several days prior to the deadline
- that it was in place by WB business affairs.
-
- 4) As noted in my other message, there wasn't time to sit down
- leisurely after Blackpool and discuss this. The first script had to be
- in on July 6th. The second on July 12th. The third one on July 18th.
- Those are the hard and fast deadlines in order to meet production
- requirements for season 5. It is not July 20th. By the time anyone
- could "sit down" we'd be deep into episode 5 or 6, and then what do we
- do? Rewrite all 5 or 6 at the last minute?
-
- It's an unfortunate situation. Nobody's denying that. But what
- happened, happened.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 22 Jul 1997 01:54:32 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Shane S. Shellenbarger <104305.3404@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Script Smart
-
- Shane S. Shellenbarger <104305.3404@compuserve.com> asks:
- > It's hell being popular, ain't it?
-
- Finally I'm popular....
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 22 Jul 1997 01:54:35 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "I do have a question though. Why did you opt for a new character,
- instead of simply promoting Corwin? Was this simply to save changing
- Corwin's role in S5 or is there another reason?"
-
- It involves some things that happen later this season that
- require a certain grade officer in place in S5, and would require
- Corwin to jump several ranks. He's too young and inexperienced for
- that job.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 22 Jul 1997 01:54:39 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Carl Cantarella <105030.3700@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- The information on residuals is not correct. NO ONE was aske to
- give up residuals on season 5 forever. That simply never took place.
-
- To explain:
-
- There are different residuals formulas for the various forms of
- TV. The best one is for network, where the fee paid per rerun is quite
- high; then you have syndication, which starts at a much lower level;
- then there is the basic cable residual, which is lowest of all. In
- year 5, B5 is going from syndication to basic cable. That means it
- must now use the basic cable residuals formula. But the cast had to be
- informed of this, and agree to it, otherwise there could not BE a fifth
- season.
-
- The basic cable deal is spelled out very clearly in the Screen
- Actors Guild (SAG) agreement, which is standard for all parts of the
- Industry. The rule is that the amount paid to an actor over
- double-scale is *credited against* residuals. Once that amount is
- earned out, the residuals come again. That is standard for basic cable.
- (The closest parallel would be a print author, who is paid an advance
- against royalties; once that advance is earned out, the royalties come
- to the author.)
-
- So to make it clearer: let's say for the sake of argument that
- scale is $5,000 per episode. (It isn't that exact figure, but I don't
- have the SAG book in front of me; still, that's close.) Double scale
- would be $10,000 per episode. So if an actor is paid, let's say,
- $12,000 per episode, then $2,000 over double scale per episode is
- credited against residuals, for a total of $44,000. That amount would
- get burned through pretty fast, and then the actor would again start
- getting residuals.
-
- That was the situation explained to *all* the actors. NO ONE
- was asked to permanently give up S5 residuals. That simply never
- happened, and *could not* happen under SAG rules. And the rule as
- specified above can be verified in the SAG agreement.
-
- BTW...it was stated to Claudia's people that WB *could* drop her
- down to 18 episodes if she wanted to be paid for only those 18
- episodes, but her reps demanded that she should be paid for all 22
- regardless, and didn't take that deal.
-
- You must understand that this sort of thing is common. For
- instance, when Stephen Furst wanted to do fewer episodes so that he
- could appear as a regular in the sitcom "Misery Loves Company," he
- said, "Look, I really want to do this, so if you could cut me down to,
- say, 8 episodes, and just pay me for those 8 instead of the contracted
- 13, that'd be great." And that deal was made, and made quickly. If an
- actor wants to be reduced in the number of episodes, but still be paid
- for the full number, that makes things difficult for a studio to go
- along with.
-
- And as of now, it's a moot point. The boat has left the pier.
- This is no longer an issue that can be altered. She opted out, for her
- own reasons. Heck, that was announced in the trades long before we knew
- what was going on. We have had no choice but to move on.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 22 Jul 1997 17:15:25 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Troy Starr <74752.3172@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- "In the back of my mind, I wonder why Claudia, her agent, Joe, and the
- WB/TNT folks couldn't sit down together (or conference call, or
- whatever) and talk with each other on that final day."
-
- I did. That Thursday night, I sat with her for half an hour,
- urging her to call her agent, and have her agent call WB. Didn't
- happen. We never even heard anything from her or her people until
- literally 1 week after the deadline for scripts to start coming in.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 22 Jul 1997 17:51:09 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Paul McElligott <70007.3154@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- Paul McElligott <70007.3154@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Are the actors who played Major Ryan or Captain McDougal being
- > considered to replace Claudia? Or would that be telling?
-
- I'd prefer to put a female in that position, to keep the cast
- relatively balanced. I've actually come up with some very interesting
- ideas on this, which are kinda fun...a way to put a lot more conflict
- into the inner circle, if you will.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 22 Jul 1997 17:51:12 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Brian Meloche <75570.2732@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Actually, this would be much simpler if it *were* a
- communication breakdown. But it ain't.
-
- Onward.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 22 Jul 1997 17:51:14 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Roseann M. Caputo <103510.1542@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Clauduia
-
- Roseann M. Caputo <103510.1542@compuserve.com> asks:
- > If, in the past, you've given your word to someone regarding
- > something specifc, and you've kept it, why all of a sudden is
- > your word not good? How many in your profession would extend that
- > courtesy?
-
- Thanks. Yeah...ask any cast member, and they'll tell you that
- when I make a promise, it's kept, no matter what it takes.
-
- On the reaction...it goes with the territory. What's been
- difficult have been the emails that have come in suggesting that I
- "watch my back" at the next few conventions I attend. Disagreement or
- discussion is one thing; threats are another.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 22 Jul 1997 21:46:03 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Troy Starr <74752.3172@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- There was no pay cut for the fifth season for the cast. And the
- residulas formula is standard for basic cable.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 22 Jul 1997 21:46:04 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Clauduia
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "Joe could write sa character out of an episode or 4, yet the suits
- could insist that the actor be present on the set anyway (or be in
- breach of contract)!"
-
- Nope. Wouldn't happen. Has never happened. Would never
- happen. WB has not even given us a creative *note* in almost 2 years.
-
- This one's a non-starter. That would simply not happen. If
- you're not in the script, there's no need for you to be there.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 23 Jul 1997 20:47:27 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Steven K. Andeweg <72143.674@compuserve.com>
- Subject: jms in san diego
-
- Steven K. Andeweg <72143.674@compuserve.com> asks:
- > When will they be available through the club via mail order?
-
- Yes, the caps can be purchased through the fan club, and
- thestation.com.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 23 Jul 1997 20:47:31 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Carl Cantarella <105030.3700@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- One of the problems not just in this, but in general, is that
- there is so much mythology about how TV is done, and so much bad
- information. Any time that can be cleared up, the better.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 23 Jul 1997 20:47:32 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Roseann M. Caputo <103510.1542@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Clauduia
-
- Roseann M. Caputo <103510.1542@compuserve.com> asks:
- > I'm just as disappointed as everyone else, but it happens, yes?
- > Why can't everyone just appreaciate you for the sick, twisted,
- > lovable, demented, tortured, bizarre, clever, witty, devious,
- > genius that you are? PS: Being as I'm only 5'2", it will be
- > difficult for me to watch you're back and see what's coming also,
- > perhaps my 6'5" boyfriend will help?
-
- "Why can't everyone just appreaciate you for the sick, twisted,
- lovable, demented, tortured, bizarre, clever, witty, devious, genius
- that you are?"
-
- Kill me...just kill me now and get it over with....
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:00 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Steven K. Andeweg <72143.674@compuserve.com>
- Subject: jms in san diego
-
- Steven K. Andeweg <72143.674@compuserve.com> asks:
- > When will they be available through the club via mail order?
-
- They're probably available right now.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:02 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Bancroft Gracey <100532.1747@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- Bancroft Gracey <100532.1747@compuserve.com> asks:
- > -bpg- Uncle-at-Large "....'Great Maker', huh?"
-
- "They wouldn't like it, but they had to let a certain Mrs Roddenberry
- set a precedent..."
-
- 1) Majel isn't a series regular, with the contract requirements
- thereof.
-
- 2) Nobody messes with the Roddenberrys.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:05 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Ron Chusid <74756.3150@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- There is nothing amiss with an actor seeing work as a
- contingency if the current show is not renewed.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:08 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com> asks:
- > If that's the case, then why wouldn't/couldn't he put it into
- > writing?
-
- "If that's the case, then why wouldn't/couldn't he put it into
- writing? So far as I can tell, that's because although he can do
- everything in his power to keep Ivanova out of four episodes, there are
- higher powers within WB/TNT who could say otherwise. They're the ones
- who hold CCs contract, not JMS."
-
- Every studio holds the contract on its actors; that's the same
- for every show.
-
- Nothing could be put into writing in the form of a renegotiation
- because all of the actors are on a favored nation basis...if one
- renegotiates in his/her favor, they all get to renegotiate. Any of our
- cast can take fewer episodes if they agree to be paid for fewer
- episodes since that favors WB. Or they can come to me and we'll do it
- unofficially, as has been done with every single cast member for 4+
- years now. Peter wanted to do "The Late Shift," I wrote him out for a
- couple of episodes to accommodate that; Andreas wants to do a movie, he
- asks, and I write him out. This has never, ever been a problem.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:11 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- "Again, I'm not saying that JMS did anything wrong, but if the studio
- can supercede Joe (i.e. Joe can verbally say 'I'll do it', but the
- studio still has the right to say 'no'), then I can't blame CC for
- wanting something in writing <shrug>"
-
- Any studio can supercede the authority of an executive producer.
-
- The question, though, is one of logic.
-
- If Character X is not in an episode, is not written in an
- episode, there is no grounds on earth for a studio to force the actor
- to hang around the studio for that episode. Never been done to my
- knowledge on ANY show, anywhere, at any time. Nor would there be any
- reason to do so here.
-
- And WB doesn't write the scripts. I do. And they don't bother
- us on that one. We haven't had a creative note since year 2, episode
- 2, and that was mainly on a scene they wanted clarified.
-
- In the past, with every actor on the show, I have said, "Come to
- me, and we'll work out unofficially time for you to get away." There
- are some occasions when I say, "Look, I *need* your character for this
- episode, I can't do "Severed Dreams" without Sheridan," but that
- doesn't happen too often. We have never had a problem with WB over
- this. And never once have I given my word to an actor about being
- available, and not had it work out.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:14 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- "In her message, CC has quoted Copeland as saying that if TNT/WB want
- her to do the 22 episodes, there's nothing that can be done about it."
-
- What John said was that if she wanted to be paid the full amount
- (the 22 episode fee) she had to be in all 22.
-
- "However, there still seems to be a question as to whether or not she
- was informed of the correct deadlines or if WB/TNT withdrew whatever
- offer was on the table before that deadline arose."
-
- She was. They didn't.
-
- On the Thursday before the final Friday deadline, I sat in the
- bar of the DeVere Hotel in Blackpool with Claudia and said, "Claudia,
- the press has announced your departure from the show. WB takes it
- seriously, and I have to start writing *yesterday*. We have to know if
- you're in or out, and we have to know by mid-day (noon) tomorrow. If
- we don't get an indication from your agent that you're in, the offer
- will be withdrawn."
-
- The offer was withdrawn at mid-day Friday, as indicated.
- Because to wait any longer would damage the show, and our chances of
- getting going without missing airdates.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:18 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- "CC trusts that JMS will do what he can, but feels that things might
- be out of his hands and puts the question to Copeland who tells her
- (via her agent) that what JMS offered is "Not possible."
-
- It is not possible only if one wishes to be paid for all 22.
-
- "5. A deadline is set for CC to get in touch with WB to confirm S5.
- According to CC, she was told this by Conaway and not informed via
- normal channels (i.e. via agent, manager, WB). She tries to contact
- her agent regarding this but they miss each other over the weekend."
-
- Ken Parks of WB Business Affairs informed her agent. I
- personally informed her as well.
-
- "JMS says she had a Friday deadline. CC says she was told Monday by
- Conaway and that neither her agent or manager were informed of this
- deadline."
-
- After the Friday deadline passed, Jeff took it upon himself to
- try and convince her to go back to the show. He went to her and said
- that if she or her agent contacted WB on Monday, there might be a
- chance to patch things up. That was the full extent of it. Jeff does
- not represent the show, and was not asked to convey this to Claudia,
- and was acting on his own good will to try and help her out. It had
- nothing to do with deadlines.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:20 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Nothing was said about any of this online until Claudia began
- talking about it at a convention Toronto and indicating that she had
- been fired, which was not the case.
-
- She passed.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:22 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- We'll probably start casting in the next 7 days.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:25 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Vadim Naroditsky <72133.1175@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- Vadim Naroditsky <72133.1175@compuserve.com> asks:
- > The only 3 women that come to mind are: Lyta (unlikely but we can
- > expect anything from you, can't we? I assume that the idea of
- > keeping this affair to humans is still in effect, isn't it?
-
- Nothing to do with being "politically correct," this is the
- least PC show on record. I just like to have a mix of male and female
- characters, and when it tilts too much in o, including Claudia, who has
- three or four web sites devoted to her. She's not exactly out in the
- cold here. Her comments at the convention were here instantly, the
- Variety and Reuters articles were here very quickly, and her online
- note showed up within hours. I don't exactly see that as only one side
- being presented.
-
- Second, your observation is cynical and untrue. I've been
- online at CIS since 1984-85; I was one of the first people on CIS on my
- block. I've been here for going on 13 years. I got on here to hang
- out with fellow fans, and talk about shows, and meet people. I'm still
- here now for the same reasons. You can speak to events and specifics
- all you want, but stay out of my motives unless and until you can hire
- a teep to probe around in my cerebellum.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:33 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "I merely wanted to point out that JMS has seemed to USE this forum to
- put over a very onesided point of view."
-
- You're right. I put across one side. Mine. You put across
- yours. How many people are supposed to inhabit my body? It's not my
- place to speak for Claudia or you or anybody else.
-
- I have not used words in the same way you have used them,
- either; unlike you, I have not characterized the people here. You have
- called me arrogant without a) any meaning of the word, or b) anything
- to back that up other than bile and spirit messages. I have not called
- anyone in this stupid, or malicious, or arrogant.
-
- In reviewing your messages here, however, I'm nearly prepared to
- make an exception to the rule.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:35 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "I do not have to sound like I'm in control ALL THE TIME."
-
- I don't think you will find anyone in this forum who feels, on
- reading your messages, that you're in control.
-
- Mission objective achieved.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:38 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Shane S. Shellenbarger <104305.3404@compuserve.com>
- Subject: The Couch Critic-Jeff Ja
-
- Shane S. Shellenbarger <104305.3404@compuserve.com> asks:
- > There's a compliment in there somewhere...but for whom?
-
- I think it's the closest he will ever come to speaking well of
- the show.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:40 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: John M. Graham <74166.3727@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Script Deadlines
-
- John M. Graham <74166.3727@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Why then, was the deadline for Claudia to make up her mind left
- > so short? Is the problem the lack of reruns (meaning you have to
- > get further ahead in case you fall behind without the planned
- > holds in the countdown)? (Also, will Claudia appear in 501 aring
- > as 422, and how does she get paid for 422, since that whole
- > residual problem raises its ugly head?
-
- "With the exception of 501 (airing in the 422 slot), you should have
- about 2 extra months to get the episodes in the can. They won't, after
- all, air until January, when they previously aired in November. Why
- then, was the deadline for Claudia to make up her mind left so short?"
-
- Because you can't just come in and shoot one episode, then tell
- everyone, "Okay, we're taking a break for two months." The moment you
- begin shooting, the clock is ticking. SAG regulates the span of time
- you have the actors, equipment is rented...on and on. We had to come
- back in time to shoot 501/422, and it's going to be close as it is. It
- takes 52 days of post to finish an episode once it's filmed, so with
- 501/422 shooting August 18th, just do the math to see how close this is
- going to be.
-
- And once we pull the trigger on 501, we have to go immediately
- into 502. And on and on.
-
- Even if this were not an issue with the 422 business, we would
- *still* have to start shooting in August because of the schedule of
- holidays, and TNT's desire to run S5 *straight through* without reruns
- or breaks. That means you have to start early and be finished with a
- lot of shows, and vault them, to be able to then run through them all
- sequentially in 22 weeks.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:44 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Clauduia
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "Even if Claudia had no doubt that Joe could steer her around any
- trouble with the suits, the verbal agreement wouldn't carry any weight
- in the outside world."
-
- <thud>
-
- Y'know, up until this very moment, the whole 4-eps-in-writing
- thing hadn't made sense to me, I couldn't get my brain around it.
-
- I don't know if that's it, but it's a helluvan interesting
- thought.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:46 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Clauduia
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Yeah, it's another chance to make the show even more
- interesting.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 00:52:48 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: New Character
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Thanks...it'll be an interesting addition to the mix, given what
- happens in the latter part of the season.
-
- And no, she won't be "dead and gone forever." There's the third
- TNT movie, and a possible feature film, and if she wants to approach us
- about those projects, we'll be more than happy to have the discussion.
- That's precisely why I'm not recasting the role.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 20:42:21 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "all I was really saying is that he should keep the business side of
- the show off of this forum."
-
- Then you miss two important points.
-
- 1) This came up at Claudia's convention appearance, and the
- result has led people to ask questions. As in, "What the hell's going
- on?"
-
- 2) The whole reason I'm *here* is not publicity, but to create
- and maintain a dialogue about How Television Is Done and Why Things Are
- Done The Way They're Done. The business side of it has comprised about
- 60% of the discussion from day one. To answer questions about all the
- other business aspects, but pointedly *not* answer them here, goes
- against the reason I'm here, and would imply there's something to hide.
-
- Besides, last I heard, you didn't define the range of what can
- be discussed here, that's up to the sysops. If it's jake by them, it's
- jake by me. The problem is yours.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 24 Jul 1997 20:42:23 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: New Character
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- The Sisters of Zathras...now *there's* a convent worth joining.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:28 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com> asks:
- > My question then is, what about the supposed conversation between
- > CCs agent and Copeland? Did this never take place?
- > is the agent lying?
-
- The conversation was not fully reported. If an actor wants to
- be paid for 22 episodes, then yes, it is impossible for ANY studio to
- put in writing that they will pay for 22 while getting only 16 or 18.
- None of them will ever do that. Now, if an actor wants to 16-18 and be
- paid for only 16-18, then that's another issue. But the former is not
- possible, and that was what John was addressing. He's kind of gotten a
- bad rap in this, without cause.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:31 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- I have little to quarrel with in any of that, though I will make
- the point that there isn't really *that* much dissimilarity in our
- reports, as others have pointed out...it's the behind the scenes stuff
- and conversations and dates that get jumbled up in some of the reports.
-
- It's also a matter of perception...here you perceive that my
- "side" of it, if you want to call it that, is getting more support.
- But on other nets, I've gotten a hideous amount of hate mail, and some
- threats, disguised and outright. So it's a matter of what you see, vs.
- what is. (Kinda like the overall situation.)
-
- Finally...as you say, you have no reason to give more weight to
- one side or another in this. But there is one aspect of this to bear
- in mind. People can argue after the fact about how a tossed coin came
- down, can debate whose coin it was, whether it was a dime or a quarter,
- who said what about the ground it came to rest upon...and no one down
- the road may have any reason to believe one report or another...but it
- *did* come down, and it *did* come down either heads, or tails.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:34 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- "No offense, but it's your word against hers, and my point is that we
- don't have any reason to believe either one of you over the other."
-
- Actually, that's not quite correct. There were approximately 10
- actors there in Blackpool when all this went down...and they can all
- verify the account that I have described in all this.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:41 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Tim's Apology
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "I am still of the opinion that this business side of the show should
- be kept under wraps and that a simple request for such, on this forum,
- by yourself would have dealt with this matter more swiftly."
-
- (sound effect: hysterical laughter)
-
- New to the nets, ain'tcha?
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:43 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Scott Baker <76072.1744@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Thanks...I'll try.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:45 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- (blocked) asks:
- > Every character but Ivanova has undergone great changes, I
- > presume that her's were to come now with the challenges and
- > stresses of the battle with Psi Corp/Earth and her assumption of
- > Army of Light command? Will the new character be used, more or
- > less, to complete Ivanova's development or will her thread be
- > dropped? Will the new character only have a lifespan of nine
- > years? Could he be assistant king/commander?
-
- Whatever you're drinking, you're either not drinking enough of
- it or too much of it.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:48 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Hugh Kennedy <70042.710@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Pathfinder pix?
-
- Hugh Kennedy <70042.710@compuserve.com> asks:
- > I seem to remember that your CGI people were able to work in some
- > hubble shots as backcloths for some of the earlier scenes? Is
- > there any chance of featuring a certain well known piece of Mars
- > territory? Its just nice to tell sci-fi averse people, ok - its
- > just a story but how can it be purely sci-fi when the backdrops
- > are real?
-
- We do get lots of Mars shots from the Space folks, and those
- have been used in the establishing shots this season.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:50 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: T.P. Chai <104674.3064@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Scripts; 501/422
-
- T.P. Chai <104674.3064@compuserve.com> asks:
- > JMS, 1) will 501/422 have season 4 or 5 title screens?
- > 2) since you're shooting S5 straight through, is it going to cost
- > less money?
-
- "1) will 501/422 have season 4 or 5 title screens?"
-
- It will be a season 4 title sequence.
-
- "2) since you're shooting S5 straight through, is it going to cost
- less money?"
-
- No, we're not shooting any differently than we ever do. We
- always start in the Summer, usually July, then have a one week hiatus
- midway toward Christmas, then there's the Christmas break, then we come
- back in January, and shoot through to the conclusion with one more
- one-week hiatus, which are given to keep from burning out the crew.
- TNT will be airing them straight through, without breaks for reruns, so
- we're going to have everything done ASAP to meet those deadlines.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:53 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Tom Boon <100334.657@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Hour of the Wolf
-
- Tom Boon <100334.657@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Were any publicity shots taken of G'Kar wearing Garibaldi's hat?
-
- "Were any publicity shots taken of G'Kar wearing Garibaldi's hat?"
-
- None that I know of.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 Jul 1997 14:30:55 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Bruce "Firestorm" S. <72571.1722@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Clauduia
-
- Bruce "Firestorm" S. <72571.1722@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Is a creative note kind of like a warning or an order?
-
- A creative note is often, "Can you clarify this scene a little
- so that new viewers will get it?" That was, I believe, the last
- creative note we got, back in episode 2 of year 2. They're mainly in
- the form of story suggestions, rarely if ever a Do It Like This
- situation.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 26 Jul 1997 15:22:11 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: O. C. Alexander <72623.3472@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- No, it's almost impossible for an actor to be a regular on two
- shows at the same time; to make the Stephen Furst thing work, for
- instance, allowing him to be a regular on "Misery Loves Company," we
- had to support his request, and we were happy to do that. Most
- producers would rather not.
-
- In terms of guest stars, though, it's pretty wide open. Armin
- has even auditioned for B5 on one occasion. And some of our regulars,
- like Pat, have done work on ST, as well as Andreas, who reprised his
- character there.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 26 Jul 1997 15:22:14 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: John F Davis <73455.43@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- "JMS was simply not at that fatful alledged meeting between Claudis
- and managment (or at least I've never seen him claim to be there) so he
- only knows what others have told him about that meeting."
-
- There was no such meeting.
-
- "Now Claudia was alledgely present at that alledged meeting where they
- are alledged to have told her to find another job."
-
- Again, there was no such meeting. Claudia was in the UK, at the
- same convention I was attending, when all this went down. And *I* was
- the one who told her that she had to have her agent contact WB to tell
- them she was in, or they'd withdraw the offer.
-
- Kinda sticks a pin in that particular balloon....
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 26 Jul 1997 15:22:17 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "case in point - Claudia's cut-of date was last week - yet Joe claimed
- that he had written stories that would have to be re-fitted around
- claudia and he didn't have time... but if thats so then he never had
- any intention of writing her in - so there is a whole there."
-
- No, the date is incorrect. This all happened at Blackpool,
- which was over the weekend of July 10th-13th. The Friday deadline that
- we have been discussing was July 11th. The weekend of the 17th I was
- in San Diego, which is when Claudia started talking about this at a
- convention elsewhere.
-
- I could not have been sitting in a hotel pub with her on
- Thursday night in Blackpool if I was in San Diego at the time. All
- this went down while we were in the UK.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 26 Jul 1997 15:22:19 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Randall A. Schanze <74724.762@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Ok, how about this...
-
- Randall A. Schanze <74724.762@compuserve.com> asks:
- > CC has 2 major plot threads hanging over her, right?
- > Is it plausible?
- > Is it paranoid?
- > Is it likely?
- > Is it totaly stupid and inane?
-
- Gone off the Prozac again, I see....
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 27 Jul 1997 00:57:24 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Ian & Kathy Taylor <100331.2651@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- "reminds me very much of what I was told by someone with good reason
- to know about the loss of Michael O'Hare from the show i.e. that the
- people in charge of the purse-strings basically made the decision."
-
- See, here's what kills me about all this.
-
- When the Michael situation took place, I came out very openly
- and I said, "No, this was my decision, working with Michael," and very
- few held *me* accountable, they tried to blame WB...here, I came out
- openly and said I tried everything I could to keep Claudia on the show,
- and that her eventual departure was not my decision, it was hers, and
- I'm being given the rap for it. I didn't get it when I *did* make the
- decision (with Michael), and I'm getting it now when I *didn't* make
- the decision.
-
- Some days it's enough to make me lose my hair.
-
- Waitaminnit....
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 27 Jul 1997 00:57:27 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Philip Friel <100647.753@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- Philip Friel <100647.753@compuserve.com> asks:
- > And the coupla guys that I notice giving you a load of crap
- > around here - I don't ever recall seeing you give *them* any crap
- > (if you had, it might've been different, 'cos then it's
- > *personal* - guns at fifty paces, and all that <bg>), so just
- > what *is* their problem?
-
- "I won't say that there won't ever be an SF show as good as B5, as
- you've now set the yardstick, and the rest have something to aim at.
- Maybe, someday, someone will reach or pass it"
-
- I'm looking forward to that. I'll be the first one to stand up
- and cheer when it happens.
-
- "I'll say one thing about Trekkies, even though B5 fans often beat up
- on them <g,d,&r> - if Gene Roddenberry were alive today, and were
- active online, I just couldn't see him taking even a fraction of the
- flack from online Trekkies as you do from these excuses for B5 fans"
-
- Noooo...I don't think so...ask Majel about some of this
- sometime. Believe me, if Gene were online, he'd get the same thing.
- It's the medium, not the person, that's the problem.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 27 Jul 1997 00:57:29 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Tim's Apology
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Yep, that's what precipitated the discussion.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 27 Jul 1997 00:57:31 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Tim's Apology
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- What smug?
-
- You said that if I asked people not to talk about it, they would
- automatically stop. I've been on the nets a long time, and that sort
- of thing is so unlikely as to engender the response I noted. Hence my
- question.
-
- As if my saying, "Now, stop that" would work.
-
- How much power do you think I have?
-
- The problem isn't what I'm saying, it's your sensitivity over
- it.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 27 Jul 1997 00:57:34 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Carl Cantarella <105030.3700@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Third TNT film???
-
- Carl Cantarella <105030.3700@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Is this true?
-
- Yes, that's correct.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 27 Jul 1997 22:54:21 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Brent Barrett <75063.3305@compuserve.com>
- Subject: An Open Letter
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- Thanks, to everyone on the J&D mailing list. There's been quite
- a bit of positive feedback lately, which has certainly helped.
-
- I'm considering strongly pulling back from the nets for a while.
- What a number of people don't seem to understand is that amidst all
- this, with all the name-calling and dead-catting and
- tar-and-feathering, I have to launch the fifth season. I have to write
- these first 5-6 episodes, and make them not just as good as year 4, but
- better. The only way I can write is to push away all the other voices
- until I can hear the small, still voice at the back of my head that
- speaks in the place of the characters. There has been so much going on
- (see above) that this has become difficult at best.
-
- Come January, if the shows are crap, from crap scripts, and
- people yell, "How come the stories suck?" it does no good for me to
- yell back, "BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS YELLING AT ME!" That is a pretty
- silly excuse. The bottom line is: angry email is ephemeral; the shows
- will be on the air for a lot longer. And that is where I have to put my
- emphasis right now.
-
- So I'm not yanking the modem out of the wall, but my presence
- will be somewhat reduced over the next little bit, because I've fallen
- *desperately* behind due to all the turmoil over this. If people think
- they're upset over Claudia leaving, and the grief this has caused, the
- truth is they have no idea what those words mean until they've sat
- behind my keyboard and tried to push through it to find the words. And
- then to get yelled at for things I'm not responsible for...I can either
- read it, and get angry, or take a break and get the show in place.
- Even the positive email, welcome as that's been, and there's been a
- lot, has been a reminder of the whole situation, so I basically just
- have to pull back for a bit.
-
- I'll be here...but quietly, until I'm caught up. Similarly,
- with regrets (and as soon as I can find the darned email address for
- them), I'm going to have to cancel out on RebelCon in Massachusetts in
- order to try and catch up. I can't justify the time away when we're so
- close to the bone.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 28 Jul 1997 00:14:22 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: DS9 = Babylon 5
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "But then I never watched B 5 even if Chekov was on it. I always
- thought of it as a copy of DS9 because DS9 was in the works longer."
-
- Just to correct: DS9 was not developed until about 1991/1992
- (I'll have to go check which one for sure)...B5 was being shown around
- town in full pilot-script and artwork form dating back to 1987.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 28 Jul 1997 00:14:25 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Re: Turhan...yeah, everybody on the set yelled at me when we had
- to kill off Turhan's character. He was one of the genuinely sweetest
- and nicest persons to come work on the show, and they all fell in love
- with him. If there's EVER a way I can figure out how to bring him
- back, I'm up for it.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 28 Jul 1997 00:14:28 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: John F Davis <73455.43@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- John F Davis <73455.43@compuserve.com> asks:
- > how did the British rags figure out what she was GOING to say
- > while she was still saying "I'll be there"?
-
- No...let me stress this again: there was never any meeting here.
-
- The meeting you *might* be thinking of was the one where we
- brought in the actors to explain to them the differences in syndication
- vs. cable residuals formula. That took place some weeks before.
-
- If it helps, let me break down the dates for you a bit:
-
- July 9th: the Variety and Reuters pieces appear saying Claudia's
- has left the show. WB wants to know where Claudia stands, and we need
- to know because at this point I've finished writing the new 422, and am
- about to start on 502 (actually the first S5 episode). I hear about
- this when Claudia, I and the rest of the cast are in the UK at
- Blackpool. The WB need for urgent clarification is conveyed to
- Claudia's agent.
-
- July 10th: I reinforce to Claudia, at the pub in the DeVere
- hotel, that unless she confirms through her agent by noon Friday, the
- 11th, that she wants to be on the show, the offer will be withdrawn,
- that she will have, to all intents and purposes, passed on the offer.
-
- July 11th: there was no "final comment," no meeting...again, we
- are still in the UK. For there to be a final comment, she or her agent
- would have had to actually *speak* to someone. But no call came from
- either Claudia or her agent. There was NO response at all. Thus, the
- offer was finally and reluctantly withdrawn because we were simply out
- of time, and having been told that silence = a pass on the offer, there
- was no longer any reason to maintain the offer. She passed.
-
- July 12th: Jeff goes to Claudia and on his own, tries to
- convince her to try and work this out on Monday, that if her agent
- makes contact first thing, maybe this can be worked out. This is not a
- position that I told him to advance to her, he did this entirely on his
- own, hoping that she could still come back from her decision. Bruce
- and other cast members also try to talk to her about this, concerned
- about her decision.
-
- July 14th (Monday): Claudia leaves the convention mid-day,
- announcing that she is going to go to a photo shoot.
-
- The weekend of July 19th-20th: I'm at ComicCon in San Diego,
- where I learn that Claudia, at another convention, has announced that
- she was fired from B5. And that, to paraphrase, is where the blitz hit
- the fans.
-
- I know you keep trying to find some way that maybe I wasn't
- there, perhaps to save me from the situation...but I was there for
- every bit of it; having the room 4 doors down from Claudia at the time,
- I couldn't be *more* in the thick of it unless I slept on the floor of
- her room.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 28 Jul 1997 00:14:32 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Claudia Opts Out-JMS
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Ray: extremely, extremely well said. Better than I could have
- said it, and probably better than I *have* said it.
-
- You really ought to give this writing thing a shot sometime,
- y'know...?
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 28 Jul 1997 00:14:34 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Ron Chusid <74756.3150@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Claudia C fired!
-
- {original post had no questions}
-
- "Before coming to this forum today I was reading through a ST
- newsgroup on the internet. John Ordover was busy defending himself
- against criticism for things like ignoring rude messages. I'm sure you
- don't find this at all surprising."
-
- Yeah, well, John also announced *definitively* (and with
- considerable joy, I suspect) on AOL that B5 had been canceled, and
- there would be no fifth season, so I'm probably the last person to ask
- about this....
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 28 Jul 1997 00:14:39 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Tim's Apology
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- "Surely you have the power to not reply to certain messages?"
-
- Of course I do. And I do frequently.
-
- The problem is that the nets are best able to spread complete
- misinformation even faster than they can spread real information. If
- something is stated once in error -- like the person who thought the
- deadline was the 19th rather than the 11th -- others pick it up and
- within a matter of a day or two, there are 10,000 people all with the
- same wrong information, and if you go back to them to correct it later,
- they say, "Well, no, that's not what I heard," even though they may not
- be able to remember where they got that info from.
-
- On the nets, the line between "speculation" and "fact" is very
- blurry on the best of days. My feeling has always been that in that
- kind of situation, you put out the facts as best you can, on the theory
- that the folks interested in the discussion are sharp enough to suss
- out the truth, and those not interested in it wil simply not bother to
- read the threads.
-
- Also, bear in mind that there was a request put out to email
- bomb me by people concerned about Claudia's situation. A request put
- out *by* Claudia and her people. Now, I can either spend ten thousand
- hours a day responding to each one of those in email, or by public
- messages put a lot of those concerns to rest and save a fair amount of
- hassle when I'm *trying* to put on a show here.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 28 Jul 1997 00:14:42 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: Your Pasadena payback
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Well, certainly the more folks retell the story at cons, the
- less I can tell it, so there's that...but the joke has gone about as
- far as it's going to.
-
- Until I can think of something better.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 28 Jul 1997 00:14:45 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Richard P. Manny <70762.141@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Onward and upward
-
- Richard P. Manny <70762.141@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Cavellos' book (I certainly didn't find anything that jumped out
- > at me as contrary to the tv series)?
-
- I'd say that the Cavelos book is pretty canonical, yes...I
- didn't work with the author as closely as with #9, but I agree with
- just about all of the major strokes there.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 29 Jul 1997 20:51:10 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: DS9 = Babylon 5
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- Yes, that would be me...and the finale's been filmed, so it's
- out of my encrypted file at last. Look for it at the end of season 5.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 29 Jul 1997 20:51:11 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: (blocked)
- Subject: DS9 = Babylon 5
-
- {original post unavailable}
-
- The show starts the weekend of January 4th on TNT, first with a
- newly filmed prequel, "In the Beginning," then the original pilot, then
- the next day, Monday, it starts from the very first episode of season
- one and goes straight through, Monday through Friday, 5 nights a week,
- at 7 p.m. Eastern. The fifth season starts mid-January.
-
- With the new airings on TNT, we will run through the entire
- first 4 years in 18 week cycles, so everyone will have a chance to
- catch up and see the whole thing.
-
- But this thread more properly belongs in the B5 section, so any
- further questions should probably go there.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 30 Jul 1997 00:57:30 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Chad Underkoffler <102512.1310@compuserve.com>
- Subject: but
-
- Chad Underkoffler <102512.1310@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Boy shaves his head.") Is there any way for me to strengthen this
- > authorial muscle? Advice?
- > Hints?
-
- Basic approach: if you know your characters, then find out what
- they want, how far they will go to get it, and how far someone else
- will go to stop them. From this comes structure, and from this comes
- plot.
-
- Put them in *motion*.
-
- As someone noted, "The king died and then the queen died" is not
- a story; "The king died and then the queen died of grief" is a story.
- Cause and effect.
-
- jms
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 30 Jul 1997 00:57:33 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Alan L. Ravitch <73627.3126@compuserve.com>
- Subject: Bailing on Rebelcon?
-
- Alan L. Ravitch <73627.3126@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Joe...is that a definite that you're now NOT going to do
- > Rebelcon?
-
- Yeah...I notified the con people the other day. I'm *really*
- distressed by this, because it's the first time I've ever had to bail
- on a con due to work commitments (or any OTHER reason, there's never
- been one before this). But given the distance, the work involved, the
- deadlines looming up ahead of me, and all the rest...I can't justify
- doing it. The show has to come first.
-
- And I'm *really* bummed because it's John Flinn's first
- convention, and I really wanted to be there to see his reaction.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
-
- Date: 30 Jul 1997 19:37:29 -0700
- From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
- To: Chad Underkoffler <102512.1310@compuserve.com>
- Subject: but
-
- Chad Underkoffler <102512.1310@compuserve.com> asks:
- > Out of curiousity, what do you think of Dibell's PLOT?
-
- "Out of curiousity, what do you think of Dibell's PLOT?"
-
- Dunno, never read it.
-
- Don't read books on sex, either.
-
- Some things you have to learn on instinct.
-
- jms
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
|
