lurkers-guide/ftp/CompuServe/jms-96-11-02

 The following is a transcript of the non-spoiler
 portion of a real-time chat conference held with
 J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) on CompuServe,
 November 2, 1996 at 22:00 GMT.

 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE
 RESPECTIVE PARTICIPANTS AND COMPUSERVE
 INFORMATION SERVICE.  
 
 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Archives of this material may be found at:

   ftp://ftp.speedlink.com/pub/bbarrett/cis/
                    - or -
   http://www.speedlink.com/bbarrett/b5/

 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JMS: hello all, just hanging out until we begin.

JMS: thanks, all

JMS: good heavens, but the room got kinda rambunctious, didn't it?

JMS: dupa, shall we get started so we don't have these gentle folks just hanging
     around waiting?

Moderator: ATTENTION!  We're about to go into formal moderated conference mode.

Dupa: JMS - Suits me <g>

Moderator: Hold off on your question submittals until we get things set up and ready to go!

Moderator: Here we go!

JMS: i do what i can

Moderator: OK, moderation has now started.

JMS: So let that be a lesson to you, and never darken our towels again!

Moderator: I need to get a couple of people recognized here so hold on for a sec...

JMS: (glaciers move, we wait)
JMS: (tectonic plates move, we wait)

Lyon: Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the CompuServe..

JMS: (my shorts ride up, we...well, this has just taken an ugly turn)

Lyon: Science Fiction and Fantasy Forums (GO SCIFI)
      we cordially welcome you to our live Formal Conference
      with Babylon 5 executive producer J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI.

JMS: noted chicken strangler

Lyon: Those of you who are unfamiliar with formal conferencing, just

JMS: run like hell

Lyon: sit back and enjoy.  Meanwhile, you can (geez, Joe! <g>) queue your

Dupa: <squawk!>

Lyon: questions to our moderator, Lee Whiteside.

JMS: newly released from prison

Moderator: Let me spit out my canned intro...

Lyon: As you can see, we're a very organized bunch.  <grrr>

Moderator: Welcome to our live conference with J. Michael Straczynski
           sponsored by the Science Fiction Media One forum )SFMEDONE)
           which is part of the Compuserve Science Fiction Forums all
           accessible from SF Central at the SCIFI go word here on
           Compuserve.

           With us today is J. Michael Straczynski, creator and executive
           producer of the Babylon 5 TV series.  He has also just released
           through Writer's Digest books a Revised and Expanded edition of
           "The Complete Book of Scriptwriting" (ISBN 0-89879-512-5).
           Of interest to Babylon 5 fans is a sample script included in
           the book of the Hugo award winning episode "The Coming of Shadows".

           I'm SysOp Lee Whiteside, your moderator.  Helping out today is
           SySop Mike Willmoth and SysOp Jim Shaun Lyon.

           This will be a moderated conference, with all questions going
           through the question queue.  The first part of the conference
           (30-45 minutes) will be spoiler free in deference to those
           who have not yet seen the season finale "Z'Ha'Dum".  I won't
           pass through any potential spoiler questions until I let you
           know its time.

           A transcript will be available in the SF Media One forum of this
           conference.  Check the What's New or the Babylon 5 General Message
           Base for details when it is available.
           That should do it for the canned intro, so let's get on to the
           conference!

Willmoth: Us, organized?

JMS: well, that's whipped everyone up into a tepid fervor

Lyon: So organized!

Willmoth: Hi, Joe!  Loved Z ep...

JMS: thanks

Lyon: How about our first question, Lee?

Moderator: OK, let me get to the questions here.

JMS: (the planet turns, we wait)
JMS: (stars fall from the sky, we wait)

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Trevor B
How do you flesh out your characters?
How do you make them real?

JMS: That's the easy part.  All you have to do is create them as realistically in
     your head as you can, by investing in the emotions and feelings and the kind
     of personality you have within yourself....
     you slice off bits of yourself and invest them into other characters.  That
     way you *know* them, and when you drop them into a given situation, there's
     no doubt about what they'd do...
     it's like imagining your best friend (if you don't have one, borrow the best
     friend of the person next to you) walking across the living room late at
     night, and banging their shin on the coffee table....
     because you know your friend, you don't have to *hesitate* to know what they
     will say when this happens.  It's just a process of getting to know them
     yourself.

Question from SEATTLE, WA: Andi Shechter
Joe, in a recent ep, the Narn homeworld had some amazing graphics with half
broken domes that were, to me very much like what Hiroshima looked like post
bomb. Knowingyou look at the details, was this deliberate?

JMS: Yes, there was some element of that.  It's not a moral judgment thing, but a
     referential point.  As for Narn architecture overall, I told them I wanted
     sort of an alien culture as the Soviet Union might've designed it....
     everything tending toward the blocky, the functional, less aesthetic than
     you would find on Minbar.  This is a culture that has crawled up from war,
     and functionality is more important.

Question from EAQ: Shawn Ratner
Mr. Straczynski,

Babylon 5 is a great series! Will Babylon 5 ever be part of the Earth Alliance a
gain since they have suceeded?

Thank You!
Shawn Ratner

JMS: Well, they've certainly succeeded at what they were attempting.  As for the
     future, who can say?  (Well, yeah, I can, but I won't.  Which brings me to a
     point...
     asking me "is X going to happen?" in a conference, or at a convention, can
     turn into a frustrating experience for others, because generally I prefer to
     let things be done in the show rather than blow it out here.  Just FYI.)

Question from CFP: Jim Marshall
Will we ever know what was written on the side of the new Kosh's ship when it sa
w sheridan on the forks outside the station?


JMS: What, do I look like someone who can speak Vorlon?  Oh, sure, a few words,
     mainly "Where is the bathroom" and "What's that smell?" but to translate
     something like that...pfsh, please.
     (Answer: probably not.)

Question from DENVER, CO: Tim Orel
What was the inspiration for that scene back in late season one or early two whe
re the aliens were being sued by the earthman for the humiliation to their ances
tor in New Mexico?  That was one of my favorite scenes of all time, in spite of
the fact it hasn't (yet) anything to do with the main plot.


JMS: Yeah, it's a lovely scene.  I dropped it into Christy's script because it
     was something I always wanted to do.  I just figured, okay, if these things
     really ARE happening, and it gets found out, and we make contact with
     aliens, and find the ones responsible....
     somebody's gonna want to sue their butts off.  So it became a very logical
     extension of the judicial system (tongue somewhat in cheek).  And...well, it
     was a hoot.  I'll forgive much if it's a hoot.

Question from SAN MARCOS, CA: Don Berg
At a Creation Convention in San Diego last weekend, the host claimed that
JMS was shorting the Babylon 5 arc to 4-years instead of 5-years.
Can you assure us that this is FALSE?

JMS: Nothing has been firmed up or finalized about the fifth year.  At a meeting
     at WB just three days ago, it was brought up as a continuing possibility. 
     (brought up *by them*)

Question from ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Collin Anderson
In the first season Sinclaires wife or was it girlfriend(I cant remember) encoun
tered a ship at a planet that drained all her  ships energy. I remember that GKa
r warned her not to go there. Is there going to be any more exploration of this
plot line(Who these beings were that she encountered)?

JMS: Yes, we'll see that ship and those beings again soon; we've seen them once
     already, in "Voices of Authority," and we'll see them again.  GA

Question from DJN: Rich B
Was PsiCop Al Bester named after author Alfred Bester who wrote..'The Stars My D
estination'?

JMS: Yeppers.

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Trevor Hart
JMS, hello, is Othersyde going to go to reprint as I cannot find a copy?


JMS: There aren't any current plans for taking either of my two published novels
     or my published anthology back to print; I wrote them a long while ago, and
     my feeling is that they're good for what they are, first attempts....
     but as much as some who've read them (and are doing better now) have
     encouraged me to do so...I dunno...I just think I'd be best letting them go
     for now.

Question from CZL: Michael Lieber
why are the seasons so irregular in length with the season just ending now in
the U.S. and starting again next week?  love the show

JMS: They program episodes specifically for sweep periods in February, May,
     occasionally July, and November.  That's when stations set their advertising
     rates, and they  hold 'em for that period.  So now they use October...
     to ramp up the ratings for the November sweeps, since it takes folks a while
     to find out we're on the air again with new episodes (due to the new and
     daring approach to our PR, stealth programming).

Moderator: From ratings info I've seen, things seem to be very much on the
           upswing, right?

JMS: Absolutely.  We just cracked the top 20 the other week, the first time we've
     been that high in a while; the following went to 26, but that was because of
     the World Series, which killed everything.  WB is very pleased.

Question from NEWPORT BEACH, CA: Stephen C. Smith
     Joe, you contended a few months back that 1/3 of the fans would agree with
the Shadows' motives after seeing "Z'ha'dum."  Having read the posts from viewer
s who've watched the episode, does that seem to be the case?

JMS: Well...maybe closer to 20%.  Some have made arguments for the logic, but not
     the methods.  A few have come forward and said they see the point...and now
     that we know who they are, we can take care of them. 

Question from LONDON: JM
who is your favourite B5 character?

JMS: All of them, for different reasons.  I love writing for Londo; sometimes you
     have to work a little to get a character to talk to you; with Londo it's the
     opposite.  Getting him to shut up.  I love 'em all. 



     (I stunned them, it seems.)

Moderator: argh.  All the questions I've been asking have been deleted...

JMS: smooth.
     KILL HIM!

Dupa: BANG!

Willmoth: And they call it moderation :-)

JMS: well, moderation is good if not taken to extremes

Moderator: The Question Queue works fine, sometimes.

JMS: (operator error, don't say anything to him about it)

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Pink Planet
Greetings from Pink Planet (our german fanzine)!
My question: What is Mordens first name?

JMS: What is Mordens first name?  Mister.  (Actually, I'm trying to avoid giving
     that out, as it would personalize him too much, and I prefer him as a force
     of nature.)  

Question from PROVIDENCE, RI: Ed Jusczyk
Why does Ivonova wear only one gold stud earring in her left ear?

JMS: It's a testimony to the character's fictional brother, who died in the war,
     and Claudia's real brother, who passed away.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Mary Broderick
Are the portions of the eloquent passages spoken by G'Kar at the end of Z'Ha'Dum
 foreshadowing in regard to things to come for Sheridan and Geribaldi?  {e.g., S
heridan - "The future is all around us, waiting in moments of transition, to be
born in moments of revelation."

JMS: Hrrmmmm.....could be, could be.  (WHO SENT YOU?  HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS?  WHY
     HAVE YOU BEEN PEEKING IN MY WINDOW AT NIGHTS!  THAT'S IT, I'M CALLING 911!)
     (next...)  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: G'Kane
Are there any news about the spin-off? And if it is made, will the story be inte
resting enough for you to stay with it and write at least some episodes?

JMS: Yes, there's been some movement; WB has asked for a treatment, which has
     been given to them, and they like it.  There are more conversations going on
     this coming few weeks.  We'll see.  If we do get a go on it....
     yes, I'll stay with it.  Babylon (in whatever form) is my baby.  You don't
     toss your kid out into the world undefended.

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Markus Tiedtke
What is your favourite episode?

JMS: It'd probably be a toss-up between Severed Dreams and Z'ha'dum, if you only
     look at the first 3 years.  If you toss in year 4, I'd have to say "Falling
     Toward Apotheosis."  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: William Smith
JMS, your show is the greatest! Can't wait for the season finale tomorrow! I wan
t to ask you, 1) do you have any advice to a future writer, 2) what did that com
ment, "We are ALL Kosh" mean, and 3) will the entire show be published as a nove
l sometime?

P.S. Could you send me a copy of the "Ark"?

JMS: 1) Keep writing, don't let anything stop you IF that's what you want to do,
     don't mistake a love of reading for a passion to write; 2) it's a metaphor,
     operating on a different level, 3) who knows, but there are no plans....
     currently for that.  And I can't send you a copy of the Ark as it wouldn't
     fit into the mailbox, what with 2 of every kind of animal in it. 

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Norman
We liked very much the songs in sung by Erika Gimpel in "Walkabout" and the Gosp
el in "The rock cried out, no hiding place". Is there any chance they might be a
vailable on some of the Babylon5-related CDs ?

JMS: Re: the Rock song, no.  Re: the Walkabout songs...Chris and I keep going
     round and round about that.  I'm against it, as I like the soundtrack to be
     kept instrumental.  We'll see who survives the discussion.  

Question from LONDON: Darran
Joe, at 'The Encounter' con in Blackpool this year you reeled off a list of name
s you would like to appear in B5. One of them was Paul Darrow (Avon from Blakes7
). If you had him on the show what sort of roll would you envisage for him.


JMS: I haven't a clue at this point.  I'd have to give that serious thought.  (I
     rarely write a part for a person, but find the right person for the part.)
     I see we have 217 people here...wow.)  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Angela
I've read that TNT plans to pick the show up in syndication... Will they start a
iring immediately, or will we be forced to wait x-years?  Also, any news on movi
es?

JMS: No, they'll go with the show a few months after it's over, the exact timing
     depending on when that happens.  If we were to finish in summer, they'd go
     in November; if in fall, then January.  On TV movies, nothing I can comment
     on for now.  

Question from EBB: Susan Christ
When John had the ritual dinner with Delenn & Lennier, what did Lennier say when
 John left, and what was Delenn's reply? I've been wondering all this time!  Tha
nks for the translation of Marcus' Minbari line in "Shadow Dancing", BTW.

JMS: Now I'm supposed to speak Minbari?  What, do I look like a linguist to you?
     Do you have any IDEA the subtleties of the Minbari language?  Why, if I were
     to even TRY to translate that, I could start a war!

Moderator: I thought the translation in the blooper reels was the
           acurate one!  :)

Question from EBB: SysOp J. Shaun Lyon
Joe, any word on how many Season 4 episodes (3 or 4) in this run through Novembe
r?  The Lurker's Guide isn't sure about "Falling Through Apotheosis".  ga.

JMS: OKay, buddy, but you'll be the first on the new battle of the line.
     We're playing 401-404 in November, then the next batch in February.

Question from DJN: Rich B
Any word on B5 being released on video in the US and sold in stores rather then
mail order.

JMS: (Oh, I'd also put "The Long Night" at the very top.)  No, no word on
     releases yet...WB doesn't sully its hands with piddly little TV shows when
     they can put big-budget movies out where they are guaranteed big incomes....
     (feh)
     (thud)
     (wubble)

Dupa: <Wubble?>

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Rebecca Grigsby
Jms, will we ever see Talia Winters again?

JMS: Not in my universe.  

Question from LONDON: James&Deb's
Jms you stated that you have just realized that you have no sensors.Have you
changed any scripts because of this.

JMS: (sigh...the ravages of a public school educational system)...not so much
     changed, as went into them now knowing I can do more than I thought.
     Suffice to say it gets really really weird(er).  

Question from ROCHELLE PARK, NJ: Mara K. Malovany
I heard an actor speak at a convention once where he said that one of the jobs
an actor has is to "physicalize" the script.  Do you think that is accurate,
and, if so, can you think of a scene where the actor really nailed the
subtext, in a way which surprised/pleased you?


JMS: Yes, I think that's accurate.  The most obvious place where it worked was
     where Londo looks through the window to Narn being bombed below.  There's no
     dialogue, and he has to convey a range of emotions just through his face....
     which is a terribly difficult thing to do, and he did a superb job of it.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Mike Casady
what other projects have you worked on?
JMS, are there any special guest stars planned for this season?

JMS: Nobody major, no.  We've got Wortham Krimmer, noted for daytime stuff, and
     Victor Londo, and of course Walter Koenig returns 4 times this season, but
     no, this season is primarily about our characters in deep guano. 
     Er, Victor London.

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Ken Weaverling
Why has Philadelphia been forsaken, and how can season 5 ever be a reality with
the fourth largest viewer market without a station?


JMS: I don't know.  The programming part is beyond my comprehension.  I know
     they're working on it, but the problem is that station prospects are
     shrinking rapidly.  They make whole night-time committments to Fox, or
     UPN....
     and with only 1 or 2 independent stations around, and 14 hours per week
     available, and literally 250 syndicated programs, you can get squeezed out.
     It's not WB's fault, it's the shrinking marketplace.  There are only...
     so many stations.  If local fans want the show, they have to pressure the
     stations, cause WB can't do squat about it otherwise. 

Moderator: Do you think that WB will spend more effort on the new
Mad Max series as opposed to B5 next fall?

JMS: I hear that's been scrubbed.

Question from SAN MARCOS, CA: Don Berg
Has there been any correlation between higher Babylon 5 ratings and
favorable comments on the Howard Stern radio show?

JMS: I dunno.  It certainly hasn't hurt us.  Probably helped, though he was
     saying the same things when we were lower-rated.  I just think primarily
     we're just finally finding our audience.

Question from HONOLULU, HI: Mark Ambard
You have written with a spiritual bent. The three parts of the Minbari are like
the Trilogy, the  purity of the cult in Grey 17 evokes Leviticus etc.  What 
is your background spritually and where are you now. I know you wrote a couple gospel
songs that you seem to be very quiet about. Regrets?

JMS: My background...is not terribly relevant to this.  (I sit and look at the
     monitor for a moment.)  Okay, that's a lie.  It is, however, personal to me,
     and thus not fodder for this discussion.  Where I am....
     is that I'm an atheist.  I have, however, read nearly every religious book
     from cover to cover, including the bible, twice, and the Bahagavad Gita, and
     parts of the Koran, the Torah, you name it....(or Quoran, depending)....
     and I look for those elements that are dramatic and interesting and human,
     and I use them shamelessly, but with respect. 

Question from EVANSVILLE, IN: Seeker
How does Harlan Ellison influene the show?

JMS: How does the sun influence your day?  He's there as needed, chiming in with
     the idea of the Ombuds, for a killer weapon we needed in year 4, other
     stuff.  He's peripatetic and ubiquitious.  (That for the person who spelled
     secede "succeed". 

Question from EAL: Les P. George
Greetings Great Maker,

Has there been any progress on B5 merchandise like videos?

Also, if Harlan's health will not permit his writing the proposed sequel to the
OL episode "Demon with a Glass Hand"  by himself,  would it be possible 
for you and he to work on it together?

Les

JMS: Videos, no.  (Didn't I juat answer this?)  Other merchandise, though, is
     coming out; a second CD, Hamilton Collector's Plates, the Fleer cards, new
     models next year from Revell/Monogram, other stuff....
     as for Harlan's script, we'll see. 

Question from NEWPORT BEACH, CA: Stephen C. Smith
Which character has surprised you the most, i.e. has led you in a direction diff
erent than you'd planned?   GA

JMS: Probably Vir.  He's surprised me on many levels.  Suffice to say that in the
     first 6 somewhere next season, there's something I'd slotted for another
     character to do.  I'd intended for that character to do it right up....
     until the page before that other character was going to do it, when Vir
     stepped up in my brain and said, "No, *I* should do this."  And as soon as
     he said it, I knew it was right.  You'll see. 

Question from CGZ: Al Kuntzler
Joe, I was wondering what the status was concerming new novels and comics?


JMS: There are 3 new novels coming out from Dell, the first being a terrific book
     by Jeanne Cavellos following the events of the Icarus and Anna Sheridan;
     then two more, one following Sinclair to Minbar, the other one....
     a Londo/Vir story that ties into the first part of year 4.  There are plans
     for the comic to start coming out again next year. 

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Victoria Martindale
A friend who started watching the show at the end of Season 2 has a hard time be
lieving that Londo was ever a sympathetic character, while I feel in many ways,
he still is.  Can you give us some insight into the evolution of his character?


JMS: Well, what level of sympathy we show, and to whom we show it, is often more
     a factor of the person doing the perceiving than that which is perceived.
     For me, he's a fascinating character, sometimes sympathetic....
     and sometimes not.  You want to beat the crap out of him one minute, and
     you're in love with something he's done the next.  The first part of year 4
     takes his evolution a step further, and it's probably some of the most....
     dynamic, interesting and emotional stuff we've ever seen Londo do, and it
     puts you right back to re-evaluating his character.  Lovely stuff.  


 [ End of non-spoiler section of chat from November 2, 1996
   The next section contains the remainder of the conference,
   including possible spoilers.  -- Brent ]






Moderator: Spoiler warning! I'm going to start selecting questions
           in regards to Z'Ha'Dum and after!

Question from DUBLIN, OH: Troy Starr
What kind of title sequence can we expect in season 4?


JMS: (wow, 229 people now)  It's a *nifty* title sequence, dynamic, exciting, the
     best music we've ever had, and a very interesting approach to the
     narration.  (What, you thought I'd tell you?) 

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Bob Koslosky
JMS,

I have a hord of Star trek fans on my back... in Walkabout they say you should 
rename it "The Search for Kosh".  In Zha'a'dum they sat that they could 
swear the y heard Obe Wan telling Sheridan to jump.  What gives?

JMS: How can you walk with so many people on your back?  It must be terribly hard
     on you.  Tell your friends to get a wider frame of reference.  The Spock
     thing was a one-shot done to find a way to bring him back....
     We've always established that Vorlons are putting pieces of themselves in
     others, and this will be stated explicitly in year 4, that's how they get
     around, by putting pieces of themselves in others like hermit crabs....
     which ties into what happened at Z'ha'dum.  If their frame of reference is
     so small as to think only of those two things, the problem is theirs, not
     mine.  Let them look into mythology, and legendry, about mythical creatures..
     who put themselves into other people, possession, American indian myths, on
     and on and on.  There's an old saying about books:  "A book is like a
     mirror, if an ass peers in, you can't expect an apostle to peer out."

Question from SEATTLE, WA: Andi Shechter
On behalf of the Fans of Michael, are we gonna see more of Mr. Garibaldi in
season 4? Btw, used to see you all the time when I hung with the Grid
Epsilon Irregulars.
Thanks,
Andi

JMS: Oh, most definitely.  We have some very interesting plans for Mr.
     Garibaldi.  But bear in mind that when I get gleeful about this sort of
     thing, it's always dangerous for the character.  

Question from SACRAMENTO, CA: Brent Barrett
Hello, Joe, What episode are you up to in writing currently?  Any new titles
to share with us?
When can we expect to get a title for season four? :-)
Thanks a bunch,
  -- Brent

JMS: I'm finishing #11, "Lines of Communication."  Other titles: "The Illusion of
     Truth," "Atonement," "Racing Mars," others.  

Lyon: Where does 'Racing Mars' show up in the lineup of episodes?

JMS: #10.

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Lee Burke
What was it like for melissa gilbert to act as Sheridans wife ...along side of 
her real husband....nice touch of casting !

JMS: That's more a question for her, but for us, it was great, she did a terrific
     job.  

Question from DJO: Michael B. Truitt
The B5 series is great.  Will the relationship between  Captain Sheridan and 
Deleen continue to be a focus of the show?

Mike T.  Albuqueruque NM

JMS: Absolutely.  That relationship will have its continued ups and downs, as do
     all relationships, but it's a vital and integral part of the show.  

Question from NEWPORT BEACH, CA: Orb
Are there any things we should watch for in the first Season 4 eps?  Minor
between-season improvement types of things...

JMS: Well, we do more off-station stuff: we go to Minbar, Narn, Centauri Prime,
     Mars, colonies...it gets consistently bigger.  Then there's a small break,
     so we can catch our breath (from about 8-10), then all hell breaks loose.  

Question from LONDON: Hubby
We've pretty much seen President Clark in one dimension (as the bad guy).  
Knowing the character as you do, what's his real motivation?  What does the 
world look like through his glasses?


JMS: That's one of those "let me answer that in the show" questions.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: SysOp Dupa
Joe,
After "The Fall Of Night" I was under the impression that you said we would see
what a Vorlon *really* looks like in Season three. Since that didn't happen (did
it?), will we see it in season four?


JMS: Yep.  

Dupa: <g>

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Kay Duff
Have you ever gone walkabout yourself?

JMS: Well....yeah, kinda.  Back when I was living in San Diego (before it got
     nuked...well, that hasn't happened yet, but soon)...I got into a kind of
     similar mode of thought, and would go for walks through....
     downtown San Diego at 2-4  in the morning.  Hours, hours, hours, just
     walking through parts of the area where I could've gotten killed.  When
     folks asked me why, I couldn't answer, all I could come up with...
     was that I was looking for something.  And I found it, kinda, and in a
     somewhat similar situation...but that gets into some other personal areas,
     and this may not be the right forum for that.  Suffice to say I was....
     almost killed myself, and leave it at that.

Moderator: Here's one that fell out of the queue but got captured
           before it disappeared.... (from Martin Toggweiler)
           I noticed in "Z' ha' dum" that the Shadow city didn't
           look too "alien", in many ways the buildings resembled  a human city skyline.
           Is this meant to imply that there were many humanoids
           in this city, and not too many Shadows?

JMS: That wasn't the intent, no.  I think it's more the way it ended up. And it
     does have some nice elements, but it could've been stranger...if we'd had
     more time and more money.  

Question from LONDON: Darran
Joe, do you expect Warner Brothers to be a little more relaxed about next years
Con in Blackpool, England or is there still a lot of things they unlikely to 
allow e.g. the showing of clips from future episodes etc..

BTW: I'm not in LONDON, I'm 150 Miles further north.

JMS: We've worked out a deal on clips, but not on episodes.  WB has an obligation
     to protect its copyright, and sometimes that comes into conflict with what
     we'd like to do.  

Question from EBB: Susan Christ
On this weekend's Sci-fi Vortex, your make-up guy (Sorry, can't remember his 
name) said that the make-up for season 4 was, so far, more like that for horror
than for sci-fi.  Would you please elaborate on that?

JMS: ......heh
     ......heh
     ......no.

Question from LONDON: JM
Having seen Bruce Boxleitner's wife, Gerry Doyle's wife, Walter Koenig's wife...
..are we going to see any more spouses?

JMS: I think we're fresh out.  

Question from DUBLIN: John R. Finnan
Joe, if you decide to go with the new series of Babylon, will this put back...
the 1000page dark fantasy novel you've been planning? Some of us would like...
to read that...<g>

JMS: Probably.  But them's the breaks.  It'll still be there when I get to it.

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Buzz Lightyear
Bruce Boxleitner has commented on "two wars" in season 4. Shadow war and what 
else?

And what are your favourite show's at the moment?

JMS: well, if one were to end the shadow war, there's still something very
     obvious that needs attending to.  And my favorite show is 60 Minutes.
     Then you got X-Files, Simpsons, and Millennium. 

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Mary Broderick
Any luck bring Darin Morgan into your writing staff?  I agreed with your 
comments in SFX magazine ... he is very talented, and might help to lighten 
your what-must-be incredible workload!

JMS: I'd actually called his agent about this last hiatus, and he said that
     Darren was taking time off from TV to write comedy screenplays.  He's the
     only one I called about.  

Question from NEWPORT BEACH, CA: Stephen C. Smith
Getting back to the subject of a potential sequel/spinoff TV series ... Would 
it also be an "arc" series with a finite limit, or would you go with the 
more typical TV formula of an open-ended storyline?

JMS: It would have a looser arc than B5, and would be more adventure oriented
     than drama oriented.  B5 has always had a certain darkness at its core, and
     after X-years of writing that, it can start to creep into your soul...
     so I'd like to do something different, personally and for the viewers, play
     out some new colors rather than do the same thing.  Have fun with it.

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: G'Kane
OK, you KNOW the overall tile of season 4, but can you TELL it?

JMS: Of course I do.  Of course I won't.   

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Nick & Sharons
theres ben a lot of talk about physics in relations to sheridans fall, how much
affects your interpretation of the reason for his not being killed ?

JMS: Zip.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Michael Rubinstein
If the Shadow's objective is to pit the races against each other and give a gold
star to the winner, then why are they now attacking directly? That just makes 
the races unite against a common foe.
 
JMS: Nope.  First they attacked careful to not let anyone know who was doing it,
     so they'd accuse each other.  Then they'd let another take the credit/blame
     for it, the Centauri in this case.  That'd spin off new alliances and new...
     wars, and everyone's scurrying for cover.  THEN they reveal themselves, and
     now you've got re-scurrying, some who try to make deals, and then attack
     others (as stated) thinking they have an unbeatable ally....
     most of the killing up until this point was done by the others, not the
     shadows.  This current campaign would also lead to scattering the pins, and
     watching as they restructure, and they'd pull out again to let them scurry..
     and keep chewing at each other, only coming out when necessary to tip things
     over, then recede again into the....shadows.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: RANGER 13
Hi there jms

Is there anything that did not get put into the arc that you wanted to be 
included? and in the Minbari religion it says thet Valav will return, did 
Sinclair mean his birth will be his return?  Also have you read a book called 
"In search of Aeincietn Gods" by Erich Danikin?

JMS: I think if the arc had anything else in it it'd explode.  RE: Valen's
     return, well, that's still a mystery there, open to interpretatin.  As for
     Van Daniken, yeah, but ages ago.  

Question from DUBLIN, OH: Troy Starr
Now that there is a "power vacuum" on Minbar, how is Minbari society 
functioning?


JMS: not as well as it might, which will become an issue soon.  

Question from LONDON: James&Deb's
Jms i hope no typo's this time :)
Any news on when season 4 will come to england and if it will be wide screen.

JMS: I don't know for sure, but it'd have to be middle or early spring at the
     soonest.  Don't know about widescreen, that's up to C4.  

Question from VANCOUVER, BC: kelly
Will Ivanova be involved in any sort of a romantic relationship in the upcoming
season?

JMS: Could be.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: B5Lurker
Joe, now that we have seen the finale, will Sheridan be the same Sheridan?

JMS: Yes and no.  There's always a price to pay.  Even if he comes out of this,
     that price cannot be avoided.  

Question from TORONTO, ON: CAROLINE M. LEWIS
I really love the use of prophecy, telepathy and living
technology in the show. Will there be more of
a scientific or whatever background given to this in
the future episodes?


JMS: I'll certainly try to work it in, and have, where possible.  It's an
     interesting area.
     (hang on)....
     Here's a funny thing.
     Well, funny weird.
     See, every so often, someone will ask, "How much of you goes into a script?"
     and I'll answer, "More than I know at the time," and they ask for an
     example.  A few questions ago, someone (Kay) asked about if I'd ever gone...
     on walkabout, and I thought of the San Diego thing...and it suddenly dawned
     on me that that was behind the Franklin thing.  Long story short: I got
     attacked and mugged by a gang, and beaten nearly to death....
     and survived only by a sheer act of will.  And I'd honestly never, ever put
     that together with Walkabout, until the question, and suddenly there it was,
     I was working out *exactly* what I'd gone though, denying it to myself...
     the whole time that it was going on.  Well.  Anyway.  That just hit me like
     a ton of bricks, and thought I'd pass it along.  

Dupa: <so that's why he nuked SanDiego!>

Question from LONDON: Entil Marcus Cole
As a hopeful future author, I began a while ago writing my own book. I started 
with a simple Idea and it has spiraled out of all control, into this 
gargantuan *Thing*. What advice would you give to someone staring a *Big* 
story like this in the face.


JMS: Write 2 pages a day.  Don't think about how big it is.  Just do it in small
     bites.  Never look down, never let them see fear in your eyes.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Jim O
my wife was upset when some major characters were missing in last episode from
season 3.  1.) Will any of them be back  2.) any hints for next season 
3.) will you still quit at 5 1/2 yrs?

JMS: All our regular/recurring cast return for year 4.  No hints; it's right
     around the corner, so there's no point.  

Question from CINCINNATI, OH: David Kuhn
How's Netter handling the job of the CGI so far this year.  I saw previews of 
tommorrow's feed.  Was the CGI in ep 1 stock footage or all new for this year 
created by netter or foundation?


JMS: The new CGI looks great, even better, frankly.  There's plenty of new CGI in
     the episode, and a nifty shot in the new title sequence...I defy anybody to
     tell the difference except by recognizing stuff.  

Question from LONDON: Hubby
What kind of fan behavior annoys you the most?  (Here's your chance to get 
something off your chest! ;-)


JMS: You mean aide from someone sending me a trojan horse and virus which knocked
     down my computer so I had to spend 4 days rebuilding it, or the reposted
     rumor yesterday that I'd had a heart attack...?
     Can't think of a thing.  

Question from LONDON: Nick Coe
Joe,
  You said summat a while back about S4 having a 'Filmic' quality.  Can you 
elaborate on what you meant?


JMS: It's a tonality thing...the feel of it is mature, grander, more film like.
     It's hard to quantify, but if you watch, you'll feel it.  It's the best
     we've ever done.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Angela
Since you brought it up, what are the circumstances surrounding the "nuking" of
San Diego?  Where did that come from?
Angela    Dayton (hu-hum) Ohio

JMS: Terrorists who snuck it in to retaliate for something, and felt that they
     should strike at something relatively untouched and pristine.  It was a
     dirty nuke, and a good sized one.  

Question from DUBLIN: John R. Finnan
Have you any room in Season 4 to "farm" out scripts to other writers? Or are...
you going to attempt 2 seasons in a row???

JMS: So far, it's jms scripts.  I may die.  (Well, there go the rumors again.)  

Question from LONDON: Toni
Hi Joe

Brilliant Series!!
What do you consider to be the best moment on the show - the one that worked 
best and came out right?

Toni - Scotland

JMS: general note to people: don't page me with private questions or I will hurt
     you.  Now, to the question:
     It's hard to pick one.  The elevator scene with G'Kar and Londo is just
     lovely; the death of the emperor in Coming; but probably the bombing of
     Z'ha'dum with that whole montage is as close to art as we've gotten.

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Jones
In New York City we just saw Z'hadum, and there's people on a call in cable show
talking about how great t was....  We love  B 5!



JMS: That's great, thanks!  

Question from DUBLIN, OH: Richard Long
why the name Babylon, what prompted you to use this name.

JMS: It was an attempt to create a place of commerce, industry, drawing people
     from many places...the tower of Babel being an intersection of many voices,
     so it fit.  

Question from EAQ: Shawn Ratner
JMS,

Does the cast get together when Babylon 5 is not in production during the week?



JMS: Constantly.  They go on vacation together, have dinners together, hang out,
     go to air shows, same for the crew.  It's a very tight bunch, and we like
     each other, and they all hang out.

Question from CFQ: dan r. tilley
Have others from the scifi community (ie George Lucas, etc.) commented on B5?

JMS: Not really, no.  

Lyon: I think Majel Barrett's appearance qualifies as a comment from the scifi
      community. <grin>

Willmoth: And the fact that DS9 keeps using what has been used on B5 :-)

Whiteside: We're reaching the 90 minute mark.  Did you have anything specific
           you'd like to mention (say your script book or something).

JMS: (holds up copy of The Complete Book of Scriptwriting)  "Yo.  Buy my book."

Dupa: ISBN and price?

Whiteside: ISBN was in the blurb at the beginning of the conference.

JMS: I don't wanna hawk it too much...it's there.  Beyond that...I'd just note
     that the first 6 episodes of B5 are the most intense, character driven
     episodes we've ever done.  They've all done good.

Whiteside: We have more than enough questions to keep going for a while.

Lyon: Also, folks, remember to visit the SF & Fantasy Forums, specifically the
      SFMEDONE Forum, for all three Babylon 5 message sections and lots of witty
      repartee with jms. <grin>  GO SCIFI.

Dupa: <plug>

JMS: commercials.  I can't escape them.

Willmoth: Everyone needs an outlet :-)

Dupa: and I'll be in the lobby selling my jams and jellies.

Whiteside: OK, I'll continue with a few more questions, then.

Question from DUBLIN, OH: Troy Starr
How weakened are the forces of the Army of Light after their engagement with 
the Shadows?

JMS: They're okay, tired but okay.  And the big fleet hasn't even assembled 
yet.

Question from SEATTLE, WA: Andi Shechter
Will we ever see the Technomages again?  They were a wonderful creation.

JMS: Actually, yeah, but I'm looking at the sequel for that.  

Question from LONDON: GAIL
Any chance of giving Marcus Cole a lot more action?

JMS: Most definitely.  And some funny moments soon with Franklin that should
     drive folks nuts.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Dave
In Shadow Dancing, Deleen looked surprised when Sheridan stated that his dream 
sent by Kosh may be just that, a dream. Was this intentional?

JMS: Delenn is always surprised.  

Question from LONDON: John Morris

Joe,
Did Valen have children?  Does his "line" continue in the year 2260?

JMS: Ah, a question that...will be dealt with in one of the novels, and the
     series, but I'd rather hold that for then. 

Question from EAE: Paul Hachey
It would seem logical that the Vorlons would know the Shadows true "purpose",  
why did Kosh not share this with Sheridan and expose it all?

JMS: Because they don't trust us.  They know what's best for us, and would rather
     make the decisions for us.  That means controlling information.  

Question from LONDON: Martin Shaw
Hi, I really enjoyed the play between Ivanova and Corwin in Exogenesis. Are we 
going to see more of Corwin in future eps?


JMS: Not in the first batch, but later, I do want to do more with it.  

Question from LONDON: Colkai
In a recent interview, with yourself and BB, Bruce was like a kid with a 
new toy about S4, how do you manage to keep such enthusiasm in your cast 
and crew, (Foundation excluded natch.)
Kai - St Helens

JMS: You push them to try new things, let them explore new colors, give them
     proper respect for their work, and make work a good place to come to.  It's
     real simple.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Karl Behrendt
In the months in which we see no new episodes, is there any chance of seeing
some repeats from the first season?

JMS: Nada.  

Question from SANTURCE, PR: Ricky Cruz
Every think of directing an episode?
It's telepaths now, but what was the shadow's weakness during the original war?
Thanks for always taking time out of your busy schedule for your fans.


JMS: The shadows' original weakness was Cadbury Chocolate.  And telepaths.  As
     for directing an ep, it'd have to be just once, to experience it.  But we'll
     see.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: G'Kane
Sorry to hear about the gang attack! Anyway, are there any plans to do a 
"technical manual" for B5 in the near future, or will the background in 
the RPG be detailed enough? And are the new ships you mentioned for s4 
going with new races, or just other shipclasses?

JMS: Yeah, Boxtree (UK) is doing a tech manual, and we'll see new ships from
     familiar races and new ones.  

Question from LONDON: PhiLL
On Z'Ha'Dum, how big was the hole that JS fell into. There seemed to be a
deliberate lack of perspective. thanks for a great ride!

JMS: Several miles deep, maybe a lot more.  

Question from EAI: Marco Peacock
JMS, have you ever wanted anything too "outrageous/weird"" in your series, but 
for some reason wasn't allowed to? Please ask WB to promote B5 more in The 
Netherlands, because they're still airing season two here! Thanks!

JMS: I can't think of anything; I get pretty weird sometimes, but nobody ever
     says don't do that.  They don't bother me.  I think I scare them.  


Question from HONOLULU, HI: Mark Ambard
Will there be a Hallmark holiday ornament? A White Star would be nice. Or a 
B5.


JMS: Nope.  

Question from SAN MARCOS, CA: Don Berg
I saw lots of Babylon 5 VHS videos (1st and 2nd season) being sold
at last weekend's San Diego creation convention.  Is this legal?

JMS: (Wouldn't Morden's head make a great Hallmark ornament?)
     No, the sale of those videos is definitely NOT legit.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Laurence R. Justus
You state there are plans from Revell-Monogram for models to come out. At the 
recent RCHTA (Hobby) Show in Chicago nothing was mentioned, just the release 
of models from Battlestar Galactice. Can you be a little more elaborate on this.

Thanks.

JMS: No, because the deal was just made a few weeks ago; they don't roll out or
     promote stuff until they have stuff to promote.  They're now deciding which
     models to make and so on.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Trevor Hart
Will we ever see the explorer class ship with Sheridan's friend as captain 
again?

JMS: No immediate plans, no.  

Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: Norman
In "The Making of Babylon 5" Jerry Doyle pointed out ' Is there no woman for 
Garibaldi ?' - 'No ? Then I quit !' -- So is this going to change ? Will there 
be any woman for him ?

JMS: Depends on how much longer this will continue to annoy Jerry.  As soon as
     it's no more fun, he'll get laid.  

Question from EBB: SysOp J. Shaun Lyon
>From Brenda Sulley: You've said that by end of S/3 you pretty much have all your
 "cards on the table," but it looks like there's still much to tell in 2 years!
 Are we really seeing the full picture now, or is the "3rd age of mankind" just
the story of the battle with the Shadows?

JMS: The 3rd age goes beyond that...but as it happens, we'll spell out what that
     means exactly in the first third of year 4.  And then we move on to other
     stuff.  Life is change.  

Question from AUSTIN, TX: Richard K.
In "Shadow Dancing", the scene with Dr. Franklin in down below and the little 
girl with the ball.  I smell a hint.  Is there?


JMS: Whatever you're smelling, it's got nothing to do with me.  

Question from ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Joe Walters
Since there is some talk of possible spinoffs (I know you've got at
least one under consideration somewhere), I'd like to request another.
We'd REALLY like to watch a continuing series of "The Adventures of
Zathras."


JMS: Be very, very, careful what you ask for.  

Dupa: <Zathras can never have own show>

Whiteside: OK, that's the end of the questioning for Joe.

JMS: Thanks for coming, and for supporting the show.  It's much appreciated, more
     than you can ever know.

Lyon: Thanks again everyone for joining us for our conference with Joe Straczynski,
      and be sure to join us in the SF Forums (GO SCIFI) (yes, another
      commercial...last one!)

JMS: Oh, the RPG sourcebook is GREAT!

Willmoth: Thanks again, Joe!

Whiteside: Those who didn't get their question in can always ask Joe in the 
forum.

Dupa: Author! Author!!

JMS: Where?  Where?
     Wherewolf?  Therewolf.

JMS: Okay, I'm ducking out so Stephen and the others can talk.  Thanks again,
     everyone, and I'll see you on the other side.
     BYE!

 [ End of transcript ]