lurkers-guide/ftp/GEnie/jms92-05

Babylon 5 posts by JMS for May, 1992

This file includes a compilation of posts on GEnie by J. Michael
Straczynski in the Babylon 5 topic.  The posts are copyright by JMS
(and compilation copyright is by GEnie). 

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Topic 22        Wed Nov 20, 1991
SOARON [Bio-Dread]           at 19:41 EST
Sub: Babylon 5                          

TWCNBN has been been named!  J. Michael Straczynski has managed to bring a new
quality to television and promises to do justice to TV and SF with a new
action-adventure SF series of his own design.  (NO story suggestions, please.)
681 message(s) total.
 ************
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 288       Fri May 01, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:17 EDT

     Things are okay here, seem to be quieting down.  The amazing thing was
going into the Universal backlot, way at the top of the hill, and looking out
over the LA basin...and seeing a wall of black smoke.  When I saw it, lining
the horizon as far as the eye could see, like some terrible black shroud, the
only thing I could think was, "Mordor."

     That, and "Okay, who brought the marshmallows?"

     (Hmm...how about a Tolkienesque detective series...a wizened old P.I. and
his short companion..."Mordor, She Wrote.")

     I'm now going to run very far and very fast, before the bricks and mordor-
shells start coming in...and if you're all *very* good, I'll tell you about
Ambassador Jackarr tonight or tomorrow....

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 296       Sat May 02, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:32 EDT

     For those taking notes, you'll remember Ambassador Londo Mollari, of the
Centauri Republic...likened in some ways to the fading Roman or British
empires.  At one time, their fist could be felt across most of what is now
inhabited space.  Now...they live on old stories and fading glories.

     The Narns once were very much under Centauri control, and they received
in many ways the most brutal treatment of any "protectorate" in Centauri
jurisdiction.  A little under a hundred years ago, as the power of the
Centauri Republic was fading, the Narns broke their chains in open revolution
and expelled the occuping army, achieving independence.

     The way they were able to achieve independence was through a strong
military mindset and sense of pride...which though useful then, has since
become something other...something darker and more menacing.  Still smarting
from two centuries of occupation, they launched a major effort to build up
their own forces.  They strip-mined their economy to get their hands on the
latest weapons tech, most of it illegally obtained.   They began slowly to
convince themselves that they had a Destiny among the stars...a destiny of
conquest.

     And over the last few decades, they have been tentatively extending
themselves, taking over unalied planets here and there on the fringe of the
Narn system, small places that offered strategic and economic value, but which
were too far away to fight for, and of too little importance to (in many
cases) the Centauri republic, which was busy dealing with its own internal
problems.

     The Narn Regime now is in many ways the X-factor, the new kid on the
block with something to prove.  They're growing awfully strong, awfully fast.
They're cunning, and determined, and quite deadly.

     Which brings us to Ambassador Jackarr (pronounced JAH-karr), of the Narn
Regime, married to a female war hero, whose fathers on both sides were also
distinguihed veterans of a hundred campaigns.  In the main, his task is to use
the facilities of B5 wherever possible to Narn advantage == from arranging
tech-smuggling to military objectives and so on -- while doing all possible to
interfere with the basic purpose of the station, to create the peace.  Peace
is not in their best interests, though they give the opposite impression.
They want to keep all sides divided and at each others throats so that they're
occupied while the Narns grow and expand quietly in the background.  The last
thing they want is an alliance aimed against them before they're ready.

     One last note about Jackarr...I wanted to create someone specifically who
folks would gradually come to expect is behind anything that goes wrong or
afoul.  "Oh, he's the bad guy."  And to a large extent, for the first part, he
will be...then something quite surprising will happen, and everything you
THINK you know about Ambassador Jackarr will be turned completely upside down.
We've all seen the SF standard of The Villain Who Chews Scenery...I wanted to
take that and use it just long enough to get folks comfortable with the
convention...then pull the rug out from under them.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 304       Sat May 02, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:34 EDT

     Jackarr's past is...a contradiction that I'm going to hold back on for
the time being.  There's what he *says*, there's what's on the official
records...and there's the truth.  And that, along with some other surprises,
is what will turn the character and a goodly part of our story around.

     So for the nonce...I'll pass on any more detailed answer to that
particular question.

     As for the XXLs, they *still* haven't come in yet, I'm sorry (and vastly
annoyed) to say.  Something about difficulty finding the required number, in
that size, in Royal Blue.  Worse case scenario, they may end up black...making
them special editions WITHIN a special edition.

     As for Londo, I know he was discussed *somewhere* uptopic, maybe someone
else here has the specific message number.

     So let's see...I think I've covered all of the Ambassadors: Londo,
Jackarr (I'm thinking of re-spelling his name G'kar), Kosh and Delenn.   I've
covered Commander Sinclair, Vice-Commander Laurel Takashima, the telepath Lyta
Alexander, and I *think* I've mentioned Security Chief Michael Garibaldi, so
that leaves Xenobiologist Benjamin Kyle, is that right?  Just so I know where
to pick this up.

     BTW...to those who are associated with Con-Fiction in Utah, please relay
the following: Reluctantly, and kinda as I figured, I won't be able to attend.
I'd hoped to be able to send along some material to be used at the con, but as
matters stand now, many of the designs and materials are in a BIG state of
flux, and there's some business stuff that I've got to attend to that could
affect some of our plans in a small way, so due to all of that, I alas can't
even send anything along.  This will all be remedied in time for Media*West,
happily, but not for Conduit (Oops, I misspoke myself in the first line of
this paragraph, I said confiction when I meant to say Conduit...sorry.)

     My regrets on this matter, and my best to the con organizers.  Next year,
however, be assured that there will be a big B5 presentation made available to
Conduit.  On my word.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 426       Mon May 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:05 EDT

     Yikes...111 messages since I left...okay, several points.  I'm going on
no sleep in -- let's see -- over 24 hours now, so if there are typos, or it
gets sloppy, or brief, please bear with me.

     One quick piece of business out of the way: the XXLs are *finally* in.
They'll arrive at the office Monday, and will start going out this week.  And
yes, they ran out of blue, so they'll be in black.  Haven't seen them yet, but
I hear they look terrific.

     Okay...so where have I been?

     I haven't been away from a keyboard, not working, for more than two days
at a time in over 4 years.  With B5 gearing up, and another season of M,SW to
take care of along the way, I needed to escape and clear my head and prepare.
I also needed to do some research on areas of use to B5, and to get a sense of
*time*, odd as that may sound.

     So for 11 days I was in Ireland, mainly in Dublin, then down south of
there in (and I'm gonna mess up htis name bigtime) Glendalough (or
Glendaloch), and then up north in New Grange, visiting the neolithic burial
mound that was 1,000 years old when Stonehenge was being built; it's the
oldest human made edifice on the planet, older even than the pyramids.
 Stood in the very center of the burial chambers.  Talk about getting a sense
of time....

     Then finished there, and spent a few days in London before returning
today to L.A. nonstop from Heathrow.  (The Irish had considerable cause for
amusement at my name...the usual reaction I got was a widening of eyes, a
shaking of heads, and a muttered, "God bless you" said with something  between
pity and awe.  So after a while I started saying it was Gaelic.  I don't think
they believed me.)

     To the message way uptopic...stra-chin-ski or stra-zin-ski are both
equally acceptable; the former is Old Country, the latter the New World
pronunciation.

     One bit of information I should pass along:

     The plan, initially, was to air B5 on November 17th, with the other two
series/projects to air in February.  Now this has always been a little
problematic, not from a production standpoint -- we've been ready to go for a
long time -- but logically, if you're running a new consortium of  stations,
it kinda behooves you to start it all at once.  Because we would be ready
early, and the other two shows, which got later starts, wouldn't be, the
initial decision was to split them as mentioned above.

     As of this time, all three will be airing at the same time, in February,
instead of splitting them.  I will admit that I wasn't exactly thrilled about
the delay, for obvious reasons (mainly because it would put us head to head
with another certain show, rather than giving us a head start), but grudingly,
it does make a certain sense: you put it all on line at the same time, you get
more bang for your PR buck, there's cross promotion, and in the final analysis
it'll probably bring *more* viewers to B5 than would have seen it on its own.
There are also a number of good business reasons for it as well, including
details about actors options and the like.

     The new airdate for the B5 movie will probably be in the third or so week
of February, whenever Sweeps happens to be.  We've re-adjusted our production
schedule to accommodate the new airdate, and on one level, even that works
out.  It'll give us more time to polish the effects and maybe do even more
than we'd planned.

     Not a crisis, not a problem, just business.  And while I'd like to be
cranky about it, it *does* make considerable sense.  (And I have reason to
believe that at February, we'll *still* beat DS9 to the punch, given that
there's still not even a completed script, or wasn't when I left two weeks
ago.)  So we're now scheduled to begin filming the second week of August.
Tomorrow (Monday), I meet with one of the candidates for cinematographer, and
will see the new designs that were developed in my absence for approval.  The
final edits (mine, mainly, plus a few cuts for time) on the script go in on
March 24th.

     Meanwhile, on all other fronts, things continue to go well.  The studio
still has no script notes, loves the draft, has approved our final budget, and
we're hiring more people.  Figure casting at about early or middle July.  (And
to an earlier query...yes, we'll be casting mainly actors who are good,
classically trained performers, but who may not be household names...yet, as
was the case was Jonathan Frakes and others.)

     As to the question above, how do you prevent B5 from becoming space
opera...define "space opera" a little more in detail and I'll let you know.

     Anyway, that's it for now.  I'm physically exhausted, absolutely dead on
my feet, but mentally refreshed, which is what I needed before launching into
the main prep work on B5.  Also took the opportunity to just *think* about the
show, and the script, and work out some more details in my head that I'd
missed in the current draft.  Saw many interesting things (went up to the seat
of the old High Kings on the hill of Tara in Ireland, and generally had a fine
time).

     Will post more info once I've had some sleep, and have had a chance to
check in with my associates and see what's transpired in my absence.   ("Ron?
Who said anything about putting 1950s fins on a Narn ship?  Ron?   Ron?")

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 445       Mon May 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:28 EDT

     I hope you're right, Soaron...I just got my Media*west mailer, and the
ONLY things on it were two Sunday panels, one on TRGBs and the other on BBSs,
*nothing* for B5.  And a second letter (this was all in the mail I picked up
today, which filled a 3x3' box) from the video guy said he  only now heard
that I'd be bringing the B5 movie (!?), and it wasn't on the schedule, but I
could run it by  myself after 10:30 pm if I so desired.  Obviously, someone's
miscommunicating.

     If there isn't a B5 presentation scheduled, there's absolutely no point
to my going...so if anyone here can clarify this (calling Lori got me nothing,
she knew nothing of it), I'd appreciate it, because otherwise I'll have to
cancel.  I ain't flying to Michigan to do the two above panels alone.

     About up and down...there won't be one really in this show, because
remember, the B5 station *rotates*.  So we will always be reminded of this
fact.  Ships coming in to dock will have to adjust their rotation to match
that of the station.

     Had a bunch of B5 meetings today with the ever-growing production
team...including the director, Ron Thornton, and the guy we're considering for
director of photography, who we think is right.  To cap the meeting, Ron
showed the Vorlon ship(s) on video.  Now, I'd just been expecting still
frames, no motion...and then it came on the screen, and it MOVED.   And it did
stuff that no other ship I've seen before on TV has ever done (yes, back to
that again).

     I have to tell you -- and this isn't hype, even though *I'm* hyped at
this moment over it -- I was just absolutely wog-boggled, as was every person
in the room.  Ron Thornton is an absolute *genius*, I swear to you.   And the
ship is simply the most alien-looking thing that I have ever seen.   (Which
makes sense, since Ron is about as close to an alien mind as you will find.)
I had them keep running it back and showing it again, over and over.  It's not
just technically interesting, it's actually *beautiful*, in a strange and
wonderful way, and you just enjoy watching it.

     It's *so* neat looking.  I can't stand it.

     We also got to see the first actual B5 movement tests, with the various
sections rotating.  And a good shot of the Vorlon ship against the background
of the planet and moon in the vicinity of B5, and the planet also looke nifty.
It's just amazing stuff.  If you know Ron's work at all (and some of you do),
you know that what he brings to this kind of project is not just the
scientific background on how it should work, but he ALSO has the tech
background on computer graphics, AND he's an incredible artist.  Put those
elements together with a mind that has clearly escaped from the Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy, and you have something wonderous indeed.

     Now that the studio has approved our director, I guess I can now announce
who he is: Richard Compton, an *extremely* well-regarded director from both
film and TV, who has just fallen in love with the project.  He has been
working with us to make it more visual, he'll be involved in the casting
process, and he's absolutely brilliant.  For television, he's directed such TV
movies as "Desperado" (very nice stuff there), ST:TNG, a whole *bunch* of
episodes of "The Equalizer" (which is close in some ways to the look we want
for B5), "Hill Street Blues" (lots of those, too) and other shows and movies
and TV movies.

     This is a very exciting time right now on the project.  In a way, we will
also be served by the new airdate because we'll still be delivering the
finished film before the end of the year, so that gives us about 6 to 8 weeks
to let the stations publicize the film, and get reviews, and show either
portions or the whole thing at conventions between December 28th (our delivery
date), and the final airdate in February.

     Anyway, just thought I'd pass all that along.  Much better today, was
semi-conscious at best when I posted the other note.  More news as it
develops.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 454       Tue May 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:08 EDT

     The motion tests are *complete*, fully ray-traced, full color, the whole
bit.  That's what makes it so spectacular.

     I'll see Ron this afternoon, and will ask about a Genie RTC.  I'm sure
he'd be up for it, probably sometime later in the year, closer to airdate
would be best.

     May have something interesting to upload later today.  Or not.   Depends
on what Ron has for me.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 457       Tue May 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:05 EDT

    Okay, everybody, here's something spiffy.

     I just uploaded two GIF files to the televison library here in the SFRT.
They are numbers 4238 and 4239.  The first is a shot of the planet around
which B5 orbits, and the moon, and just emerging out of shadow...a Vorlon
ship.  It's a little dark around the ship, and that's deliberate, because
there are some details we're trying to keep, um, fairly secret from prying
eyes.  But this should give you a pretty good idea.

     The second file is a shot of the new B5 station itself.  It's a nearly
straight-on shot, with the docking bay in the foreground, the station trailing
away in the distance, against space.

     These are not, I hasten to mention, simply illustrations or paintings,
these are the actual shots from the film.  I mention that because they're SO
gorgeous that it's hard to believe that they'll actually move.  But they do.

     The files will be available as soon as the sysops clear them.

     Let me know what you think.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 459       Tue May 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:45 EDT

     To avoid charring this topic, I'm going to leave my screed about
Media*West in that topic.  Those involved there can check it out.  The
rest...stay tuned here.  I mention this here only because of the B5
presentation originally "slated" to take place there.

     We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 462       Wed May 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:33 EDT

     Well, Katherine, you're always welcome to come by the house or the office
to see the actual video anytime, y'know....

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 465       Wed May 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:14 EDT

     Mind, this isn't a 24 bit Amiga image, though it *began* that way,
certainly, but it would take an hour to download.  So it's been converted to a
standard 640x480 (or in one case, 751x520) 256 color image.  But it still
looks pretty spiffy, though the blue nebula got a bit "chunky" in the
transition to a Gif image.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 468       Wed May 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:03 EDT

     The shirts arrived this past Monday, the 18th.

     I guess CSHOW, available on most BBSs, will work even on a 16 color
monitor, though I don't know how good it'll be.  Might be okay.  Regular 256
color VGA is pretty good, though a little ragged.  Looked at here, on an NEC
4FG and an Orchid Fahrenheit card with 1 meg video memory, it looks terrific.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 478       Wed May 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:49 EDT

     I'll talk to Ron, see about a 24-bit JPEG.  My main thought was not so
much in excellence of individual gifs, but to get the most accessible files to
the most amount of people in the least amount of time.  (I get the feeling
that there's a math equation in there somewhere....)

     A funny aside, btw...it's an uphill battle getting the word out about B5
to *most* places...but you would not believe how many TNG production people
have been calling over the last week or so, offering to jump ship.  So I guess
SOME people are hearing about it....

     I'm *really* looking forward to reactions to the photos here.  I've been
rattling on about all this stuff for so long, and the majority of you here are
pretty much taking me at face value, which is okay, but I think it's so much
better when one can PROVE the point.  As stated: talk is cheap.  Now just
about any person with a color VGA monitor (or even a CGA, I suppose) can
actually get a visual sense of what we're doing, and SEE for themselves at
least a little of what we have in mind.  And to me, that's exciting.

     So now that the Media*West stuff has finally been ironed out, I'm really
looking forward to seeing the reactions there when I trot out the new
tape...with a moving B5 station...and a moving Vorlon ship...and some other
neat stuff.  We *really* want to knock people's socks off, Ron most of all.
Every night, he goes to bed muttering to himself, "Emmy...Emmy...
Emmy...Emmy."

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 480       Wed May 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:14 EDT

     Yep.  The numbers I had for them were 4238 and 4239.  I'm in the process
of finalizing some edits on the script, tightening a bit here  and there, a
nip, a tuck, cleaning up the dialogue, all by hand on the manuscript, and I
keep the Vorlon gif on my monitor while I work to keep me "inspired."

     I've got to get a life....

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 492       Thu May 21, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:18 EDT

     The reason that the sections are round is because that's the most logical
and accepted scientific approach that we can figure out.  Which is something
also different about this show, and the look of the station: though some of
the inner sections will be flat floors, by and large all of the main corridors
will be *rounded* or curved.  Hence, a curved exterior.

     Glad you're enjoying the "view" -- and, again, just a reminder that these
aren't illustrations, but actual video from the project.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 499       Thu May 21, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 13:37 EDT

     Thanks for the thoughts.  (And I wish I'd had that info on the Orchid
Fahrenheit before I spent DAYS trying to find a program that would show gifs
with it, ending with VPIC at last.)

     The upper right hand portion of the station is the cargo loading and
unloading area, which is in zero-g.  If you look at it, you realize that the
flat top that runs the length of the station is connected at either end, so
that the components revolve, but the top remains motionless, rather like a
barbeque spit.  (There will be a counterweight at the end to balance it
out...our techhies say that this is the correct way to build such a
station...remember the ship from 2010, and the counterweight there.)

     As for the Vorlon ship being a bit dark...remember, that's actually
deliberate.  I picked the one shot of them coming out of shadow and into
light, and had it further darkened down just enough to conceal some stuff that
I don't want revealed for the moment.  But enough remains clear that as others
have noted, it's still pretty cool looking.

     The rectangular opening in the front is the docking bay, and ships
approaching will adjust their own rotation to match that of the opening so
that it appears to be motionless from their POV.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 504       Thu May 21, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:54 EDT

     Thanks, all...now you're starting to understand what I've been trying --
inadequately at times -- to convey all this time.  And bear in mind that I'm
only letting out the *least* of the images we now have on hand.   Take the B5
image, get it moving, layer in the planet in the background, have it
surrounded by ships moving in and out like bees, and NOW you're talking.

     Remember when I said this show would have a look unlike anything you've
ever seen before on television?  Now you have at least some indication that I
was telling the truth.

     If you haven't gotten your shirts yet, it's probably because you ordered
XXL, and those only came in this week, and they're now in the process of going
out.  Be patient.  If you don't get  your stuff by the end of next week, lemme
know and I'll look into it.

     After that, I may open up a window for others to purchase the shirts
straight out -- about $10, I guess, including shipping and handling -- until
they're gone.  The other half of the order I'm keeping for handing out at
conventions.

     Had a great meeting today at Warners.  Showed them the new tape, and they
were just astonished.  When we first proposed this project, there were a lot
of folks who didn't think we could actually DO it, at least not  without
spending billions on the budget.  (And I can't blame them in the least...what
we proposed was, and still is, pretty amazing...inclusive of stuff that I
haven't even MENTIONED here, because I want *some* things to be a
surprise...so that skepticism was absolutely warranted.)  But now that they're
actually seeing what we've been doing, they've become some of our strongest
supporters.  One fellow in the room, who's worked on quite literally *dozens*
of SF projects for the studio, after viewing the new tape said, "I've NEVER
seen anything like this.  Amazing."  We've really broken through a whole new
level of technology...Ron estimates we're at least two years ahead of nearly
everyone else in the country, and one  year ahead of ILM, which is the only
one that comes close to what we can do.

     There are, I confess, times that I just sit here and smile.  Makes up for
the four years of effort and grief that it took to get here.

     Mostly.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 506       Thu May 21, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:51 EDT

     Quick aside...if you're going to MWC, you'd best check out that
topic...where I'll probably be stoned to death momentarily.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 533       Fri May 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 13:38 EDT

     To the two questions raised above...as indicated before, B5 will use a
mix of storytelling elements.  I'm a strong believer in the notion that each
episode of a series MUST be able to stand on its own.  Although I loved it
dearly, that was the problem with TWIN PEAKS.  If you missed even one episode,
you didn't know WHAT the heck was going on.  And, further, that show asked
questions that it never seemed willing to answer.

     I've constructed the B5 writing scenario more or less as follows:

     1) Each episode will be able to stand alone.  If you come in on season
two, without having seen anything else, you'll be able to get into it.

     2) Questions asked in the course of an episode or a season will be
answered in that episode or season.

     3) BUT...if you continue to watch the show, then over time a story writ
on a much larger scale will begin to emerge.  Consider it like a triptych,
something out of Hieronymous Bosch...each individual panel is sufficient unto
itself, but put them all together, and suddenly you see connections and a
whole picture that wasn't there a moment earlier.

     Relationships will change.  People will live, and die.  Alliances wll
shift.  And at one point or another, everything you THINK you know about these
characters will be turned upside down.  But there won't be cliffhangers or
that sort of thing between episodes.  There may be such between seasons, but
not in the course of a season.

     Funny thing...there are two characters in the show whose roles are going
to be COMPLETELY reversed by the middle of the run.  But I wasn't absolutely
clear on how to do that, I had only a general notion in my head.  Then, in
Ireland, while standing on the hill of Tara, in the seat of the old High
Kings...it hit me.  And the last bit of information I needed came through.

     There will be continuity.  I've mapped out what will happen, in general,
in about half the episodes in any given season...incidents that will
eventually form the tapestry of the larger story.  But the other half of any
given season are left completely open to what our writers might come up with.
I like being surprised, and want the show to remain open to changes in tide
and wind.

     As for the Toaster stuff...Ron would know more about that than I would.
All I know is what I saw when I visited his digs the other day: he's got --
let's see -- six? seven? computers, all with 3 accellerators each, hooked up.
There's new cards and devices and programs that very literally didn't exist
two weeks ago; he's having them designed to his specs.  Speed-wise, in terms
of rendering, it now functions as fast as a Cray computer.  Walking into that
place was like walking into Frankenstein's lab...amazing stuff.

                                                                    jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 540       Fri May 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:25 EDT

     Quickies: in the Vorlon gif, yes, the ship is moving from left to right.
And regarding the B5 gif...bear in mind that there are no other objects in the
frame to give it a sense of perspective.  Absent that, there is no way to tell
how big it is, which is why there will be stuff there at all times later on.
The actual dimensions we've worked out in terms of length is that B5 is ten
kilometers long.  The rest you can work out from there.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 545       Fri May 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:33 EDT

     The components are spherical, yes, arranged one after another with
bridging between.  Rounding kilometers to miles, if you figure on about 5
miles length, the width is about 2 or 2.5 miles, so it's fairly rectangular.

     Marymom: just send the note and the money to the same address, and tell
Susan the situation, saying you checked with me and it was okay.  No problem.
(And just $10, please, not $11.)

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 572       Sun May 24, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:32 EDT

     Long day, so this'll be quick, but I just wanted to let y'all know that
there's an interesting mention of B5 in the current (June) issue of STARLOG,
in Kerry O'Quinn's "From the Bridge" column.  Kinda reinforces what we've been
saying all along in terms of our attitude and approach on this show.

      Other than that...I'm bushed.  Very productive and good day, some major
stuff got done.  Will try to get through some of the issues raised on a later
post.  And will talk to Ron about getting a 24-bit image at some point in the
future.  Right now he's mainly focusing on getting the main B5 stuff done, and
anything else is a distraction.  Give me time.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 584       Sun May 24, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:49 EDT

     On average, neither TNG nor DS9 come up in topic much over at the B5
offices.  When it does at all, it's often in the sense that they seem to have
grown rather complacent.  Really, when you come right down to it, they haven't
had much competition over these last five years, and that's bound to lead to a
sense of complacency.

     We hope, very shortly, to release a mouse in the elephant's cage.

     Imagine if there were only one cop show on the air.  No competition, and
a nominally captive audience...if you like cop shows, this is the only game in
town.  The first time something else comes along, though, it forces you to
maybe work a little harder, do a little better.  It challenges you and that's
always a good thing, I believe.

     As I think I mentioned before, as soon as all the personnel are ensconced
in their offices, I plan to have a large metal sign made up, which will go
right over the inside front door: IF YOU'RE NOT HERE TO KICK ASS, GET OUT.
Though I don't think that will be much needed, given the team we're
assembling.  That attitude comes through in many ways.  In both the Vorlon and
B5 gifs, for instance, you'll notice the blue nebula in the background.  Blue
is very difficult to deal with in EFX.  It's a flare to all concerned.  Ron
points to that and to the objects in the foreground and keeps smiling as he
says, "See?  NO MATTE LINES!"

     It's that kind of attitude that, I think, will lead to the general
betterment of BOTH sides.  Nothing makes your mind work with astonishing
clarity than to suddenly find yourself being chased around the room by a
lunatic with a ball-bat....

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 588       Mon May 25, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:34 EDT

     What will happen next year...only next year can tell.  Who knows, I may
be on the corner of Hollywood and Vine selling pencils.

     By the way, on Friday David Gerrold and D. C. Fontana came by the house
to see the new B5 effects (moving Vorlon ship, moving B5, other stuff) on
tape.  They were both absolutely stunned, and said so.  David in particular --
having also read the script -- has taken up the task of spreading the word,
telling people that this is "the show TNG should have been."  Coming from two
of the primary lights of the original Trek, their support means quite a lot.

     I've gotten a number of private messages and calls from people asking
what they can do.  And really, it comes down to two things: 1) Tell your
friends.  As many as possible, *if* you like what you're seeing.  We don't
have as well-known a name as TNG, or the ST coat-tails to ride on, all we have
is the goodwill of the fan community, and word of mouth.  And 2) When the show
finally airs, and if again you like what you see, then it is of the utmost
importance that you communicate this to the television station in your area
that broadcast B5.  This one is absolutely crucial to continuing to enjoy the
amount of creative freedom we've experienced so far.

     Rarely in life are we afforded an opportunity to make a difference.  I
believe, down to my marrow, that B5 can make that difference.  And I equally
believe that the viewing/fan community can make every bit as big a difference
in supporting that endeavor, and getting the word out to others.
 That, to me, would be the best gift of all.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 598       Mon May 25, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:28 EDT

    I see no conflict with being able to attend, and since we'll have just
finished filming about a week earlier, I should have all KINDS of stuff to
bring.  What I have to do now is contact the programming people there and try
to set it up.  Given the magnitude of the con, it's one that I think I should
definitely attend.

     Basically, what I plan to do during filming is to set aside certain
scenes from dailies as we see them, and thus cumulatively build up a demo reel
as we go.  Then lay in the EFX shots (some of them, anyway), and by the time
we're finished, the demo should be ready to go.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 599       Mon May 25, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:31 EDT

     Ray...given what came back to me about your earlier "discussion" with Mr.
Gerrold, don't you think you ought to stay out of his face for a while?

     (cross-posting is so much fun)

     BTW...by the end of this coming week, we should be able to announce the
full production staff.  We have all but the casting director and one of the
line producers, who we'll lock down this week, but have been holding back
announcing the others until contracts are signed.

                                                            jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 609       Tue May 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:04 EDT

     All sorts of ships use the B5 facilities.  It's the only game around for
several light-years in any direction, so it's a vital place for travelers.
(Well, maybe "light years" might be a slight exaggeration, but you get the
idea.)  Some military ships come through, from all sides, but there are VERY
strict regulations...anyone coming on board must be scanned for weapons.  None
are allowed on the base.

     Most of the ships at this time are set for interstellar travel, but there
are exceptions or variations.  For instance, a military mothership would come
into that space bearing the short-range fighters which would then come out.  A
lone fighter might not be able to make it back without that support.

     As for the Vorlon ship -- believe me, it ain't comic relief, in any sense
of the word.  I've seen what it can do.  And there *is* a utilitarian reason
behind its design.  In addition, we want to show something VERY alien in
design and construction...and frankly, there's NO reason a ship that isn't
ever going to enter atmosphere needs to look  aerodynamic.  In time, you'd
move toward things that are visually or aesthetically interesting.  In this
culture (Vorlon), art and science are closely allied, so this extension into
the look of their ships is quite natural.  Concepts about what ships are have
become very rigid and inflexible thanks to the preponderance of SF-TV shows.
We want to loosen that up.  And that look DOES, as stated, have a practical
aspect about it as well, which will be seen down the road.

     As for conventions, yes, I'll announce them here.  There's currently
Westercolt, and SD Comic Con, and as more are lined up, I'll note them here.
Will write to Priscilla about MagicCon asap.  And I'm always at LosCon...that
convention saw the very first presentation of the show, and will probably be
among the first to see something very close to a finished product, given its
November schedule.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 618       Wed May 27, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:53 EDT

     Jeez, what a day...between MURDER, SHE WROTE and B5, coming back from
hiatus has been a trip.  Today was my first full day back on both
projects...and the B5 stuff is looking good.

     Met today with the woman we're pretty sure we're going to use as our
casting director, and as planned, we're not going for "name" actors, no
"hunks" per se, no one with a lot of SF baggage (no Gil Gerards or Marc
Singers).  We're going for actors with character in their faces, who have some
classical or general theatrical training...we're going to be scouting L.A.,
Chicago, New York and London for performers.  Big emphasis on fresh faces.

     Also met again with the director, and other members of the production
staff, got the EFX schedule and budget nailed down, and so on.  As you  begin
to gear up in earnest, you begin to realize how many decisions there are to be
made...seemingly a million, some days.  It's fun, in a rather tiring way, but
still exhilirating.  (The casting director *loved* the script, and commented
that it was the first time in over three years that a script has sent her to
the dictionary to look up new words.)

     Onward!

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 627       Thu May 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:17 EDT

     What came out of the meeting was some good stuff, and strong support for
some needed areas, and as you can tell I'm limited to generalities.   Some
meetings and conversations have to respect privacy.  If execs think that what
they have to say is going to be splashed all over systems, they have a
tendency not to have meetings.

     Don't know if Houston is on the list or not, but I'll look into it as far
as casting is concerned, and a con.

     Absolutely bushed today.  In the midst of everything else, I got a call
from one of my editors at Writer's Digest, asking if I'd be willing to
contribute an article to their scriptwriting issue, due out in November.  It'd
sort of be the thematic article that ties all of the other articles together.
I wondered if he REALLY wanted me to tell the truth.  He said absolutely.  So
I came home, and pounded out 3,000 words that will either inspire a lot of
folks, or scare the hell out of them.

     We'll see.

     More meetings the rest of the week.  Will advise as there's anything
specific to report.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 630       Thu May 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 14:46 EDT

     I don't know the impact yet that the Fox move will have, if any, on the
B5/Warners lineup, but I'll inquire when I'm over at the studio this Friday.
It's almost a sure bet, though, that Fox sped up its schedule in order to try
and block the Warners move.

     Y'know, I have worked on a lot of shows.  A LOT of shows.  And I have
NEVER seen a situation like this where it seems everyone on the planet is in
our face...that Other Show, Fox, the press (which keeps forgetting we
exist)...David and Goliath, I don't mind.  David and a LOT of Goliaths is a
*real* pain in the butt.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 631       Thu May 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:26 EDT

     Just a quote from David Gerrold over on another system: "The (B5) effects
that I've seen are the best I've ever seen done for television, and better
than many of the effects done for major feature films."  This after viewing
the most recent reel.

     Meanwhile, our director flies to New York next week, during which time
he'll start scouting around for possible cast.  As cast members are nailed
down during the next month, I'll pass them along here as soon as we can
confirm with Warners that it's okay to release the names (meaning that the
contracts have been finalized).

     What I'm going to say now is going to sound a little strange, but there
are reasons for it.  Though we already have some ideas, when we end up casting
the actor for the part of Delenn, that is the only role and the only actor
that I will try very hard NOT to announce prior to airdate.  So that's one
topic that I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep mum about for as long as
conceivably possible.  (No, it's not likely to be a Big Name, anyone you're
familiar with, so that's not the reason.)

     When the time comes, you'll understand why.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 633       Thu May 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:14 EDT

     Actually, funny thing about the WD article...the focus of the piece, and
the issue, is "Breaking In."  I was told the deadline was the end of July.
But the more I thought about it, the more I began to see what I really wanted
to say.  I jotted down a couple of notes.   Then an opening paragraph.  Next
thing I knew, I was well into it, and burned through the 3,000 words almost
all in one sitting.

     Whether or not it's what anyone really wants to hear, I'll find out, I
guess.

     (And I *did* catch the reference, Sue.  So, YOU'RE the one who reads my
column....)

    BTW, there's something familiar about your name, but I can't place it for
some reason...though maybe I'm just hallucinating again.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 638       Thu May 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:40 EDT

     There's a text file in the library here that should function as a press
release, I think...that is, I *think* I uploaded it...take a look, and if
there's not a release file, let me know and I'll upload it.

     The Gifs may be further uploaded, with the copyright information
contained in the library here attached.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 658       Fri May 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:26 EDT

     On the shirt, Elissa...I'm about to log off, so if you can leave me a
note in mail, I'll send you the info.

     On the topic of the LA visit in June...I'd have to say that's really up
in the air.  I don't know yet what my schedule is going to look like.   My
suggestion: once you get into town, call me at Universal Studios.  If nothing
else works, we can say hi over the phone.  If things aren't as crazy as they
tend to be, maybe we can do it in person.

     I *suspect* that the B5 picture in AmigaWorld is the earlier version of
the station, though I haven't seen it.  If it's grey/white, then that's what
it is.  Still cool, but not as cool as the current version.  But I'm glad to
know it's there, and the word is getting out.

     Will see what I can do about putting up some information on Ben Kyle
sometime soon.

     Up to my butt in meetings today re: B5.  All good stuff.  Met with our
director again, who's going out of town for a bit, to discuss the latest
revisions on the script that I've made.  Also met with the studio exec who's
our liaison, and -- well, this probably isn't going to make much  sense to
anybody, but see, all this time, I've been using my own script binder for the
B5 screenplay, the color logo, that sort of thing.  Well, when the studio exec
showed up, he'd brought along a copy of the script as generated by Warner
Bros.' script department, with the WB logo, and all of the things that come
with a studio's name...and it was just cool, it made it seem strangely real
all of a sudden.

     And speaking of becoming real, we're gearing up more and more, with
additional hirings and stuff.  By June 10th, we're actually going to have our
SET MODELS!  Our production designer has been busily constructing them and
sculpting them and doing floor plans and blueprints, and within two weeks,
we'll actually be able to see three-dimensional renderings of what the station
is going to look like.  We then have about a week to futz with the designs,
then it has to be nailed down so we can begin actual set construction.

     *Everybody's* jazzed.  Everyone loves the script, we've got a great crew
assembled -- top-flight from top to bottom, some of the best and the brightest
-- the EFX are stunning, all that remains now is the cast...the sense you get
from everybody is that this one is *different*, it's got something special
about it.  And the work everyone's putting into it really demonstrates that.
Everyone's going above and beyond the call of duty, beginning even before
they're being paid, just to be able to spend that much more time working it
out and getting it just *right*.  In a town where it seems everyone's out for
the bucks, to see people saying, "Look, it's gonna take a week to set the
deal, how about if I just start now, screw the payments right now," is just
astonishing.

     This is *such* a kick.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 663       Sat May 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:30 EDT

     Hmmm....maybe it IS the current version...I must investigate.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 22
Message 680       Sun May 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 16:28 EDT

     That's one of the good things about Ron...he knows the Toaster and
related technologies inside out.  In addition, he has an associate -- I
believe provided by NewTek -- who is providing new codes, and new systems, and
new hardware customized per Ron's requests.  Stuff that no one had ever
thought to put into a computer because there'd never been a call for it
before.  As a result, Ron has capabilities and software that very literally
did not exist two months ago or, in one particular case, two WEEKS ago.

     The other result will be in everyone's benefit, in that this stuff is
fast becoming VERY advanced, much more powerful than anyone had previously
conceived.  Which fundamentally benefits the consumers.

                                                               jms
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