lurkers-guide/ftp/GEnie/jms93-11

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

Posts are from Nov 1, 1993 through Dec 2, 1993

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Topic 1         Mon Oct 26, 1992
SF-MARSHALL [Dave ]          at 18:50 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - The Series  (Non-Spoiler)

Welcome to the Babylon 5 category and main topic for the new series. Here is
the place for all general information on the series. Topic 2 is the location
for SPOILERS. And please, NO STORY IDEAS are to be posted either.
368 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 113       Sun Oct 31, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:48 EDT

     Just an update...on Monday we a) do the final mix on "Midnight on the
Firing Line," so we'll have two finished and in the can, and b) finish
shooting Christy's episode of "Grail."  (And those of you who've been asking
for nonhumanoid alien stuff...hold onto your hats for this one.)   On Tuesday
we start shooting "Mind War," with Walter Koenig, William Allan Young and
Felicity Waterman.  Both "Grail" and "Mind War" have been heavy on EFX, both
visual (on set) and CGI.

     In looking at all the episodes shot to date, from a story point of view,
I think that "Sky" is still my favorite, in how it ties into the whole 5 year
arc.  From a personal point of view, I'm very fond of "The Parliament of
Dreams," which is a very funny show, and at times a very emotional show.
"Parliament" is all over the place...it's got all of our major characters, our
ambassadors, their seconds, we see lots of group scenes, we're all over the
station, dipping in and out of three different but interconnected
stories...it's really a matter of keeping a lot of balls in the air at one
time, and I think we pulled it off nicely.

     BTW, we've finished assembling the main title sequence, and we're going
to do one extra little thing to it that's kinda neat...more on this closer to
airdate.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 123       Sun Oct 31, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:29 EST

     There are a lot of little in-jokes...but I'd rather let you see them than
ruin the surprise.

                                                                    jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 133       Tue Nov 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:11 EST

     We sneak in GEnie coordinates from time to time....

     We now have just under half the episodes now filmed, and just finished
the final mix on "Midnight," so that's two totally completed.  It takes a long
time after an episode is finished to do a final mix, particularly on a show
like this, since you've got to work out sound, score music, and do any
rotoscope/Viz EFX stuff.  Once you do the first one, after that they fall into
place on a weekly basis (so next Monday we should have the final on "Purple,"
then the following Monday we'll finalize "Infection," and so on).

     "Midnight" is very cool, by the way.  Christopher Franke's music really
brings the action scenes to life.  It's amazing how much that adds to a show.

     Had an interesting conversation today with one of our crew.  I was
talking to someone else about the writing philosophy on the show, and how it's
comparable to a tryptich...you line up the stories and you begin to see a much
broader story after a while.  A series of interconnected images.

     And this crew person said that I was wrong, that wasn't how the show is
being done.  Now lemme tell you...we encourage people on every level to speak
frankly, at any time, to any one, but it takes considerable cojones to say
something like that to one's exec producer, that he has his own series wrong
in the description.  "Oh?" says I.

     He explains that what it is, is "holographic storytelling."  I asked him
what the hell this meant.  He said that the image of pictures side by side,
linear storytelling, wasn't right.  That after he read two scripts, he went
back and reread the first one, and now he could see things in it that he
hadn't seen before.  When he'd read three, again he glanced over the first,
and new things had come out.

     "What it IS," he said, "is not side-by-side images, but *overlaping*
images, like old fashioned photographic plates stacked up one on top of the
other.  Each has a piece of the whole picture.  When you line them all up, one
behind the other, and look through all of them at once, you realize what the
picture is.  It's three-dimensional storytelling."

     I had to think about that one a long time, but frankly, he's right, and
I'm wrong.  That *IS* what we're doing, and I've been describing it
incorrectly all this time.

     Holographic storytelling...well, live and learn, I say.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 137       Tue Nov 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:21 EST

     Not this season, no.  Nor are there currently any plans for same.

                                                            jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 148       Thu Nov 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:38 EST

     Now that we've finished mixing some shows, we've now seen how Kosh
speaks, followed through to the end.  It's a very unusual system that he's got
there, and it's *real* creepy to watch/listen to it.  The kind of thing that
makes your skin crawl after a while.

     I love it.

     Today,ter Koenig's 2nd day working in the B5 universe, as a Psi Cop in
"Mind War."  He's doing well, taking part in some very difficult scenes (fight
scenes and the ilke), and it's a very powerful performance, not at ALL what
people have seen before.  He's a terrific performer when given a role with
some meat to it.  And the dailies look great.  I think this episode will wake
up a lot of people who have never seen Walter as anything other than Chekov.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 157       Fri Nov 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:35 EST

     Yes, people will go to the bathroom.  ANd yes, they will speak in their
own languages when amongst their own kind...but just as with a WW II movie,
when you show the germans talking to one another, it'll be English.  On those
occasions when someone speaks Narn around humans, then of course it's another
language, and will sound that way.

     The pilot was a tad too dark looking; we've taken a slightly lighter look
for the series, while keeping the shadows and textures that we want.

     What a weird day...I just get over the flu, this is my first really
healthy day, and on the way back from the lunch trucks I slip spraining my
ankle.  Now, after I've had the flu, I generally tend to dress warmly for a
few days, wear my slippers, to avoid falling back.  So now here I am typing
this with a bag of ice on my foot.  Either way...I'm doomed.

     Funny incident today, though, also at lunch.  Walter Koenig joined some
of the cast members at their table for lunch, and as he came to the table,
they all stood up at attention.  When asked why, they explained that it's
protocol for junior officers to stand when a senior officer comes to the
table.  It was kind of a nice moment.

     Shooting on "Mind War" continues to go well.  Great stuff from Walter.
Also, I've finally seen the final version of the B5 main title, with the
addition of Christopher Franke's B5 theme music...and it's just terrific, a
huge step over the pilot, much as I liked some aspects of that music.  It's
rich, romantic, full, aggressive, and it stays in the mind afterward.

     Looking good....

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 164       Sat Nov 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:39 EST

     The B5 soundtrack for the series is built from many different kinds of
pieces, synthesized (based on one of the most extensive collection of
musical/audio samples in the world, which Christopher has been in the process
of collecting ever since he practically hand-assembled his first Moog), and
symphonic, since we're using the Berlin Symphonic Orchestra for some elements
of our score.  It changes dramatically depending on the subject.

     Re: gunfire...in a way, you'll see them...and in a way, you won't.   I
know that sounds like a Zen koan, but it'll make sense when you see how they
work.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 174       Sun Nov 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:35 EST

     The main problem with using sub-titles under an alien language to any
real degree is, of course, the probelm with the blind viewership, which is
especially large in SF, it appears.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 196       Thu Nov 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:16 EST

     Well, we've finished finalizing our main/opening titles sequence, and
done the on-line editing, and now will put it into the process and start
putting whole shows together.  We've decided, in order to emphasize the
cinematic aspects of our show, that it's taking more of a movie approach to TV
SF...to do the main titles in letterbox format.

     And it looks really, really cool.

                                                              jms

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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 198       Thu Nov 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:38 EST

     Yes, the main titles will be in letterbox format for conventional
televisions...we're taking the footage that we've shot in 16:9 aspect ratio,
and shrinking it down just enough to fit, so there's black on top and bottom,
the same way that, for instance, TNT shows movies in their full aspect ratio.
And we've custom designed some CGI that also is in  that format.  (In the case
of series footage that we're using, there you'll be able to compare the
regular aspect ratio of the broadcast with what's in the main titles.  In
other words, there's a scene in "Parliament" of a Minbari gathering.  In
regular aspect, as part of the show, you'll see it one way.  We've clipped a
section of that for the main titles and used the full aspect ratio, and in
that you'll see the far right and left sides normally clipped for standard TV
aspect ratio.)

     Apparently this is also done on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, I learned the
other day, so that'll give you some sense of it.  It's very effective at
giving a real cinematic feel to your main titles.


                                            jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 202       Thu Nov 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:13 EST

     No, it won't be rare.  And that's the reason why we're NOT doing
subtitles.  This is the difference between something sounding neat on paper,
but not in reality, and especially not on a TV series.

     If you're doing a feature film, and only have one or two shots of aliens
talking in subtitles, for brief periods, you can do this; also if you're doing
an SF series in which you're mainly talking to humans, and only rarely among
your own kind.

     But in B5, a LOT of our time is spent with our various alien characters.
And sometimes the conversation can get quite detailed, quite complex or
political.  In one script, for instance, there's a 2 1/2 minute scene with
G'Kar and Na'Toth, followed by two lengthy scenes with Londo and Vir, and
Delenn and Vir.  So you're talking about maybe 5  minutes here.  The
conversation is very detailed, very elaborate.  So are you a) going to put all
of this complex dialogue on screen, line by line, and b) use subtitles for
FIVE UNBROKEN MINUTES?

     You'd kill yourself as a series.  No one would stand for it, and they'd
be right.  Again, not every good idea is a workable or practical idea.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 208       Fri Nov 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:26 EST

     I don't offhand know the answer to the more tech question; the info is at
the office, and I always get them confused in my head.  I'm fairly sure it's
option c, though.

     RE: composition...the monitor on which the director and DP can watch and
see what the camera sees has on it demarkations to show the regular aspect
ratio, as well as the widescreen view.  Which pretty much allows them to
compose for both, for the most part.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 216       Sat Nov 13, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:12 EST

     We're not shooting on videotape, so it's kind of a moot point.  We're
shooting on film, which can be converted to HDTV standards *very* easily.  The
pixel density is a function of where you go once you decide to convert the
film.  It's now being converted to video at standard resolution; when HDTV
comes into existence commercially, the film will be reprocessed out and
transferred to video at that level.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 224       Mon Nov 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:54 EST

     I really don't know that much; apparently there's something in the works
about toys, but I don't have specifics.  Ditto for comics and the like.  I
tend not to get my head too far into that part of it, because I think that as
soon as you do, you can get lost in merchandising, and the next thing you know
you're doing things not necessarily because they belong in the story, but
because they make great merchandise prospects.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 229       Tue Nov 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:44 EST

     Our head of post production, associate producer George Johnsen, pulled a
number on me today that just struck me as hilarious, and I pass it on to you.
(We do a lot of silly stuff behind the scenes.)

     Take your hands.  Fold in the thumb until it's pointing in toward the
palm of your hand, but not entirely.  Fan out your other four fingers on each
hand as far as you can.  Now put the two hands together so that the index
fingers touch, and the pinkies are on either side of one another (i.e., you've
formed a crown or fan).  Raise your hands so that your wrists are settling on
either side of the top of your head.

     Now look at the person sitting next to you and say, "Live, Londo, and
Prosper."  This is the unofficial B5 crew greeting.  Apparently some have been
doing it when they arrive for work in the morning.

     We're a sick bunch, but we're fun.

                                                                      jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 234       Wed Nov 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:00 EST

     The following is *not* a shot, I repeat, the following is NOT a shot,
okay?  It's just...last night, I got in from the stage late, and the last 15
minutes of the latest TNG effort was on, about the destructive warp engines.
And I watched, astonished, as the Enterprise was buffetted by rift forces,
damaged, another ship was damaged, the rift grew, the other ship was
destroyed...and *all of it* until the very end, at which point they interfaced
some stock footage with a bit of new stuff, ALL of that other material was off-
camera, we saw *NONE* of it!  It was just like radio drama...we *hear* about
the ship getting hit, the rift doing this, ships blowing up, but we never see
ANY of it.

     This came to mind today when I saw some of the new CGI footage from "Mind
War," which is starting to look quite extraordinary.  About every four-five
episodes, we seem to take a jump in what we can do, how much we can do, and
how good it looks.  The latest batch of stuff is absolutely breathtaking.  And
in addition to everything else, the one thing that I come away with, the one
thing that *no one* is doing, is the absolute SCALE of the show.  In addition
to sets and CGI as standalones, we're doing some groundbreaking work in
composites, mattes, virtual sets and other stuff.

     There are moments when I can't *wait* to get this show on the air to show
people what we've done, and what we're doing.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 248       Sat Nov 20, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:22 EST

     Well, today we finished shooting on episode #11, meaning that we are now
exactly halfway through production on the Babylon 5 series.  This is the fifty
yard line, still a long way to go, but it's no further ahead of us than it is
behind us.

     After we'd finished shooting, I fired up bits of our first couple of
finished episodes for John Flinn, our DP.  He watched a bit, then went to get
some others in the crew.  And more came.  Before I knew it, the room was full
of people watching the finished show (or portions) for the very first time.
The atmosphere was electric...yells of delight and pleasure, cheers and
applause, whistles...everyone left absolutely stoked.  A real boost at the
halfway mark.

     Monday we begin shooting "Chrysalis."  Yowza!  After that follows
"Deathwalker" (with Sarah Douglas in the lead role) by Larry the D.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 250       Sat Nov 20, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:26 EST

     The time for prep on year two, if we were to get picked up, would be
equal to year one, with the exception that we won't have to build all of these
sets.  We'll have more time in that sense.  Again, the stories are pretty much
mapped out for five years, so that's already done.  If we get renewed, we'll
probably get the word around March, shoot beginning in July '94, and air year
2 in January '95.  But again, this is very premature at the moment.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 259       Sun Nov 21, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:22 EST

     I'd rather wait on that until the series airs....

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 277       Thu Nov 25, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:56 EST

     I have no objections other than those that will likely be raised at your
sanity hearing.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 281       Thu Nov 25, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:07 EST

     There's been a film crew here already, some time ago, during shooting,
and several behind-the-scenes pieces have been cut of various length; one
promotional piece of 8 minutes has already been downlinked.  More, of greater
length, will follow.

     We've now deliered 4 complete episodes to PTEN, and the reaction we've
heard back has been off-the-scale enthusiastic.  They're convinced we've got
something very special here.  I let Walter Koenig see a coupe of shows,
including the director's cut of the one he's in, and he like what he saw a
lot, and is convinced it'll be a success.

     So far, so good....

     Today was crash day.  I've been running on 4 hours sleep, running around
like a demented creature, for weeks on end now.  (Larry made it a point to
tell me that if I were to kill myself on this show that he would  have to take
over, and run the show.  I pointed out that I've got an Egyptian King clause
in my will...if I die during production, he gets entombed with me.  If I go,
I'm taking him with me.)  So today I never even saw the sun; crashed around 3
a.m. and didn't open my eyes again until 5 p.m.  I feel vaguely human for the
first time in ages.

     (And kind of a personal triumph; I bought a 4-pack of John Lennon CDs,
and can finally listen to them.  I wasn't a stone Beatles fan, wasn't a
hardcase Lennon fan, but when he was killed, when that genius was stilled, I
got so angry, so blindly *furious*...and my heart just died.  Ever since that
time, I haven't been able to listen to Lennon's work without that same rage
killing my pleasure in the music.  I'm finally, finally able to listen to it
again, and it's playing in the background even as I type this.)

     Saturday is the "Midnight" screening, and we'll see what we see....

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 285       Fri Nov 26, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:21 EST

      Thanks.

                                                       jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 304       Mon Nov 29, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:02 EST

     In that "no one here is what they appear" scene, G'Kar is talking to
Catherine Sakai (Julia Nickson), the same one later in the restaurant scene.
It's a different look for her because that that moment she's in business mode,
and about to head out to her survey ship, the Skydancer, for which she is
captain and owner.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 318       Tue Nov 30, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:19 EST

     A few folks have noted in email that I've been kinda quiet here of late,
and I just wanted to note that there are two reasons for this:

     1) Whenever something of mine is aired, or shown, as with "Midnight," I
tend to adopt a low profile in order to avoid influencing or directing the
conversation.

     As for 2)...a word in the ear of every person reading this who uses the
keyboard incessantly: *BUY WRIST GUARDS*.  For the last year or so, I've been
fighting carpal tunnel syndrome.  The problem is that I write 10-12 hours a
day, and when I'm going at white-heat, I've been clocked at nearly 120 words
per minute...one person who listened noted that during one particular session
the click-click-click didn't pause, didn't slow for nearly twenty minutes
straight.  I fall through the screen and come out somewhere else, hours later.

     The downside of which being...I'm having *real* problems with CTS right
now.  As we gear up for the last part of the season, I'm behind the keyboard
constantly, when I'm not in editing.  During the Thanksgiving break, I was
averaging 20 pages a day.  Early in that process, the CTS settled in bigtime.
The pain is nearly constant, all day, all night.  To pick up a can of soda is
an exercise in profound discomfort.  To *type* is beyond description.  I'm
doing everything I can to minimize it, including sending for some new wrist
supports and wrist braces, but apparently this stuff is cumulative.

     It's not stopping the writing, not by so much as a comma, but it makes me
more inclined to quick, short messages than my usual mini-novels.
 I learned a long time ago how to burn through pain, so it's not a problem on
that level.  Once the season's over, we'll evaluate where things stand, and
whether this can be ameliorated by exercises or surgery or whatever.   But I'm
a *writer*, and that means I'll write if they cut off my arms and legs and I
have to type with my nose.  Nor is this message intended for sympathy.  No
sympathies are expected or requested.  This is just one more challenge to B5.


     My only thought at this moment is with those reading this: if you do lots
of work behind the computer, take breaks, wear wrist braces, get a support for
your keyboard, do wrist-hand exercises.  You wouldn't like this.  Trust me.

     This show has been an act of sheer will now for nearly seven years.   So
what else is new?

     By Friday we finish shooting "Chrysalis," which looks *gorgeous*.   Then
comes "Deathwalker," with Sarah Douglas and Robin Curtis.  It's another of our
very tough episodes, written by Larry the D.  With "Chrysalis" it's 12 down
and 10 to go.  We're on the downward slide, and it's coming up fast.

     Later.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 322       Tue Nov 30, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:03 EST

     Happily, the energy level here isn't flagging at all; if anything,
there's been an infusion of energy, partially through being able to show some
of our crew finishd episodes, so they can see the whole elephant rather than
only isolated parts (to great reaction), and partly through the reactions at
the con.  We're all feeling very renewed and rededicated toward the show.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 330       Wed Dec 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:13 EST

     I can't dictate as fast as I can type; and I don't think in verbal terms,
I have to see it on the scren.  I tried it once, but found I'm just not a very
good dictator (crew comments notwithstanding).

     A guest actor really can't add much beyond the episode in which he or she
appears.  But behind the scenes...some of our cast learned a lot while working
with Revell, and McCallum, and some of our other classically trained guest
actors.  They were enjoyable experiences.  As far as the experience they
had...all of our guests have to date expressed a hope to return in other roles
at some point.  They've uniformly been treated well, and with respect,
particularly those who've made their careers in SF, and are viewed as "senior
officers" in a sense.  Some have described it as the best working experience
they've had.

                                                           jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 331       Wed Dec 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:17 EST

     Have just uploaded starfury.gif to the Babylon 5 library here in the
SFRT, file #730.  Just FYI.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 341       Thu Dec 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:39 EST

     If the file takes 6 minutes to download at 2400, why did it take me 18
minutes to upload at 2400?

                                                                    jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 343       Thu Dec 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:54 EST

     Just uploaded two more; 749 and 750...rescue.gif and starlit.gif.   The
former is a shot of a Starfury alongside the starliner Asimov; the latter is
an unusual angle on B5 angled with the star behind it.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 352       Thu Dec 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:21 EST

     Part of the problem is that I was using compression/error-free protocol.
I turned that off, and the others went up faster.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 354       Thu Dec 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:03 EST

     Darn, I hadn't noticed that.  See, starfury.gif is one of the very
earliest graphic renderings we had of the fighter, mainly for in-house.   The
logos had been put on mainly for place orientation.  It's not like that
elsewhere...I'll upload a more current version.  I simply didn't notice that.

                                                           jms
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Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 362       Fri Dec 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:47 EST

     If Job could take it, I can take it.

     And yes, that's the bottom of the starfury.

     The GIF of the Starfury is letterboxed/wide.  Most of the others that'll
be uploaded are conventional aspect ratio.

                                                               jms
 ------------
 ************
Topic 2         Wed Nov 20, 1991
STARR [Arne]                 at 19:41 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 -- The Series!! >>SPOILERS<<

May 28th, '93, Babylon 5 officially became a series. There will be 22 hours,
plus the 2 hours of the pilot, for season one. Airs Wednesday's at 8PM in most
places starting Jan. '94. This is the Spoiler topic where anything goes.

415 message(s) total.
 ************
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 312       Sun Oct 31, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:50 EDT

     The bay is pressurized, with drop doors beneath each fighter.  A ramp
extends to the fighters individually, bringing on pilots.  The bays are
depressurized as the pilots (in flight suits) prepare.  Then the drop doors
open, the fighters pivot to nose-down position, and launch.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 322       Tue Nov 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:12 EST

     Tom: the rotating lights were dumb and we dropped them.

                                                          jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 324       Wed Nov 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:58 EST

     Yup.  We learn.  Slowly, but we learn.

     Food...good.  Fire...bad.

             
                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 337       Sat Nov 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:40 EST

     It's "Your time has come and gone!  It's OUR turn now!"

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 341       Sat Nov 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:56 EST

     Christopher Neame was an unvarnished joy to work with, and he did a truly
spectacular job as Knight Two in "Sky."  Forceful, dynamic, and his
performance at the very end in a much quieter scene with Sinclair will make
your hair stand on end.  It's just something he says, but the implications of
what he says, and the way he says it, is just killer.  I'd love to find a way
to bring Knight Two back at some point, and the door was somewhat left open to
facilitate that possibility.

     In any event, both Christopher and Judson Scott were both terrific to
work with.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 347       Sun Nov 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 20:24 EST

     Because the promo wasn't put together by us, but by others, whose main
concern is finding good images which may not necessarily be associated.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 360       Tue Nov 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:47 EST

     No, on balance, I'd say that it has not given me a dislike for all things
Trek.  I think it comes with the turf.

     There are three things that I put to *some* degree on the same level, at
least from a sociological level (though there are obvious differences in true
or perceived quality): the Beatles, Star Trek, and Stephen King.  All are
media phenomenon, all are very much of their time.  When people say, "Oh, so
and so is the next Stephen King," that's nonsense, because King fills a
particular slot that no one else can really hit; same with the Beatles.
Groups may come along that may sell more records than the Beatles ever sold,
may be even more popular, but no one else will ever play the specific social
role that the Beatles played in their time; no one else will ever be at that
specific juncture.  They are all icons.

     When the Rolling Stones made Phase Two of the British invasion of the
1960s, they were constantly being compared to the Beatles, evaluated in terms
of the Beatles, and it pissed them off mightily, because they weren't the
Beatles, didn't play the same kinds of songs as the Beatles, and the only
thing they had in common was that they were both British.  But the American
media, basically unfamiliar with the British scene, lumped them into the same
category.

     Star Trek played a pivotal role in TV SF.  There can be no mistake about
that.  Other shows may someday supplant it in longevity, or ratings, or
popularity, or following, but no other show will ever take that show's place.
No other show will ever be "the new Star Trek."  Not even the, well, the new
Star Trek(s).  Trek provided a terrific foundation; it's unfortunate that in
25+ years, not much has been done really to build upon that foundation and
take SF-TV to the next logical level.  Maybe B5 can do that.  I certainly hope
so.  Maybe not.  I could be living in a fool's paradise.  But if not us, then
sooner or later, someone will take that next step.

     I've always liked the original Trek series, and always will.  Even wrote
an issue of the ST comic, "Worldsinger," for DC.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 364       Wed Nov 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:48 EST

     Next up is "Survivors."

     "Born to the Purple" got mixed this past Monday.  We'll be delivering all
three episodes this Friday to PTEN; after that, it'll be once a week.   Just
like clockwork.  We're well into the groove now.

     Christopher Franke is developing themes for each of the characters, plus
themes for the station, for space in general, and for our various
aliens...something that carries a sense of the minbari, the grey council,
others.  He even wrote a wonderful little Narn libretto for G'Kar, a la
Gilbert and Sullivan.  Some elements carry across shows, but in each show
there are new and different pieces that work wonderfully.  He's nothing less
than terrific.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 372       Thu Nov 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:20 EST

     Actually, I think it is "turn."

     Sinclair's opening narrative over the series main titles:

     "It was the Dawn of the Third Age of Mankind, ten years after the
Earth/Minbari War.  The Babylon Project was a dream given form, its goal: to
prevent another war by creating a place where humans and aliens could work out
their differences peacefully.  It's a port of call, home away from home for
diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs and wanderers.  Humans and aliens wrapped
in two million, five hundred thousand tons of spinning metal...all alone in
the night.

     "It can be a dangerous place, but it's our last, best hope for peace.

     "This is the story of the last of the Babylon stations.

     "The year is 2258.

     "The name of the place...is Babylon 5."

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 379       Fri Nov 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:31 EST

     My sense is that we have Sinclair narrating from some point in the
future.  The transition of grammar takes place as we push into the station,
from the outside in.  This was the last of the Babylon stations, and this
particular segment of it is set in 2258.  (Season two would say, "The year is
2259."  And so on.)

     Many here will remember a show called "You Are There."  The usual
narrator would say, paraphrasing here but keeping the grammar, "The year 1776
was crucial to our nation's history.  The founding fathers were on the brink
of declaring independence.  It's a moment of great importance.   The year is
1776...and You Are There."  It's along those lines.  The purpose of the
narrative changes to transition us into the story.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 383       Fri Nov 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:37 EST

     The tense shifts are intentional, and go with the scenes we're seeing.
They're *supposed* to shift, with the visuals, in order to bring us into the
present from the future, at which point this story is being introduced.

     BTW, does anyone know if the GEnie/Internet relay is down or something?
Usually there's 50 or so messages a day in my mailbox here from the Internet
relay, and the last 2 days or so there's been nada.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 399       Sat Nov 20, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:08 EST

     Yes, he's a nifty guy, no mistake.  And I think we might be able to work
out something....

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 402       Tue Nov 23, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:25 EST

     Because PTEN is very high on the shows we're delivering, there may be
some modification in airdate scheduling, to create real momentum, but I don't
know anything firm about that yet.

     The date I hear most often re: the debut is January 26th.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 405       Wed Nov 24, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:24 EST

     The rotating sphere you saw was probably the starliner Asimov; the thing
in the asteroid field is...a command and control vessel.  A command and
control vessel for *what*...I won't say.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 406       Wed Nov 24, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:27 EST

     So, Fenn...you liked it, eh?  I forgot to mention that I haven't yet seen
the material; it should be arriving at the office tomorrow.  I imagine they
highlighted the action, and the CGI, and the aliens (which is pretty much
stet), since it's hard to really indicate characterization in a quick promo.
Any other reactions?

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 409       Thu Nov 25, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:00 EST

     Just saw the promo.  The Narn woman is Caitlin Brown (Na'Toth).  What is
in the promo is taken almost entirely from the first two episodes, with just a
smidge from #3.  Which may give you some indication of how much action is *in*
the first couple episodes (and in many epiosodes thereafter)
 -- definitely keeping the thing moving.

     I'd say that n'grath would count as a non-humanoid alien, yes?  (Just
keeping an eye on my promises here....)

                                                                 jms
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 ************
Topic 3         Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:09 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - Computer SFX Tech-Talk   

Some of the new computer EFX used in BABYLON 5 will be revolutionary, a new
approach never seen before on this scale.  It's all new tech, and this topic
will try and address the new technologies involved.
211 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 3
Message 167       Tue Nov 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:14 EST

     No comment at this time.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 3
Message 192       Wed Nov 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:52 EST

     Actually, we're not using the Harry.  First, it wasn't up to the level we
wanted to strive for, and second the best harry guy we could find had some
"theological problems" with "Soul Hunter" and we felt that we weren't getting
as good as we could.  So we've switched over to a new system.

     The rotoscope and other visual EFX are now being done on computer, as are
the cgi.  On a Mac, to be precise, by an EFX designer who's one of the best in
town, possibly the best, who's known locally as "Mr. Electricity."  He did the
same kind of work on T2, Total Recall and other features.  He's interfaced
with our other technical people, and the result is really *very*
extraordinary, considerably more extensive and better looking than what's
usually done on TV.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 3
Message 195       Fri Nov 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:31 EST

     Nope.  Kevin Kutchaver.

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 3
Message 201       Sun Nov 28, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:52 EST

     We did some library stuff in the first few eps, but as we've ben (been)
spending more time, we've built up more, and generally we have 3-4 new
establishers per ep.  So there's less and less of it the deeper you get into
the series.  (And when you come down to it, a shot of the station against a
planet is going to be pretty much the same in general, unless there's specific
activity going on around it.)

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 3
Message 206       Wed Dec 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:14 EST

     And airplanes will never be commercially successful.

     BTW, I've gotten permission to upload a few images after all, and may do
so in the next week or so....

                                                                  jms
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 ************
Topic 4         Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:12 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - Cast & Characters        

For discussion of the actors who will be bringing BABYLON 5 to life with their
performances...for information before, and discussion after the airing of "The
Gathering" pilot.
424 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 378       Wed Nov 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:53 EST

     Once the decision was made to make her definitely female, that led us to
modify the makeup.  Also, the original make up was done with very little lead
time, and some things we liked, some things we didn't.   It's now sleeker,
more attractive, and easier to apply and take off.

                                                          jms
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Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 380       Thu Nov 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:12 EST

     Since we only really got a good look at one Minbari, it's kind of a moot
point.  The new lines are generally consistent throughout Minbari.

                                                             jms
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Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 408       Tue Nov 30, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:21 EST

     If it's the pilot review, which I've seen...yeah, the only thing the guy
likes is ST, it seems.  We had a long go-round.  Old news.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 410       Tue Nov 30, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 15:01 EST

     We've just delivered tapes to PTEN publicity, so critics should be
getting it soon enough.  My *hunch* is that they'll probably get copies of
"Midnight" and "Soul Hunter."

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 413       Wed Dec 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 14:02 EST

     If the CGI were cheesy, please explain to me the Emmy currently sitting
on Ron Thornton's desk....

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 4
Message 420       Thu Dec 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:44 EST

     Fast question: I saw a flier at LosCon for some room party, over a couple
of days, that had @! inside an Earth Alliance badge silhouette, and talked
about docking bays, open for business, that sort of thing.  Do any of you who
attended know *anything* about what this was?

                                                                 jms
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 ************
Topic 12        Wed Nov 18, 1992
B.WIST [Brad]                at 18:12 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 Sightings                  

Post here when you've spotted Babylon 5, whether it be on Television,
Magazine, or somewhere else.  Let us know where we can find it/see it, too.
448 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 12
Message 406       Thu Nov 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:29 EST

     He tried.

     I was.

     It isn't.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 12
Message 413       Fri Nov 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 14:01 EST

     I haven't seen it, but understand there's a piece on Ron Thornton in the
new WIRED...page 88-89.

                                                                 jms
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 ************
Topic 13        Mon Nov 23, 1992
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico]            at 21:00 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 - Science & Technology     

Jump gates, nanotech, high-tech weapons, starship drives, sound in space, and
other subjects of science and technology in Babylon 5.
504 message(s) total.
 ************
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 442       Thu Nov 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 14:31 EST

     There is nothing wrong with the launch sequence.  It causes them to move
directly away from the station, on a slight spiral, facing out to the stars
from the pilot's POV.  Whether or not it looks funky has little to do with
whether or not this is the most efficient means of doing this.  I think it's
kind of funky that the space shuttle flies upside down while in orbit, its
cargo bay facing down toward Earth, but that's the way it's done, and there
are good reasons for it.  We sat down for a very long time with a bunch of
designers and techies who know physics and know math and know flight dynamics,
we ran computer models, and the physics are right.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 463       Mon Nov 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 22:34 EST

     If what you think I said is correct, then what you think I said is what I
said.  If what I might have said was not correct, then what I might have said
is not what I said, incorrectly.

     This message will self-destruct as soon as anyone manages to parse the
grammar....

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 481       Sun Nov 21, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:49 EST

     There are no tractor beams in use, or available, for the most part.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 484       Sun Nov 21, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:44 EST

     Our medical advisor tells us that regen technology should be well in hand
within the next 100 years, so you can grow back damaged internal organs and
the like, and avoid having to do transplants.  Also that the system of surgery
is moving toward non-invasive procedures, using light in more and different
ways.

     He went on past that, but there was some math involved...

                                                                   jms
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 491       Wed Nov 24, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:14 EST

     Many of the huge transports that'll be coming to B5 were never meant to
operate within an atmosphere, they're strictly deep range starships, to which
you transfer using atmosphere-capable shuttles.  We're not talking little
flits, we're talking about ships that can be as big as a mile across.
Dropping something that huge down into the gravity well of a planet is just
unworkable.  If you want something that can handle lots of big ships, it *has*
to be in space...as in a station.

     You could park a big ship near a planet, and use lots of shuttles to
unload it down to the planet (gravity well, heavy cargo, lots of fuel, lots of
time, more accidents), then haul it right back *up* again when it's sold or
transferred...or you could build a station in zero G where your big transport
just parks alongside, loads or unloads its cargo in zero gravity, and transfer
it where needed.

     And the atmosphere of the planet is no longer breathable.

                                                                jms
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Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 500       Wed Dec 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:41 EST

     The explosion damaged the auto-configuration system which keeps the
rotation/flywheel system working smoothly.  (This is also indicated in
dialogue in the observation dome.)  That more than anything else would cause
real problems.

                                                            jms
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 ************
Topic 24        Fri Jun 04, 1993
J.ROY18 [Jonathan]           at 21:11 EDT
Sub: Babylon 5 - Weapons and Warfare!     

For discussion about the weapons, counter weapons, armor, shielding, tactics,
logistics, and so forth, of small combat and large scale war in the Babylon 5
universe.
323 message(s) total.
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Category 18,  Topic 24
Message 322       Fri Dec 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:04 EST

     They are both guns.

     The canopy closes and locks.  If hit, there's at least the  opportunity
for the canopy section to eject from the rest of the craft before it's
destroyed.

                                                              jms
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 ************
Topic 25        Fri Mar 12, 1993
S.SHELLENBAR [>> SHANE <<]   at 08:47 EST
Sub: J. Michael Straczynski Speaks in Public

This is the place to find out where and when JMS will be appearing next.  JMS
has honed his skills as a public speaker and is taking his act on the road.
394 message(s) total.
 ************
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 351       Wed Nov 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:40 EST

     I get the sense that this room -- large as it is -- may end up packed.
We will be showing "Midnight."  Plus some scenes from other shows.  Plus we
may have some cast members present.  Plus the funniest out-take from the show.


     Better grab your seats early; this'll be a biggie.  And probably the only
West Coast showing of an episode prior to airing.  (Probably the only showing
anywhere, at least as of this writing.)

     (Those who've seen sections of both at cons...I assume that "Midnight" is
the better episode to show, since it's got more action, and takes the time to
reintroduce all of our characters...though I like "Soul" as a character
episode a *lot*.  Thing is, only Delenn is there of our group of ambassadors.
I'd love to show "Mind War," but it won't be ready, since we just finished it,
same with "Parliament."  What does one do when there are so many good episodes
it's hard to decide?  Anyway, "Midnight" seems the best choice to me.  Those
who've seen the two clips...thoughts?)

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 358       Thu Nov 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:33 EST

     Matt: okay, if you're sure...I always worry.  I've seen the damn thing so
many times, I lose perspective.  I keep thinking it's a tad on the slow side
at times.  Then I look at it again and think otherwise.

     Last year, when we showed the pilot -- its West Coast debut -- there was
a near-riot over seating.  From what I'm hearing, the Saturday screening is
likely to be *packed*.  Come early.

                                                                  jms
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 366       Fri Nov 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:41 EST

     I think I'll probably go with "Midnight" since there may well be some
cast members attending, and of our various ambassadors, only Delenn appears in
"Soul," and if we're going to have any of the others there, it would be a good
idea to have an episode in which they all appear.

     BTW, just saw the cut version of "Mind War."  It's even better than I'd
hoped.  It *moves* like an express train.  And Walter is absolutely
terrific...those of you who've only seen him as Chekhov will get a whole new
perspective on him as an actor after this one.

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 371       Sun Nov 21, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:22 EST

     Confirmed for LosCon's B5 presentation: Michael O'Hare, Mira Furlan,
Peter Jurasik, and maybe more to come.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 381       Fri Nov 26, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:23 EST

     Just as a reminder...I zone out when I do these things, so if I don't
immediately recognize you, or note the name, by all means say, "Hey, I'm Brett
Jaffee," or note your handle, which should be enough to jar me out of my
trance.  When I'm in performance mode, I get vague and just sorta smile and
nod a lot....

                                                                 jms
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 387       Sun Nov 28, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:19 EST

     The one thing I asked, as a personal favor, was that a detailed blow-for-
blow summary *not* be posted for the time being; we've got two months to air,
and I don't want the show to become old in that time.

                                                              jms
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Category 18,  Topic 25
Message 392       Sun Nov 28, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:13 EST

     There were no problems with the projector.  We started promptly, and on
time.  I'm a big punctuality nut; we showed the out-take at 11:00 sharp (as a
bonus to those who were there spot on time), and launched into the screening
itself by about 11:10-15.

     (I'm one of those terrible people who always shows up on time for a
meeting, or early...and is, despite my best efforts, always the first person
to arrive at a party.  People hate me.)

                                                               jms
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 ************
Topic 26        Sun Jun 06, 1993
G.PLANA [Gary]               at 01:51 EDT
Sub: Babylon 5 - Episode titles and info  

This topic is for information about individual episodes -- their titles,
writers, and any other information JMS may leak!
141 message(s) total.
 ************
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Category 18,  Topic 26
Message 130       Sat Nov 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:10 EST

     By the way...on the Kosh poisoning thread, which was originally to be
discussed in "Parliament"...we ended up about 3 minutes long on  "Parliament,"
and three minutes short on D.C. Fontana's "War Prayer."  So we lifted that
scene and inserted it into her episode, doing a small bit of ADR to facilitate
the move.  It's now quite seamless.

     There's some small amount of blurring that goes on in this show; a
freelancer turns in a script, and things get added.  For instance, there was a
need to really tighten up the story in "Believers," which could best be done
by bringing in a small B story, which would allow us to streamline and
intensify the main story.  So I wrote the B story and slipped it in.   In
"Grail," for instance, there's a courtroom scene with a character named Mr.
Flinn that was added to the script (I won't reveal what happens, but it's very
funny.)

     And of course nearly all of the freelance scripts have been based on
assigned stories, something that's developed in-house (particularly if it's an
arc story) and then given to a writer to do the full outline and script.  So
far the only story developed *outside* our offices first is D.C. Fontana's
second script, "Legacies."

     In none of these, however, will you see more than one writer's name on
the script.  Just the writer who did the draft.  This is a policy I've had for
a long time, starting on JAKE.  It's somewhat pro forma for some story editors
or producers to do a rewrite, or add a scene, and then slap their name on the
finished script...which cuts into the freelance writer's residuals forever
thereafter.  My feeling is that if you're on staff, you are being compensated
well for your work, and should leave the freelancers alone.  The residuals are
really their only way of making any real money off these things.  So we had a
non-arbitration policy on JAKE, also on MURDER, and now on B5.  You'll never
see a gang credit on this show.   Having been a freelancer myself, this sems
the only fair way to run things.

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 26
Message 135       Thu Nov 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 00:13 EST

     That's correct.

                                                               jms
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Category 18,  Topic 26
Message 138       Wed Dec 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:17 EST

     There's a mistake.  Which episode(s) have her listed?

                                                                  jms
 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 26
Message 140       Thu Dec 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:46 EST

     The scene was cut for time; it may yet appear elsewhere.

                                                                  jms
 ------------