Babylon 5 posts by JMS for December, 1993 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). ************ 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. 739 message(s) total. ************ ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 371 Fri Dec 03, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 14:28 EST Here's a thought to conjure with. It takes about an hour to render a CGI frame that's very complex; 45 minutes if it's not terribly complex. With the new Screamer, we can cut down that time by about half, so that a highly complex scene can be rendered in 15-30 minutes. Average length for a CGI scene is about 60 frames, so figure 30 hours. You can do a full show's worth of CGI in about a week, give or take. Today we turn over the raw footage for a special scene that'll be in one of our episodes. (Several scenes, actually, in the same episode.) Ron's elves will be rendering 24 hours a day (on automatic at night) for the next THREE WEEKS to do something very special with this episode. If it's done right, it won't really draw attention to itself, it'll just be very, very cool. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 377 Sat Dec 04, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:44 EST Today was "Men In Skirts Day" for many in the Babylon 5 crew. There are some things man was not meant to know.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 397 Sun Dec 05, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:10 EST Have just uploaded 2 more gif files...772 and 773...swarm.gif and skydance.gif. The former is a shot of a group of Starfuries leaving B5 with the planet in BG, the latter is a shot of Catherine Sakai's survey ship, the Skydancer, exiting a jump gate (NOT the one near B5, but another). jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 408 Mon Dec 06, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:50 EST Don't show 'em the pilot first. Let 'em dive right in. Yeah, we do a LOT of ships this season. I have gifs of them all, and some of them are mind-bogglingly nifty. What I like about Ron's work is that many of the space shots are works of art you could practically frame. And he's done one very important thing: he's brought COLOR into space, in a big way. Ships are personalized, painted, textured and made into things you enjoy looking at. The Starfury nicknamed the Sea Witch is a great example of this...as well as a bunch of others. Not all Starfuries are the same, btw...you'll be seeing a different category of them in "Mind War," and they're gorgeous. Also very scary. Not as scary, but more nifty, are the ones in "Survivors" and "Chrysalis." Ah LOVES spaceships.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 410 Mon Dec 06, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:37 EST And the program should be pretty nifty, from what I'm heaing.... Just uploaded another gif, the last for a little bit; 774, named cockpit.gif. It's a composite shot of the interior of a Starfury that's being fired upon, the incoming blast whiting (or in this case greening) out the cockpit. Is this shot from "Sky?" Could be. It's a bit hard to look at because of the lighting, but it'll give you some idea of the interior of these things. BTW, tomorrow we do the final mix on "Sky." And for that episode, Christopher Franke has composed a piece entitled "Requiem For the Line," which is very moving...at the same time brave and sad, hopeful and ominous, martial and doomed...one of the best things I've heard for TV. The other day, a reporter asked me what I wanted to accomplish with B5...and I remembered this commercial showing a viewer plastered against the wall opposite the TV...and that seemed about right. I don't want viewers to see a show and say, afterward, "Well, that was a nice story." There has to be more than that. And while we certainly have our episodes that are paced just a little more slowly, less intensely, because you have to have variation, have to allow time for character stories...there are some episodes, like "Sky," that just hit the viewer right between the eyes with a 2 by 4 *real* hard and say "HEY! PAY ATTENTION! WE'RE NOT KIDDING HERE!" Take no prisoners.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 425 Tue Dec 07, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:47 EST Re: time per scene rendering...you have to understand that the Toasters render 24 hours a day. Ron et al set 'em going before they leave for the night, and the next morning come in to pick up the finished scene. So you can do a LOT of CGI in the course of a week. Generally several minutes of new stuff per week...and yes, that includes long, panning shots. Trust me, there's a LOT of CGI in just about every episode of the series. A couple of character-based stories are light, but they're more than compensated for in heavy-CGI stories like "Midnight," "Sky," and "Raiding Party," to name a few. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 429 Tue Dec 07, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:58 EST That's the logo for Starfury squadrons in general. On the opposite arm goes the individual squadron name, such as Death's Hands (Sinclair's squadron on the Line), Ghost Riders (Ivanova's wing), and so on. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 430 Tue Dec 07, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:59 EST Flash! Babylon 5 short promos will be downlinked on satellite on the following dates: Thursday December 9th, 9:45-10 p.m.; Friday December 10th, 12:30-12:45 p.m.; and Monday December 13th, 3:30-3:45 p.m. (All times given are Eastern times.) Feeds are on Galaxy 4, Channel 21, audio: 5.8 stereo left, 6.2 stereo right, 6.8 mono mix. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 431 Tue Dec 07, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:02 EST BTW, there's an error in the "Infection" listing; Patricia Healy is the name of the actress, Mary Ann Cramer is the name of the character; Kiron is in "War Prayer," as is Chan. Is this how they came to you, Arne? Because if so, they're going out riddled with errors. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 444 Wed Dec 08, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:32 EST It's briefly green when the incoming blast shoots past, and sort of "whites" out (or in this case greens out) the cockpit for just a second. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 448 Wed Dec 08, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 13:50 EST Er, Arne, just checked the revised "Infection" description in 19... neither Kiron nor Roberts appear in that episode. They're in "The War Prayer." I got the erroneous file listings today, and have advised PTEN of the mistakes, and they're being corrected. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 452 Wed Dec 08, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:46 EST Here's the interesting thing...ever since July, when we began shooting, we've been sitting here, doing our show quietly...and now, as January nears, slowly we've been growing aware of a sound...the PTEN and Warners ]MACHINE[ gearing up. Press, promotion, photographers on the set, calls with International and books divisions, and now the sound is quite pervasive, like a jet engine gearing up for flight. Suddenly it comes clear, "Oh, yeah, we're not just making our little show here for ourselves, this is bigger than just us." The energy level is definitely powering up around here. Had a reporter in here the other day, and he asked if it bothered me that other shows were getting all the ink...meaning, I suppose, TNG and DS9 and SQ:DSV...and my response really said it all, I think. It's like the Rocky movie. Let the other guys get all the press, do the big flashy stuff, wave around big budgets...we'll just stand here in a meat locker, pounding slabs of meat with our bare hands.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 463 Thu Dec 09, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:15 EST The one thing that I'd like to point out is that Warner/PTEN isn't in the programming business. This isn't a normal part of their PR strategy. The only reason they have done this at all -- the B5 computer promo -- is in recognition of the online support here and elsewhere. They have had to contract out for this, and because this isn't a proven (yet) strategy, could only carve out so much for it. No, not every platform is covered; doubtless that will change with time. But it's generally never done at ALL. So I would just temper the discussion with that reality. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 468 Thu Dec 09, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:20 EST I have just seen the director's cut of "Chrysalis," which will be the last episode of this season...and I think it has just displaced "Sky" as the most heavy-weight episode of the season. Even knowing what was coming, I just sat here, stunned, at the end of it. Seeing dailies, bits and pieces, doesn't really prepare you for the whole thing. What I like most about it are two things: one, by about halfway in, you really begin to understand that anything can happen, to anyone, and the rules that normally carry you through a television episode no longer apply. It's a very dangerous, dislocating feeling. Two: you get the very real feeling that, after this episode, nothing is the same anymore. The show has taken a very profound and *irrevocable* turn that will have lasting effects on all of our characters. Of all the episodes so far, this one has the most feeling of being the chapter end in a novel. The really hard part will not avoiding the temptation to show this to people...because it really can't be allowed to get out prior to airing. There are too many twists and turns and revelations that spin one off into another. One other thing's certain: after you've seen "Chrysalis," you're going to want to go back and check out three prior episodes...because something that you will have read/interpreted one way, without question or hesitation accepting it as what it obviously appears to be, will suddenly be turned on its head, and a brand new interpretation will emerge. And it's *real* creepy.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 474 Fri Dec 10, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:56 EST I doubt there would be much problem at all in translating it to the other platform. Arne: slight correction to your correction. No scene with Chan or Eastman was "removed," it's simply an incorrect listing. Chan and Eastman are both in "The War Prayer," they were never in "Infection" in any way, manner, shape or form. It was simply a typo on the part of the person who wrote up the lists, putting names from one show into the wrong sheet. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 483 Fri Dec 10, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:41 EST When we did the research on how a fighter could best operate in zero gravity, it seemed to require a four-wing axis with thrusters on every side. We've thus taken every possible step to make them NOT look like x-wings, particularly since there's no long, sleek forward section at *all*, it's a snub-nose, and the wings don't move, plus they have the unusual thruster combination. "Trax" is/or was still running new eps as of a few weeks ago. The schedule was deliberate, to make what they had stretch. That may change this season; we'll have to see. Haven't heard yet re: the final schedule. For our part, we have 6 finished (completely done, music, sound, all that) episodes in hand now, and will have one more by the christmas break. By the time we go on the air, we'll have a total of 12-14 in hand, so we're in great shape in terms of scheduling stuff. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 489 Sat Dec 11, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:46 EST Although in the new laserdisk set of SW movies, the matting is FAR less noticeable. Re: the crew...today was Pajama Day. Don't ask. Some thoughts on the crew, btw...which besides being sensational on its own terms, is a very caring bunch of guys. Some of them have been making expeditions to the post office lately, gathering Santa letters and circulating them to grant wishes for toys. There's a wall of letters that have been answered so far with presents. Just one example; there are more. They're good people. jms (Cindy: I'm writing more individual messages, just shorter.) ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 501 Sun Dec 12, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:02 EST Oh, I know...I saw the (g) the first time...I just kneejerk respond sometimes, take things seriously just in case the g didn't mean what it seemed to mean (and nothing is what it appears yes?). Re: the Oliver Stone thing...that's a comment made during the edit on "Chrysalis" as well. I'm dying to see how people will react to what's done and revealed and advanced in that episode, but we have to sit on it; though we'll be mixing and finishing it in the next few weeks, we won't be turning it over to PTEN until shortly before airdate, because we don't want this getting all over town. There's not a single major character who's not profoundly affected...or strongly set up for profound changes in the very near future. I love it...it's my favorite of the season, without question. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 516 Mon Dec 13, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:37 EST PTEN licensing is handled by the Licensing Corporation of America, which can be reached via Warner Bros. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 528 Wed Dec 15, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:17 EST For those who might be interested, I thought I'd pass along a quick view of the process of producing a show like B5, step by step (though briefly). Day Minus 21: The script is finalized and distributed to all cast and crew. Day Minus 14: The episode goes into serious pre-production, with meetings on visual effects, wardrobe, CGI and so on. Props are designed and construction begun on both props and wardrobe and any sets that are specific to that episode. Day Minus 10: Tone meeting with director and producers to make sure all parties see the story the same way. Casting, begun on day 14, is finalized about this time. Day Minus 6: Major production meeting with all departments, at which each scene is gone through in detail, examining and reinforcing what props, costumes, extras and lighting requirements are needed per scene. Day One: Filming Starts. Day Seven: Filming finishes. Editing has been going on since day 2, as dailies arrive at the studio, with editors making rough assemblies of the scenes as they come in. Day Eight/Nine: the director works with the editor to make the first, Director's Cut of the episode, relying to some degree on the preliminary Editor's Cut. Day 10/11: Producers begin making their cut. (Mainly me and John Copeland.) Sit with editor and view each scene, picking out various takes and angles, integrating CGI. Sometimes the cut varies a lot from the Director's Cut and is a whole new version...or it is very close to the Director's Cut. Producer's Cut finished around day 12/13. Day 15: Producer's Cut is sent to primary editing bay for on-line editing, at which the frames of actual film are slugged and readied for the real thing (as opposed to editing computer images on the Avid). Day 20: Episode is color-timed to make sure color values are correct. Day 25: Spotting session...producers, sound designer, composer, dialogue editors meet and review the on-line edit or CTM (color timed master) to determine where sound and music should be placed, the kind of sound or music required, and number of frames/seconds duration. Second spotting session with visual EFX supervisor to determine rotoscoping or other non-CGI EFX placement. Day 39: Final mix-down of all elements: music, sound, looping, visual effects and other elements. For this we sit in the mixing bay from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. nonstop, bringing in lunch, to determine balance of sound to music, music to dialogue, which elements to use or lose, and so on. Day 46: Finished episode delivered to PTEN and in-house. Total time required: 57 days. And during this period, we are simultaneously editing at least 4-5 other shows, and have shot roughly another 6 episodes, which are also in various stages of editing. I've glossed over a few things, but that should give you some idea of the process and the highlights thereof. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 530 Wed Dec 15, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:49 EST Not a lot, but sometimes...you can easily lose track of where the hell you are at any given moment. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 537 Thu Dec 16, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:26 EST We're still working out book details. One possibility is also to take the most heavily arc-related episodes, stitch them together into a novelized form, and publish them so that there in one book is the major part of that year's arc. Other approaches are still being investigated. And yes, in TV, it's the exec producer who generally gets the final cut, whereas in film it's often the director (or, in some cases, the studio). jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 554 Fri Dec 17, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:51 EST We took care of 'em. Quick updates: expect some coverage of B5 in Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide and CNN. There will be full-page color ads for B5 in People, Sports Illustrated, TV Guide, and other major magazines. The Clippers game on Channel 13 L.A. the night before our debut will be "Brought to you by Babylon 5," and after the game, around 9:30, there will be the half-hour "Making Of Babylon 5" documentary. Also expect to start seeing ads on the back covers of DC comics books in the next week or so. There will be a slow but steady increase in print, TV and radio ads over the next few weeks. It's estimated, with the huge PR campaign that's been developed, that 90% of the country will have seen at least one B5 ad, and 50% of the country will have seen roughly 10 ads. Those of you who have been eagerly looking for this stuff...will probably, like me, be so sick of seeing them after a while...but it's part of the process of bringing the show to the non-modemed. After the Christmas break, we'll be two-thirds finished with our production on the first season. It's just *zipped* past...amazing.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 560 Sat Dec 18, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:43 EST "Backlash" has been retitled "By Any Means Necessary." Re: Kinko's...I wouldn't give them permission in any event. I've had nothing but trouble with them. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 562 Sat Dec 18, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:02 EST For starters, the Orion constellation would not look like the Orion constellation from another POV, say, 30 light years from here. Another cluster of stars might *look* the same, or similar, but anyone expecting to see the constellations as we recognize them from here is going to be disappointed. As far as I know, from what Ron's said re: constellations, while it may look like Orion, it isn't. It's perception, the mind looking for patterns it recognizes. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 572 Sun Dec 19, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:13 EST Mike: you needn't worry. I find all-powerful beings of any stripe incredibly boring. I find it more interesting when ordinary people are summoned to do extraordinary things, and must rise above their limitations without losing their limitations; succeeding in spite of them. Sinclair is a man, period. He may have a great calling ahead of him, as did Churchill or Lincoln or Alexander or (for all we know) Rondo Hatton, but they're all just men in the final analysis. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 579 Sun Dec 19, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:09 EST "World" was retitled "Sunken." Yes on laserdisks, one hopes. No relief. And so it goes. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 583 Mon Dec 20, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:24 EST Catherine Sakai is all business. Not much for display. It's "J. Michael Straczynski" on title credits mainly because that's the way it looks best, frankly. Lets you sneak up on the whole name in progressively larger bites. Joe Michael Straczynski looks kinda dumb to me, also too long; Joe Straczynski is too short, and unbalanced in terms of layout (he said quickly). My friends call me Joe. My crew calls me Joe. One person on the crew kept calling me Mr. Straczynski, which you should try saying out loud sometime. Even *I* can't do it. It was so painful to listen to that after a while I kept calling back "Joe" at him until he got the message. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 584 Mon Dec 20, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:01 EST Starting Thursday, we're on Christmas break (well, for everybody else maybe; I've got to finish "The Ressurectionist" and then start on my next script, taking advantage of the quiet time to plow through some work). We're roughly two-thirds finished with production on the first season. One thing I can mention now, since it's nearly finished: see, I have this real problem with nepotism. Specifically...I hate it. As a result, I make people I know work twice as hard. The closer the tie, the more the person has to work to prove him or herself. Kathryn Drennan, my Spousal Overunit, is also a writer, and has written for many other shows, primarily in animation, but with some forays into other areas. (She was co-author on the Night Gallery series of articles I wrote for Twilight Zone Magazine, as one fr'instance, and was a producer with public televison for some time.) Anyway, she desperately wanted to write a B5 script. But because of my feelings about nepotism, I refused to give her an assignment. (I can be a REAL pain in the ass.) Something similar happened when I was working on The Real Ghostbusters; she loved the show, and wanted to write for it. I put her through the wringer: she had to submit written premises, just like any other freelance writer, which were then sent on to the producers for final approval. They did not know of any relation between her and me; they based their approval only on the merits of the story. Period. And she ended up writing two episodes: "Egon's Dragon" and "The Man Who Never Reached Home." (The former is considered a favorite by many viewers of the show.) Only long after we finished production did the exec producers on TRGBs learn that there was a relationship there; it was all based on the quality of the work. But in the case of B5, I *am* the exec producer, so it became more difficult. At first I said simply no. Finally, I set into place a number of conditions/provisions. NOT because she wouldn't do a great script, but only because I don't like the look of nepotism; I hate it, and I hate the way this town operates on the principles of nepotism. The conditions were that she had to write the script completely on spec, no assignment; not a spec outline, which is shorter, but a spec *script*. It would then have to pass muster in- house; if even one person thought it wasn't up to snuff, it got deep sixed. And revisions would not be handled by me, for the most part; she would have to work with Larry, who has a reputation (as Katherine Lawrence can attest) to not pulling his punches. No favoritism. Then the script would have to pass muster with Warners. IF, after all that, the script was approved, then it would be bought, and not a moment before. If anywhere along the line it didn't meet one of those criteria...then it would be a 50 page learning experience and nothing more. Well, I'm pleased to say that it *did* pass muster with everyone, and "By Any Means Necessary" is now over halfway through production, with a number of people -- including Michael O'Hare -- saying it's their favorite so far, mainly for very odd reasons. The premise is one that ST would never, EVER do, which is one thing I like about it; it also shows us more on the inner workings of B5, the blue-collar types who keep the whole place operational...and what happens when that falls apart. The B story gets into a confrontation between G'Kar and Londo when Londo interferes in an important Narn religious observation. We brought back John Snyder (Soul Hunter #2) minus prosthetics for one guest role, and Katy Boyer as our other guest star. They're both doing terrific jobs, and it's a very intense script in which we basically put Sinclair through the wringer for 48 hours and try and make him absolutely nuts. And succeed, for the most part. Anyway...there you have it. (Incidentally..."Mind War" has come out so well that it looks like we're going to move it up in the schedule a bit. It was orignally slated to run about episode 10 or so, but the studio is so hot on it that it'll probably run #6, right after "Parliament." And Walter has agreed to be the voice-over and on-camera narrator for the Behind the Scenes/Making of Babylon 5 documentary.) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 605 Tue Dec 21, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:35 EST Will try the black magnetite tapes. (Is that like red kryptonite?) I almost exclusively use TDK hi-fi or SVHS otherwise. Work on the documentary should be finished sometime early next week, and transmitted to the stations sometime thereafter, by about a week or so. Walter seems fine. Me...I'm glad it's the production break. I need to sleep in a bit, and catch up with some work, and find the floor of my home office again, which is currently covered by scripts, comics, and reams of paper. I've worked on shows before, but never in this major a capacity, running the damned thing, especially the way this has to be run...meaning you can't let any details slip past, no matter how small...and frankly, as Arnold said in T2, "I need a vacation." When we hit the Thanksgiving break, I crashed one night and didn't even see the next day, slept right through until that night. There's nothing that can really prepare you for a job like this. Re: moving "Mind War" up...no, doesn't affect continuity at all. If it did, it wouldn't have gotten moved. It's what's called in the biz a "moveable piece," able to go *almost* anywhere in the schedule, as long as it's after episode 3 and before episode 15, since stuff in the first few set it up, and 15 pays off part of it. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 613 Wed Dec 22, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:20 EST Apparently the Paramount shows now being made are at an equal running time with B5, I'm told. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 653 Fri Dec 24, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:08 EST (I have no idea what anyone is talking about anymore....) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 658 Fri Dec 24, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:45 EST "Babylon Squared" hasn't been filmed yet; it'll probably be in the last batch of five episodes filmed, and will likely air around #19 or so in the lineup. The script is in my head, but hasn't been written down yet. It'll probably be turned in in the next couple/three weeks. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 668 Sun Dec 26, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:18 EST No other episodes of B5 have been aired other than the pilot movie. No episodes were *finished* until roughly two months ago, or less. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 669 Sun Dec 26, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:18 EST For no discernible reason, except perhaps that I am a glutton for punishment, I have uploaded a file I don't think was previously in the B5 library: jms.gif. I stumbled across this on another system. Insofar as I can tell, it's a scan of the B&W photo that appears on the back cover of my second novel, "Othersyde." jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 672 Sun Dec 26, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:43 EST As I write this, we are now exactly one month, 30 days, from the launch of the series. In one month, you will know if I've been blowing smoke up your CRTs, or if we've been telling the truth. Starting in one month, as the ratings come in, we'll know if our experiment is a success, or if we've missed the target. There are moments when I'm utterly convinced that we've got a hit on our hands...and moments when I'm just as convinced that nobody is going to hear about us, or notice...and that the future of B5 will be consumed by a vast, cosmic yawn. Alternating moments of exhiliration and terror, confidence and doubt. I know that the series contains some of the best writing I've ever done; if in my entire life, I never do anything other than "Chrysalis," I will still be content, because that's the single best thing I've ever done, and it came out even better than I'd hoped, on every level. Maybe my best is good enough. Maybe it ain't. Fundamentally, despite all the planning, and production, and advertising, and good will...it's still a crap shoot. You never know what'll click. "Picket Fences" is arguably the best-written show on TV, but it's in a constant battle to survive. It's been a very, very long haul...from the 1986/87 writing of the script and bible, to the time of TWCBN, and from the pilot to the series. To some extent, it's become the focus for a lot of people's hopes and expectations of what *they* think the perfect SF series would be. And some of those people are bound to be disappointed, simply because no show can equal every single person's expectations and personal preferences. All we can do is tell a story, as best we can, and hope that others like that story as much as we do. It won't be the Babylon 5 that's in your head; it'll be the Babylon 5 that's in my head...and we'll have to see if that is sufficient to hold the interest of viewers. Sometimes I think it's too eccentric. Sometimes I think we haven't dared enough. Sometimes I think there's too much humor. Sometimes I think there isn't enough humor. And on and on and on.... In one month, the reality of what Babylon 5 is will begin to be seen across the country. And then we shall see what we shall see. I showed Harlan two episodes recently, "Sky" and "Parliament." He has always been our hardest critic to please. And he said that there wasn't a single false note in it anywhere. I've gotten similar reactions to episodes from D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold and Terry Dowling and others known in the SF community. Which gives me some measure of hope. Every once in a while, I allow myself the luxury of thinking we've really *got* something here. But in one month, I won't need to wonder, and *you* won't need to wonder anymore. It'll be right out there for all to see. Yikes.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 675 Sun Dec 26, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:58 EST Generally speaking, in television, you're lucky to get on screen about half of what you had in mind when you saw it in your head. So far, the average here is about 80%. In a very few cases, I don't think the finished episode delivers as well as it might on the script, but for the clear majority of them, the episodes come through. And in some cases, like "Sky" and "Parliament" and especially "Chrysalis," I got *over* 100% of what I had in mind...it came out even better than what I'd had in my head when I wrote it. It's a confluence of many factors...the guest star and how much he/she *gets* it, the EFX, the direction, and other things. But across the board, I'd have to say that I'm very satisfied. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 682 Mon Dec 27, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:20 EST I'm not sure, from my perspective, that there's any one definition of success that I'd use. There are several: 1) How much is the project in its final form what I conceived it to be? This is something that Harlan keeps hammering home at me, pointing to what happened to him on the Starlost by way of comparison...it was dreadful, and he had to take his name off it. It's the show I wanted to make, made the way I wanted to make it, so on that level, I'm content. 2) The ratings. Is what we conceived of interest to other people, or have we missed the mark? Television, like any other medium, is aimed at an audience. If the audience isn't there, then it comes down to "does the tree make a noise when it falls in an empty forest?" Whether it's good or bad becomes nominally irrlevant. And 3) Whether or not anyone talks about the show, or remembers the show, years down the road. Something can get a lot of attention, critical acclaim, ratings, be what the creators envisoned...and be gone in a year, the flavor of the month. If I had to pick one, it'd be #3. As an atheist, my sense is that one achieves immortality by the effect one has on others. If the show lives on beyond me, then I am satisfied. Twain observed: "If you want your work to live forever...and by forever I mean fifty years...it must neither overtly preach nor overtly teach...but it must *covertly* preach and *covertly* teach." jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 694 Wed Dec 29, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:06 EST Lemme finish the first season, then I'll know better where I stand on some of this stuff.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 708 Fri Dec 31, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:42 EST Which episode it would be depends on when it's done. Ah, me.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 1 Message 729 Sun Jan 02, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:40 EST I am an atheist, a total atheist, and am more than happy. What I write is what I write, what I am is what I is. Yes, much of my own background goes into what I write. In the case of religion, and spirituality...a writer's job is to be as honest as he can in telling a story. My canvas (for lack of a less grandiose term) is the human condition. And since the dawn of sentience, humanity has been trying to figure out its place in the universe. The religious impulse is as much a part of that process as anything else, and it must be treated with integrity and respect, as I would have my own views respected. I try not to exclude something just because I don't agree with it, because that corrupts the whole purpose of writing, which requires an honest look at the subject. And as a writer, there are parts of the religious impulse that I want to examine, and explore, and raise questions about, just as much as I'd like to explore the scientific aspects of living in space, and the more personal, emotional repercussions of this. It's all a part of trying to figure out who, and what, and *why* we are. jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ 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. 532 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 428 Fri Dec 10, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:58 EST It's a planetary security base. And your correspondent assumes no responsibility for ad copy.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 444 Sun Dec 19, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:14 EST I actually don't think much has changed; we've moved some of the chairs around, but the general thrust hasn't much changed, as I recall. But in any event, posts are always free to be reposted. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 447 Sun Dec 19, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:50 EST Yup. As I thought. It all still applies. Nothing in that has changed. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 451 Sun Dec 19, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:10 EST Much of the Lyta arc will now go to Talia, but there's now a different way of getting her into that arc. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 456 Tue Dec 21, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:51 EST Since Mike mentioned it...yes. "Babylon Squared" answers the B4 question...though posing new questions about *why*. Basically, every question we ask going into the first season we will answer, because I don't think it's right or fair or smart to keep people hanging around 3 years to get a simple answer to a simple question. Season 1 of B5 is what I generally call the "what" season...you find out WHAT the Psi Corps is, WHAT happened at the Battle of the Line, WHAT happened to Babylon 4, and so on...whereas Season 2 is the "why" season...WHY did that happen to Sinclair? And so on. New questions arise, and we proide new answers, generally within the course of the following season, but while at all times making sure that each episode stands alone, regardless of where and which season you enter the series as a viewer. (It's kinda like being one of those guys on the old Ed Sullivan show, spinning plates on top of long, thin rods...there's a LOT to keep in motion at all times.) I'd classify the pilot movie as "who." jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 466 Thu Dec 23, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:35 EST Season one will generally answer 90% of the questions raised in season one; season two will answer the remaining 10%, and answer 90% of the questions raised in season two...and so on. There will not be a sense of unfulfilled waiting. Also, by January I will personally fly under my own power from New York to Paris. I reallly, *really* need a vacation.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 471 Fri Dec 24, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:05 EST Well, this sucks...I finally get my break in schedule...and here I am with the flu or at least a whopper of a cold. Started in literally within hours of leaving the studio. I get a respite and I can't even enjoy it. Why does the universe hate me? jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 482 Fri Dec 24, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:40 EST "Chrysalis" is a JMS script, yes. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 487 Sat Dec 25, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:15 EST ....courtesy of NyQuil. The colors, man, check out the *colllllllllllllooooorrrrrsssss*****... ("May induce drowsiness" my ass...you're lucky if you make it across the room with this stuff....) jm ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 497 Sun Dec 26, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:49 EST And makes one wonder if her house would be considered an auditorium. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 502 Mon Dec 27, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:08 EST I hate to burst any bubbles, but I can go just about anywhere in the U.S. and find that nobody knows the name Straczynski, and the only time I've caused a mob scene at a K-mart was in a tussle over the last Captain Power figures...or was that when I wandered into the lingerie section and...well, never mind. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 510 Tue Dec 28, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:47 EST Fenn....send me the name of the contact person re: the t-shirt. I gonna have to make me a little phone call.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 514 Wed Dec 29, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:17 EST The creation shirts have a black 5, not a silver 5. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 517 Thu Dec 30, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:27 EST Don't know really how much more there is to say; it's getting to that time when all the worthwhile talking will be done by the series itself. There will definitely be a two-parter this season; PTEN is so much in love with what they're seeing that they've allocated a bit more on budget to let us really go to town on a 2-part episode. I'll be either writing both parts, or sharing the task with Larry DiTillio, depending on when he gets free with his next script. There are now about five scripts remaining to be written, including "Babylon Squared," which will probably be finished sometime next week. We begin shooting D.C. Fontana's second script for us, "Legacies," starting next Monday, then two JMS scripts, the first of which is "Raiding Party," which will probably tie up Ron's computers for *ages*. I finished another script the other day, which I think came out fairly well. So far, this season you'll learn a lot about all the cultures of our ambassadors, especially the Big Four; you'll see the League of Non-Aligned Worlds in action; you'll learn a LOT about the Psi Corps, Earth government and economics, the inner workings of Babylon 5, the history of the Babylon project, Sinclair's background (also a lot about Ivanova's and Garibaldi's past)...you'll see a darker side of Londo, a lighter side of G'Kar, a more ambiguous side of Delenn, some very weird sides of Kosh...and you'll come away with a real sense of B5 as a *place*, a habitat, where things are, what they do, how it works. There will be an awful lot of action, and an even greater amount of humor...there are parts of the show that, even having seen them 16 times, are still fall-down funny. Other than that...not much to say. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 519 Thu Dec 30, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:23 EST English transplanted to America. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 527 Sat Jan 01, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:44 EST Kathryn's last name is Drennan. Her full credit is Kathryn M. Drennan. Not Straczynski. Probably displaying considerable wisdom on her part. Ten thousand letters, no vowels. Absent a collaboration on a series of articles for TZ Magazine a few years ago (a guide to the Night Gallery series), we don't collaborate. Ever. I also don't collaborate with Larry D., or any other of my writer friends. As I learned before, particularly on the one occasion when Larry and I tried it -- we co-wrote a pilot and bible for CBS based on the "Elfquest" books -- all parties concerned will live a LOT longer by keeping a respectable distance. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 531 Sun Jan 02, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:41 EST No. Had a couple days clear of the bug, and today hit a relapse. Sigh. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 2 Message 532 Sun Jan 02, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:14 EST By the way, if anyone's curious, here's how I'd rank the first six episodes in terms of my own personal preference, from 1-6: "The Parliament of Dreams," "Mind War," "Soul Hunter," "Born to the Purple," "Midnight on the Firing Line," and "Infection." We'll see how close this coincides with your own reactions. jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ 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. 236 message(s) total. ************ ------------ 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 ------------ Category 18, Topic 3 Message 234 Sun Jan 02, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:41 EST We did it already. Plus using composites for other shots. jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ 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. 484 message(s) total. ************ ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ 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 ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 429 Tue Dec 21, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:52 EST I had to sit and think about this for a while...oddly enough, I think we haven't had to do either yet. I think we've generally used the person's title ("Yes, Commander") consistently throughout. Now I'll have to think about this some more and decide.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 434 Wed Dec 22, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:01 EST Not only do I envision it, but we've already shot it.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 445 Fri Dec 24, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:06 EST She's a medical doctor, running one of the many medlabs on B5. (Dr. Franklin, as chief of staff, runs the primary medlab, supervising other doctors on-station.) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 451 Fri Dec 24, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:41 EST As Walter says in "Mind War," about rogue telepaths, "Only Psi Cops are qualified to bring them down, so we're afforded greater...latitude." (That's a paraphrase from memory.) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 466 Mon Dec 27, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:07 EST A "coyboy?" Methinks you've confused this with "Midnight Cowboy." jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 4 Message 470 Mon Dec 27, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:12 EST Mike: we're not going to see a lot of Sinclair in the past, only what is necessary to understand the present...and there are going to be transformations, but I prefer to see my transformations take place in the present, pointing toward the future, than in flashback. The difference, I suppose, is that in many shows, characters arrive at Point X in a series at the very beginning, and stay there for the duration, and we are sometimes shown what made them that way. In B5, what I'm trying for is to take a certain set of characters, and move them all toward substantive changes in their lives, their characters, their beliefs and their allegiances. Just about everyone on B5 is running to, or away from something. I don't want that simply as backdrop, I want that something to *catch up with them*. That, to me, is where the fun starts. jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ Topic 6 Tue Nov 03, 1992 T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] at 06:43 EST Sub: Where is Babylon 5? TV stations... Babylon 5 is a cornerstone of Warner's new Prime Time Entertainment Network. Here is where one can find and post station information. 406 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 6 Message 359 Wed Dec 08, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:16 EST We're the lead-in for TNG? So, like, if we do well, we end up helping TNG...and if we don't, we drag TNG down with us.... It's a funny old world. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 6 Message 402 Thu Dec 30, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:42 EST The current "Making Of" won't be finished for about a week yet, so maybe they saw some quick snippets uplinked to the stations; the half-hour version is now being finished. (Walter did the on-camera and VO stuff today, in fact.) jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ Topic 8 Mon Jun 14, 1993 C.STOBBE [Colin] at 19:16 EDT Sub: First Amalgamated Church of Joe A place where we can gather to worship Joe, the creator, praise his creations, and buy t-shirts from me! :) 69 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 8 Message 60 Thu Dec 30, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:39 EST No, no, dignity and restraint, please...I think simple levitation on the part of the acolytes should be more than sufficient.... jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ Topic 9 Wed Nov 11, 1992 T.RESTIVO [Little Guy] at 18:27 EST Sub: Babylon 5 Humor From *Beep Beep*, to Top Ten Lists, to full-blown parodies, this is where to put your funny bone in writing! 510 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 9 Message 454 Sun Dec 12, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:23 EST You misspelled "pre-requisite." mjs ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ Topic 10 Thu Nov 12, 1992 SANDMAN [Henry] at 19:25 EST Sub: Sex in Babylon 5 Can't do without this one!! 238 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 10 Message 210 Sat Dec 25, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:41 EST I can imagine it because we did it....that was one of the sections filmed for the pilot that ended up on the cutting room floor.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 10 Message 214 Sun Dec 26, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:26 EST Nope. Not a hallucination. We filmed it. (In the montage in the pilot, there's a shot of a woman in the casino who sort of shimmies in a very sexual fashion...that's the one.) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 10 Message 217 Sun Dec 26, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:01 EST It was...and it is. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 10 Message 227 Wed Dec 29, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:19 EST He's not paying her to eat him...when he finds out what she is, he backpedals fast..and that's when she tries to induce *him*. Or that was the theory, anyway. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 10 Message 231 Wed Dec 29, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:54 EST Yup. More on this in "Mind War." jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 10 Message 234 Thu Dec 30, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:35 EST She was operating off the assumption that people did NOT know what she was...Sinclair tells her to 'stick to the list,' meaning only her own species. jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ Topic 11 Sat Nov 14, 1992 J.SHEEN1 [Leviathan] at 18:09 EST Sub: B5 Adrift! BABYLON 5 Topic Drift If you feel like talking about it, but it doesn't fit anywhere else... If its only connection to B-5 is that you thought of it in this CAT... This is where to come and get it out. 526 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 456 Sun Dec 12, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:22 EST It's possible that I may also be at Icon. Not confirmed yet, but looks good at this time. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 500 Sun Dec 26, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST Cool.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 512 Fri Dec 31, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:49 EST No, the closest parallel to the Centauri would, I suppose, be ancient Rome. I tend not to go that much to contemporary sources for metaphor, since it's too obvious and over-done. Much of what's in B5 is drawn from much older sources. The only exception, the only means of creating a metaphor for the present, is one that will take some time before it's even perceptible, though by the end of the season, you'll see what it is pretty clearly. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 519 Fri Dec 31, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:49 EST Consumer Reports looks at the baseline requirements for most people, and the majority of videotape users aren't videophiles, they're folks who maybe reecord a show off the air for later viewing, record somebody's wedding, that sort of thing. Things like signal to noise ratio and video dropouts really don't mean much. The degree of difference increases the higher you go into video equipment. A small 21" old color TV won't show much difference between tapes. A 32" fairly new Sony Trinitron will. Similarly, if you're piping your audio through the TV speaker, you won't notice much difference. If you're sending it through a surround system, you will. For the majority of the population, and the majority of available equipment, yes, there's not much point in distinguishing between them. If you want the real skinny on videotapes, go to such consumer oriented publications as Video Review or Video Magazine, which do very comprehensive tests on videotapes. You'll find out more than you could possibly want to know. Generally, TDK comes out at or near the top every year. Same for Maxell in general. Which is why I use TDK almost exclusively, and have never had a problem. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 11 Message 523 Sat Jan 01, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:45 EST Hey, you brought it up. We just took a picture of it. jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ 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. 577 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 450 Fri Dec 03, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:00 EST It's worth pointing out that in the 20+ years that CFQ has been around, they've never done a cover story about any TV series other than Trek...and B5. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 469 Tue Dec 07, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:50 EST I can't imagine there'd be any problems with scanning the poster. And a certain executive producer wouldn't mind getting hold of one of those posters his own self.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 475 Wed Dec 08, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:18 EST Look for a long piece about SF oriented shows in the current November issue of Film and Video, out now, and another piece in Connotations, put out by the Arizona SF folks, also out now. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 478 Wed Dec 08, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:58 EST I think the material will be repeated, but I'm not 100% sure. I know there will be two 30 second spots, two 15 second spots, and three 10 second spots, so I doubt they'd need 45 minutes total to do all of that. But don't take my word for it. BTW, the interactive B5 computer program should be available online by around January 10th. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 481 Thu Dec 09, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:22 EST The uplinked promos today (and yes, they are the same on all three days, I've learned) are fairly generic in nature, about the series overall. There are bits and pieces from "Purple," "Infection," "Soul" and "Midnight." jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 485 Sat Dec 11, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:26 EST JPEG and GIF for most flexibility, I suppose; and if you put the (c) PTEN info in the description when you upload, that should be fine. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 508 Tue Dec 14, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:38 EST The February Cinefantastique has a two-page story on B5, just sort of a quickie intro to the series. Has an interesting photo of n'grath, and a blurry photo of me (mainly because I'm generally blurry). jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 518 Fri Dec 17, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:53 EST Films are difficult because the level of resolution required to make an image that'll stand up to scrutiny on the big screen is still a major pain in the butt. But that'll change in time. Here's a Joe Predicts for you: by this time next year, ST will have gone either completely to CGI, or 95% to CGI. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 523 Sat Dec 18, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:45 EST The ship *might* be the Asimov; I've never seen the tape, do can't (er, so can't) be certain. The tumbling ship is probably the Soul Hunter craft. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 554 Sat Dec 25, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:18 EST It speaks in cicada-like chirps and whistles, which are translated by the translation device on its chest (the lighted thingie). jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 565 Fri Dec 31, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:51 EST And our information is that they *have* avoided it.... (imagine a smile as big as all outdoors....) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 12 Message 571 Sat Jan 01, 1994 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:48 EST BTW, in Larry DiTillio's latest edition of the "Scripts" column, in Writer's Digest Magazine, there's a fairly lengthy section on B5. For those interested in hearing some stuff from another viewpoint than mine. Also look for some syndicated articles to appear in newspapers over the next week, including the Tribune News Service, and the Teledata News service, which between them cover something like 2,500 newspapers and magazine. Also the Boston Globe will have a piece on B5, as will Entertainment Weekly. jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ 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. 560 message(s) total. ************ ------------ 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 ------------ Category 18, Topic 13 Message 526 Sun Dec 12, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:35 EST Actually, it knocked the hamster out of its wheel, and then the whole thing just went to hell.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 13 Message 536 Sun Dec 19, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:57 EST I think you're seeing a glitch, actually.... jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 13 Message 540 Tue Dec 21, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:55 EST What an astonishingly good question....oh, Ronnnnnnn..... jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ Topic 15 Thu Dec 31, 1992 J.ROY18 [Jonathan] at 21:29 EST Sub: Babylon 5 - Alien Races Aliens races in Babylon 5... their politics, abilties, technology, history, and any other discussion specificly about non-humans. 412 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 15 Message 401 Sat Dec 25, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:19 EST Centauri males wear their hair in this fashion, the length of which is determined by the person's status. Centauri women scorn such symbols of status and go bald except for a knot of hair from the back. (Sort of a peacock approach.) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 15 Message 403 Sat Dec 25, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:43 EST Londo's people go for jewelry and ornamentation such as medals and sunbursts and the like; Minbari don't do a lot of ornamentation, going instead for fabrics, textures and colors. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 15 Message 405 Sun Dec 26, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:28 EST Yeah, fairly much, as far as it goes. There's some Jananese influence, as well as some early European influences, as well as middle Eastern influences. (There are three Minbari castes: the worker, warrior and religious castes.) jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ Topic 17 Tue Jan 19, 1993 C.STOBBE [Colin] at 21:02 EST Sub: Babylon 5 - Merchandising A place to discuss all the neat Babylon 5 merchandising coming out (hopefully) soon 410 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 17 Message 398 Fri Dec 10, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:05 EST Is it the color logo on the shirt, or the black-and-white logo? jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ Topic 22 Fri Feb 12, 1993 R.FURR [Rob Furr] at 00:19 EST Sub: Governments and Trade in B5 Most SF shows simply posit a government of sorts, and blithely ignore it ever afterwards. You might see a freighter (with a big "shoot me!" sign on it) but no other mention of trade. How about B5? 160 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 18, Topic 22 Message 145 Thu Dec 09, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:19 EST As soon as the ship comes through, its signature is registered and the fees debited against their account, if they have one at the station. If not, the incoming person is asked for payment before being allowed onto the station. In some cases, as with transports, corporations buy jump gate access in bulk, and then assign the routes to their various transports. (Believe it or not, this actually comes up in dialogue in "Midnight.") jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 22 Message 147 Thu Dec 09, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:33 EST Ah, but remember, the government is the one who put the jump gate in; no one individual or corp could afford to do that. When your ship, if Earth registered, comes through, you're automatically billed, just like income tax...it goes against your credit. If you're not Earth registered, you pay when you arrive at an Earth port or orbital transfer station. Either way, you pay. If you try to land somewhere without proper authorization, you'll be arrested and your ship confiscated. Now, you could probably come through the gate, hang in space for a while, and go back in again (IF you're a non-Earth registered ship) and not pay anything...but in that case, what's the point? It'd be like taking a difficult trip in a small ship across the Atlantic, and not getting out or going ashore once you arrive. jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ 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. 358 message(s) total. ************ ------------ 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 ------------ Category 18, Topic 24 Message 338 Sat Dec 18, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:48 EST For those who might be interested, we've come up with some name for the various clans of the Minbari warrior caste. The primary five are the Star Riders (the oldest), the Moon Shields, the Wind Swords, the Night Walkers and the Fire Wings. (The first three refer to the early Minbari version of a mounted force, for which you need riders with shields and swords, with #4 referring to foot soldiers, and the last to those whose clan first used flying machines in battle.) (Oh, and Star Riders refers to those mounted soldiers who were trained to use the stars for navigation. Behind them came the foot soldiers, who were expert at traveling by night.) jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 24 Message 347 Thu Dec 23, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:47 EST In "Infection," Garibaldi tells one person, who's been looking for Sinclair (and whom Sinclair is ducking) that "the commander'll take any opportunity to take out a fighter; he's like that." Sinclair is first and foremost a *pilot*, this is what he loves. And thus he does it wherever he can (also to continue his flight pay, he like any other officer needs to log in X-hours of flight time per month). In "Soul," there's only room for one ship to go out and link up with another ship that's out of control, it's not a combat situation, so it makes sense for Sinclair, since he has the most combat/flying time on the station, to go out after it. It's also a potential first-contact situation, which doubles the importance of a command officer. I "Midnight" he goes out because there's something that he knows that others wouldn't know to react to. But at the same time, in "Midnight," when the first distress calls come in, it's Garibaldi who takes out a ship; in "Believers" it's Ivanova. In the combat-heavy "Raiding Party," it's Garibaldi and Ivanova in ships, while Sinclair stays behind in C&C. In "Believers," Ivanova states that regulations require the presence of a command officer in long-range flights that may involve combat. jms ------------ Category 18, Topic 24 Message 349 Fri Dec 24, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:09 EST Yes, there are instances where other EA officers come aboard with equivilent or close ranks to our characters. In one particular episode it makes for some considerable conflict.... jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? ************ 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! 175 message(s) total. ************ ------------ 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 ------------ Category 18, Topic 26 Message 150 Sun Dec 05, 1993 STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:36 EST Yes, Clive was in "Purple," not "Prayer." jms ------------ REPly to topic, QUIt reading STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior PERmanently ignore this topic MARk or UNMark this topic or to continue ? 1. CATegories 10. INDex of topics 2. NEW messages 11. SEArch topics 3. SET category 12. DELete message 4. DEScribe CAT 13. IGNore category 5. TOPic list 14. PROmpt setting 6. BROwse new msgs 15. SCRoll setting 7. REAd messages 16. NAMe used in BB 8. REPly to topic 17. EXIt the BB 9. STArt a topic 18. HELp on commands Enter #, or p 18 ?