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								OnlineHost      Welcome, everyone! Tonight, OMNI Online is pleased

								                to present Bruce Boxleitner and J. Michael

								                Straczynski of the syndicated TV series "Babylon

								                5."

								OnlineHost      Bruce Boxleitner stars as Captain John Sheridan,

								                commander of space station Babylon 5. Bruce is

								                probably best known to television audiences for his

								                starring role in the popular series "Scarecrow and

								                Mrs. King." He also starred in several mini-series,

								                including "Till We Meet Again" and four of the

								                five "Gamblers." Among his numerous telefilm

								                credits are "Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone,"

								                "Gunsmoke V: One Man's Justice," and "East of

								                Eden." He has also appeared in the feature films

								                THE BABE and KUFFS.

								OnlineHost      J. Michael Straczynski is executive producer and

								                creator of "Babylon 5." He has a long relationship

								                with science fiction and related genres. He was the

								                story editor and primary writer for the syndicated

								                "Twilight Zone" series, and his adaptation of "The

								                Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" for

								                Showtime earned him both ACE and Writer's Guild

								                Award nominations. He has also written short

								                stories, an anthology, and two dark fantasy/horror

								                novels. Welcome, gentlemen!

								ErinM

								    It's nice to have you with us tonight!


								Jms at B5

								    Glad to be here.


								BB at B5

								    It's great to be here.


								Jms at B5

								    Glad to be anywhere.  Just glad.


								ErinM

								    Glad to hear it. We've got plenty of questions, so we'll plunge

								    right in.


								Question

								    Thank you for the rotation of the stars as viewed from the end of

								    the rotating station.  How were the technical difficulties you

								    mentioned on the USENET newsgroup overcome?


								Jms at B5

								    We yanked out the actual window on the observation dome....  and

								    did the whole thing as a CGI composite, using CGI to create the

								    bars of the....  window.  A real pain, but the effect is cool.  ga


								Question

								    For Bruce: With the legacy of "Star Trek," do you find that fans

								    compare you to any of those characters?


								BB at B5

								    I don't really think so.


								Question

								    First, congratulations to Bruce on his recent marriage.  I hope

								    Melissa and you have many happy years together. Now to Joe. Having

								    attended a number of SF cons I noted the growing popularity of B5.

								    How about the mainstream audience?  Magazines?


								Jms at B5

								    We do seem to be crossing over quite a bit; I hear via email and in

								    letters from folks....  who've never watched SF before that they're

								    getting into our show, so I think we're....  definitely getting

								    crossover folks.  ga


								Question

								    Will this years episodes resolve or will this be a carry over in to

								    next year.  they are progressing at an exciting level each week.


								Jms at B5

								    A lot will be resolved this year, but as this is a novel, you can't

								    resolve too much at...  this early a stage; you're only a couple of

								    chapters into the book.  ga


								Question

								    Has the show been officially picked up for another season?


								Jms at B5

								    We'll know come April/May.  ga


								Question

								    Hey Bruce, great show, I was just wondering, is it hard for you to

								    remember the script, because of all the alien names and technical

								    jargon?


								BB at B5

								    In the beginning it was a challenge...  But, I'm much more

								    comfortable with the world of B5 now. ga


								Question

								    JMS:  Is it true that B5 already has an ending written?  I


								Jms at B5

								    It's absolutely correct; this was written and constructed as a

								    novel, with a beginning,...  middle and end.  When it's over, it's

								    over.  I grew up on the classics of SF literature...  FOUNDATION,

								    CHILDHOOD'S END, DUNE, LORD OF THE RINGS....  and wanted to know,

								    why hasn't anyone done this for TV?  So I figured I woud.  ga


								Question

								    JMS - how long has each of the races has jump gate technology?


								Jms at B5

								    Varying lengths depending on the species.  ga


								Question

								    When will we see the first line of Babylon 5 toys and computer

								    games?


								Jms at B5

								    Some is out this month, from Micromachines...  small B5 micro

								    machines, some shirts, a screen saver, that sort of thing.  The

								    soundtrack from Christopher Franke is out this month.  It's nifty.

								    ga


								Question

								    Do you think our society, right now, either needs a place like B5

								    or has a place like B5?


								Jms at B5

								    Newark?


								BB at B5

								    I think it's man's desting to leave the planet and...  a station

								    like B5 would be necessary to establish...  our foothold in the

								    stars. ga


								Jms at B5

								    We have to leave here; the planet will eventually fill up...  or

								    die when the sun dies, so we have to leave the cradle and go next

								    door.  ga


								Question

								    Give us some tid-bit on the future of the show?


								Jms at B5

								    That would be telling.  Okay...things get worse.  Then they get

								    better.  Then they get worse again...  then lots of stuff blows

								    up...people die...others are born...more stuff blows up...  and

								    then it ends.  ga


								Question

								    How has Bruce seen his character developing so far, and what is the

								    prognosis?


								BB at B5

								    I've gone from being a reactor to an inniator...  And have started

								    to experience a spirtaul awakening. ga


								Jms at B5

								    We're happy he's been able to save my crappy scripts.


								Question

								    When will we get to see how the President was assasinated and by

								    whom?


								Jms at B5

								    You already have. ga


								Question

								    How many episodes are left for this year?


								Jms at B5

								    Nine more to air, 4 more to shoot. ga


								Question

								    JMS how did you decide onthe design of the station?


								Jms at B5

								    I told Ron that I wanted it to be able to produce gravity the old

								    fashioned way...  via rotation, have different levels, all

								    that...he and Steve (T2) Burg came up with the...  preliminary

								    design, as did Peter Ledger, and it looked cool, my first

								    requirement.  ga


								Question

								    will there be any love interests for sheridan??


								Jms at B5

								    god i hope not.  ga


								BB at B5

								    Hopefully a nice labrador retreiver. ga


								Jms at B5

								    JUST KIDDING


								Jms at B5

								    So you dumped the german shepherd?  ga


								Question

								    Will we be seeing any Vorlons outside they're "Encounter Suits"

								    this season?


								Jms at B5       Yup.  ga


								Question

								    Will Michael O'hare ever figure prominently in the show again?


								BB at B5

								    Come on no gossip on the board.:)


								Jms at B5

								    We'll see him again, but not in the same capactity, or the same

								    extent.  ga


								Question

								    Several times we've heard reference to 3 Minbari castes, yet in

								    "Grail," Lennier says there are two.  Was this a clue or an

								    oversight?


								Jms at B5

								    He was being snobbish and forgot the 3rd caste.  fa


								Question

								    Is B5 doing well in the ratings and if so, do you still see the

								    series going all five years?


								Jms at B5

								    (Can't be writer error) Ratings are good, and we are cautiously

								    optimistic.  ga


								Question

								    Will there be more Peter David episodes?  I really liked the last

								    one.


								Jms at B5

								    One more this season, "And There all the Honor Lies"...it's about

								    Judge Ito.  ga


								Question

								    Are the books and comics considered canon?


								Jms at B5

								    Mostly, yes; though the details will get fuzzy, of necessity, with

								    divers hands.  ga


								Question

								    Are you bringing back Chekov in the finale?


								ErinM

								    Chekov = Walter Koenig :)


								Jms at B5

								    we'll see...nothing's set.  I know Bruce enjoyed working with

								    Walter, yes, Bruce?  ga


								BB at B5

								    It's an honor to work with an icon of scifi tv. ga


								Question

								    How did the departure of the previous commander alter your

								    intentions for the series?


								BB at B5

								    $Very funny we'll come down an unplug your computer.


								Jms at B5

								    Not at all; with the original commander, we could do a, b and c;

								    now we can do...  a, b, c and D, and D is *very* cool; also

								    remember that his connection was mainly...  to the Minbari; I

								    needed someone with a connection to the shadows, and making...

								    Sinclair that person would be too much to believe, with all the

								    rest.  ga


								Question

								    For Bruce, Do you have any desire to go up in the Space Shuttle or

								    otherwise leave the Earth?


								BB at B5

								    Definitely, whose got a ticket.


								Jms at B5

								    I think there's a ga there.  Hell, Erin, I get scared crossing the

								    street.  ga


								Question

								    To BB...TRON was a technically innovative film for its time 15

								    years ago.  How did you feel about doing that film?


								BB at B5

								    Very excited. Though unsure of what the final film would look

								    like...  and very surprised that it's still popular today. ga


								Question

								    What romantic possibilities do you have in store for Delenn?


								Jms at B5

								    Just one.  ga


								ErinM

								    No hints, Joe?


								Jms at B5

								    What?  Did I say something?


								ErinM

								    About the one romance?


								Jms at B5

								    What?


								ErinM

								    OK, I guess no hints about the romance. :)


								Question

								    Do the actors have much imput  to plot or dialog?


								BB at B5

								    Not really.  If there's a question about dialogue or character, Joe

								    is always receptive. ga.


								Jms at B5

								    Good answer.  You'll actually get paid this week.  ga


								Question

								    JMS, are you ever worried about looking too much like all the other

								    Sf shows?


								Jms at B5

								    What other SF shows?  There are other SF shows?  Not really....  we

								    have a unique look, and feel, and our story is unlike anything else

								    on the air...  I don't think you can live your life or make your

								    show by worrying about the other guy...  follow the quiet turning

								    of your own considered conscience.    ga


								Question

								    I love Girabaldi-is he patterned after anyone/character?


								Jms at B5

								    There's a lot of me in Garibaldi; I never have known when to shut

								    the hell up.  ga


								Question

								    Bruce, congratulations on your marriage.  I would like to  know if

								    you and Melissa are planning to make another movie together?


								BB at B5

								    Yes.  This summer we will be in a miniseries for NBC that will be

								    shot in Europe. ga


								Question

								    Star Trek has had 3 spin-offs And seven movies, Will we be seeing

								    more B5 related series or maybe even a movie?


								Jms at B5

								    While there's always been one possible offshoot of the B5 series, I

								    really don't...  want to create *A FRANCHISE* (tm)...I want to tell

								    THIS story, about THESE people...  and once finished, get off the

								    stage.  ga


								Question

								    JMS:  You have said that the characters reflect some aspects of

								    your personality.  Have you ever made a deal as bad as Londo's?


								Jms at B5

								    Ask Bruce's agent.  JUST KIDDING.  My family history is notorious

								    for bad deals.  Me, I keep it in the mattress.  ga


								BB at B5

								    Just wait til next year, Joe.  Motorhomes and hot and cold running

								    blondes.


								Jms at B5

								    Your point being...?


								BB at B5

								    Deals, we're talking deals..not telepaths. ga


								Jms at B5

								    (dial tone)  Oh, hi, is Melissa there?  Never mess with a writer in

								    a written forum, actor-boy!  DOES ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION TO SAVE US

								    FROM OURSELVES?


								ErinM   We've got one right here:


								Question

								    JMS - how hard was it to pitch the show with ST:DS9 already being

								    made/shown?


								Jms at B5

								    We didn't.  B5 was created 1986/87, and was being pitched years

								    before there was DS9.  We even pitched it to Paramount in 1989.

								    There has never been an overlap.  ga


								Question

								    Jm, how do you feel about being compared to George Lucas as regards

								    to your depth of story line and the vision you have of B5?  Jms at

								B5

								    I think I'm slightly taller, but he has a GREAT beard.  Hey, it's a

								    great compliment, and if I can create something that will endure as

								    has...  his work, that's terrific, but for me to consider it now

								    would be delusions of adequacy. g


								Question

								    To Bruce: How would you compare working on B5 to scarecrow or

								    Bring'em back alive?


								Jms at B5

								    but for me to consider it now...delusions of adequacy.


								Jms at B5

								    echo   echo


								BB at B5

								    Each series has its own unique distinctions...  Babylon 5 is

								    different experience, but it has some of the same...  elements as

								    the others, action, adventure, and intriquatly woven plots and

								    depth of character. ga


								Question

								    Why not have a lighter theme on the show from time to time, as in

								    "The Trouble With Tribbles"?  It seems so heavy at times.


								Jms at B5

								    We have always alternated a bit; SOUL MATES was a light ep; so

								    was...  GEOMETRY...I just don't want to get too camp or funny.  ga


								Question

								    To JMS: What are the chances of seeing episodes from the first

								    season showing up in reruns sometime soon?  Jms at B5

								    I haven't a clue; probably after this season has run ful length.

								    ga


								Question

								    Bruce, did you train as an actor and if so,, where?


								BB at B5

								    At the Goodman Theatre in Chicago for three years...  then with one

								    of the top acting coaches here in Hollywood. ga


								Question

								    you have both had experience with SF before... are you guys into SF

								    outside of your work on B5, or is it just what you do best?


								Jms at B5

								    Bruce, you're from Chicago, yes?


								BB at B5

								    Yes, northwest of the city.


								Jms at B5

								    I've always been an SF reader, plus horror, dark fantasy, you name

								    it; I think...  it's vitally important, if you're going to do an SF

								    show, that you hire somebody who...  KNOWS SF.  This generally

								    isn't done.  I grew up on Matheson, Bradbury, Ellison...

								    Lovecraft, Bloch, Clarke, Asimov, Serling...name it.  I love it.

								    ga


								BB at B5

								    Yes.  I'm reading the works of Arthur C. Clark right now.  $ga


								Question

								    For Joe: I was in England in Feb, and noticed there were a number

								    of B5 conventions scheduled, as opposed to few here. Any comment on

								    B5's popularity there vs. here?


								Jms at B5

								    I've found that B5 found an immediate home in the UK because some

								    of what we're...  doing here has already been done there, in such

								    continuing shows as THE PRISONER...  and our approach is somewhat

								    British in nature; I"m VERY pleased by the...  reception the show

								    has found over there.  But what can one expect from a country...

								    where they actually eat something called Bubble and Squeak?  ga


								Question

								    JMS: when did Minbari stride into your mind? How long have you

								    known  your  various aliens?


								Jms at B5

								    1986/87.  They've always been there in the story.  Minbar I named

								    after...  the pulpit in a mosque.  Delenn comes from delen, Middle

								    English for divided.  ga


								Question

								    I've heard that some people are having a hard time locating the

								    show, that it's been pulled on some stations.  Are there any plans

								    or rumors of being picked up by network, maybe Warner Bros?


								Jms at B5

								    Nothing has been discussed there; we'll see, but they're

								    competitive, so I wouldn't...  count on it.  ga


								Question

								    with the sudden rush of SF projects now, is there a possibility of

								    bad SF like the sitcom deluge of the 70's or is it too expensive to

								    make bad SF?


								Jms at B5

								    Bad SF/good SF cost the same.  It's the people who make the

								    difference, and the...  stories.  I think we may see a bit more,

								    but not a lot.  ga


								Question

								    Jms, what can you tell us about the "GrimJack" project?


								Jms at B5

								    Not much at this time; I'll be doing the script after we finish

								    this season's B5.  ga


								Question

								    Bruce:  Have you had many scenes in which you had to interact with

								    CGI sets or characters, and if so, do you find it challenging?


								BB at B5

								    Yes, yes, yes, yes. ga


								Question

								    To Bruce... Would you if the show has the longevity as  Star Trek

								    mind the kind of fan attention and following such as Patrick

								    Stewart BB at B5

								    Not at all, it would be quite flattering. ga


								Question

								    When writing novels many writers say the characters take over the

								    plot - has this happened in B5 yet?


								Jms at B5

								    To some extent, yes...  when you only have the characters in your

								    head, they sound like who you've made;...  after a while, actors

								    get into the picture, and then the characters start to sound

								    like...  the actors, and the actors sound like the characters...and

								    elements of personality...  begin to infuse your brain, and

								    somewhere along the line you're writing a script,...  minding your

								    own business, when a characters says, HEY!  I AIN'T DOING IT!  And

								    then you see someone for serious therapy....  But it's a sign that

								    the characters are alive, and feisty, and fun, and they can...

								    surprise you; and if they can surprise ME, they'll surprise YOU.

								    ga


								Question

								    It was interesting that the Narn were cast this season as

								    sympathetic characters, when in the previous season we were primed

								    to prefer the Centauri.  Who's idea was this? I like this plot arc

								    a lot.


								Jms at B5

								    Divine revelation....  I was walking down the street and a bag

								    person said, "Hey, change your characters..  all around."  That was

								    always the intent when I created the show; come up with...  what

								    appears to be the standard SF line: bad guy, good guy, ally...and

								    then start..  moving the chairs around.  ga


								BB at B5

								    Nothing is what it seems on B5.


								Question

								    who could we contact to make sure B5 is renewed???  Jms at B5

								    Your local station.  Write 'em.  ga


								Question

								    do you have any plans to continue the story when the first 5 yrs

								    gave been completed? I hope so!!!


								Jms at B5

								    Bruce: what do you like most/least about your role?


								BB at B5

								    Most - my nifty uniform and starfury...  Least, the food in the

								    Zocalo restaurants. ga


								Jms at B5

								    And when did you first fall in love with my writing?  never mind.


								BB at B5

								    Before the wardrobe fitting....oh, great writer-boy. ga


								Jms at B5

								    (Memo: tighter pants for captain.)  ga Er...not really; nothing

								    firm (re: the story continuing)...one crisis at a time.  (Was

								    having too much fun and missed the question) ga


								ErinM

								    Folks, it seems like Joe and Bruce are having way too much fun back

								    in the B5 offices...  right now. :)


								Jms at B5

								    (checking contract to see if the term writer-boy is present)


								ErinM

								    Back to the questions...


								Question

								    Considering the high skills of the design department for creating

								    (and making reality) new alien species, can we expect any

								    mechanical type characters in the future?


								Jms at B5

								    Nothing planned at the moment, no.  ga


								Question

								    How did you get Harlan Ellison on as a consultant to the show?


								Jms at B5

								    I asked him.  ga (He's a buddy.)


								Question What is the Minbari chain of command ?Satai on down


								Jms at B5 That's classified.  I could tell you, but then I'd have to

								kill you.  ga


								Question

								    Congratulations on yesterday's (today's) #1 rating.  We fans are

								    busting our tails trying to recruit new vewers.  How does this

								    feather affect the syndication advertising and visibility?


								Jms at B5

								    Every little bit helps; and we're very pleased and gratified.  ga


								BB at B5

								    We need the support of all our viewers. ga


								Question

								    When does the big war really break out?  All this build up is

								    making me bite my nails.  Jms at B5

								    Later this sesaon, and bigtime next season.  ga


								Question

								    Will we eventually find out more about Kosh?  In which season?


								Jms at B5

								    This sesaon.  Bigtime.  ga


								Question

								    For BB..You've done Sci-Fi before (Tron) and Westerns. Which is

								    more difficult and why? Or are they similar in some ways?


								BB at B5

								    Very similar in that both deal with stories set on frontiers...

								    it's hard to say what is more difficult.  Each has its own

								    distinctive challenges...  whether it's mounting a horse and riding

								    out of a scene...  or flying a starfury and doing battle in space.

								    ga


								Jms at B5

								    And get that damned horse off stage A, by the way.  ga


								BB at B5

								    Ok, I'm bringing in to your office.  :)


								Jms at B5

								    Who would notice one more horse's ass in my office?


								Question

								    JMS, will the Vorlons play a role larger than what they have now?


								Jms at B5

								    Most definitely.  ga


								Question

								    Will we be seeing any more of Ngrath in future episodes?  He just

								    kinda seemed to drop out of sight.


								Jms at B5

								    not planned for now, no.  ga


								Question

								    Bruce, does JMS share future plot developments with you, or do you

								    just have to take each script as it comes, and try to build on your

								    character episode by episode?


								Jms at B5

								    (This I gotta hear.)


								BB at B5

								    From time to time, during the season, we talk about where Sheridan

								    is going as a character...  on the day to day, week to week, I try

								    not to think too far ahead...  because in actuality I try to *be in

								    the moment* with my performance. ga


								Question

								    JMS-Welcome, I've heard that you previously wrote a novel unrelated

								    to B5-fact or fiction?  And if so where  is it?


								Jms at B5

								    I've written two published novels; OTHERSYDE and DEMON NIGHT, plus

								    an...  anthology of short stories, TALES FROM THE NEW TWILIGHT

								    ZONE, both now...  out of print; I have my next novel planned, and

								    will write it when B5 is done.  ga


								Question

								    JMS, love the show.  Has anything surprised you during the creation

								    of the series?


								Jms at B5

								    Everything has surprised me.  Mainly that it's as good as it is,

								    that we've had such...  terrific actors, the sets and efx are

								    better than I'd ever hoped...  it's just been a nice surprise on

								    just about every level (until tonight's conference.) ga


								Question

								    Bruce, did you find it difficult coming in to an already

								    established show?


								BB at B5

								    Not really.  I was received warmly and everyone is very

								    professional and we got on with the work.  ga


								Question

								    BB:  What is the most challenging aspect of your role?


								BB at B5

								    Maintaining the authority of command that is Sheridan's everyday

								    experience.  Also...  drinking the morning coffee. ga


								Jms at B5

								    (Also the hassle of translating the scripts from Urdu into

								    English.)


								BB at B5

								    You said it no me, Bwahana


								Jms at B5

								    By the way, anyone looking on should see right off that we have a

								    lot of...  fun here at the show; it's a good, loose bunch...  And

								    I'm calling Bruce's agent tomorrow.


								ErinM   Uh-oh. Back to the questions...


								Question

								    JMS:  The show is excellent!  Will Harlen Ellison write any

								    episodes?


								Jms at B5

								    In the fullness of time, he tells me.  And by an act of faith I've

								    come to believe him  ga


								Question

								    Joe, what do think of Newsweek's naming you one of the fifty most

								    influential people in cyberspace?


								Jms at B5

								    Well, it's nice, but that + 5$ will get me a cup of coffee at...

								    the Fame is Fleeting Cafe.  Still, they noticed the show, and

								    that's good.  ga


								Question

								    Bruce: what has the most challenging episode been for you so far,

								    and why?


								Jms at B5

								    (Someone is singing outside my office.  How weird.)


								BB at B5

								    The episode we just finished filming today.  It's called In the

								    Shadow of Za'Ha'Dum and my character deals with some very...

								    personal issues. ga


								Question

								    Will there be any novels telling us about the past of the B5

								    universe so we have the background of the series?


								Jms at B5

								    I wouldn't mind seeing them one of these days, but again there are

								    no plans for them...  again, remember, I've generally held back on

								    ancillary stuff; let's get THE SHOW right...  then the rest will

								    attend to itself.  ga


								Question

								    will there be soundtracks for each of the seasons?  I'd be very

								    happy if there are, because I like the music for second season as

								    much as for the first.


								Jms at B5

								    BY HAPPY COINCIDENCE...the first soundtrack comes out this

								    month...  and if it sells well, I'm sure there will be more.

								    (Hint, hint.) ga


								Jms at B5

								    And Chris Franke does GREAT work for us.


								Question

								    What efforts have been made to design the alien languages and

								    symbols that we see every week?


								Jms at B5

								    Y'know, John Copeland is lurking on BB's computer.......oh, John,

								    you wanna do this?


								BB at B5

								    Weeellll, we invested quite a bit of effort during the making of

								    the pilot at creating the alien...  languages.  We're still working

								    on refining them from season to season.  But they do make sense

								    if...  you know how to translate them.  ga


								Jms at B5       (BB=Bruce...so is a PPG a BB gun?)


								ErinM   That was producer John Copeland speaking through Bruce's screen

								name.


								BB at B5

								    $Look out Joe he's coming down the hall.


								Question

								    How did you come up with the configurations for the ships on B5,

								    especially for the race of the people who destroyed the Narn

								    Colony?


								Jms at B5

								    Also Judge Crater speaking through John.  Tha's a Ron Thornton

								    deal; he designs our ships, and where he gets his ideas...  only

								    Ron and his therapist know for sure.  ga


								Question

								    SO the files I see on the internet forum for B5 are the stories

								    there from you  (the creator??)  or is that just some

								    hoax,......and is it just someone claiming to be you..?


								Jms at B5

								    Depends on what files you're referring to; I"m there a lot, and my

								    stuff has been...  archived to within an inch of its life.  ga


								Question

								    When will we see the return of Babylon 4.


								Jms at B5

								    Next season.  Probably.  ga


								Question

								    JMS: The character of Ivanova seems to be used more to balance the

								    other character changes..i.e. picking up some "Sinclair" type lines

								    and more Londo of old type humour.  Is this deliberate on your part

								    to help balance the scripts?


								Jms at B5

								    Ivanova is in general something of a fulcrum upon which elements

								    turn; I don't thnk I...  created her with that specific role in

								    mind, that's just the way she is; there's a lot of.  the standard

								    russian humor I grew up with in her, so that bleeds over.

								    Equal...  parts astonishment and horror.  ga


								Question

								    Is the pilot going to be reshown or available on video anytime?

								Jms at B5

								    One certainly hopes so.  ga


								Question

								    Years ago, Battlestar Galatica had the most expensive budget on air

								    ($1 mil/episode)...  How does yours compare for today?  Are the

								    comp. anim. effects going down in cost, or up?


								Jms at B5

								    Without giving out details, we do our show for about 1/2 the

								    DS9/Voyager budget.  ga


								Question

								    JMS:  Thank you for B5.  How long does it take to complete an

								    episode from begining to completion?


								Jms at B5

								    A couple months,factoring in editing, writing, filming, scoring and

								    mixing.  ga 52 days, John tells me.  (feels like months.) And

								    couynting weekends, that IS two months.


								Question

								    What planet is shown behind the B5 Station?


								Jms at B5

								    Epsilon 3.

								    In the Epsilon Eridani system.

								    ga


								Question

								    Will you put out a technical manual?


								Jms at B5

								    We've discussed it, nothing firm.  (See above.)

								    ga


								Question

								    Will Mira Furlan's makeup as Delenn change any further?

								Jms at B5

								    Lord I hope not.  ga

								    We love it as is.


								Question

								    I know on the newsgroups there is a lot of carrying on (and on and

								    on) about scientific accuracy -- does it upset you when they do

								    this?  I really like the CHARACTERS, and prefer that and the story

								    aspects of the show far more than the science.


								Jms at B5

								    We try to be as accurate as we can; generally it helps the drama;

								    if it gets in the...  way, we pretend we don't see the science and

								    hope it'll go away.  ga


								Question

								    What are the chances of an animated series in the coming years?


								Jms at B5

								    EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

								    Zip!  None!  Nada!  El-nopo!

								    (calming self down...an animated Londo...isn't that redundent?)

								    ga


								ErinM   Folks, that was our last question of the evening...


								ErinM   I'd like to thank Joe Straczynski and Bruce Boxleitner...


								ErinM   for being OMNI Online's guests this evening!


								Jms at B5       Glad we could be here.


								BB at B5        Thanks very much.  This was fun.


								ErinM   I'd also like to thank our industrious usher, OMNI Muse...


								ErinM   and I'd like to thank all of you for attending...


								ErinM   The transcript of this conference will be available...


								ErinM   tomorrow in OMNI Online's Conference Logs Library...


								ErinM   To get there, type keyword: OMNI...


								ErinM   click on File LIbraries in the scrollbox ...


								ErinM   and then on Conference Logs Library.


								ErinM   AGain, thank you and good night!


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