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1786 lines
58 KiB
1786 lines
58 KiB
JMS CompuServe messages for June 1998. Collected by John Hardin
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<jhardin@wolfenet.com>.
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Date: 01 Jun 1998 18:08:06 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: T.P.Chai <104674.3064@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Furst directing
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T.P.Chai <104674.3064@compuserve.com> asks:
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> " Was that intentional on your or his part, or accidental?
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It just sorta worked out that way; it wasn't something we did or
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he asked for intentionally. Some things happen through a weird,
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organic kind of synchronicity. That's one of them.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 01 Jun 1998 16:17:00 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: All
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Subject: UK B5 Screening Now Free
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The London screening of "In the Beginning" late in July was
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always intended to be a free screening. When I learned that twenty
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pounds and more was being charged per ticket for a free screening, I
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and Warner Bros. got into this situation, causing a bit of a stir with
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the organizers who insisted that this was the way it was supposed to
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be, first trying to fob off the money as being for the actors, then
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saying that WB wanted the money.
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Well, WB has just confirmed the following: the Wolf con
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organizers have been taken out of the loop; the screening is now free,
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as it was intended to be; any monies paid will be refunded; and
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tentatively, Bruce has agreed to stop by one or both of the screenings
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without cost to the fans (this last bit depending on his
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schedule/arrival times in the UK).
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This event was always meant to be free to the UK fans as
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recognition for their support. And now it is what it was meant to be.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 02 Jun 1998 12:55:10 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: (blocked)
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Subject: UK B5 Screening Now Free
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{original post had no questions}
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I have no idea. But they're going to be at the convention, are
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they not? And virtually everyone who got tickets is also going to the
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convention, as far as I've heard. Either way, though, I haven't heard
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one way or another on this.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 02 Jun 1998 12:55:11 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Michael Kalus <100265.3065@compuserve.com>
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Subject: UK B5 Screening Now Free
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Michael Kalus <100265.3065@compuserve.com> asks:
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> Pardon, any chance that we will see such an event in Germany?
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I don't know, that's something that will have to be looked into
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by the WB video division in Germany. Maybe if fans push for it there,
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they may be able to do something.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 02 Jun 1998 12:55:11 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: (blocked)
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Subject: UK B5 Screening Now Free
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(blocked) asks:
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> Also, when you say Warner Brothers, to which company are you
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> referring to?
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I'm sorry, but there is only ONE Warner Bros. There are offices
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of the company, as with any company, but they are all owed by Warner
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Bros. in the United States, here in Burbank, and it was from the main
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office that this has come. There are some folks involved here who are
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trying to muddy the situation by saying there are all these different
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companies, but there aren't. There is only one IBM, and only one Ford,
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and only one Warner Bros. And it's that main office that I've been
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dealing with on this.
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Sorry, I am *not* confusing the situation. It's others who are
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trying to blur the facts here. Perhaps if you were less obviously
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trying to justify their activities, you might be able to see that.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 04 Jun 1998 00:57:05 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: (blocked)
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Subject: UK B5 Screening Now Free
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{original post unavailable}
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That I don't know...I can guess that the folks who had signed up
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to pay for them will get them by default, but I don't know that for a
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fact. (I try to stick to what I actually know to be true on these
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things.)
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 04 Jun 1998 00:57:05 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: (blocked)
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Subject: Babylon Project: Crusade
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(blocked) asks:
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> Appreciative treatment by TNT, a follow-on series, two episodes
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> on a tape and maybe a movie? What is this?
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> Excellence on television - being *rewarded*?
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> What's the world coming to?
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Thanks...yeah, I can't figure it out either.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 04 Jun 1998 03:16:09 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: (blocked)
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Subject: Darkness Ascending
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(blocked) asks:
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> OK, so is anyone going to try to pass *this* one off as non-arc
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> "filler"? You'd think the Royal Court asking about the other races
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> shipping schedules would be a dead giveaway on that one - what
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> legitimate reason could they *possibly* have for asking about
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> that? And what the *hell* was going on with Lyta and Garibaldi's
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> dream? Was she just in the dream, or was she actually involved in
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> some fashion? And, either way, what does it mean?
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"OK, so is anyone going to try to pass *this* one off as non-arc
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"filler"?"
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Exactly. See, that's where I get nuts about some of the other
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comments. A number of folks said last week's was just filler...but last
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week we saw the process by which Lennier was sent to White Star 27,
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what he was looking for, and why...we were introduced to the captain,
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the mission...and now this week it pays off. It seems like the
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*result* is considered arc, and the set-up is considered "filler."
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Similarly, Lyta's actions in this episode (and those that are
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going to follow) are a direct result of the whole Byron thread, which
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is going to spiral further in some interesting directions. Some said
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the Byron stuff was just filler...but it was there to move Lyta into a
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whole new direction that will have a substantial effect on the show and
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her character (and at least one other).
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It seems to me that repeatedly, people dismiss something new in
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the mix as filler or non-arc...when in fact it's ABSOLUTE arc stuff
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once you've seen the whole thing. (Except for those who only seem to
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feel that results are arc, not setups, which is as nutty a view as I've
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ever heard.)
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 04 Jun 1998 03:16:10 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Carl Cantarella <105030.3700@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Darkness Ascending
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{original post had no questions}
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I wouldn't say she has any sexual interest in G'Kar...she had
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her pleasure threshold expanded with Byron just recently, and as for
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her parting comment, I think it came more under the category of "you
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ain't getting it, but since you were still wondering..." A friendly
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plink.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 04 Jun 1998 03:29:14 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: (blocked)
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Subject: UK B5 Screening Now Free
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{original post had no questions}
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"so that means they were in the loop at some point, and WB knew about
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it..."
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That's certainly the party line, being spouted on the Wolf web
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site, and repeated by you almost verbatim.
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But nobody ever said Wolf wasn't in the loop...obviously they
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were in contact with various people at WB in the first place or the
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screening couldn't have been planned in ANY event, at cost or
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otherwise. So this new comeback is utterly silly and absolutely
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meaningless.
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The question at hand is how well they were handling the loop.
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Obviously some folks are trying to save face any way they can,
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regardless of whether the latest statement actually makes sense or
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not.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 04 Jun 1998 12:38:13 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Tom Knudsen <72347.1626@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Darkness Ascending
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{original post had no questions}
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I know...if I do a bunch of arc episodes in a row, certain
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people say it's "obviously rushed." If I take a more leisurely pace to
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develop certain characters and themes, the same folks say it's
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"wandering, lost its way."
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The show is what the show is, and what the show is, is what I
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wanted to write.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 04 Jun 1998 12:38:13 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Jeff Peterman <75361.430@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Darkness Ascending
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{original post had no questions}
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I go by Joe. Call me Joe. Joe is fine. Joe is simpler to
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spell, quicker to type, friendlier on-screen, one syllable. Michael is
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two syllables, and I don't respond to it.
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Straczynski, pronounced just right and with the proper force
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behind it, can actually strike a cow dead at twenty paces.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 04 Jun 1998 21:35:11 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: (blocked)
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Subject: Darkness Ascending
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{original post unavailable}
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Having spent a lot of time on Earth at the end of S4, I'd rather
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do a few other things this time.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 05 Jun 1998 14:56:14 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Pam Jernigan <75540.2554@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Darkness Ascending
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{original post had no questions}
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s'okay....
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 05 Jun 1998 14:56:14 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Darkness Ascending
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{original post had no questions}
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Thanks, I tend to agree...they are indeed very hard to pull off,
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and we only get a few here and there.
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The remarkable thing is...there are at least 4 or 5 of them in
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the next 3 episodes alone.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 06 Jun 1998 22:27:06 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Marte Brengle <76703.4242@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Darkness Ascending
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Marte Brengle <76703.4242@compuserve.com> asks:
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> how *would* a human and a Narn mate, anyway?
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Well, as G'Kar said in the pilot, there would have to be rather
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substantial genetic manipulation and adjustment to allow for the
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different DNA structures to mix.
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After that, it would require the usual: dinner, flowers, and
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being willing to sit through a chick-flick....
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 09 Jun 1998 12:43:01 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Jim Levy <105315.155@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Creating Crusade?
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Jim Levy <105315.155@compuserve.com> asks:
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> Is the sketch of the 'Excaliber' shown in the June issue of 'Cult
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> Times #33' gonna basicly be what we see in the show? ...or is this
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> a initial rough draft shot?
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It's an early conceptual design; we've modified it a fair amount
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since then.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 10 Jun 1998 00:44:13 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Dave Vincent <75460.1133@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Darkness Ascending
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Dave Vincent <75460.1133@compuserve.com> asks:
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> In space?
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That might be a more reasonable concern if it were more of what
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one would consider a standard crew that would be concerned about such
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things.
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Which is all I can say about it for now. More in two weeks.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 10 Jun 1998 21:57:12 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Kevin Kenney <104102.352@compuserve.com>
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Subject: An Effect Goes Astray?
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Kevin Kenney <104102.352@compuserve.com> asks:
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> Even if the fighters shown were only part of the escort, leading
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> Redstar 9 away, shouldn't they have been a bit more active? What
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> was your intent?
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No, they were fighting...they were just more running away than
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they were fighting.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 10 Jun 1998 21:57:12 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Director's Viewpoint
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Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com> asks:
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> Given (for those of us who have read your TCOS script in your
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> scriptwriting book) that you give quite detailed visual details
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> in your scripts (angles of shots, focus-points, mood), what is
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> the contribution of the director as far as the visual outcome?
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It was shot for shot what I wrote...but at the same time, a
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director can realize that well, or poorly. I thought that Goran did a
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terrific job.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 11 Jun 1998 22:43:00 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Rick and Cindy <71561.3255@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Latest Ep 6/10/98
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{original post had no questions}
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Well, do bear in mind that the events in "War" were 17 years
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after the fact, so the shadow allies could have come at any time;
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Sheridan didn't fully understand what a keeper was, and also bear in
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mind that there is no reason to suspect anything in this situation.
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People can indeed start wars without having keepers on them, you know.
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We do it all the time. He would have to have some overwhelming
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proof...and even then, if he says anything to Londo, he might risk
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changing the timeline, and that would have potentially disasterous
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consequences.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 11 Jun 1998 13:10:06 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Tom Knudsen <72347.1626@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Director's Viewpoint
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Tom Knudsen <72347.1626@compuserve.com> asks:
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> That was Goran's episode??
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"I have to say this was one of the best episodes of the entire series.
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If this is any indication of what the rest of the season is
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like.......watch out."
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Well, the next episode is even more so...and the one after that,
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more so still. You get a slight breather for an episode or so -- still
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very strongly arc, though, just not as in-your-face hardhitting -- and
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then the last are whammers.
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"I suspect a stream of apologies to your are about to begin."
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Yeah, right, and pandas will fly out of my butt.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 11 Jun 1998 13:10:06 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Darran Williams <101656.2143@compuserve.com>
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Subject: B5 on UK Sci-Fi Channel?
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{original post had no questions}
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Yes, the Sci Fi channel in the UK/Europe have indeed acquired
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the rights to show B5, which I think will begin in the fall or
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thereabouts, and we've been told that they will show the series uncut.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 11 Jun 1998 13:10:07 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Director's Viewpoint
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Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com> asks:
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> I am, however, moved to ask, are you getting a lot of repeat
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> business from the naysayers?
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Oh, I still hear plenty from the naysayers...they can't argue
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with the quality of the episodes now, so they say, "Well, it's too
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little, too late," totally ignoring all that went before to set this
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up.
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Screw 'em. This season, there wasn't any pressure, there wasn't
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any fighting for renewal since we knew this was gonna be it, so I wrote
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exactly the show that I wanted to write. As long as more folks like it
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than don't, which is precisely the case here, that's all that matters.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 11 Jun 1998 22:49:08 -0700
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From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
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To: Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com>
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Subject: Director's Viewpoint
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{original post had no questions}
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Yeah, that was a visual pun written into the script, the other
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shoe dropping...but also reflecting that kind of low energy thing in
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the morning, when you put one slipper on, and you just *don't* want to
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leave...and you just let the energy drain away, and the slipper falls
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from your hand...which also overlaps the gavel dropping, as scripted.
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I took a great deal of care in blocking out every shot in that
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one, as opposed to some other cases, as with Mike Vejar, where I wrote,
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in "The Face of the Enemy," "They pull down Sheridan like a pack of
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wolves bringing down a lion" knowing that he would then take that and
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turn it into art. And he did.
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jms
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------------------------------
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Date: 11 Jun 1998 22:49:08 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: UK B5 Screening Now Free
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
I don't know how tickets are now available; I suspect they'll go
|
|
to those who had originally volunteered to pay for them, but I don't
|
|
know that for a fact.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 12 Jun 1998 02:11:09 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Schmulenson <72447.224@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Latest Ep 6/10/98
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
The fifth season ends in 2262.
|
|
|
|
The telepath war: 2264/5.
|
|
|
|
Crusade: 2267.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 12 Jun 1998 15:23:07 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Latest Ep 6/10/98
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
Yes, we will know...some things...about how the telepath war
|
|
ended. It's certainly moved a number of the pieces around.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 13 Jun 1998 23:38:09 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Ansawdd <113556.402@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: UK B5 Screening Now Free
|
|
|
|
Ansawdd <113556.402@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> could "In the Beginning" be the first B5 movie?
|
|
> And another thing - a screening in July?
|
|
> Which year?
|
|
> I suppose that this is mostly down to the use of Computer
|
|
> Graphics?
|
|
|
|
ItB is the B5 prequel TV movie, which aired here in the US in
|
|
January, and will be released on tape in the UK shortly.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 13 Jun 1998 23:38:10 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Marte Brengle <76703.4242@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Director's Viewpoint
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
I come from a similar background. Hence the truthfulness in
|
|
some of this.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 14 Jun 1998 21:09:03 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: DougP <70760.2440@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Season 5
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
Thanks, I appreciate that. And actually, there are 5 more eps
|
|
to go; 501 was moved to the end of year 4 as "Deconstruction," so
|
|
you've got this next one, then the wait, and the final four.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 16 Jun 1998 13:11:03 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: T.P.Chai <104674.3064@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: <Darkness> glitch
|
|
|
|
T.P.Chai <104674.3064@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> Who is responsible for these little mistakes?
|
|
> the director?
|
|
> editor?
|
|
> actor?
|
|
|
|
Such things are tracked by the dialogue/continuity editor on-
|
|
set, but they can also occur when you trim up a scene a bit.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 16 Jun 1998 23:40:12 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: T.P.Chai <104674.3064@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: <Darkness> Lyta/G'kar
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
Except, of course, that Lyta has no reason to think that G'Kar
|
|
is lying, and she considers him a friend or at least a potential ally,
|
|
and that alone would mitigate against the need for any scan. She
|
|
doesn't go around scanning everybody she talks to.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 17 Jun 1998 02:17:05 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: All
|
|
Subject: Harlan/jms on Sci-Fi Ch
|
|
|
|
For those who get the Sci-Fi Channel, the series MASTERS OF
|
|
FANTASY will be doing a half-hour show on Harlan Ellison (Thursday at
|
|
5:30 and 9:30, don't know if that's broken down by time zone, and the
|
|
following Wednesday at the same times).
|
|
|
|
Interviewed were me, Robin Williams, Willam Gibson, Leonard
|
|
Nimoy, and other folks. It actually came out pretty cool.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 17 Jun 1998 13:05:10 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Actress?
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
Yes, they're the same person, Beata Poznia.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 17 Jun 1998 23:02:06 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Garibaldi's Song
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
No, it's a song that's been around for a long time, and been
|
|
used in many places.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 17 Jun 1998 23:02:07 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Where's the WHAM?????
|
|
|
|
(blocked) asks:
|
|
> And we have to wait FOUR MONTHS to find out what happens
|
|
> NEXT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
|
|
|
|
Well, it's kinda what I've been saying all along...the bigger
|
|
the planned wham, the longer the quiet ramp-up. And, again, the arc
|
|
was there when it didn't seem to be: this whole thing started when the
|
|
raids started to take place, which goes back quite a ways. And Lyta
|
|
would not be in this position, not this assertive with her abilities,
|
|
had she not gone through the fire (literally and figuratively) with
|
|
Byron, whose fate more or less kicked her out of her shell. The old
|
|
Lyta would never have just up and gone to the Drazi homeworld on her
|
|
own; but the money, needed to follow her and Byron's dream, propelled
|
|
her.
|
|
|
|
It was ALL there, more or less in plain view.
|
|
|
|
And without it, without all that careful and deliberate setup,
|
|
this episode (and especially those that follow) would never have played
|
|
as well, if at all.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 17 Jun 1998 23:02:06 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Harlan/jms on Sci-Fi Ch
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"you are a perniciously base wickedly depraved conniving vile
|
|
detestably abhorrent..."
|
|
|
|
Why, thankyew.
|
|
|
|
"...and utterly undenieably blindingly brilliant author."
|
|
|
|
And you were doing SO well there for a moment.
|
|
|
|
I gather this episode has had the desired effect....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 17 Jun 1998 23:56:10 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Rick Sharon <76416.2213@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Movements
|
|
|
|
Rick Sharon <76416.2213@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> and you do that to them?
|
|
> or are going to do to them <maybe, next episodes>?
|
|
> Hey, after all the sweet talking I did to you at the start of
|
|
> this note, when do the fall episode (full) previews begin? Huh?
|
|
> Huh?
|
|
> huh?
|
|
> can-ya can-ya can-ya?
|
|
|
|
Thanks...it's a cool one, exceeded only by those yet to come.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 18 Jun 1998 13:43:00 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Anita Karve <73653.3253@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Harlan/jms on Sci-Fi Ch
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
We didn't become friends until years later. Some time
|
|
thereafter, I recounted that incident to him. He distantly remembered
|
|
it, and asked "Did I offend you?" I said, "If you'd been wrong I
|
|
would've been offended."
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 18 Jun 1998 17:21:04 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Anita Karve <73653.3253@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Harlan/jms on Sci-Fi Ch
|
|
|
|
Anita Karve <73653.3253@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> Which of his books would you recommend I start out with?
|
|
> Why oh why did TNT have to leave us hanging with *that* one??!!
|
|
|
|
I'd try Shatterday, or Strange Wine.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 18 Jun 1998 13:43:00 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: <Darkness> glitch
|
|
|
|
Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> How in the hell do things like that get on broadcast?
|
|
> Are their tiers of editors?
|
|
> Do these guys have a journeyman while B5 got a master?
|
|
> I understand that they have essentially the same budget as you
|
|
> (in the neighborhood of a million an ep give or take), so what's
|
|
> the deal?
|
|
|
|
Not knowing the situation, it would be inappropriate for me to
|
|
comment.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 18 Jun 1998 14:32:03 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Where's the WHAM?????
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"Actually, it's possible that this is all just a coincidence of
|
|
timing. After all, JMS didn't write these episodes knowing when the
|
|
breaks in the season would take place. On the other hand, I hate
|
|
coincidence and this is one hell of a big one..."
|
|
|
|
Funny thing about that. When I wrote this, this was the first
|
|
part of a very tight two parter (well, actually, it's part 4 of a five
|
|
parter; if you watch them straight through, one dovetails right smack
|
|
into the next, it's one really huge episode). Anyway, for the fifth
|
|
one, the next one to air, I decided to do a recap in the teaser, a
|
|
"Previously on Babylon 5..." compilation. Hadn't done it with the
|
|
others, but just decided to do it with this one, since it picks up
|
|
seconds after the other.
|
|
|
|
Later, after putting it together, in a phone call with TNT, they
|
|
told me about the decision to put in a break after this episode. "So
|
|
you may want to consider putting a recap into the teaser, since this is
|
|
a two-parter and it's been a long time and that's something you didnt'
|
|
anticipate."
|
|
|
|
"Well, actually...I already did that."
|
|
|
|
A long pause. "How did you know?"
|
|
|
|
"I didn't."
|
|
|
|
Scared 'em real good with that one.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 18 Jun 1998 14:32:03 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Kirk Darling <73063.3115@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Movements... HOLY COW
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"and i guess we now know why the attacking centauri vessels wouldn't
|
|
have noticed lennier exchanging a little breathing--since they weren't
|
|
really using it thmselves."
|
|
|
|
Ding!
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 18 Jun 1998 23:17:09 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Tom Knudsen <72347.1626@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Movements... HOLY COW
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"It's almost as if you do some of these things on purpose. I can see
|
|
it now......"This'll get those little nitpickers. They'll think I've
|
|
screwed up for a few weeks and then I'll make them eat crow."<G>"
|
|
|
|
Not that, no, but when some people do jump on these things,
|
|
figuring it's a screwup on my part, I can't help but think..."don't you
|
|
know what show you're dealing with here? This is Babylon 5, we don't
|
|
MAKE those kind of mistakes."
|
|
|
|
I recognize that that's a very self-indulgent thought...but at
|
|
the same time, it's true.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 18 Jun 1998 17:21:04 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Movements
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
A man must have hobbies.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 18 Jun 1998 23:17:09 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Where's the WHAM?????
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
There are some long-range plans for the teep crisis, yes.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 18 Jun 1998 23:17:10 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Episode WHAM!!!!
|
|
|
|
(blocked) asks:
|
|
> Does every post here that goes, "You SADIST, you set us UP, blah,
|
|
> blah, blah" bring you the sheer orgasmic joy of knowing just how
|
|
> well you pulled this off? Please tell me you're human enough to
|
|
> enjoy that little self-righteous glow of, "DAMN, I'm good!"????
|
|
|
|
"Does every post here that goes, "You SADIST, you set us UP, blah,
|
|
blah, blah" bring you the sheer orgasmic joy...."
|
|
|
|
Not while I'm sitting at the keyboard. I just *bought* this
|
|
system....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 19 Jun 1998 14:57:04 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Harlan/jms on Sci-Fi Ch
|
|
|
|
Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> Is is my imagination or did some choice comments on "City on the
|
|
> Edge of Forever" end up on the cutting room floor?
|
|
|
|
Dunno....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 21 Jun 1998 00:50:03 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Process Servers
|
|
|
|
Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> Is this something that you've passed on to your actors and tech
|
|
> people?
|
|
|
|
To a certain extent, yes, plus I've always encouraged our people
|
|
in every department to come out into the spotlight and take the credit
|
|
and applause for what they do, so we encourage them to do the comlink
|
|
stuff and other appearances.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 21 Jun 1998 02:50:08 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: B5 Movies
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"Will this movie be dependent on any of the season 5 episodes? I've
|
|
been watching the reruns and have only seen through season 4."
|
|
|
|
Nope.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 22 Jun 1998 00:07:07 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Harlan/jms on Sci-Fi Ch
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"FWIW, and I speak from no direct knowledge, only overheard
|
|
scuttlebutt, Paramount *couldn't* film what Harlan wrote. They simply
|
|
didn't have the budget. It got "hacked", I grant you, but it got
|
|
hacked into a filmable format. The world's best screenplay is
|
|
worthless if it can't be filmed."
|
|
|
|
Except that in this case, it *was* filmable...the rest is the
|
|
mythology that's grown up around it.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 22 Jun 1998 00:17:01 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Neil S. Turkenkopf <102664.3532@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: SiFiChannel:Harlan
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"I also thought it was terrific for all -your- new fans, who finally
|
|
got to see the face and hear the voice that go with the heart and soul
|
|
of what we lovingly call B5 :-)"
|
|
|
|
Yeah, and the next sound you hear will be millions of remote
|
|
controls turning the channels on millions of TV sets around the country
|
|
to find something less frightening....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 22 Jun 1998 00:07:06 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: All
|
|
Subject: Free New B5 Screening UK
|
|
|
|
Six years ago, we screened a rough cut of the pilot B5 TV movie
|
|
"The Gathering" at Wishcon on the East Coast here in the US. Those who
|
|
saw it have said ever after, "I was there."
|
|
|
|
For the first time since then, I'll be screening a work in
|
|
progress at the Wrap Party conventin in the UK in August. This will be
|
|
either "The River of Souls," with Martin Sheen and Ian McShane, or "A
|
|
Call to Arms," the segue TV movie to Crusade, which introduces some of
|
|
the new characters. (Which I'll bring with me will depend on which is
|
|
most done.) This will be shown free to all convention members. (Any
|
|
kind of screening is going to require a venue in which to show it, and
|
|
equipment; the Wrap Party is donating space at a convention that was
|
|
already a going event in order to allow me to hold this free screening
|
|
for attendees.)
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 22 Jun 1998 16:21:08 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Julie Mehta <113367.1506@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
Julie Mehta <113367.1506@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> Does anybody know how extensive JMS's involvement with the
|
|
> cartoon "Ghostbusters" actually was? Did he write many episodes?
|
|
|
|
I think I wrote close to 20 or so episodes for that one. I left
|
|
when they decided to make Janine into a mommy-character instead of a
|
|
strong character, then did a few more later when they realized they'd
|
|
made a mistake and wanted her pulled back again.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 23 Jun 1998 00:30:12 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"JMS also had his claws into an episode or two of Captain Power:
|
|
Soldier of the Future. Perhaps the less said about that the better (the
|
|
show had issues - but it actually tried to be more than a kiddie show -
|
|
but it was gruesomely tied down to a toy that they were forced to
|
|
market for). I think JMS was just a writer - though I believe Doug
|
|
Netter was a producer (he also of B5 fame).
|
|
|
|
I was story editor on that one (wrote 11 episodes), Larry
|
|
DiTilio (also of B5 and elsewhere) wrote a bunch, Doug Netter was co-
|
|
exec producer, and John Copeland was producer, with some EFX work by
|
|
Ron Thornton and set design by John Iacovelli. It was, in many ways, a
|
|
test/launching pad for what would become B5.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 23 Jun 1998 00:24:10 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Dreams/Asunder Title
|
|
|
|
Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> Does the title for "All My Dreams, Torn Asunder" derive from a
|
|
> quotation? If it doesn't derive from a quotation, how about a
|
|
> quotation derived from it?
|
|
|
|
No, as far as I can remember, it's just something I thunk up.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 23 Jun 1998 00:24:09 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: SysOp Dupa T. Parrot <70040.104@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: SiFiChannel:Harlan
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"Nonsense, there are much more scarier things on television these
|
|
days. Case in point: Fox's "When <insert-entity-here> Attack""
|
|
|
|
Next on FOX:
|
|
|
|
"WHEN WRITER-PRODUCERS ATTACK!"
|
|
|
|
"Well, er...um...nobody notices...so maybe we shouldn't...never
|
|
mind."
|
|
|
|
NEXT ON FOX....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 23 Jun 1998 00:24:09 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Shane Shellenbarger <104305.3404@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Harlan/jms on Sci-Fi Ch
|
|
|
|
Shane Shellenbarger <104305.3404@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> Joe, Is there a good chance that Harlan will be on board for
|
|
> B5:Crusade?
|
|
|
|
I'd say so.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 23 Jun 1998 20:22:11 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
Yeah, between that and the animated shows I worked on, it gave
|
|
me a real wariness toward merchandising.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 25 Jun 1998 20:13:11 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
(blocked) asks:
|
|
> Does that explain your treatment of the shortlived "Babylon 5
|
|
> Souvenir Shop" in the Zocolo? Or could you just not resist
|
|
> "Bearbylon 5"?
|
|
|
|
That informed that story a bit, yeah....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 25 Jun 1998 20:13:11 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
(blocked) asks:
|
|
> Really?<startled> I can see the beginnings of Mr Thornton's CGI
|
|
> designs, but the sets were not much like B5<G> (to many pieces of
|
|
> polystyrene rock for my taste<slightly embarrassed g>) Is this a
|
|
> reflection of the behind the scenes development rather than the
|
|
> visual elements? what actually WAS going to happen in captain
|
|
> power? I know you had said that the suits would become defective,
|
|
> and the group would be in a lot of trouble, but is it possible to
|
|
> point me at any place where i can see how the planned 3 year arc
|
|
> would have come out?
|
|
|
|
I think there's a CP site out there somewhere (try Yahoo) that
|
|
has the full message I posted about the long-term arc.
|
|
|
|
RE: the different art direction between CP and B5...it's not so
|
|
much development as choosing the right look for the right show.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 25 Jun 1998 22:32:02 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"Were there merchandising issues with Ghostbusters?"
|
|
|
|
Moreso with other shows I did, like HeMan and SheRa and Jayce;
|
|
in TRGBs we just ignored whatever the toy company wanted.
|
|
|
|
"BTW: always wondered, who thought up the movie-within-the-cartoon
|
|
thing with the Ghostbusters toon? I just loved they showed scenes from
|
|
the movie in one of the episodes..."
|
|
|
|
I wrote that one. I *think* it was called "Take Two."
|
|
|
|
To this day, as a result, there are bunches of kids who *swear*
|
|
up and down that the animated series came first, THEN the movie, much
|
|
to the dismay of their siblings and parents.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 24 Jun 1998 13:47:05 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Town Has Turned to Dust
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"So, what do YOU think, Joe? Do you think Rod Serling would approve
|
|
of the new adaptation or his name being attached to it?"
|
|
|
|
Unfortunately, I haven't seen it, and tend to shy away from
|
|
making any kind of sweeping comments about things I haven't seen. If I
|
|
can take your description as accurate, then my answer would probably be
|
|
no. I would think that by now, we could do the story as he had
|
|
intended it to be done. Certainly every generation stories get
|
|
reinterpreted; I once saw Two Gentlemen of Verona produced in a 1920s
|
|
context, and if the Bard can be shuffled about in time, anybody can.
|
|
|
|
That is somewhat different, however, from altering the text or
|
|
the dramatic intent. Herein lay the dilemma. Do we have any copies of
|
|
Rod's original work, as he had intended it to be done? Or were they
|
|
working off the only version, the altered one? If so, then it's
|
|
altered one more iteration from something that was not the proper
|
|
version anyway, so yes, it's off course, but is it demonstrably more
|
|
off-course than the original softened version?
|
|
|
|
On the other hand, if they did have the original version, it
|
|
would have been better served to go with that...however, if they did
|
|
so, the odds are that the SciFi Channel would never have produced it,
|
|
since there's nothing SF about it.
|
|
|
|
I dunno...again, I haven't seen it, so I'm trying to be measured
|
|
in my comments.
|
|
|
|
"Also, to get this somewhat back on topic, do you agree with Harlan
|
|
Ellison's "scorched earth" policy with regard to unfinished works? If
|
|
you had suffered a fatal stroke a year or so ago, would you have
|
|
approved of someone else stepping in to finish B5 "just the way Joe
|
|
would've wanted it" or for B5 to have died with you? Would you want
|
|
your unfinished works archived, with the ever-present possibility that
|
|
someone might later acquire "rights" to produce them, or used as fuel
|
|
for your funeral pyre?"
|
|
|
|
I don't want anybody rifling through my stuff and putting it out
|
|
there after I'm gone, especially in unfinished form. I come to this
|
|
opinion by a hard road; when doing Twilight Zone, I was assigned to
|
|
write a teleplay based on one of Rod's unproduced outlines, and for me
|
|
that was one of the highlights since it let me kind of see into his
|
|
creative process a little, and the story was a good one. At the time,
|
|
the issue of posthumous literary use really hadn't occured to me.
|
|
Since then, I've had a great deal of time to think about it, and have
|
|
finally come down on the side of "no." If I had expired prior to
|
|
finishing B5, I would rather let it end at that than have someone else
|
|
finish it for me, in a way not what I would've wanted...as a painter
|
|
would not generally let someone else finish his painting after his
|
|
passing.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 24 Jun 1998 13:47:05 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: PAUL SHEWARD <100256.1563@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Free New B5 Screening UK
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
However there are a lot of hidden costs in the Wolf conventions.
|
|
For instance, at the SFX awards, we (John Copeland and I) were under
|
|
the impression that that was just a part of the convention's overall
|
|
umbrella, only to discover that the fans attending sprung for an
|
|
additional 30 pounds each to be at the tables. (When we discovered
|
|
this, rather to our horror, John and I decided we had better be damned
|
|
more entertaining, and used our drink chits to take care of the table
|
|
all night, so it would balance out at lesat a little.) At the end of
|
|
the day, when you add up the hidden costs, it works out about the same,
|
|
as when they tried to charge for the ItB screening that was supposed to
|
|
be free to convention attendees.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 26 Jun 1998 21:33:14 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"To this day, when I am trying to explain B5 and it's attention to
|
|
detail to newbesI just show them that RGB and say "this guy is so
|
|
obsessed about details he couldn't stand not explaining why the cartoon
|
|
characters looked different and were voiced by different people.""
|
|
|
|
"Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle."
|
|
|
|
- Michelangelo
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 26 Jun 1998 21:33:14 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"What was Jayce?"
|
|
|
|
An adventure/SF series "Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors," a dopey
|
|
concept I again hijacked in an attempt to make it into something more.
|
|
|
|
"BTW: what was the situation with that other Ghostbusters show?"
|
|
|
|
Dunno...they revived it, I heard about it, they dumbed it up,
|
|
that's all I know.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 26 Jun 1998 21:33:14 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: One for the Wish-List
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
One more for the list....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 27 Jun 1998 22:35:08 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Darran Williams <101656.2143@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: The Art of Babylon 5
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
I believe the book is currently on hold at this end.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 27 Jun 1998 22:35:08 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"You seem to have a lot of exposure to cartoons and/or kids shows.
|
|
Would you ever go back?"
|
|
|
|
Only if it were my show, top to bottom, and no toy company
|
|
creative input.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 30 Jun 1998 01:06:07 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Carol Naylor <100645.2613@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"Just had a really twisted thought - the only way that Joe can stop
|
|
anyone marketing a toy simply called BaBearlon (no logos or anything)
|
|
is to trademark the name."
|
|
|
|
Well, it's the only way only IF you set aside the use of certain
|
|
medeival torture instruments applied in utterly innovative and
|
|
colorful ways.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 28 Jun 1998 19:17:04 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Darran Williams <101656.2143@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Episode Order (again)
|
|
|
|
Darran Williams <101656.2143@compuserve.com> asks:
|
|
> Therefore would it make more sense to have 'Day of the Dead'
|
|
> after 'The Ragged Edge' and before 'Corps..'?
|
|
|
|
We'll probably juggle this about down the road, once we're into
|
|
reruns full time.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 28 Jun 1998 19:17:04 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: B5 Inspiration
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
I think that's great. Best to upload them here, so that others
|
|
can see them as well. I look forward to seeing them.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 29 Jun 1998 00:11:03 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Showers&Baths
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"PS: This is something that gnaws at my subconscious... In one of the
|
|
very 1st episodes wasn't the gender of Santiago given as female by an
|
|
ISN reporter speaking about the coming election? There are so few
|
|
flubs in the story arc that I almost feel sure it is my immagination
|
|
BUT it gnaws..."
|
|
|
|
It's your imagination; that was the candidate running against
|
|
Santiago, not the guy himself. I know because we used Doug's picture
|
|
for Santiago, and a picture of our wardrobe designer for the
|
|
opposition.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 29 Jun 1998 00:11:03 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Ray Pelzer <70475.1263@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"I think he meant the Filmation thing taken from the Forrest
|
|
Tucker/Larry live show that got into all the legal hassle over the
|
|
naming (I think you once said that was why you added "Real" into the
|
|
name)."
|
|
|
|
Oh, that...yeah, there was a live-action show called
|
|
Ghostbusters that those two (Larry Storch) did, which sued over the
|
|
name Ghostbusters, and won the right to do an animated series by that
|
|
name. Which is why ours was called The Real....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 26 Jun 1998 21:33:14 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Philip Hornsey <74053.2101@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
"To this day, when I am trying to explain B5 and it's attention to
|
|
detail to newbesI just show them that RGB and say "this guy is so
|
|
obsessed about details he couldn't stand not explaining why the cartoon
|
|
characters looked different and were voiced by different people.""
|
|
|
|
"Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle."
|
|
|
|
- Michelangelo
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 26 Jun 1998 21:33:14 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"What was Jayce?"
|
|
|
|
An adventure/SF series "Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors," a dopey
|
|
concept I again hijacked in an attempt to make it into something more.
|
|
|
|
"BTW: what was the situation with that other Ghostbusters show?"
|
|
|
|
Dunno...they revived it, I heard about it, they dumbed it up,
|
|
that's all I know.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 26 Jun 1998 21:33:14 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: Rebecca Eschliman <76072.2345@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: One for the Wish-List
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
One more for the list....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 24 Jun 1998 13:47:05 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: Town Has Turned to Dust
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"So, what do YOU think, Joe? Do you think Rod Serling would approve
|
|
of the new adaptation or his name being attached to it?"
|
|
|
|
Unfortunately, I haven't seen it, and tend to shy away from
|
|
making any kind of sweeping comments about things I haven't seen. If I
|
|
can take your description as accurate, then my answer would probably be
|
|
no. I would think that by now, we could do the story as he had
|
|
intended it to be done. Certainly every generation stories get
|
|
reinterpreted; I once saw Two Gentlemen of Verona produced in a 1920s
|
|
context, and if the Bard can be shuffled about in time, anybody can.
|
|
|
|
That is somewhat different, however, from altering the text or
|
|
the dramatic intent. Herein lay the dilemma. Do we have any copies of
|
|
Rod's original work, as he had intended it to be done? Or were they
|
|
working off the only version, the altered one? If so, then it's
|
|
altered one more iteration from something that was not the proper
|
|
version anyway, so yes, it's off course, but is it demonstrably more
|
|
off-course than the original softened version?
|
|
|
|
On the other hand, if they did have the original version, it
|
|
would have been better served to go with that...however, if they did
|
|
so, the odds are that the SciFi Channel would never have produced it,
|
|
since there's nothing SF about it.
|
|
|
|
I dunno...again, I haven't seen it, so I'm trying to be measured
|
|
in my comments.
|
|
|
|
"Also, to get this somewhat back on topic, do you agree with Harlan
|
|
Ellison's "scorched earth" policy with regard to unfinished works? If
|
|
you had suffered a fatal stroke a year or so ago, would you have
|
|
approved of someone else stepping in to finish B5 "just the way Joe
|
|
would've wanted it" or for B5 to have died with you? Would you want
|
|
your unfinished works archived, with the ever-present possibility that
|
|
someone might later acquire "rights" to produce them, or used as fuel
|
|
for your funeral pyre?"
|
|
|
|
I don't want anybody rifling through my stuff and putting it out
|
|
there after I'm gone, especially in unfinished form. I come to this
|
|
opinion by a hard road; when doing Twilight Zone, I was assigned to
|
|
write a teleplay based on one of Rod's unproduced outlines, and for me
|
|
that was one of the highlights since it let me kind of see into his
|
|
creative process a little, and the story was a good one. At the time,
|
|
the issue of posthumous literary use really hadn't occured to me.
|
|
Since then, I've had a great deal of time to think about it, and have
|
|
finally come down on the side of "no." If I had expired prior to
|
|
finishing B5, I would rather let it end at that than have someone else
|
|
finish it for me, in a way not what I would've wanted...as a painter
|
|
would not generally let someone else finish his painting after his
|
|
passing.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 24 Jun 1998 13:47:05 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: PAUL SHEWARD <100256.1563@compuserve.com>
|
|
Subject: Free New B5 Screening UK
|
|
|
|
{original post had no questions}
|
|
|
|
However there are a lot of hidden costs in the Wolf conventions.
|
|
For instance, at the SFX awards, we (John Copeland and I) were under
|
|
the impression that that was just a part of the convention's overall
|
|
umbrella, only to discover that the fans attending sprung for an
|
|
additional 30 pounds each to be at the tables. (When we discovered
|
|
this, rather to our horror, John and I decided we had better be damned
|
|
more entertaining, and used our drink chits to take care of the table
|
|
all night, so it would balance out at lesat a little.) At the end of
|
|
the day, when you add up the hidden costs, it works out about the same,
|
|
as when they tried to charge for the ItB screening that was supposed to
|
|
be free to convention attendees.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 25 Jun 1998 20:13:11 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
(blocked) asks:
|
|
> Does that explain your treatment of the shortlived "Babylon 5
|
|
> Souvenir Shop" in the Zocolo? Or could you just not resist
|
|
> "Bearbylon 5"?
|
|
|
|
That informed that story a bit, yeah....
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 25 Jun 1998 20:13:11 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
(blocked) asks:
|
|
> Really?<startled> I can see the beginnings of Mr Thornton's CGI
|
|
> designs, but the sets were not much like B5<G> (to many pieces of
|
|
> polystyrene rock for my taste<slightly embarrassed g>) Is this a
|
|
> reflection of the behind the scenes development rather than the
|
|
> visual elements? what actually WAS going to happen in captain
|
|
> power? I know you had said that the suits would become defective,
|
|
> and the group would be in a lot of trouble, but is it possible to
|
|
> point me at any place where i can see how the planned 3 year arc
|
|
> would have come out?
|
|
|
|
I think there's a CP site out there somewhere (try Yahoo) that
|
|
has the full message I posted about the long-term arc.
|
|
|
|
RE: the different art direction between CP and B5...it's not so
|
|
much development as choosing the right look for the right show.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Date: 25 Jun 1998 22:32:02 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: JMS and "Ghostbusters"
|
|
|
|
{original post unavailable}
|
|
|
|
"Were there merchandising issues with Ghostbusters?"
|
|
|
|
Moreso with other shows I did, like HeMan and SheRa and Jayce;
|
|
in TRGBs we just ignored whatever the toy company wanted.
|
|
|
|
"BTW: always wondered, who thought up the movie-within-the-cartoon
|
|
thing with the Ghostbusters toon? I just loved they showed scenes from
|
|
the movie in one of the episodes..."
|
|
|
|
I wrote that one. I *think* it was called "Take Two."
|
|
|
|
To this day, as a result, there are bunches of kids who *swear*
|
|
up and down that the animated series came first, THEN the movie, much
|
|
to the dismay of their siblings and parents.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: 30 Jun 1998 14:39:12 -0700
|
|
From: J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com>
|
|
To: (blocked)
|
|
Subject: UK B5 Screening Now Free
|
|
|
|
(blocked) asks:
|
|
> Do you now accept that you were actually wrong to accuse Wolf in
|
|
> THIS matter?
|
|
|
|
Gerard, I have already told you, weeks ago, in response to your
|
|
emails, that I will not respond to you further. Take it somewhere
|
|
else.
|
|
|
|
jms
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|