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The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
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===========================================================================
| This text is compiled from posts by J. Michael Straczynski on the Usenet
| group rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5. This document contains material Copyright
| 1994 J. Michael Straczynski. He has given permission for his words to be
| redistributed online, as long as they are marked as being copyright JMS.
| This document, as well as other Babylon-5 related material, is available
| by anonymous FTP at ftp.hyperion.com.
===========================================================================
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 1 Jun 1994 00:58:18 -0400
Subject: Re: TKO - Poor Episode (Spoile
I can't believe the degree to which this argument has gotten out of
all proportion.
First, though, an aside...it has been the tradition of B5 areas on
various systems to be a little more polite than other areas. Granted, we
all sometimes lose our temper and slip into name-calling. I've done it
myself. But lately I've been seeing one after another, using every name
in the book. Points can be communicated without resorting to this sort of
thing, and frankly, after a while, it simply loses its impact.
Just a thought.
Now, on the samovar issue...whatever your background, if your family
grew up in Russia and has been there for several hundred years or more --
and the Ivanov family has been there since at LEAST the 1800s -- you do
become part of the culture. That, as I always understood it, was part of
the reason for making sure children learned hebrew, yiddish *and* the
dominant language of the culture, to give their kids a fighting chance in
a difficult world. It's not so much a case of the culture assimiliating
the individual (though certainly that happens as well), but the individual
INCORPORATING the culture.
Ivanova is jewish. Ivanova is russian. Of the two, she tends to see
herself as a russian first. There's no value statement there, that's
just the way she is. Her parents were both russian, going back many
generations on both sides. Some in her family tree were jewish, and some
were not; there was some intermarrying. That may be part of why she sees
herself as more russian than jewish, but it may be just a quirk.
(And to the protest of, "Well, you created her," yes, I did. But
there comes a time, if you've done your job right as a writer, when the
character more or less takes over, and starts telling YOU who and what he
or she is. There are times I mentally turn to Ivanova and say, "Okay,
what do *you* think?" And she talks to me in my head, as do all of my
characters. It's part of making your characters real.)
When she went off to boarding school overseas -- part of an ongoing
international system put into place by EarthGov to help its various member
nations get along with one another -- she identified most strongly with
that russian aspect in relation to those around her. She learned to speak
English without a perceptible accent.
The samovar is a valued and valuable part of russian life. It is the
family hearth, on one level, a possession passed on from generation to
generation. Knowing that Ivanova was not terribly religious herself, he
would generally not leave her any of his personal religious artifacts, but
would donate them to the local synagogue, while some, like a menorah, might
go to other relatives. People who could appreciate them and use them.
The samovar is a very personal object; to the correspondent with a fiance
who is russian...*I* am byeloruss, white-russian, one-and-a-half
generation American born. And I can tell you that the biggest fights I've
ever seen over bequeaths were over a) money, and b) the samovar.
The problem with this discussion is that it has very little to do
with who Susan Ivanova *is*, and more to do with the politics of what a
russian or a jew or a russian jew *should be*. She is what she is, like
it or not.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 1 Jun 1994 02:05:43 -0400
Subject: Re: UK reviews: Born To the Pu
Actually, the intent was never to hit people over the head with whtat
(what) a nice person Ivanova is...or to shove her character down anyone's
throat. She has an arc of her own this season, which involves reconciling
some things with her family. And we need to set *up* some things in her
family in order to pay them off later in the season. You have to start
a bit early in order to get it all in without rushing it.
All of our characters have their own arcs, and their own stories, and
their own forthcoming transitions.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 1 Jun 1994 04:29:15 -0400
Subject: JUMPGATE QUESTION
I think the bg of the shadowman shot may have been a solar system
forming, or a nebula; I was told, we discussed it, and I've promptly
forgotten.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 2 Jun 1994 04:19:17 -0400
Subject: Is it or isn't it?
I'm going to try and address your flame-bait with considerably less
in the way of insulting content than you did.
1) The Zima thing was neither illegal nor against NAB or FCC regs,
it was perfectly legit. Before you start making accusations about
illegality that are *completely* specious and ill-informed, you should
investigate first. Otherwise you speak from ignorance.
2) The argument of what is and isn't SF is one of the most
bone-headed arguments one can conceivably get into, and to which there is
no better solution than Damon Knight's comment, "SF is anything I point
to and say, that's SF."
For me, SF means speculative fiction, which totally regardless of
any opinion of yours, is a completely valid and acceptable definition.
Speculative SF includes not just the hard sciences, but sociology,
psychology, anthropology and other soft sciences.
To apply the standards usually listed by people such as yourself
would totally disqualify some of the finest pieces of SF literature in
the genre's history, from Stranger in a Strange Land to A Canticle for
Liebowitz and most of Ray Bradbury's stuff.
Hence, I simply ignore what narrow-minded people try to impose on
my show.
Babylon 5 is SF, as I and a whole lot more people than you define it.
It may or may not be a brand of SF that you like. But whether or not you
like it is totally irrelevant to whether or not it's SF.
The "critical look at the definition of science fiction" that you
cite does not exist anywhere but in your own head...there IS no one such
definition, and if there ever *were* any one such definition, then we
could effectively declare the genre dead and in need of burial.
And you'll note that I did all of this without appending to the reply
the use of such terms as "lame" or "mediocre." Now, if you're willing to
act grownup, we can continue this conversation. If not, not.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 2 Jun 1994 08:52:54 -0400
Subject: JMS: another quick question ab
The idea first started as a question: how do you design an SF show
for television that won't kill itself financially...then how can you
design a show in such a way that it tells a story over X-number of years,
like some of the multi-novel cycles that are the hallmark of SF
literature?
The obvious framework seemed to be a crossroads or meeting place of
some kind, a place of commerce and trading. It's much more difficult and
energy-consuming to go down into a gravity well every time you want to
drop something off, so this led to a space station/community. I kind of
knew pretty much where I wanted to go right off the bat, but it took me
another six months to a year to *really* decide on what the arc of the
story was to be. In the years since, I've added a bit around the edges,
fleshed out some of the characters and their own personal arcs, but it's
still essentially the same story.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 2 Jun 1994 22:59:14 -0400
Subject: JMS: How much did B5 cost and.
Doing a conversion of EA dollars in 2258 to US dollars 1994 is a
bit much for me to handle. The EA was able to afford the first few on
their own, since they were attempts that didn't get very far, but later
had to accept Minbari and, later still, Centauri co-financing to make it
viable.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 2 Jun 1994 23:27:31 -0400
Subject: Re: Starfury design (was Re: A
Correct, there are several different kinds of starfuries and models
of fighters; the standard lightweight version used at B5; the more stealth
oriented Black Omega fighters; and in the two-parter, you'll see the heavy
military class, with turrets fore and aft, and pilots fore and aft.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 2 Jun 1994 23:46:28 -0400
Subject: JMS: You Produced ST:TMP???!!!
"...from the producers of ST:TMP...B5...."
Matthew...all I can figure out is that I'm paying off karma at a
VASTLY accellerated rate.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 2 Jun 1994 23:50:18 -0400
Subject: > > Attn: JMS -- Warner, B5, a
1) It was felt that further emphasizing the personal stories would
help with that demographic. This is not a problem for us, since having
established the universe of B5 in the first season, we were moving ni
(in) that direction anyway for year two (and, in fact, did go that way
already in the latter half of year one).
2) No, no real changes planned in the arc.
3) The O'Hare situation is an entirely different issue.
4) Warner hasn't said a peep about the alternate lifestyles character,
despite many opporunities to do so. You'll start to get a sense of this
character more in season two.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 2 Jun 1994 23:50:20 -0400
Subject: Re: Babylon 5 (B5) "bad acting
The whole "bad acting/wooden acting" thing is, for the most part,
something that came out of a lot of unfair (in my view) criticisms of the
show, because we're not doing hysterics, not doing "here's all of our
character's history in five seconds," and not playing archetypes; they
are people who you have to get to know. And in some cases, it was just to
find something to slam. Same thing happened to many of the early reviews
of TNG, and many of the net discussions of TNG. It just becomes something
everybody repeats, a shibboleth, something they can throw into the pot
without fully understanding what they're saying.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 2 Jun 1994 23:57:57 -0400
Subject: B5 comic book schedual???
It's my understanding that the comic will debut close to the end of
November.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 2 Jun 1994 23:57:59 -0400
Subject: ATTN JMS: Some Questions
Jonathan....
Are you *sure* you don't work for Warner Bros.?
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 3 Jun 1994 02:30:27 -0400
Subject: JMS: A most annoying televisio
Alas, there is nothing we can do about your station's activities,
as described. Only local letters can make a difference.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 3 Jun 1994 20:08:40 -0400
Subject: How Long Until The Next New Ep
The next new episode for this season will air starting the first
week in July.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 3 Jun 1994 22:55:51 -0400
Subject: JMS: 4 more for season 1?
Absolutely false. We've finished our episodes for season one, and
will not be shooting additional episodes. We now begin shooting for
season two. The four more episodes rumor is untrue.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 3 Jun 1994 23:56:21 -0400
Subject: Re: TKO - SF & Religion
The atheist was not only first in line, he was the best dressed and
smartest looking and nattiest one in the line.
jm(what a coincidence)s
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 4 Jun 1994 04:56:13 -0400
Subject: JMS: Re: TOYS! TOYS! TOYS!
I believe that's correct; the PPG consists of more than 20 pieces
of machined aluminum, which has two lighting systems, one when the
trigger is depressed (the barrel lights up, and a side light turns on),
and another when you slap in an energy charge pod at the back.
I imagine that'll come out sooner or later (the plans).
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 4 Jun 1994 04:56:15 -0400
Subject: Re: ST:TNG episode "Believers"
"who sincerely hopes that JMS posts a clarification/retraction of
his slams of the opposition...."
Please reprint for me the "slams" that you say I have posted, and
then show me where they are in error. If a misstatement of facts was
ever made, I will retract it. If not, not. I will not take back any
criticism just because you don't like it, and further, in my postings I
generally make it a point *not* to slam. So, again, please repost those
messages for me. Otherwise, as far as I'm concerned, I have nothing to
retract.
Second, to the point of your message...we *showed* what happened:
the raiders came out of nowhere. She turned around. Hit her engines, and
ran. We SEE her turn and run. What in this is so incomprehensible to you
that you felt you needed it *explained*? And in the midst of the main
story in "Believers" cranking rapidly toward its end, what would have been
served by cutting away one more time just to show her running and firing
backward as she ran?
We show nearly everything on this show; almost *nothing* happens off
camera...as opposed (okay, you want a slam, here's one) to one episode of
TNG that I recall where there was some kind of disturbance they were
investigating, they were hit by the vortex (never saw it), the other ship
(which we never saw) was hit by it, the ship was destroyed (we never saw
it)...the whole THING was one big radio drama, with the crew narrating
what happened rather than showing it to us.
In 14 episodes, we chose to let *one* incident happen off-camera,
and it was a dramatic choice, leaving something to the imagination of the
viewers, and to avoid interfering with a very dramatic moment in the main
story.
Deal with it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 4 Jun 1994 22:13:05 -0400
Subject: Books? Novels? etc.
Dell will be coming out with the first batch of B5 original novels
later this year.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 5 Jun 1994 03:38:11 -0400
Subject: Re: lack-luster characterizati
The *reason* we had Garibaldi go through all the hoops he went through
before finally falling into the bottle is because simply having Liana
show up and depress Garibaldi isn't, frankly, sufficient motivation. I
don't buy it. We wanted to strip away everything he had, and leave him
with only *himself*. So we took away his job, his reputation, his money,
his home, neutralized his friends wherever possible...it was deliberate
and systematic to peel him down to the bare essentials, to just Garibaldi.
Take him all the way down before taking him back up again. Because it's
more dramatically interesting. It's more logical that it would take
something this major to drive him back into the bottle after staying sober
all this time. I'm sorry, I don't accept your suggestion that Liana's
"anger and accusations" would "drive him over the edge as he deals with
his guilt." He's BEEN dealing with his guilt, and her showing up wouldn't
be enough to drive him back into the bottle again. I'm sorry, but as a
producer or a story editor, I wouldn't buy that from a writer as being
sufficient motivation. Particularly not a character who's as strong and
as bull-headed as Garibaldi.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 5 Jun 1994 19:01:31 -0400
Subject: Re: WHAM! next season?
Since the personal stories will be mainly b-stories, no, I don't
anticipate any problem with the wham episodes.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 5 Jun 1994 19:01:34 -0400
Subject: JMS: Mind War repeat
In the pursuit in the teaser, you could see one of the binary stars
THROUGH Ironheart's ship; we deleted that shot and replaced it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 6 Jun 1994 03:56:14 -0400
Subject: ATTN:JMS:More wishes (was How
I believe the rerun schedule for TKO is correct; and we'll be showing
second season new episodes in November for sweeps, not starting December.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 6 Jun 1994 20:35:14 -0400
Subject: JMS
Correct, I'll be at San Diego Comic Con on August 4-7, and will be
showing some new stuff. And will probably have some things to say about
season two, but will obviously be holding back some stuff.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 6 Jun 1994 20:35:17 -0400
Subject: Editorial: Michael O'Hare's De
As it turns out, Michael O'Hare came by the office today, and we
spoke at some length about this issue. Michael has offered to compose
a note confirming all that we've spoken about here, though I still don't
think it's necessary.
There is no contradiction at work here. Michael very much believes
in the show, and wants it to continue. So do we. As far as writing
campaigns are concerned, it's one thing to support a show, and another
thing to attack. Cynthia Lieberman, for instance, has nothing -- let me
repeat, NOTHING -- to do with the running of Babylon 5, casting, or any
other aspect. She is in Warners public relations.
If you've got a problem, then your problem is with me.
In addition, people keep seeing this as a cut-and-dried situation.
It isn't. The reason Michael was here today was so we could film a piece
that will appear later in season two, and will set up the framework for
further appearances by Sinclair down the road.
If you send a lot of letters to Warner Bros., to the *wrong person*
no less, all you will end up doing is pissing off Warner Bros., and with
good cause. And the rebound effect would be to hurt Michael, and hurt
the show.
Now, if fans want to write in noting how much they enjoyed Michael
as Sinclair, and that they would enjoy seeing him again down the road,
that I have no problem with. It's only the "WHY DID YOU DO THIS I HATE
YOU YOU EVIL BASTARDS" kind of letter that can come out in this kind of
situation that I've discouraged. If people want to say they'd like to
see Sinclair again on the show...that they enjoyed his performance...fine,
because that's certainly what we figure on doing at various points.
Meanwhile, there's no one at Warner Bros. to complain *to*. The
ultimate action came from this office, and you should address any
problems to me directly. Or to Michael, who will be hitting the
conventions over the next several months, and can certainly speak for
himself.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 6 Jun 1994 20:42:57 -0400
Subject: UK Reviews: Infection
I didn't like it either.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 6 Jun 1994 20:46:48 -0400
Subject: Jump Time
Once you're in a gate, the objective (our POV) time involved is
usually several days. From a subjective (inside the ship) POV, the time
elapsed is somewhat shorter.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 6 Jun 1994 20:58:14 -0400
Subject: JMS: letterbox
Given that most household TV sets are fairly small, no, it wouldn't
be fair or prudent to begin broadcasting the episodes in letterbox at
this time.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 7 Jun 1994 18:00:02 -0400
Subject: Parliament (mild spoilers)
Yeah, it's a favorite of mine, too. And the race was called the
Xon.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 7 Jun 1994 18:00:05 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: Mind War repeat
I'm reasonably sure that the UK and all later countries will get the
corrected versions only.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 7 Jun 1994 18:00:09 -0400
Subject: Re: Third Age of Mankind (spec
While I can answer the question about the third age, I really can't
at the moment, and to tell the first two would reveal the third.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 01:21:19 -0400
Subject: Re: lack-luster characterizati
What do I know about alcoholics, to portray them? Well, aside from
a degree in clinical psychology, and some internship work in the area, I
come from a family with alcoholism going back at least four generations,
and I'm talking *heavy duty*. I am, in fact, the first male Straczynski
in my branch of this particular stunted tree NOT to have this problem.
I have had far, far, far more experience with this area than I care
to recite...and from that perspective, I have no problem with Garibaldi's
portrayal.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 01:21:22 -0400
Subject: Re: Jump Time
There's long been speculation that one or more of the major races
keeps a heavy cruiser standing by in hyperspace (as was mentioned in the
pilot movie) in case B5 ever needs to get muscled....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 01:36:25 -0400
Subject: Re: Jumpgate physics
In order to prevent a jumpgate from being used by a particular
ship, you have to know its access code, which you can then block. This
is easy once the ship is in B5, because that code is logged automatically.
But unless you know *in advance* which ship, with what code, is going to
be coming through from the other side, you can't block access.
Now, during the Earth/Minbari war, EA jump gates were programmed to
block access to ALL ships *except* EA ships with codes that changed on a
daily basis. Implementing that on B5 takes permission from the Joint
Chiefs, since it is a de facto act of aggression, and takes a lot of time
in ANY event...just as shutting down the gate takes hours and hours, if
not longer.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 01:37:08 -0400
Subject: YOOHOO!!! JMS!!!!
If you were to look at B5 realistically (which is kind of our goal),
the realities are that a Lieutenant-Commander would not be promoted into
that kind of position. She's not *nearly* seasoned enough to be entrusted
with a diplomatic posting (and can you *imagine* her trying to be
diplomatic on a regular basis?). So it'd have to be someone else.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 01:48:32 -0400
Subject: Sinclair's middle name
Jeffrey Sinclair's middle name is David, same as his father's first
name.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 21:33:12 -0400
Subject: JMS: V - The Rebirth
Thanks; at this juncture, no more will be released from the script,
in order to keep alive the possibility of a novel at some point in the
future.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:04:42 -0400
Subject: Re: Editorial: Michael O'Hare'
"...the *possibility* that O'Hare could return at some time in the
future. No obligations, no plan for it."
We've already filmed one sequence with a return for season two, to
start that ball rolling.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:04:45 -0400
Subject: JMS: O'Hare insanity
Thanks; I do try to play it as straight as I can. If there's a
problem, or a show that's not up to our standards, I'll say so. I think
that otherwise, the whole point of the exercise is lost.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:04:48 -0400
Subject: Re: Commander Tomolok (sp?)
"B5 should be better than Trek's first season, jms has been able to
watch Trek for years before he made his show, and should have learned from
them."
There are two things about this statement that make me absolutely
fucking nuts.
1) There's this attitude that I see again and again that's somewhat
confrontational, often from ST fans, that we have to do *better* than
ST (and usually in ways that they feel can be measured against ST, even
though it's a different series). Some people say, "Well the characters
aren't as gritty as in NYPD Blue or Homicide," or "I'm tired of people
saying there's humor on the series, it doesn't compare with COACH." It
seems like it's not enough that we be simply a *good* show, we have to be
THE BEST TEEVEE SERIES ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH IN ALL TEEVEE HISTORY or
we're crap. Talk about moving the borders around....
2) Re: watching and learning from ST...that's useful ONLY IF YOU'RE
DOING MORE ST. It's a whole different universe, different characters,
different technologies, different rules. It's like saying you should
watch LASSIE to learn how to do DRAGNET. Or, to stay within genres,
watch DRAGNET to learn how to do NYPD Blue.
B5 was conceived before TNG went on the air, btw.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:04:51 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: does this group affec
I have thus far changed about 3 or 4 minor elements because someone
posted what could constitute a story idea that came uncomfortably close to
what we were doing this season. Fortunately, they were small things, and
didn't affect anything substantial, but it is kind of a pain in the ass.
On the *other* hand...very often there are zillions of questions
here about the characters, the universe, history, all that. A writer's
job in creating a universe is to try and think of every question, and
answer it. But far more questions get asked here than I could ever think
of. So, sometimes a question I'd never considered gets asked, I come up
with an answer, and now it's part of the show.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:04:54 -0400
Subject: Parallel evolution; explanatio
From an evolutionary standpoint, you want your sensors at the highest
part of your body, to look for prey or predator; you want your mouth that
high as well, to eat leaves if need be. To run from predators or after
prey you need good legs, at least two; four can be hard to get through
narrow areas, and tends to deprive one of two limbs that could otherwise
be used for tools and the evolution of the opposable thumb required for
technology. It seems a very sensible arrangement across the board for
an advanced species. (And note that of all the UFO reports we hear about,
they're always humanoid, not BEMs.)
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:32:26 -0400
Subject: New commander (was Re: YOOHOO!
Well, I could answer your questions, but that would kinda kill the
first episode of year two....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:32:28 -0400
Subject: [JMS READ!] Airschedule (say i
As it was explained to me by Warners, the HUT (Households Using
Televisions) figures for August are notoriously low. Also, they said
that they thought that showing it once, then again in reruns that week,
and then again before the start of season two would "diminish" the
impact of what is, frankly, our best episode of the whole first season.
So they want to play it just the week before year two starts.
This ain't my decision, and I've debated it with WB until I've turned
blue in the face. They still think it's a wonderful idea. Their
motivation is only good. I just don't agree that this is the best way to
do it; a cliffhanger is supposed to...well...leave you hanging. I mean,
that's kind of in the description, innit?
Sometimes studios, like god, transcend all understanding.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:32:31 -0400
Subject: Re: Babylon-5 (B5) "bad acting
Re: the criticisms rendered...well done. This is the kind of thing
that many have been talking about; not "It sucks!" but what, specifically,
do you feel works or doesn't work. Although I don't agree with all the
points raised, you did raise some good ones, worth considering.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:33:50 -0400
Subject: JMS: V Script
Nothing more is planned for the script at this time, and the rest
probably won't be uploaded. Maybe someday a novelization; we'll see.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:51:32 -0400
Subject: JMS - DSM III R (re:lack-lust
Then again, while alcoholism rages in torture survivors, Sinclair
didn't know he'd *been* tortured until just recently....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:51:34 -0400
Subject: B5 Novels
Dell Books is doing the B5 series of novels.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 8 Jun 1994 22:51:36 -0400
Subject: B5 Newsletter - What Happened
OKAY! OKAY! I'LL WRITE THE GODDAMNED ESSAY THAT CHRISTY MARX HAS
BEEN NAGGING ME TO WRITE FOR THE LAST MONTH OR TWO OR THREE OR WHO EVEN
REMEMBERS WITH HER AFTER A WHILE, JUST THIS CONSTANT DRONING, ON AND ON
AND ON, "WRITE THE ESSAY, WRITE THE ESSAY, WRITE THE ESSAY," AND I TELL
HER I'VE BEEN BUSY, I'VE BEEN NUTS, GO AWAY, I'M TRYING TO MAKE A SERIES
HERE GODDAMNIT, BUT NOOOOOO, SHE JUST KEEPS ON COMING, WON'T STOP, AND
NOW SHE'S SENDING HER AGENTS OF DARKNESS AFTER ME, THAT'S IT, YOU'RE
WORKING FOR HER, AREN'T YOU, TELL THE TRUTH, I'VE SEEN HER OUTSIDE MY
WINDOW AT NIGHT, WATCHING, WATCHING....
I am in *desperate* need of a vacation....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 9 Jun 1994 03:57:59 -0400
Subject: "Mind War" -second thoughts
There's an awful lot there and most of it involves math, so I'm
going to have to puzzle this out. But for the other stuff...no, there's
no in-joke in Sigma 957, but ***CONGRATULATIONS!*** You are the FIRST
person to pick up on the Native American line that Ironheart quotes when
he goes up against Kelsey. (And yes, I believe it is ojibwe in origin.)
I've always considered it a very powerful line (a prayer of protection
against one's enemies), and wanted to use it. That seemed the perfect
opportunity to do so.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 9 Jun 1994 03:58:01 -0400
Subject: Re: Alleged JMS slam of TNG (R
Oh, please, if that's the best you can do. You were asked to
provide a quote in which I slammed Trek fans. That message you quoted
doesn't slam Trek fans. It doesn't even MENTION Trek fans. It refers to
a couple of people -- and there messages WERE geeky -- who got very snotty
and said that they had NEVER EVER used CGI on TNG, and that they could
tell (even though I know from inside that in at least one prior episode,
where Picard "joins" a band of crooks, they DID use a CGI ship in a
couple of shots).
And you even admit that you aren't sure that it was directed at
Trek fans. Which, again, it wasn't; only at a couple of specific people.
Further, the "All Things...STUPID" header wasn't created by me, but
was on a thread created by somebody else.
I have NEVER, in any post, slammed Trek fans as a group, and I don't
think I've ever just roundly dismissed/slammed ST as useless or sucky or
anything on that order. If there was something specific to mention or to
critique, maybe, but frankly I don't recall doing much or any of THAT,
either.
You made an allegation. And now you can't back up that allegation
with anything.
Perhaps an apology might be in order...?
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 9 Jun 1994 03:58:03 -0400
Subject: Re: [JMS READ!] Airschedule (s
They're still planning to show "Chrysalis" in October; I'm still
arguing. We'll see who lasts longer.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 9 Jun 1994 04:09:26 -0400
Subject: Mind War suggestion (** SPOILE
The idea of a nosebleed caused by telepathic use is a little too
Stephen King for me (Firestarter and the Dead Zone), and too Scanners.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 9 Jun 1994 19:00:51 -0400
Subject: UK RATINGS FOR "SOUL HUNTER"
Great, thanks for the information.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 9 Jun 1994 20:31:09 -0400
Subject: Re: [JMS READ!] Airschedule (s
Actually, you're quite correct; if the US doesn't show Chrysalis
until October, the UK which is blowing right through them will have shown
it in August.
Still hammering....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 9 Jun 1994 20:31:12 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: does this group affec
The CGI exhaustive rendering sequences were for "Grail."
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 9 Jun 1994 21:38:19 -0400
Subject: JMS: Kemmer and Le Guin?
I think Kemmer's name was inspired by the actor's name from the
Space Patrol series....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 10 Jun 1994 03:45:49 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: request for interview
Yeah, 5:30 a week from Monday would sound good. At least as of this
moment; things sometimes get nuts. Best to drop me a note (in email)
a few days before, so a) you can remind me, and b) we can set up a phone
number to call.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 10 Jun 1994 18:23:07 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: does this group affec
Yeah, when all is said and done, I might see if somebody would be
interested in publishing all the background material, but that's a LONG
way off.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 10 Jun 1994 18:30:48 -0400
Subject: When do we find out what Ironh
We found out what gift Ironheart gave Talia *in* the episode itself;
she can now move a penny with her thoughts. She's slowly developing some
limited TK ability of her own.
(This was in the tag.)
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 10 Jun 1994 23:30:32 -0400
Subject: Re: B5 Newsletter - What Happe
BTW...and I attach this here only because I'm still fuzzy on sending
new notes to the Internet...this Saturday, June 11, B5's own conceptual
consultant Harlan Ellison will be signing books in the San Diego area, at
Mysterious Galaxy Books, in the Claremont Shopping Center, from 2-5 p.m.
In addition, for those who buy a copy of Mephisto in Onyx or Mindfields,
and $25 in other books, there will be a reading by Harlan of a new short
story at 6 p.m.
I'll also be there, on and off, hangin' around.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 12 Jun 1994 22:27:10 -0400
Subject: B5 mentioned in Merky news
How could any one newspaper get so many mistakes into such a small
amount of space? Amazing....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 12 Jun 1994 22:27:14 -0400
Subject: Re: BABYLON 5-THE SCORES
"I will stand by my statement that I still don't hear a real
orchestra."
You can stand by it all you want, and certainly what you hear is
subjective, and varies. But you're still wrong.
The music varies, depending on what is needed for the scene. Some of
it is synth'd, but a LOT of it is indeed performed by the Berlin Symphonic
Film Orchestra, Franke's creation. We don't give credit on-screen to
entities we don't use, sorry. I've seen this in action. So you can argue
and disagree until your face turns blue...you're simply, flatly wrong.
And personally, I love the music, as do the majority of the people I
talk to. What you may be reacting to is that we add sounds that you don't
generally see used in SF series, where it's just one more over-wrought,
over-blown, bloated, self-indulgent John Williams ripoff. We *do* use
electronics from time to time and some sampling, for effect. Maybe you
don't like it, that's your choice. But it is not "cheap," and not in
lieu of using real instruments for other elements.
I've heard before from some ST "purists" who think there shouldn't be
any electronic instruments in SF-television scores...just one more attempt
to make every SF series look and sound just like Star Trek. Sorry, not
interested.
As to your allegation that Franke "sampled" (another term for stole)
a piece off the Aliens soundtrack...1) I own that soundtrack, and have
Franke's piece, and they're *not* comparable, 2) this allegation is so
far beneath contempt that it doesn't merit response.
Chris is the most original, hard-working and dedicated composer and
musician I've ever worked with. And as far as the music goes...I was
surprised the other day to get a gift from Chris...a CD with 50 continuous
minutes of music from our first season, orchestrated into a one long and
very beautiful piece. (This isn't a commercial thing; he did it on his
own, making custom covers with my name on my copy.) I've played it to
the point where I'd be worried about wearing it out if it were a standard
record. It's gorgeous, rich and full.
Your subjective tastes have nothing to do with objective reality.
You were simply 100% wrong on one issue, and insulting in the other.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 13 Jun 1994 21:01:25 -0400
Subject: ... no subject ...
Well, I'm very impressed and pleased. Thank you, and my best to the
entire clan....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 15 Jun 1994 19:48:55 -0400
Subject: JMS!! What are the rules?
Of the options you listed, only D poses a real problem; A-C are
more or less okay. The problem comes not so much from speculating on
elements already introduced, as introducing *new* plot elements that
have not been seen in the show to back up speculation or conjecture,
which may or may not approximate what we're doing. "The Minbari
surrendered because in some episode we'll see someday the Earth had
developed a giant killer space duck hidden on the dark side of the
moon that would nibble the Minbari homeworld to destruction." That is
kind of the dividing line between what's safe and not-safe.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 00:42:42 -0400
Subject: BABYLON-5 (B5) "BAD A
Chris: I'd say your analysis of the B5 approach to performance is
pretty much dead on.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 00:44:04 -0400
Subject: TO JMS: INTERVIEW?
To answer your question I'll need more info on the publication.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 00:50:28 -0400
Subject: TV Guide & Fall Preview (was A
There are a number of people at TV Guide, including Jeff Jarvis, who
want *zero* references to B5 at worst, to slam it at best. If we went on
the air in the spring again, they'd simply not mention us at all. Does
anyone actually think they cover things based on *quality*? They don't.
It's whoever buys the cover that week. By going in the fall, they pretty
much *have* to at least mention us, so that's a start. But that's not
the full reason; it has much also to do with rerun schedules and how you
make episodes stretch between sweeps periods.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 00:58:15 -0400
Subject: Mind War: Monorail ride
There is definitely minimal gravity in the core shuttle; what you
can't see in MW, but can in Survivors, are the handholds recessed into
the seats, walls and ceiling to help keep people in place.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 00:58:19 -0400
Subject: Attn JMS: Maybe this will work
Your jumpgate system sounds perfectly consistent with our thinking
on the subject.
(This to the original poster.)
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 00:59:40 -0400
Subject: ATTN: JMS SD Comic Con
I *imagine* my presentation will be on that Saturday, but I have no
actual proof upon which to base that belief. It is simply an act of
faith at this point. Re: bringing down cast members...we'll be in the
thick of shooting, so I don't know who if anyone can make it (though Bill
Mumy will be there for his concert).
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 00:59:44 -0400
Subject: Question for JMS
Yes, our plans are to show some of the other homeworlds next season.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 01:26:32 -0400
Subject: JMS: Canada reference?
So it's okay by you to mention that Canada was wiped out by the great
genetics plague of 2134, and has been cut off from the rest of the world,
the few remaining mutants kept out behind barbed wire and gun turrets, you
really *want* I should mention that...?
jm(who may, or may not, be kidding)s
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 01:34:14 -0400
Subject: Re: BABYLON 5-THE SCORES
Re: your continued allegations that B5's composer Chris Franke
"uses synthesizers in place of live players"...I am going to say this
just one more time: I don't care *what* your ears tell you; your ears are
hearing what you want to hear. Chris uses both synth AND a live
orchestra. He combines them. What does it take to convince you? I've
BEEN there. I've SEEN the process. It's ONGOING. What you say is being
done is NOT what's being done. Period. You're pointing at a black wall
and saying it's white. I'm not to blame for your problem with colors.
You have two choices, one of which involves calling me a liar.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 03:49:58 -0400
Subject: Re: Franke truth WAS: Re: BAB
"The CD gift was nice I'm sure, but let's be honest it also sounds
like he's sucking up a lot too. Just remember who signs his paychecks."
Could you *possibly* be more smarmy about this?
FYI, a *number* of people got these gift CDs, a very small group
that -- however this may surprise you -- includes people who do not pay
him. Chris has no reason to "suck up" to anyone. He's already on for
year two, his negotiations for the soundtrack with Warners have no impact
on us and we have no say in it...it was simply something done out of the
goodness of his heart, and his enthusiasm for the show.
For someone who sets himself up as in a position to go after other
people, you sure engage in some dubious observations.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 03:50:01 -0400
Subject: Att jms
To answer your questions in order...I use small initials jms because
it looks cool, and keeps me modest. (Someone pointed out that it looks
like a derringer pointing right, but what do I know.) Yes, we'll find
out about the Minbari situation re: Sinclair in the first episode of year
two. And it will have future ramifications. As for knowing what was
going on in "Sky"...bear in mind that you (and other net-surfers) have an
advantage 99.9% of the rest of the country does not: this conversation.
That 99.9% didn't even *know* about the hole in Sinclair's mind
when "Sky" began because it hadn't ever been mentioned *in the series*
up to that point. Only in the pilot, which the majority of B5's current
viewers never saw. All of the discussions here lead netters to expect
stuff that the rest of the nation has never seen, and thus can't expect.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 03:57:38 -0400
Subject: JMS
There will be a new intro to year 2. I would hope that the
opening narrative would be shorter. Not ready yet to announce who's
going to be doing it. It will probably include shots from years one and
two.
Getting Patrick will depend on getting a script he likes. It's
certainly one of my goals.
And yes, there will be some new writers freelancing for us this
season; I'm talking to writers like Peter David, and Scott Frost (from
Twin Peaks and X-Files), a few others...and I'm going to keep hammering
at Neil Gaiman to do us a script until he finally does one just to make
me go away.
No immediate committments to the prior three, but we're seeing what
we can do.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 03:57:40 -0400
Subject: Mind war meditations...
"Is Kosh what he/she/it appears to be?"
Kosh is always and forever *exactly* what he appears to be, no less
and no more. At the same time, Kosh is absolutely *nothing* like what
he appears to be.
These are not contradictory statements.
And this is about the straightest answer I've given yet on the
subject, believe it or not.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 03:57:43 -0400
Subject: Koenig was doing Shatner!
It's a funny thought, but knowing Walter as I do, I can say without
fear of contradiction that he was *not* doing Shatner. Given the chance
here to do something *utterly* outside ST, which was his hope, and our
pleasure to provide, he wouldn't do this, and having spoken with him at
some length about his character and his performance, know that he *didn't*
do this.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 19:42:04 -0400
Subject: Re: BABYLON 5-THE SCORES
"Franke...is not cutting it..he's just not the right person for
the program."
1) That's your opinion. 2) Your opinion is irrelevant.
The job of a composer is to work with the material as written and
directed, to fit the vision of the person who's putting it together.
Christopher's music is *exactly* what I envisioned wanting for the show.
So he *is* exactly the right person for the show. You don't get a vote
on that.
And it's pretty cowardly for anyone to step up to the plate and
criticize others behind a pseudonym. My real name's up here, why isn't
yours?
From your comments, your sense that you are obligated to "take on"
me and other show runners, your grandiose sense of importance, your
insistence that the world is the way you say -- no live players even
though there are -- despite being repeatedly told otherwise, I would
almost be tempted to conclude that you are suffering from delusions of
grandeur...but I suspect that closer to the truth is that you are
suffering from delusions of adequacy.
You are being an ass. Go away.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 19:48:27 -0400
Subject: Re: Elanic $0.02 Re: BABYLON
Once agan, Franke's approach to the show is not "wrong." What you
are doing is like walking into someone's home, which is decorated to
their tastes, and saying it's "wrong" because it's not how you would
decorate your house. You don't get a vote. It is right for what I want
to do for my show, and so it is right. Only one person gets a vote on
what does and doesn't "fit" with this show. And it ain't you.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 19:59:03 -0400
Subject: The other Minbari Castes??!
You will see some of the warrior caste in "Legacies," coming up
in July. You don't see them much because they only go where they're
needed.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 19:59:07 -0400
Subject: Is any one else leaving ?
We certainly have no plans to replace any other cast members at
this time.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 19:59:10 -0400
Subject: Re: B5 Newsletter - What Happe
Thanks. Alas, the jackets are not currently for sale.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 19:59:14 -0400
Subject: Re: BABYLON 5-THE SCORES
"I've stated that what I put forth was an opinion based on my years
of working in the business of music for films and TV programs."
How can you say that when you operate under a pseudonym? How do WE
know you have "years" working in the music business? We have no proof
of this.
"I've answered your questions with facts."
No you haven't. Not one. Just more opinions.
"I DON'T HEAR AN ORCHESTRA AT ALL IN THE SHOW!"
So what? That's your problem.
This is like two guys standing in a zoo, looking at an elephant.
"That's a duck," one says.
"No it's not, it's an elephant."
"I don't see an elephant. I have experience. It's a duck."
"I don't *care* what YOU see, it's an elephant. Look, see that
thing in front?"
"What? Its bill?"
"That's not a bill, it's a trunk! See how it waves back and forth?"
"Oh, well, then it's a broken bill...pity, you think they could
afford to fix it."
"Look, tell you what, how about I put your head under the 'duck's'
foot and see what happens...?"
We're not responsible for your problems with perception and tone
deafness.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 20:00:36 -0400
Subject: Re: Sinclair leaving !!! Need
You will find out the full story of why the Minbari surrendered in
the first episode of year two, plus a little extra.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 23:45:23 -0400
Subject: JMS, a "joke" ??? was: R
The Zima thing really is only visible in maybe two episodes; by that
point the humor had run its course and we dropped it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 23:48:04 -0400
Subject: JMS: Chicago Comicon schedule?
No idea yet on the schedule, though my guess is that the B5 panel
will be some time Saturday afternoon. Will try to post more when I
know it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 23:50:43 -0400
Subject: What are the Mutari?
The Mutari are those who fight in the Mutai; and you *did* see Narns
and Centauri and others hanging around the ring. The only ones you won't
see there are Minbari. It ain't their thing.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 23:53:17 -0400
Subject: No change in new Mind War <was
We discovered, when we went to put in the revised CGI, that the
international versions had already been made and transferred, and it would
be nearly impossible to recall that part of the process...so it was left
alone rather than have multiple versions of the same episode floating
around.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 16 Jun 1994 23:53:21 -0400
Subject: Re: We trust you JMS, really..
Londo's narration definitely does *not* name Sinclair specifically,
by name.
Just in the interests of accuracy....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 17 Jun 1994 00:14:09 -0400
Subject: ATTN JMS: When will we see aer
You will see Earth Alliance ships capable of moving in space and
in an atmosphere in "A Voice in the Wilderness" two-parter.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 17 Jun 1994 17:18:39 -0400
Subject: JMS: Co-stars?
On returns...Hidoshi: uncertain...Garibaldi's aide: yes...Kalika: no
...the reporters: some yes...Maya Hernandez: possibly...Sakai: also
possible. Soul Hunters: very likely. Knights: yes, but not identified
as such.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 17 Jun 1994 17:18:41 -0400
Subject: JMS : B5 CD?
Yes, there are plans for a B5 CD in the fall.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 17 Jun 1994 17:20:02 -0400
Subject: ATTN JMS!: Can you give them n
If one of the techs begins to perform actions that take him or her
outside the merely functional, then yes, names will be given.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 17 Jun 1994 17:20:06 -0400
Subject: Re: BABYLON 5-THE SCORES
What you address in the last bit of the music in "Signs" is what
I've been trying to get across. The theme music appearing there is not
quite what we use otherwise. I suggested to Chris that it'd be cool to
have the B5 theme there in *minor keys* or minor chords. It's a somewhat
different version, and playing a theme in minor instead of major keys or
chords makes it somber, sad, unsettling. We've just seen B5 explode, and
doing that particular riff on the theme seemed to both of us a good idea.
Play it again, then the regular theme, and you'll see the difference.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 00:58:12 -0400
Subject: Why a jumpgate at Sigma 957?
An Explorer-class vessel looks for areas that look like likely
prospects for exploitation, or which are good for logistical or other
reasons, do a fast survey, drop a gate and move on. Nobody *knew* about
the problems in Sigma 957 until well after the gate was in place.
Generally, the race that builds the gate, owns it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 01:09:44 -0400
Subject: "Who Watches the Watchmen?"
My source on this was the original, classical quotation.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 01:11:05 -0400
Subject: We trust you JMS, really... (w
Daniel: I appreciate your support and your thoughtfulness. On the
last point you raise...as well as writing for TV, I also write novels,
with two published so far, and the next one (a 1,000+ page whopper)
already outlined. Thing is, no matter *how* much you outline, and prepare,
and decide, "THIS is the story," once you actually get into writing the
novel, things come out of the woodwork and surprise you; characters come
to life and start pointing you in directions you hadn't considered because
you hadn't previously spent that much constant time with them. In a bit
over two decades of professional writing, I have *never* written an
outline that survived contact with the script, or the novel. It sorta
gets me into the story, and from there on I have to be open to adapting to
what the story presents.
When I started my second novel, I decided that it would be the story
of the female cop in the narrative. It was *her* story. About a quarter
of the way in, I realized that it *wasn't* her story, it was the story of
the two high school kids in the novel. The basic storyline DID NOT
CHANGE much, but the *emphasis* and the point of view altered as the focus
moved from one to the other.
In some ways, that's the closest parallel I can come to as far as
this situation is concerned.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 01:35:41 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS
Neil's turned down some script work because he's up to his eyes in
prior commitments, and doesn't take on stuff unless he feels strongly
that he can give it the proper amount of time to do a good job. But he's
good enough to merit going back to again and again and again until he
surrenders....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 01:43:20 -0400
Subject: Attn JMS: Another annoying int
Pencil me in as potentially interested, depending on what dates
we're looking at here.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 01:44:41 -0400
Subject: Re: BABYLON 5-THE SCORES
I was referring to ST purists, not ST purism, the latter of which is
applicable to many, the former of which refers only to a few. One of the
things we get faulted on is that we're just not ST, and don't do things
the same way ST does things, from music to props to stories, you name it.
It's to that small group that I was referring.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 01:44:45 -0400
Subject: >** ATTENTION JMS ** re Tolkei
I think there are parallels you can draw between any two works; you
can create parallels between B5 and Dune, Foundation, LoTR...any work in
which there is an "epic" structure.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 02:00:01 -0400
Subject: Is Babylon 5 close-captioned?
Babylon 5 episodes are *definitely* close-captioned, so the station
wasn't being quite forthright. (Only once did one version of "Mind War"
slip through uncaptioned, due to a glitch, later corrected.)
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 02:00:04 -0400
Subject: JMS: Dust?
No dust in year one. Perhaps dust in year two.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 02:10:16 -0400
Subject: JMS: aspiring actor wants to k
We cast our extras through the Screen Extras Guild, using their
member roster.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 02:10:19 -0400
Subject: JMS: Main title for Season 2 o
Since the show will have to be promoted for year two, and there will
be articles all over the place, it's impossible for general viewers not
to know, so there's no sense having to make two different openings to
accomodate the first episode.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 02:19:13 -0400
Subject: B5 and LOSH (or: Now I know wh
Yeah, but y'know, I just *hated* what they did to the Legion; it got
SO big and out of control that while I still buy the book (not really
knowing why), I can barely follow the thing. I dunno, it just lost
something to me. (Plus the artwork during the revamp was SO awful, and
you could never tell who you were looking at.)
jm(who actually thought Bouncing Boy was okay)s
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 02:19:15 -0400
Subject: Re: BABYLON 5-THE SCORES
"I don't care if he's using...ten pipe-smoking nuns playing kazoos."
Damn, we've been found out.
Okay, Sister Margaret Mary, who's been running her mouth downtown?!
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 03:26:25 -0400
Subject: Re: Message from JMS
Getting in someone else to play Sinclair would be the solution if
the actor were the problem. He's not. It's a question of looking at the
character (at least from my side of this) and saying, "Is there something
different we can do here that's more interesting?" This isn't a question
of salvaging stuff.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 03:39:03 -0400
Subject: Re: Message from JMS
This to Patrick Rannou...I'm going to try this again, and see if it
sticks.
We DO have options on our actors. We DO and DID have options on
O'Hare. It was WE who first approached HIM, not the other way around.
Your characterization of his actions here is not only inappropriate, but
absolutely and catagorically untrue. If you've got a problem, you've got
a problem with me, not Michael.
Once again: this was MUTUAL, and it was AMICABLE.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 05:41:05 -0400
Subject: JMS: About writing for B5?
The problem becomes that, the deeper we get into the series, the
more continuity there is between episodes, and the more you pretty much
have to know what's coming the rest of the season to write episodes for
the show. Right now, all the scripts currently in the works have been
assigned out on the basis of premises developed by me, because I'm the
only one who knows where the hell the ship is going, particularly in light
of the new character(s) coming in. What I'm doing is looking at some
spec scripts, determining if they've got what it takes, and assigning out
stuff; we're *not* looking for outside stories.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 05:41:07 -0400
Subject: Re: Message from JMS
No, Sinclair will no longer command B5, that task will go to
another, while he undertakes another task.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 20:09:40 -0400
Subject: JMS: How About Alan Moore?
Actually, when I was story editing the new Twilight Zone, I called
Alan in England and tried to get him do do one for us. He said he really
has *no* interest whatsoever in doing TV. Unfortunate, really (for TV).
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 20:26:39 -0400
Subject: JMS: Do a UK convention?
I'd actually planned on visiting England in May/June for two weeks,
partly for vacation, partly for any PR work I could do for B5, but the
workload kinda precluded that. I certainly have no objections, should the
opportunity arise, to do a UK con; I've visited England before, and enjoy
it quite a bit. Will take any excuse to go there.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 18 Jun 1994 23:40:16 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: About writing for B5?
Interfacing with the overall arc is one problem, to be sure; but
even the independent episodes (and we'll have a number of them) will have
new characters and situations to deal with. Who is the new commanding
officer? Who's this new character introduced over here? The status of
this other character has changed, how does that manifest itself? It
becomes very dicey.
If the show and the characters didn't change, remained static, it'd
be easy. But they don't, not here. (Also, it's worth noting that ST has
kind of given people a false image of how TV works. Ninety-nine percent
of TV shows do not take ANY spec submissions. ST did because -- and this
isn't a slam, this is by their own admission -- they ran out of ideas. We
don't have this problem, and we tend to operate more like a regular TV
series.)
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 05:30:40 -0400
Subject: ATT: JMS - The Pit Crew
In a way, I kinda thought it was more interesting to play the C&C
techs as just that: they are their jobs as far as we can see. To give
them a sense of being part of the machine. They are occasionally referred
to in dialogue, but only by job: "Station one, transfer data to main
console." I think we broke it down to one station each for environment,
jumpgate/navigational assistance, security and a couple of other areas.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 05:30:43 -0400
Subject: EA Military Forces, What DO we
Your analysis of the military aspects is about right. We haven't
shown that much of the "marine/army" aspect, though we'll be seeing
ground-pounders and the like next season.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 05:32:23 -0400
Subject: Re: Franke truth WAS: Re: BAB
That's great; enjoy the CD. And the rest...will attend to itself, I
suspect.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 05:32:25 -0400
Subject: JMS---travel time from Earth t
The travel time from Earth to B5 is measured in days, though the
amount of time seems shorter while in hyperspace.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 05:32:27 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: Co-stars?
I'm reasonably sure that the nose art on the 'fury that got splashed
at the top of "Signs" was that of a dragon, not a chesspiece.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 18:43:31 -0400
Subject: Re: Elanic $0.02 Re: BABYLON 5
Part of the music question has to be traced down to my own personal
tastes. The way music works in an episodic program is like this:
Once the show is edited, we sit down to "spot" the episode. This
puts me, the sound effects people, dialogue editors, post-production
supervisor, line producer, Chris Franke, and me into a room where we
watch the episode through. We note where dialogue may have to be dubbed
or enhanced; what kinds of sounds we want with, for instance, various
kinds of interiors or visual EFX...and where the mucis comes in, and where
it goes out, and what *kind* of music it should be.
Generally, I pick the in- and out-cues for the music, though often
John Copeland or Christ will jump in if they think I've missed something,
or argue if they think it shouldn't start or stop at a given point. Often,
once the cue for a given section is picked, I'll leave Chris to come up
with whatever style music he thinks is appropriate. This is about 90% of
the time. About 10% of the time, I'll have a very specific idea about
the music, and will convey this to him as best I can.
Overall, though, I've always told Chris to push it...to go absolutely
as far with the music as he wants. If it goes too far, we can always pull
it back or duck it down a little. Basically, I'm a rock-and-roll kind of
guy...I like my music loud, and I like a LOT of it. This show is often
wall-to-wall music. Chris often composes as much as 20-25 minutes of new
music per episode; most hour shows have maybe 13-16 minutes of music per
hour episode. And he is often called upon by us to do some VERY long
cues. Often, TV music is just there to cover a transition (10-20 seconds),
or establish a mood at the top or bottom of a scene, and get out (1 minute
to 1 minute-30 seconds average). We have many, MANY cues on this show
that go 2, 3, even 4 minutes. I think we actually had a 6 minute cue at
one point in one episode. Check act 3 of "Signs and Portents" and see how
much music we crammed into that act; it's almost non-stop.
I like percussion, strings, woodwinds and horns, and I'm not as big
on keyboard (synth or otherwise), and generally our music tends to reflect
this. I like music that is exciting and dynamic. Sometimes perhaps we
do a smidge too much of this, but I think it's better to err on the dynamic
side than on the snooze side.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 18:47:37 -0400
Subject: ATTN JMS: 2nd season episode n
Let's see...just offhand, titles include "A Trick of the Mind," "A
Distant Star," "Revelations," "The Long Dark," "Pestilence, Famine and
Death," "Chrysalis, Part Two," and "The Geometries of Shadow."
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 18:57:10 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: Do a UK convention?
Actually, no, the May/June reference was to 1994, not 1995; I'd hoped
to get away before we began really cranking on this season. I do hope to
get away next year, 1995, around April/May to the UK. Later than that is
not workable due to production (assuming we get year 3).
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 19:09:33 -0400
Subject: jms: I'd like to spec a script
This is something I'm really trying not to encourage, for all the
reasons cited previously, plus the fact that we're trying to go with well
known SF pros and established writers. But if you're going to do it, the
only way *to* do it is to have it submitted by an agent, through our story
editor Larry DiTillio.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 19:10:59 -0400
Subject: Re: Who would win: Sinclairs D
I think the term this discussion is searching for is, "Quacknobabble."
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 19 Jun 1994 19:11:02 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: About writing for B5?
"IF one stuck to the general guidelines of the B5 universe...."
My point is, until we've established for you what those guidelines
ARE, particularly in terms of the new characters we'll be bringing in,
that's problematic at best.
"...do we attribute that to better writing (on TNG) after the first
season?"
Yes. Nobody knew what the hell they were doing there the first
and second seasons. Things improved quite dramatically when later they
brought in Jeri Taylor, who was instrumental in stopping the revolving
door of writers there (something just under 30 writer/producers have left
or been fired off TNG since it started, which is *unheard* of in TV, the
bulk of it those first two years, maybe 23 or so).
"Ya mean people didn't send in their teleplays for "Murder, She
Wrote?""
Yes, they did...and as soon as it was determined (by partly peeling
back the flap) that it WAS a spec script, it was sent *immediately* to
Legal Affairs, which sent it back to the writer in question, with a note
telling them that it had not been read, and not to do it again.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 20 Jun 1994 01:11:02 -0400
Subject: ATTN JMS: Cloaking tech.
Who says you haven't already *seen* cloaking tech?
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 20 Jun 1994 01:27:42 -0400
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: 2nd season episo
Nobody asked me for descriptions, only titles. And at this stage,
it's WAY too early to give out even one-liners on the year two stories,
since in many cases that would reveal events yet to come in year one.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 20 Jun 1994 15:46:03 -0400
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Cloaking tech.
There are no invisible ships in the B5 docking bay.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 20 Jun 1994 15:46:08 -0400
Subject: jms: I'd like to spec a script
I understand your dilemma; understand, though, that under Writers
Guild rules, I cannot encourage anyone or ask anyone or even participate
in the process of speccing a script. Your question underlines the
problem I raised in my original message back.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 20 Jun 1994 15:47:35 -0400
Subject: ATT: JMS - The Pit Crew
The techs are trained to be redundent, in that one can man another's
station if need be, though that person might not be as quick in some areas
as the original tech.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 20 Jun 1994 18:57:22 -0400
Subject: Re: Elanic $0.02 Re: BABYLON 5
OKAY, OKAY, SO CHRIST AND THE TWO ME'S WERE IN ON THE MUSIC SPOTTING
SECTION! I ADMIT IT! ANYBODY ELSE GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?
...sigh...I can't win.
Typos have always been the bane of my existence. I once did a humor
column for the university newspaper. Did an Easter column. Wrote,
"Celebrated Easter by running down a rabbit." Okay, not great humor, but
what do you expect in college? One problem: due to a typesetting typo,
the column comes out reading, "Celebrated Easter by running down a rabbi."
The Jewish Student Union -- in the person of five very large men
waiting for me when I arrived, all unknowing, on campus the next
morning -- was *not* amused.
sjm
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 22 Jun 1994 21:50:26 -0400
Subject: JMS: Why B5 isn't SF Pt 1
Dear Matthew:
So I log onto GEnie and see in my gateway 300+ messages, many of them
titled "B5 Isn't SF", starting with a three-part meganote. "Oh, no, not
another pointy-head starting an argument," I decide. So I wait, and wait,
until I've cleared my desk, and I can sit down and decide whether or not to
do battle, or simply reply with, "So what's your point?"
Then I read what's actually contained in your messages.
I can't decide whether to laugh or drive a semi-truck over your
house.
So I've decided to do both.
See you in...oh...about an hour....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 22 Jun 1994 21:53:11 -0400
Subject: Actor I'd like to see: Robert
I agree, and wouldn't mind using Vaughn sometime.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 22 Jun 1994 21:53:14 -0400
Subject: Re: B5 and LOSH
I just wish they'd leave the damned DC universe *alone* and get on
with life. I can't keep track of all the changes anymore. Remember: if
you pick at it, it won't heal.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 22 Jun 1994 22:18:51 -0400
Subject: Pronunciation? Help!
The *correct* pronunciation, the Old World version, would indeed
be "stra-chin-ski," though I don't worry about that since nobody should
ever have to worry about looking at a CZ and pronouncing it CH. The
Americanized version is "stra-zin-ski." Which is more than fine, and is
in fact what I use.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 22 Jun 1994 22:20:16 -0400
Subject: ATT: JMS - Tech Names Redux
I think that if you were to write and request a photo via Warner
Bros. (directly to Marianne Robertson), you might get it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 22 Jun 1994 22:20:18 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS????
I'm putting this here because, by virtue of my initials being here,
this should be a trivial enough thread for a trivial question.
On the theory that we are all generally 8 people removed from
anyone else on the planet...an idle request.
When I was living in San Diego from 1974-81, I knew a young woman
there named Liz Ochoa. She's part Basque, red hair, a rose tattoo on her
left wrist, and in 1978 or so had a 3 year old son named (I believe)
Justin. She lived in the northern part of San Diego around El Cajon.
I lost track of her a number of years ago, and if anyone out there
happens to know her, just as an experiment, drop me a private note.
Let's see if this really works. (And nothing weird here; she was a
dear and good friend.)
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 23 Jun 1994 04:11:37 -0400
Subject: AtSFoS -- whose mind is being
David...re the quoted lines...I like to have a bit of fun...and for
those paying attention, a little...well...fore*shadow*ing.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 23 Jun 1994 04:13:01 -0400
Subject: AtSFoS: ***Differences?*** (JM
No, there were no changes in the Sinclair ship-yank scene; what you
may be remembering is a shot some magazine ran a while back which used a
shot we discarded, which was a lot like what you describe. The guys at
Foundation called it the "snot shot," because that's kinda what it looked
like (hence why we didn't use it).
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 23 Jun 1994 04:13:04 -0400
Subject: ATTN JMS: Rules for submitting
We cannot take any outside ship designs for legal reasons. We hae
(have) contracted with Foundation to provide designs on a work for hire
basis, meaning we go in owning it, rather than buying designs after the
fact, which gets into rights and ownership questions, buyouts and the
like. Even offered freely, we really can't do that (and even so, I have
this problem with people working for free).
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 23 Jun 1994 04:24:17 -0400
Subject: Re: Pronunciation? Help!
You can't fool me. I knew Kosh. I worked with Kosh. Kosh was my
friend. You are no Kosh.
Besides...Kosh doesn't type that well. So NYAH!
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 23 Jun 1994 04:24:19 -0400
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: 2nd season episo
"Shame, the one you're missing was the most exciting performer."
You're *definitely* not looking closely enough.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 23 Jun 1994 04:39:07 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS: Why B5 isn't SF - Pt
That's funny, I just got a letter myself today. It's still in the
original Centauri, though...haven't been able to make much sense of it yet.
Ni tobo dula JMS:
Utsak vetsabi Dave Hill, rakasa-de "wham!wham!wham!" nee chu dokk
anvil, dokk hammer, vobatsu ka "Pointy-Head."
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 23 Jun 1994 04:58:01 -0400
Subject: UK: PoD; See you next Wednesda
The line, "See you next wednesday," was basically an offhand line,
slightly but not significantly based in the idea that in most markets,
B5 airs on Wednesdays. It was never meant to be a John Landis reference,
and if I'd known it was (I'd never heard it before), would've changed it.
Not all of us in Hollywood have forgotten Vic Morrow.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 24 Jun 1994 00:38:36 -0400
Subject: UK: People missing the point.
You don't have to read another book to "get it" re: psi's making
love. Perhaps her problem was more with the making love part than the
psi part. Haven't read Julian May's book. It's just the obvious answer
to what happens if and when telepaths make love: if they truly open up,
then you're going to get a mirror effect. Have your lady friend stand
between two mirrors and look at the effect. This ain't rocket science.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 24 Jun 1994 04:08:38 -0400
Subject: Re: Rich & Famous
Re: "The Real Ghostbusters"...that show was a great deal of fun to
work on. I'm pleased that it continues to get mentioned and noticed by
people. (And the number of SF people who worked on it is actually quite
interesting...Richard Mueller, Michael Reaves, JM DeMatteis, John
Shirley, Arthur Byron Cover and others, in addition to the aforementioned
David Gerrold.)
It was a show we were all free to go totally gonzo with, and it was
a ball, occasional fights with suits notwithstanding. We got away with
some amazing stuff. The bunch of episodes I wrote for TRGBs was pretty
much the end of my involvement in animation, and I kinda wanted to go out
with a bang.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 24 Jun 1994 05:57:43 -0400
Subject: Re: B5 fans and ST fans.
This is to Ted McCoy...I have to take *factual* issue with your post,
primarily on the grounds that you are comparing 7 years of TNG character
development to 14 episodes of B5 character development. I'd ask you to
put yourself back in episode 14 season 1 of TNG and ask yourself how
much you really knew about the characters. Not much, I'd venture.
To the factual side...you say that the Ivanova scene about her
mother was tossed in once, and then forgotten. Incorrect. It comes up
again and again and again; it's *crucial* to her character. It pops up
slightly in Mind War, bigtime in TKO, even more important in Legacies and
a couple of other episodes this season. (It particularly receives major
play in Legacies.) I think you should see at least one season before
deciding that something is mentioned once and never again.
You say some of the ambassadors are villainous one moment, less so
in another episode. Quite correct. That's varying their characters so
they're not one-dimensional. We all have good days, and bad days. So do
our characters. If things are going well for him, Londo is a happy kind
of fellow, out for a good time. If things aren't...he can be a very
dangerous person. I don't see that as an inconsistency, nor is his
character somehow being "violated" by those different elements being
shown. They are *all* who he is.
As far as the pre-planned story arc, you say the "characters are
set," and thus unlikely to grow. Given that you describe this as a
negative, then you must not like novels, since their arc is preplanned
from page one. The characters in B5 aren't *set* in the sense that this
is it. Each one has his or her personal journey, and story arc, that
they must make, and each one will end up *substantially* different at the
end because of that journey. The Londo you see at the end of five years
is a very, *very* different Londo than the one you see now.
In any event, again, it's more than a little unfair to say, "Well,
we've had more character development in series X, which has been on the
air for seven years, than we've had in 14 episodes of series Y." I would
recommend at least giving it until the end of the first season. You don't
and can't dump characterization out all at once; you have to layer it out
slowly, gradually. That process consumes time.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 24 Jun 1994 16:14:59 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS : B5 CD?
Lemme get this straight...you come on here, insult and slam Chris
Franke's music, accuse him of minor theft, fraud (by way of saying that
he is NOT using the orchestra that we're paying him to use), and being
talentless...and *then* you can actually come in here and demand to know
what label his CD is coming out on?
Screw you...wait in line like everybody else.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 24 Jun 1994 17:45:20 -0400
Subject: jms: Can a ship get caught bet
Yes, it could get caught, and I'd prefer not to go any further with
this discussion, as it walks over an episode for season two, and I don't
want to endanger it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 24 Jun 1994 17:45:22 -0400
Subject: Unofficial Babylon 5 Dictionar
I don't have a WWW viewer (I don't even have a VVV viewer), so it
may be best to send me the thing in a text file.
jjjmmmsss
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 25 Jun 1994 01:46:37 -0400
Subject: Re: B5 fans and ST fans.
The influence of actors on their characters is *vastly* over-rated
and exaggerated by the media, and by viewers. One of the real problems
of television the last 20 years or so is that actors are sometimes weilding
too much clout, and playing it safe with their characters. Which is why
so much TV is pablum that doesn't push the envelope. Sometimes our
characters *fail* at what they do. In 90% of all TV series, it would be
unheard of for an actor to allow his or her character to fail at something
major, particularly if it's the lead. This isn't good for TV, or for the
viewers. It reduces storytelling to the same-old same-old.
Nor, I believe, is the job of making a show to create characters that
the actors are "comfortable with." The idea should be to push and
challenge your actors to go beyond where they've gone before. This is why
so many good actors who do TV take breaks to do stage plays, where they
have the opportunity to push their skills to the limit...an opportunity
all too often denied in TeeVee.
Very often, the actor moves into a vacuum where nothing has really
been set up for the character. That applies to the case you cite. The
character hadn't really been fleshed out, so the actor began adding to the
role to make up the difference.
The difficulty I have is when the story-arc is described as a problem
because it isn't haphazard or totally episodic as is every other TV series.
This isn't saying, "This is better." What this is, is an experiment. No
one has ever really tried something on this scale for american TV before.
I wouldn't do every series like this. This is a *separate creature* from
standard TV, as will continue to become more apparent the deeper you get
into the show. It is, for lack of a better term, a loosely connected 5
year miniseries.
Point being, no one has ever done something like this before for
american TV. And maybe no one ever will again, depending on how all this
works out. I think that it's worth the trip.
Finally, re: characters not mentioning the "inner turmoil" they had
in episode 3 again in episode 4...for one thing, you can't string it all
too tightly, because in syndication, broadcast order gets shunted around.
The episodes are designed to be viewed all, or in part, in order or out of
order, and still work. Additionally, in TV you only have X-number of
minutes to tell your story; unless element X has some *direct bearing* on
what's happening this episode, you can't just sandwich it in. This applies
to EVERY TV series, not just B5. There has to be a current reason for it,
you can't just drop it in for the hell of it. You're asking for something
that doesn't work dramatically.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 26 Jun 1994 20:17:14 -0400
Subject: Re: UK: PoD; See you next Wedn
Re: the article...email apart, best to send a copy to me at:
14431 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 260, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423.
Any further comments re: Landis would probably be unprintable.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 27 Jun 1994 17:47:19 -0400
Subject: Key questions to be answered
Without commenting one way or another on various speculations, let
me dive in for a second on the general issue of "what means what."
One of the things I learned doing other shows, like being on "Murder,
She Wrote" for two years, was that you *must* play fair with the
audience. The clues cannot be so small, or so diminished, that they will
zip by too easily. There has to be at least a reasonable chance that
people will glom onto things.
So the odds are that a single word, or a look, or something going on
in deep background is probably *not* significant. Anything in foreground,
which is given some weight, *may* be significant.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 27 Jun 1994 18:15:40 -0400
Subject: Second Vorlon
Kosh doesn't need an assistant. In fact, no one's *really* quite
sure what it is Kosh *does* most of the day.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 27 Jun 1994 18:15:43 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS : B5 CD?
I didn't answer your first demand for information because I didn't
feel like it, and I don't have to. You repeated the demand, and I told
you to piss off. Lots of people here asked what *your* "credentials"
are in music...I don't see you responding to *their* requests, why the
hell should anyone honor yours?
There will be a mountain of publicity on all the B5 licensing that
will be coming out later this fall. The CD (as opposed to the CD Rom)
will be out in November, which is plenty of time yet for those who like
the music to find out.
So it's a question of waiting two weeks to inform the fans of the
show...or annoying you now in the present.
I opt for the latter.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 27 Jun 1994 18:15:45 -0400
Subject: JMS: Question regarding Bill M
Yeah, it was an off-the-cuff reference to Billy Mitchell. You and
your wife are correct.
jms
(Didn't really mean that much; just thought it wuz cool.)
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 01:37:01 -0400
Subject: Re: Rich & Famous
Yeah, "Chicken, He Clucked" was one of the most twisted episodes I
wrote for The Real Ghostbussters. Our offices were located near this
place that made broasted chicken, which was itself directly behind, and
just upwind, of an apartment building. I used to pass by this place
every day, thinking about the poor people on the chicken side of the
apartment building, where the smell from chickens broasting wafted in
every day, day after day, seven days a week...and it was *strong* stuff,
let me tell you...which led me to the notion of a guy who lived in just
such an apartment, who is gradually driven stark, staring mad by it, and
makes a deal with the Devil to sell his soul in exchange for getting rid
of all the chickens in the world.
When I turned in the script, one of the two executive producers called
me, said, "You are a sick, sick, sick, sick, sick, sick man," and hung up.
But we made the episode.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 04:40:24 -0400
Subject: jms: Civil liberties
Yes, there are definitely civil liberties. In the specific
instance you cite, you're looking at a camera feed from a B5 facility,
which is as admissible as a videotape inside a supermarket; it's not a
question of putting it in an unauthorized area. B5 is owned by EA.
The whole question of how telepaths can be used gets very much into
issues of civil liberties and privacy; that's why they're prohibited from
unauthorized scans, and are not allowed to determine anyone's guilt or
innocence by a scan of the accused, since it violates the right to due
process.
We've thought it out a lot, but it would fill up a lot of room here
to go over it in detail; perhaps best for now to let the show speak for
itself. (You'll see some discussion of this upcoming in "The Quality of
Mercy," for starters.)
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 04:56:34 -0400
Subject: Re: ? for JMS
As someone who participated in the design work on the Starfuries,
you're incorrect; the engines are constructed in such a way, on all four
wings, that they can fire with equal strength in any direction: forward,
backward, top and bottom. They demonstrate this capacity repeatedly in
the show. (In particular I suggest you check out "Signs and Portents,"
when Ivanova's squad is recalled; you can get a good close look then.)
The design had nothing to do with X-Wings, which are standard type
wings or airfoils, and one central engine. Steve Burg, our designer,
sat down and with some input from us, said, "What's the most practical
and realistic design for fighters in a zero-g, non-atmospheric
environment?" A four-arm system, with multiple engines on all four arms,
lets you move in any direction, flip, spin and so on, which comes in
handy in a fight. It does things you couldn't do in an atmosphere.
Also, we *have* shown ships decelerating, engines-forward. In the
pilot in particular, the Vorlon ship comes out of the jump gate
backwards, engine leading; it decelerates, then turns around and goes in
the front way.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 05:08:44 -0400
Subject: Re: The One-Armed Man
Okay, Robert Chelovich, I'm getting pretty damned tired of your
popping in here with your accusations against Katsulas. So you and your
girlfriend cooked up a complaint...that doesn't mean squat and you know
it. If you had a case, you'd make it; there are extradition law between
states.
You are engaging in the character assassination, in an obsessed
fashion, with a celebrity. You are using this forum to destroy his
career with false and misleading accusations. You were not being spoken
to in the thread, you simply jumped in.
You are, quite simply, full of shit. And you are engaging in typical
stalking behavior, which is visible to anyone seeing this. Obviously you
have no case, or it'd be made and there would be a trial. But you don't
have a case, so all you can do in your pitiable way is to come on here and
try to smear his reputation. You are a sad and pathetic creature who is
venally bent on destruction for whatever excuse your fevered brain has
cooked up. The problems between you and your girlfriend are your own.
A courtroom is where these discussions are held. That's where one
makes a case, if one has one. Do so, or shut up.
Because right now, all I see is an obsessed creature who springs onto
any discussion, leaves his little assassinations, and then blips off into
the shadows again, proclaiming "I will post no further on this thread,"
AFTER you have done your damage. Like all snipers, and cowards, you
strike from the shadows.
People comment that they find Katsulas appealing...and you jump in
and try to suppress them or frighten them away...you're right, there is
a problem, and it is yours.
You've got three choices: 1) Make a sufficiently convincing case and
go to trial (the fact that you haven't shows that there is nothing to your
case whatsoever), 2) Deal with whatever the hell it is that's turning you
into a net-stalker, maybe seek some therapy, or 3) simply shut up.
Otherwise how long do you intend to engage in this campaign of
harrassment, defamation and slander? Obviously you haven't got anything,
but you continue...what? One year? Two? Ten? Twenty?
You have been asked, repeatedly, to stop in these baseless
accusations. You have already come perilously close to crossing into the
area of stalking, malicious mischief, libel and several other areas by
your continued assaults. All such posts will continue to be not only
forwarded to Katsulas' legal counsel for retention pending legal action,
but to the LAPD's division that handles celebrity stalkers such as
yourself. The more you engage in this behavior, the more you build a
case against yourself.
Your postings are obsessive, verging on the irrational. Stop it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 05:18:13 -0400
Subject: Top Ten Things You Will Never
I have just read your list of Top 10 Things You'll Never See On
Babylon 5.
We've already done one of them...this season.
"Eyes." 'Nuff said.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 18:13:16 -0400
Subject: B5 FANS AND ST FANS.
Who said Londo was, of necessity, dead at the end of 5 years? Not I.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 21:47:07 -0400
Subject: Just a regular person who love
Your good wishes are noted and appreciated. Many thanks. I'd rate
"Mind War" as one of my favorites from this season as well.
In any event, thanks again for the kind words.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 21:47:09 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS : B5 CD?
Once the CD is out, I'm sure it'll be able to be played anywhere,
including DJ'd stuff at cons. Go for it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 21:47:11 -0400
Subject: Cut in UK Babylon 5
Well, *that's* interesting...guess we'll just have to put in more
violence in future to make up the difference....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 28 Jun 1994 21:47:13 -0400
Subject: Re: JMS : B5 CD?
I understand your concern; my sense is that, as a writer, my job is
to find the right word for the right job. I could describe a character
as "dumb," but somehow "breathtakingly stupid" just sounds better.
I could describe a car in a story as simply a car, or say that it's
a Mercedes 300E with silver finish and deep, plush seat linings.
I could tell someone to simply go away...or "piss off." And the
latter just tickles me a bit more.
The right word for the right job.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 29 Jun 1994 02:17:37 -0400
Subject: ATTN: JMS
Let's say that I for one would love to see some models made, and
am certainly pushing for it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 29 Jun 1994 04:13:32 -0400
Subject: A question to any one or JMS..
There is a law called Commonlaw Copyright, which means that something
is copyrighted in whatever form you print it -- electronically, in a
booklet, even if it's performed verbally in public -- the moment you
produce it. You don't have to put a (c) notice on it, it's there
automatically. Anyone wanting to sign over rights to something must do
so specifically, one item or message at a time, in writing, signed.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 29 Jun 1994 04:15:14 -0400
Subject: Babylon 5 is scary.
Then it's having its intended effect. To me, the best SF has always
left me with an uncertain feeling, as of having touched something quite
extraordinary. (Being young and discovering H.P. Lovecraft for the first
time can REALLY do that to you, yikes!) I try to build in a little of
that same sense...the flip-side of the sense of wonder.
Humans have definitely had a rough time of it lately, in the B5
storyline. But we're going somewhere now, as our arc begins to shift.
We have always struggled upward. And there are some very interesting
things in store for humans in the B5 universe....
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 29 Jun 1994 04:15:16 -0400
Subject: Babylon 5 in OZ???
Yes, B5 will make it to Australia later this fall. I can't recall
now which channel, but the number 7 keeps coming to mind.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 30 Jun 1994 00:35:45 -0400
Subject: Prepared for early cancellatio
The only way I've been able to get B5 to the TV screen at *all* ahs
(has) been to totally deny any other possibilities; I can't even consider
or discuss them. The story will all eventually be told, that much I'm
determined about. I feel the same way you do; it's always the shows I
like that get canceled...but so far we're doing okay, and we can only
hope for the best.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 30 Jun 1994 00:36:04 -0400
Subject: Re: The One-Armed Man
So let me get this straight...Diane speaks well of Andreas, and you
harrass her...you threaten to sue Andreas...you threaten to sue me for
defending Andreas and describing your abusive letters in terms that are
acceptable under the First Amendment. Boy, you sure are busy.
And woefully uninformed. Nothing -- *nothing* -- that I have said
in any of my postings are litigious. I've been riding the nets for a
long, long, very long time, and I've studied communications law, and you
got nothing. It's simply more baseless threats, which again proves my
point, that you're full of it.
Second, any case you might have cooked up in your head is now a dead
issue because of *your* actions. A complaint must be untainted by any
apparent motivation on the part of the plaintiff to "get" someone. But
your repeated actions here have shown that this is part of a vendetta on
your part against Andreas.
Anybody can file a complaint against anybody. It proves *nothing*.
Roseanne Barr filed one against her husband, then retracted it later
admitting that it was false. Happens all the time. A complaint is
simply that, unsupported by evidence. No charges have ever been filed
against Andreas.
As for your comment about the irrationality of discussing alien
planets and worlds...1) B5 is a *real* TV series, though perhaps in your
current agitated state of mind, you hadn't noticed that, 2) nothing in
discussing a fictional universe will hurt someone's career, as you are
trying to do with Andreas.
You have called Andreas' home. You have left repeated messages here.
You have taken other actions, all to one singular goal: to try and destroy
Andreas Katsulas' career. And you put my messages discussing your
slanders on the same scale, and say you'll sue?
Up yours.
You try to intimidate people here from talking about Andreas, you
try to intimidate Andreas, and you try to intimidate me...your obsession
is so profound that you're all over the map, in front of every person
here reading your screeds.
You have some real problems here. Deal with them.
But leave the rest of humanity out of it.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 30 Jun 1994 00:37:52 -0400
Subject: Re: ? for JMS
Why rocketry rather than gravity controls? First, when you're in
space, not near a gravitational source, you need *some* kind of system
to create propulsion. Again, remember, this is really only 250 years in
the future. You need to *push* against something to move through space,
and this is about as far as our tech has gotten us. We do not HAVE
gravity control; if we did, B5 wouldn't have to rotate to create it.
Some of the more advanced civilizations -- like the Minbari cruisers in
"Sky" and other episodes -- use a different system; there's no visible
or (to us now) recognizeable propulsion system. Ditto for the Vorlon
ships.
You're making a generalization that doesn't really apply. (I'd also
point you to the Vree saucers and the Ipsha battle ships in
"Deathwalker," and the Drazi sunhawk in the same episode, which seem to
use alternate systems.) We're trying to set up varying levels of
technology, with Earth near the bottom. We've got jumpgates, which the
Centauri introduced into our culture, but to some extent it's like giving
an F16 to a bunch of aborigines; they may learn to fly it, but they may
not be able to come up immediately with all the tech between their current
level of society and that which could produce an F16.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 30 Jun 1994 03:53:17 -0400
Subject: Re: The One-Armed Man
Here's yet another example (one of many) in which you show you don't
have a clue, and are twisting facts.
You write, "...everything that Bob said was substantiated."
Incorrect. The only thing that Bob stated here was that a complaint
had been filed, by you.
The complaint has not been substantiated.
The incident has not been substantiated.
This is how the Judicial system works, since you claim to be about
to launch into it.
NOTHING -- I repeat, NOTHING -- that you have said has been legally
substantiated. And if it could be, would've been by now.
BTW, I spoke to Andreas today, who continues to be very upset by
this whole thing, and he indicated that he wishes you would stop calling
there to further harrass him.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 30 Jun 1994 03:58:42 -0400
Subject: Re: The One-Armed Man
RE: mental powers...there's still investigation into this area
going on, and I don't think we've yet heard the final judgment...jump
gates are a fairly reasonable extrapolation on folded space, wormholes
and the like...and as for FTL travel, there isn't any, none of our ships
travel faster than light per se; hyperspace is one way of avoiding the
whole issue. In normal space, none of the ships in the B5 universe
travel faster than light.
jms
From: straczynski@genie.geis.com
Date: 30 Jun 1994 04:20:30 -0400
Subject: Re: The One-Armed Man
PS #1: as Brian O'Neill said, any lawyer in his right *mind* would
tell you that after filing a complaint, the #1 rule is, "SHUT UP!" Do
not go around making public statements about it. Doofus-activity #1 from
you.
PS #2: I have not said anything to you that anyone else here has
not said, in some cases in far harsher terms that I have said it. Since
you said that you now intend to sue *me*, you must now also sue *them*
as well. Otherwise your suit becomes selective, and thus provably a
vendetta. So now how many *more* are you going to sue? Or threaten? Or
harrass? (I notice you accused the Doge of forging your mail, so I
suppose we're now broadening our scope to include charges of forgery.)
You use threat of lawsuit to intimidate people, with *no* conception
of the law. Doofus-activity #2.
Would you now like to try for Doofus-activity #3, or go home now?
jms