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The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
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Subject: Big Bang Con: Refunds
Date: 1 Apr 1995 02:06:27 -0500
I'm wondering if the "tell us WHY you're requesting a refund" is to
try and set up B5 for a lawsuit....
jms
Subject: Re: Continuity between variou
Date: 1 Apr 1995 05:03:19 -0500
It is nowhere stated that the messages to Garibaldi or Delenn is
the first communication they've had from Sinclair; only the first that
WE've seen.
jms
Subject: Fear of flying?
Date: 1 Apr 1995 20:36:18 -0500
It's Ray Bradbury who hates to fly.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Uploading the arc?
Date: 2 Apr 1995 22:01:34 -0400
My notes, alas, are very free-form, jumping back and forth; so you
can't just peel off the year 1-2 notes without substantial editing. I.e.,
"Have Kosh say X because we'll need this in year 2 when X does Y."
jms
Subject: JMS: UK C4 ratings
Date: 3 Apr 1995 05:37:11 -0400
Yeah, I'd love to see the C4 ratings; if you think it'd be better
email, that's fine, or public, either way. I understand we're doing VERY
well at C4, one of their higher-rated American shows, but I haven't been
given the hard-and-crunchies by WB International.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Point about bloopers
Date: 3 Apr 1995 05:23:13 -0400
Bloopers still use the likenesses of the actors, ARE the actors, shot
on our sets, using our costumes...one can't take that and sell it around
town without giving something back to the actors, I think. If we should
end up ever selling the blooper, or scripts, we would find some formula to
give back to those involved.
I'd expect to hear more on the CD Rom after the 3rd year pickup.
Valen willing.
jms
Subject: Attn: JMS - "Only decent SF on
Date: 3 Apr 1995 21:37:25 -0400
I slipped the reference to B5 into OtherSyde to see if it would become
a self-fulfilling prophecy or just a fictional reference. Just for fun.
My books are out of print because I guess I haven't actively pursued
keeping them IN print. When I finish my next novel, I'll probably be able
to get them back into print, but that won't be until B5 is done, since the
next book -- a contemporary dark fantasy -- is targeted at about 1,000
manuscript pages, and I won't really be able to get into it until then.
jms
Subject: New to list
Date: 4 Apr 1995 19:02:19 -0400
Thanks for joining the ranks, Steve.
jms
Subject: From JMS re: Poster Request
Date: 5 Apr 1995 00:57:32 -0400
As has been noted, a number of items were sold at Vulkon in Cleveland
that should not have been sold. We're trying to acquire some of the
posters that were being sold at the Big Bang table, specifically the ones
marked that they were to benefit Project Starfury. If you have one, and
would like to let it go, we'll trade you either an official B5 crew cap,
or an autographed copy of our very first script for the B5 series,
"Midnight on the Firing Line." If you're so inclined, drop me a note in
email and I'll get you the address. Thanks.
jms
Subject: What's up with Mojo???
Date: 6 Apr 1995 04:51:08 -0400
The Lightwave software is being exported to DOS platforms, so that's
the reason for the change-over.
BTW, Ron's gotten in some *very* nifty new software, and has come
up with some new tricks that I hope we can incorporate before the end of
this season, all again blurring the line between physical models, CGI and
Real Stuff.
jms
Subject: favorite scene so far...
Date: 6 Apr 1995 04:56:52 -0400
Re: the shadow vessels flying overhead as Londo looks up...that was
me. If my name's on a script, and you see something there as a story
point, it was in the script.
That particular image is very striking, and I think part of that comes
from its origins: I've had dreams with just that sort of image. There's
something that just *gets* to you on a very subconscious, almost cellular
level, when you see that scene...I don't know why, but it does.
jms
Subject: A possibly nasty metaphor
Date: 6 Apr 1995 05:01:53 -0400
David: you hit it *exactly* on the head. Again, as you point out,
stuff here operates on a lot of different levels. I try, where I can, to
make a given scene do more than one thing. The hall argument is a good
example of this. The script stipulated a human being stuck between G'Kar
and Londo. Not any other race. Had to be a human. Because that becomes
emblematic of how we're stuck between the two sides in the war, something
which is *very* strongly brought home in the next batch of episodes.
Obviously, the first most important thing in that scene is just the
gag, the humor. It has to work on that level, and that's how it came to
me first: just the gag. Then, when it came time to write it, that's when
I start poking at things to see if I can layer on another level of
meaning, and I saw a way to do a little (very little) visual foreshadowing
of stuff to come. Didn't matter if anybody ever noticed it or not; it
was never really intended to be of much note, just a little item that
becomes a nice bit of irony later.
jms
Subject: Attn: JMS - Are there churches
Date: 6 Apr 1995 04:59:53 -0400
There isn't sufficient room in B5 to accommodate a variety of plaes
(places) of worship; hence, some rooms are set aside for use by different
people as needed and as available. The sanctuary is often used for this,
as is the rotunda.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: How Much Surround?
Date: 6 Apr 1995 02:40:58 -0400
The amount of surround that goes into a show depends on the nature
of the show. For instance, there was some very good use of surround in
"A Race Through Dark Places," "And the Sky Full of Stars," "Mind War"
and "The Long Dark." If it's just a casual Zocalo scene, there ain't
much you can do with it.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS, Why Only 22 Episode
Date: 8 Apr 1995 21:47:59 -0400
All PTEN series are 22 eps per season.
Season three (PTEN willing) would start in November.
jms
Subject: How Were Shadows Defeated Firs
Date: 8 Apr 1995 22:05:40 -0400
All the questions you asked here, Mike, will be answered in the
very next batch of new eps, airing in May.
jms
Subject: JMS: Thanks
Date: 8 Apr 1995 22:18:39 -0400
Thanks; it's been fun, that's for sure.
jms
Subject: > Attn: JMS - Who is Douglas N
Date: 8 Apr 1995 22:40:37 -0400
Doug Netter is my business partner in Babylon 5, and co-owner of
Babylonian Productions, along with me. A lot of what he does is the
behind the scenes business stuff, sometimes liaisoning (?) with Warner
Bros. on those conversations when it's considered too dangerous to let
me talk to them directly, and sitting in on casting, that sort of thing.
A lot of what he does is mollifying execs when I make them nuts; he tends
to get a lot of phone calls that begin with, "Do you KNOW what he's done
NOW?"
jms
Subject: B5-Micromachines observation
Date: 8 Apr 1995 22:42:37 -0400
As it happens, I just had some new prototypes of MicroMacs from B5
come through my office for approval. Some nifty stuff, including the
atmospheric shuttle, a Narn heavy cruiser, the awful purple Centauri
liner, and the President's Earthforce One, which is REALLY nifty....
jms
Subject: Can Starfuries fly in atmosphe
Date: 10 Apr 1995 00:18:03 -0400
As established in "A Voice in the Wilderness," season one, starfuries
cannot function within an atmosphere environment.
jms
Subject: tCoS: Londo's Dream
Date: 10 Apr 1995 00:18:44 -0400
Londo, in his vision, sees the shadow vessels, but he does not know
(in his present tense version) that that's what they are. He's had this
particular dream for years now, long before meeting Morden.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: show renewal?
Date: 10 Apr 1995 03:04:49 -0400
We'll know by the end of the month.
jms
Subject: Re: What's up with Babcom 95 ?
Date: 11 Apr 1995 03:21:35 -0400
The problem, of course, is that fan cons usually operate very close
to the financial edge, because they're *not* about making money. Which is
good on one level, on several actually...but the problem you run into is
when you then have to bring in guests from overseas. Traveling from the
US to the UK costs a LOT of money, plus hotel, food, on and on. Most of
the smaller fan-run cons can't afford to do that in general, or for only
one person; a profit con really represents the only chance most people will
ever have to see several people from a given show, though Wolf 359 is doing
a bit more in that area.
jms
Subject: Ship designs reflect on '2010'
Date: 11 Apr 1995 03:22:04 -0400
The ships on 2010 and Babylon 5 operate out of the necessity of
traveling without standard SF artificial gravity. These designs have been
discussed among scientists (in general) for ages; so there's no intention
to be close to 2010, but when both are based upon the same scientific
principles, there will be echoes. Form follows function.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS:
Date: 11 Apr 1995 04:25:50 -0400
Jeff: that would be a fair assumption based on what the technomages
said, yes. Keep an eye out for "In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum" for more.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!
Date: 11 Apr 1995 20:35:32 -0400
It's certainly my hope that Warners will rerun the first season at the
conclusion of this season.
jms
Subject: Re: What's up with Babcom 95 ?
Date: 11 Apr 1995 20:33:12 -0400
As it happens, I've had occasion to have several long talks with the
Babcom organizers, and have nudged them more in the direction of doing more
of the things one might expect at a fan-con: more interaction, more
personalization, breaking down the walls a bit. Some of the things now
under discussion: a more relaxed social situation, close to an ice cream
social sort of thing, so it isn't all just a presentation; a personal
Q&A session about breaking into TV; Peter has spoken to them about letting
folks watch as the Optic Nerve people make him up into Londo; and others.
Again, these are still in the conversation stage, but my sense to try and
encourage them toward a more personalized and fan-responsive format.
jms
Subject: Re: Atheism (was "New Age" jms
Date: 11 Apr 1995 20:52:21 -0400
The notion that if one says, "I do not believe in God," that one is
making "a positive religious claim" and thus is religius is, of course,
eminently silly. If I do not believe in green penguins at the north pole,
am I now a believer in non-green-penguinism? If I were to sit down and
itemize all the things I don't believe in, then by your statment these are
now beliefs, and there are an infinite number of beliefs because there are
potentially an infinite number of things I don't believe in, and I'm not
sure I can sustain that many beliefs without imploding.
The first rule of debate and sophistry is to redefine the terms of the
argument in terms favorable to your position. This is what's being done
in the "if you don't believe, you therefore believe" argument.
jms
Subject: speculations about confessios
Date: 12 Apr 1995 02:10:44 -0400
Note: the original message in this thread goes beyond speculation based
based on what's presented to portraying an entirely new story idea. To
avoid further complications, I might recommend moving on.
jms
Subject: B5 MicroMachine news (maybe)
Date: 12 Apr 1995 03:01:24 -0400
The MicroMachines *are* out, they *have* been purchased, and more are
being commissioned. (Several new prototypes came through my office for
approval last week, including a Narn heavy cruiser and Earthforce 1.) I
can only conclude that some dealers, who didn't know or think to orde
them, are saying they're not coming out just to cover their own butts.
jms
Subject: READ comic 5
Date: 13 Apr 1995 01:57:48 -0400
I have to say I'm very pleased with issue #5. It came out very well,
and nicely captures both the look, feel and dialogue of the show. There
were some bumps along the way in issues 2-4, so I didn't say much, but
THIS one I can highly recommend.
jms
Subject: Big Bang: ATTN JMS
Date: 13 Apr 1995 01:58:24 -0400
Faramarz: after I went to Chicago to check out how the con was going
to be run (before this we only had what we'd been told over the phone), I
came away with the terrible belief that this convention was not going to
be run properly, was incapable of being fixed (after providing several
chances for the organizers to show they could do so), and had to make a
hard decision: back away, or endorse a convention that I don't believe in,
which I believed was systemically flawed, and the hell with the fans who
get burned. It's a crummy decision to have to make, and I didn't like
having to make it. But there *is* no middle ground on this.
If you want to book passage on the Titanic, and I keep suggesting
that maybe that might not be a good idea...am I being unfair to the
passengers?
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Speculation vs Story
Date: 13 Apr 1995 04:25:49 -0400
I didn't read much of that thread (since I already know who jms is
going to kill next), but nothing of what I saw crossed any lines into
story ideas. It's when new scenarios are painted in detail ("And then
Sheridan met the great cosmic space moose, who gave him the Golden Wazoo
of the Minbari, which was actually the alien healing device with a
mustache")...that any trouble emerges.
jm(who can now no longer do this story)s
Subject: ATTN JMS: Re: Atheism (was "Ne
Date: 13 Apr 1995 04:54:07 -0400
If I say to you, "Did you lock the car door when you parked it?" and
you say, "I believe so," is that a belief that is equal to, say, the
tenets of Judaism? Is that equal to the theses Martin Luther nailed to
the church door? Are you now a believer in Locked-Doorism?
If you define any belief as reliion, then you diminish and
trivialize religion. (Oops, typo above.) Words mean what they mean, not
what we want them to mean when it is convenient for us. The Oxford
American Dictionary defines religion as "belief in the existence of a
superhuman power, especially of gods or gods, usually expressed in
worship; a particular system of faith and worship."
"Belief" is not the key word in the preceding sentence; it's the
phrase "belief IN the EXISTENCE of a superhuman power." It's what the
belief is IN. If it does not contain the belief IN the existence of a
superhuman power/god, then it is NOT religion. Period.
This is just one more offshoot of the whole (and boy, do I hate to
even mention this) evolution/creation thing, where schools said, "No, we
cannot teach creation, we teach science, not religion." So the
creationists decided to come back with "Oh, but evolution IS a religion,
so why them and not us, huh? Huh?" It's an attempt to redefine terms
for advantage.
Me, I stick with the Oxford Dictionary.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Re: Atheism NOW
Date: 14 Apr 1995 01:01:13 -0400
If the question is "Which is the greater good, self sacrifice or
honesty within the B5 universe," I'd have to for a third option. Both
of those are behaviors in service to a given cause. And it's the
selection of the greater *cause* that is most important; is it a
constructive cause, or a destructive one? Are you helping humanity step
forward, or step back? This isn't situational ethics, because the ethics
going in have to be the same: building the future, helping those who
cannot help themselves, spreading hope, fighting repression and pushing
for freedom and responsibility as linked concepts.
Our characters in B5 are flawed; sometimes they fall short of their
own goals. The Minbari don't generally lie; but the often tell only part
of the truth. If G'Kar has gotten away with something in the pilot, and
can't be brought to standard justice, some other way of meting out
justice will be found, even if that means fibbing to him about a
transmitter he's swallowed...i.e., lying.
But even Sinclair said it: everybody lies. Everybody means
everybody. Even if it's only a case of, "Listen, I tried to make it to
the party, but traffic was just a mess, I got up late, the dog ate my
homework."
I make some distinction between this and my own personal view; the
work of the author does not always represent what the author believes on
a 1-1 basis. (If it did, there'd be NO religion in B5.) Personally, I
think I put loyalty and honesty at the top of my pantheon. I've worked
very hard to maintain a certain reputation, and it means a lot to me.
And anyone here who knows me knows that if you try and go after someone
I consider a friend, you will have to go through me first.
The problem with putting self-sacrifice at the tippy top of your
own personal Maslow's Pyramid of Self-Actualization is that it only
functions as a subset of something else. Self-sacrifice...to do *what*?
You are willing to die for a cause. Is that cause right? Are you too
easily and readily prepared to sacrifice? The other, less terminal form
of self-sacrifice is giving to other people, working to make life better,
but I don't tend to believe that's sacrifice as much as simple personal
responsibility. We should do it as freely and as easily as we breathe.
jms
Subject: So JMS won't spend the money e
Date: 14 Apr 1995 01:02:09 -0400
Babylonian Productions does not skimp or hold back money for
publicity because BP does not have ANY money for publicity or promotion.
Period. Warner Bros. Publicity handles all PR for Babylon 5; we have
zero control over that area, but a little influence, that's all.
Nor can we simply decide, out of the blue, to produce a 23rd episode
of the show. Warners and the stations making up PTEN make an executive
decision on the pickup and number of episodes. It is not within our
purview to violate that. Further, that would mean coming in under budget
over the season in an amount equal to the price of one episode, which we
have never done, and never will. Each season, we come in just a smidge
under budget. And I do mean just a *smidge*. Pocket change, compared to
the overall cost of the show.
The small under-budget from year one was invested into new sets and
costumes and to get a leg-up on CGI for year two. The small year two
underage will likely be put toward the production on year three, assuming
we're renewed. Neither Doug nor I take a dime of that. Recently, Warners
did a spot audit, as they do for any series. They showed up at 9 a.m.,
saying they'd be here for a few days. A few hours later, they said they
might be able to finish by the end of the day. By lunchtime, they were
finished, and said that this was the best set of books they'd ever seen.
So the line about maybe someday putting the profits back into the
series, we've been doing that since day one, insofar as the under-budget.
As for profits...there aren't any that we get. Our contract with WB
gives us a percentage of the NET. Now, anyone who works in Hollywood
knows there's no such thing as net profit. It takes a VERY long time for
a TV series to ever show anything. Once the series is finished, and no
more shows are being produced, and the series enters long-term syndication,
lessening the expenditures, then there may finally be some small profit,
but at that point the show's done.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS!:WAS SHERIDAN AT THE
Date: 14 Apr 1995 01:03:11 -0400
Sheridan was not at the Line, no; the Minbari hit big at a number of
outer EA systems, then unexpectedly leapfrogged *everything* at once right
into Earth. Several of our bigger ships were still en route.
jm
Subject: "Casting Couch"
Date: 14 Apr 1995 01:12:20 -0400
We're very fortunate in that the casting couch has been less of a
problem in the Industry over the last ten-twenty years than it has been
in the past. The CC was most in play when studios were run by one or two
individuals who could dictate to their producers and directors who to use
in a movie. Over time, as power within studios and networks got more
widely spread among other executives, directors, producers, you name it,
there isn't any one person any longer who has that clout. Does it still
go on? I believe it does, at a much reduced level, and mainly in the
film arena, where again there's more individual discretion.
That kind of discretion is less readily present in TV, so there isn't
the power to fuel the temptation. For instance, on B5, our casting
sessions include: casting director Mary Jo Slater, me, Doug Netter, John
Copeland, Larry (if it's his episode, otherwise not), the director of
that episode, a reader to work opposite the actor, and sometimes, if the
role is crucial opposite a regular performer, that performer is there.
That's as many as 8 people, as opposed to one big studio guy sitting behind
a desk, smoking a stogie and eyeing whoever's opposite him.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Re: Atheism (was
Date: 14 Apr 1995 02:03:50 -0400
"Religion is the belief ABOUT the existence of a superhuman power."
(As opposed to IN the existence of a superhuman power.)
No, it's not. By your definition, if I'm a Protestant, and I don't
believe in Thor, by virtue of that belief about Thor, now I'm a beliegver
(believer) in Norse mythology. That's simply silly.
There is a difference between saying, "I believe there is no god,"
and "I do not have within me the belief in the existence of a god." The
latter is not a belief in, or about, any kind of power; it is the total
absence of belief. You cannot turn that into a religion, no matter how
many times you repeat your thesis.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Re: Atheism (was
Date: 14 Apr 1995 02:13:44 -0400
Sorry, Kristin, I won't be put into your box. You say some
comparative religion studies include Dianetics. A professor can choose
to include or exclude anything he or she wants. What's it to me? And
yes, parts of Shinto don't involve god, but parts do.
Most significantly, howver, ALL the examples you cite to me DO
believe in a superhuman power...specifically, a soul, which is reborn in
one way or another in all the beliefs you named. So the definition still
applies.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Question about "Accu
Date: 15 Apr 1995 02:51:32 -0400
The books are canon in broad terms, in that the events generally did
happen, but the details can vary given that you've got diverse hands doing
the work (including the comics). I try to work with them both in as much
detail as I can...I read the novel manuscripts preperatory to being
typeset, and same for the comics, making suggestions and changes as
necessary. (In one comic issue I added a change to one panel that should
send some shockwaves out here and there...just two words that might raise
some neck-hairs.)
jms
Subject: Yes, I *have* gone insane
Date: 15 Apr 1995 02:51:38 -0400
Bed rest. Plenty of fluids. Aspirin every 6 hours. And one very
heavy mallet-whack every two hours. You'll get better, I promise.
jms*
(*who wonders if suggesting mallet-whacking is really such a good
idea, what with the whole Jocelyn Elders thing....)
Subject: ATTN: JMS - Future of B5?
Date: 15 Apr 1995 02:51:44 -0400
We'll know by the end of the month. We continue to be cautiously
optimistic.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Link question
Date: 15 Apr 1995 02:54:53 -0400
The Links are individually coded; when someone says, "Garibaldi to
Sheridan," the Link system (tied into the B5 central computer, which can
also provide research and other data) dials up the code for Sheridan's
link, and breeps. The transmitters are *very* powerful, and are usually
boosted by systems inside B5. If a Link were stolen, it could be
detected instantly upon being used.
jms
Subject: JMS: Silly Question
Date: 15 Apr 1995 02:54:59 -0400
I would think that Londo and G'Kar might actually find something in
common in appreciation of Gilbert and Sullivan. In fact, G'Kar's "little
fishie" song in "Parliament of Dreams" was intended to be a bit G&S in
nature.
jms
Subject: JMS: How are we doing?
Date: 15 Apr 1995 03:07:24 -0400
I'd say that overall the nets, collectively, have done very good at
picking up on what's going on in the show. I think the larger themes have
been missed in places, but I think that in many ways that's because the
larger pieces haven't yet been inserted into the jigsaw puzzle so that
others can see what's going on.
The greatest errors, I think, come in looking too closely for
parallels to other fiction. "Oh, I get it, it's just like X." That line
will lead you only into error.
In any work of fiction, there are two primary elements: theme and
plot. Plot are the incidents, theme is what it's *about* on a very
core level. Plot has been well analyzed; themes not necessarily. To tie
this paragraph and the one preceding, for instance, a number of folks
considered that the events in "Acts of Sacrifice" with the Lumati were a
shot at the Prime Directive/non-interference.
Nothing could have been further from the truth, and it wasn't until
this was mentioned here that it even occured to me. Take a look at
Washington DC these days, and the larger culture. People being
warehoused, other people who *should* be in homes shoved out onto the
streets to fend for themselves, a general callousness that seems to be
creeping into the bones of a society that was born on the premise that
we should be at minimum kind to one another. I figured that one would
get a lot of discussion going on the degree to which society is, or should
be responsive to the least of its citizens. Darwinism vs. charity. And
some of that did emerge. But a fair measure of it got siphoned off into
comparisons with ST.
That, however, is really the exception rather than the rule. I very
frequently find myself surprised at the depth of analysis that goes on
here, and the toughtfulness behind it. Quite a few have Gotten It. Some
are still backing up far enough to see the whole picture. And maybe at
times I'm not being sufficiently craftworthy in my work to make those
elements sufficiently clear. But the deeper we go, the more there is to
get, and the more folks *do* seem to be nailing it.
jms
Subject: Re: READ comic 5
Date: 15 Apr 1995 03:33:12 -0400
About the new paper and price...I did the first issue, and while the
pencils were quite good, and the inks okay, when they put the coloring in
the paper just absorbed the hell out of it and it looked like crap, from
my POV. (And I'm not speaking out of school; I said much the same to DC.)
Parts were nice, but other parts...yikes. I felt, strongly, that we
needed a better quality of paper, otherwise a lot of the good work that
was being done was going to be lost. It would cost more, but finally DC
-- which, to be fair, has only been VASTLY supportive of B5, and the comic
and their only intention is to make it as good as possible -- decided to
go with the better quality paper. The main question was whether or not
there was enough of a reader base to warrant it; there was, and they did.
I've overall been quite happy with how the book is being handled.
jms
Subject: Notes from jms
Date: 15 Apr 1995 04:04:58 -0400
Just some quick random thoughts....
For those who've been nudging other folks to try out B5, you may want
to tell them that this coming batch of eps is probably the best time to
dive in. In particular, our second new show (airing the first week of
May) is designed in part to help new viewers coming to the show to catch
up on background. (No, not a clip show, or anything like that...I think
you'll like it.) I also *strongly* recommend that you videotape this
episode, entitled "And Now For a Word." There's something in there just
(or primarily) for the videotapers. Consider this a heads-up from the
inside. You'll know what it is when you sorta see it.)
For those who've asked...yes, I'll be doing another cycle of the B5
comic, a 4-issue arc that'll probably hit the newsstands about the time
our second season (PTEN willing) goes on the air. I've decided that tat
(at) this stage it'll follow a Ranger, bringing us into contact with lots
of different parts of the B5 universe, and may also use it as a kind of
bridge between seasons 2 and 3.
We should know officially about the fate of our third season by the
end of this month. We continue to be cautiously optimistic.
For all the bitching I've done about Creation, I have to say that
I'm very pleased by something that just came through my office for
approval: a B5 jacket with the silhouette of the station embroidered on
the back, and the B5 symbol in front. It's *very* nicely done.
The B5 trading cards, originally to come from Cardz, will now be
coming out from Fleer, and I'm actually quite pleased by that, since I
really like a lot of the work Fleer has done on their comics-related
stuff.
Unrelated to B5: I just picked up the laserdisk for the letterboxed
version of "The Haunting (of Hill House)" and it's amazing. I've never
seen it in that format, only the version altered for conventional TV
aspect ratio. There's stuff going on in the edges of this film that are
brilliant. Just seeing ALL of Hill House, vast against the night, rather
than the one dark clump in the center of the frame, is worth the price of
admission. (An example: just as the lead character stands in the hallway,
thinking aloud that the house seems to be reaching for her, you see in the
letterbox a spider-plant just past her shoulder that does indeed, from the
way its' shot, seem to be grasping at her, something you can't see in the
regular version.) The film is *full* of stuff like this, and I feel as
though I've seen the movie for the first time, even though I've watched
the prior version literally dozens of times. (Yes, along with "Seconds,"
it's one of my favorite films.)
If you have a laserdisk player, pick this one up. It's nifty.
On Monday we begin our last week of filming. We're going for an
eight-day shoot this one time, rather than our usual seven-day shoot,
because of the extraordinary EFX requirements to pull off the finale. It
should be a doozy.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS: alt.tv.ab-fab
Date: 16 Apr 1995 05:08:50 -0400
I think AbFab is sick and twisted and *very* funny....
jms
Subject: Names
Date: 16 Apr 1995 18:19:41 -0400
Yes, there are other Narn names with the G' prefix. There's a city,
G'Kamazad, which we hear about in "And Now for a Word," and another
character named G'Sten whom we meet in "The Long, Twilight Struggle,"
among others.
jms
Subject: Station slot changes - one man
Date: 16 Apr 1995 18:19:48 -0400
There are no guarantees this side of the grave. But the end of this
story will be told, no matter what. At this moment, things look very good
for year three, and we'll know by month's end. If we continue to add
viewers, as we're doing, there shouldn't be a problem seeing it through.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: CRASHED Vorlon S
Date: 16 Apr 1995 18:21:25 -0400
The picture is just something Ron cobbled together for a magazine
cover; no B5 meaning at all.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Thanks a LOT!
Date: 16 Apr 1995 18:48:16 -0400
You're most definitely and profoundly welcome.
jms
Subject: Why B5 races are at the same l
Date: 16 Apr 1995 18:48:27 -0400
Except, of course, they're *not* all at the same level. The Minbari
are well ahead of Earth and the Centauri and the Narns; the Narns are
slightly ahead of Earth, and the Centauri are ahead of both; the Vorlons
and the Shadows are both head and shoulders above all the rest; the Drazi
are probably a bit less than Earth.
jms
Subject: Re: So JMS won't spend the mon
Date: 16 Apr 1995 18:50:24 -0400
"Who gets the fees and royalties from Babylon 5 licensed
merchandise?"
Warner Bros. This income is cross-collatoralized against costs of
production and distribution in determining net profit. Translation: no
net profit. I do not get a creator's fee from the comic or the novels.
All income goes to Warners, which then puts it against costs.
"Who gets the fees from personal appearances?" The person making
the appearance. I do not get any money from actors' appearances. I do
get small fees for my own apperances, but the problem is that because of
my height, I generally need to fly first. Most cons can afford to pay
for either coach or business. So I make up the difference, which in many
cases means I end up either breaking even, or losing a bit.
"Who gets the royalties from Babylon 5 publications?" Warner Bros.
See above.
"Are these fees and royalties plowed back into the series
production?" No. Warners collects those fees and puts them into an
account marked INCOME. Costs associated with the creation of the show are
marked DEBITS. The job of ALL of the studios is to make sure that, on
paper, the INCOME never gets higher than the DEBITS line.
Re: the production costs...we tell Warners what we think it will cost
to make the show at its best level. That is what they give us. And that
is what we use to make the show.
This is how all TV shows work, particularly at the syndication level.
Hugely rated network shows can use the leverage to re-negotiate and change
the profit formula slightly to redefine "net" and remove such things as
distribution fees and the like. That's not the case with B5.
And now for the one personal observation...you have now hit a new low,
Theron. You can't find anything else to attack, your claims are consistent
bullshit, so now you start throwing around the suspicion that maybe someone
(viz: me) is making huge amounts of profit on B5 and short-shrifting the
production.
Have you no shame at *all*?
jms
Subject: "The One" (Sinclair & Delenn)
Date: 16 Apr 1995 18:48:35 -0400
"So who IS the One? Some of the evidence points to Sinclair, but
other bits seem to indicate Delenn. Yet neither seems to fit all the
facts above."
Exactly.
What you have here in your message are two pieces of the puzzle.
You're confounded by the fact that somehow they don't quite seem to fit
into one another. That's because there's one last piece missing in this
part of the picture, which fits in between them. The intent is to put
this piece into clear view in year three, probably between episodes 8 and
11 approximately. At that point, the question of the One will be fully
answered.
jms
Subject: Actors and why movies/TV are m
Date: 16 Apr 1995 18:48:43 -0400
If only attractive people are picked to become stars, then someone
PLEASE explain Jim Belushi to me.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: JMS
Date: 16 Apr 1995 19:05:39 -0400
When out amongst real folk, I just answer to Joe. Actually, I'll
answer to just about anything, but Joe is probably most expedient.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: An offer re: B-5 Mod
Date: 18 Apr 1995 02:39:27 -0400
The only way models can be made is if they're licensed through Warner
Bros., so you'll have to go through them on this.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS:Does Sheridan wear al
Date: 18 Apr 1995 21:01:00 -0400
Yes, Sheridan wears all his medals (absent those too big or showy for
chest-display). As for Andreas, we're putting him up for an Emmy for his
work (also other cast members), and can only hope the Academy recognizes
the fine work he's done. Beyond that, there's nothing the fans can do but
hope....
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Re: So JMS won't spe
Date: 18 Apr 1995 21:05:58 -0400
Yes, what I said was what I intended. Do the studios profit from
their series/movies? Of course. But many of the contracts with their
people -- actors, writers, producers, directors -- stipulate that they get
a piece of any net profit. Consequently, the studios do all they can to
make sure that *on paper* it looks as if they've never had a profit.
There have been many cases of stars who, twenty years after their
shows entered syndication, asked where the heck their profit is, and were
told that the show is still in the red. Does anyone believe this? Of
course not. But getting into their books for audits is hard; ask Art
Buchwald.
jms
Subject: Pardon me, but...
Date: 18 Apr 1995 21:06:25 -0400
Yes, that was me, and the info is correct.
jms
Subject: Shelved/Unused scripts
Date: 18 Apr 1995 21:06:57 -0400
Insofar as I can recall, there are no unusued *scripts*. There were
a few abandoned outlines, and some stories that I wanted to get around to
writing, which I decided to shelve for one reason or another long before
they were written down in any form.
jms
Subject: JMS: Bisexuality thread
Date: 18 Apr 1995 21:10:55 -0400
I thought we had adopted "don't ask, don't tell" as our national
policy regarding this issue.
jms
Subject: Ivanova's sex scene
Date: 18 Apr 1995 21:34:45 -0400
Judelon: bingo. When I scripted that scene, that's exactly what was
intended; it goes from the pickup line "come here often? yes, I do" to
"dinner, drinks, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss GRAB!" then asking how
it is for the other person, then "I slept with you the other night, you
didn't call, you didn't write, I think you do it just for spite!"
In a way, the way it's written, it IS sex human style, in that it has
all the elements in, say, about 30 seconds (which is also about right in
some cases). From meeting through bed to breakup....
jms
Subject: JMS: What does it take?
Date: 18 Apr 1995 22:26:51 -0400
A lot of notes are amusing, or interesting, but don't seem to
require a direct response. I have to be fairly stringent in determining
the extent of replying, or I'd be doing nothing else. Basically, if a
thread seems to meander after a while, I'll generally bail out after a
few days.
jms
Subject: sm ... an observation
Date: 20 Apr 1995 03:12:01 -0400
What Londo loves doing is yanking G'Kar's chain. That's all the
line should be taken to imply.
(The headache comes from stuff he doesn't understand.)
jms
Subject: Re: JMS' unusual typing speed
Date: 20 Apr 1995 03:12:30 -0400
I use a standard keyboard, and it's only 120 wpm, not 140, and only
when I'm at fever pitch. I usually coast along at between 90 and 100.
jms
Subject: Re: J*S - the magic initials?
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:49:57 -0400
It would've been very difficult for the lead character in Captain
Power to have my initials since his name was Jonathan Power.
jms
Subject: JMS: What would you have done
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:50:05 -0400
If we'd only had models to work with, then we would've found some way
to make the models work. I think a lot of the difficulty with TV EFX is
just not thinking things through, and doing everything last-minute. We
don't generally have that problem.
One of the options we discussed at the time was shooting model EFX
sequences in a slightly different way. Because I know the story for each
year ahead of time, we could've ganged all the EFX shots together. I.e.,
you know you're going to have battle scenes in episodes 3 and 7 between
the same two races, same kinds of ships. So you double up your cameras
for different angles, and basically shoot both at once, then isolate the
different pieces for either of the two episodes. We also would've had a
second unit shooting 2 days per week as a visual EFX unit.
Either way, it would've been done. We're quite happy that CGI came
along when it did, but we would've found some way to do it regardless.
The history of this series is that of determination despite whatever
obstacles are thrown at us. Once we set our minds to the course, nothing
stops us.
Patience, determination, direction and strength.
jms
Subject: Re: Babylon 5 contest in May!
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:50:13 -0400
I've been told what's going to be offered as main prize(s) (five) for
the B5 contest...and man, lemme tell you, if I could, *I'd* enter. Way
cool.
jms
Subject: Could B5 (the series) be made
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:53:45 -0400
Robert: you're onto something here. Just so you know.
jms
Subject: Re: B5 CD
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:53:55 -0400
Actually, to correct this, the last track in the European version
has more *perussion* and fewer strings, whereas the American version has
more strings and less percussion (this in the longer, reorchestrated
suite of the Requiem for the Line). This was because Chris sent me the
tape with the last track for my approval. I listened to it, and thought
it was great...but for me, what really makes the RftL theme so beautiful
and moving and tragic and powerful are the strings in counterpoint to the
rest of the rhythm. Here they were missing. So I called, and said, "It
really needs the strings." By this point they were already pressing the
European edition, and it was too late to do anything about it. It was
subsequently revised for the American release. So now there are two
versions floating around out there; the percussive version is nice for
the driving aspect of it, it hits you hard in the gut; the string version
hits you in the heart and breaks it.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS BIG BANG CON!
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:54:04 -0400
P.S. Yes, I tentatively do plan to be at Chicago ComicCon a week or
so later.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS BIG BANG CON!
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:54:14 -0400
Some of our cast members have decided to risk what all believe is a
potentially troublesome situation and go to Big Bang, despite the problems
we've had with them, because it was learned subsequent to the initial
decision not to take part in it that many folks had bought non-refundable
airline tickets, and may not get ticket refunds. They're determined not
to see the fans burned by this. Babylonian Productions, Warners nor I can
endorse or support the con in any way; we've been burned enough. Thus I
can't go. But I must commend our cast for rising above the problems
presented to us at the other end, and risking more problems by taking part.
For their sake, and the fans, it is my hope that this somehow comes
out okay. Suffice to say we're going to be watching *very* carefully.
jms
Subject: another reason jms hates filk
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:54:23 -0400
Dear Mr. Thiesen:
I recommend having someone else start your car for you for the next,
oh, fifteen years or so....
jms
Subject: JMS: Thoughts on Relationships
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:54:35 -0400
I'll have more of a response on this after the end of this season.
Trust me.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Life expectancy
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:54:57 -0400
In "Soul Hunter," Franklin notes that the average human life span is
now about a hundred years. It's quite a bit longer for the other races;
G'Kar is about 70 or more, but is considered mid-range, equal to a human
in early 40s, among Narns. Delenn is in about the same position, equal to
30s-40s in her terms, but in years a bit older. They are a pretty long
lived people. Centauri aren't quite as long-lived, but they do a bit
better than the Narns. The Vorlons......are.
jms
Subject: appearing in bookstores near y
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:55:08 -0400
Yes, the reporter/writer was given permission to quote liberally from
my prior posts.
jms
Subject: Re: So JMS won't spend the mon
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:55:24 -0400
Kevin: I'm paid a salary per episode produced, a creator's royalty
of a few hundred bucks per ep, and the script fee for any script I write.
By conventional standards, as compared to truly worthwhile jobs, like
teaching, it's a good chunk of change; compared to what you get on a
network show, it's basically chump-change. But I ain't really in this
to make a gazillion bucks; I want to tell this story.
jms
Subject: JMS: "And Now For a Word" Infl
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:55:36 -0400
Where it came from, in part, was oddly enough, a theatrical
exercise.
There's a thing you do in theater training where you're told to talk
about a subject, never use the word "I" ...but in the end wind up telling
us more about *you* than the subject you're speaking about. So I began
to wonder if I could apply this exercise, in a limited way, to an episode
of the show. I can't say more than that without spoiling things, but
suffice to say you learn a lot about all kinds of people, and the way you
learn it says a lot about those involved. It's a *very* subversive and
tricky episode, and I *very* much suggest taping it, so you can go back
and check something out later. You'll know what. If you don't, you'll
kick yourself later.
jms
Subject: Okay, I'll try it
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:55:50 -0400
Watch the eps between the end of April and the last one in the end of
May. If these don't get you, nothing will.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: All Alone in the Nig
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:56:22 -0400
Re: Ramirez being "a pretty uncommon name."
Not in LA it isn't.
jms
Subject: Re: So JMS won't spend the mon
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:56:33 -0400
Neil: on actors getting a piece of their merchandise...roll this one
around for a bit...the majority of ST actors (excluding Nimoy, Kelley and
Shatner) have each gotten, roughly, $16,000 as their share of profit
sharing/merchandising over the 25 years of ST history. Ain't life funny?
jms
Subject: ATTN:JMS What if both sides wa
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:56:45 -0400
Both sides can hire their own teeps (telepaths), or jointly hire the
same one, who is adjudged neutral.
jms
Subject: JMS: The Signal?M
Date: 20 Apr 1995 06:56:56 -0400
The pattern was supposed to change a bit more than it did on screen;
call it a bit of interpretation of notes between me and Foundation. It
has not happened again.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Significance of meta
Date: 20 Apr 1995 21:08:37 -0400
The strip indicates branch of military; this is explained in some
detail in "There All the Honor Lies."
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS Publishing the Arc
Date: 20 Apr 1995 21:31:15 -0400
I just don't know if my notes would be in sufficient shape and
coherence to publish; they jump all over the place over several hundred
years of history, including backstory. We'll see.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS' unusual typing speed
Date: 20 Apr 1995 22:04:11 -0400
Oddly enough, the new keyboard I use at work *does* come with optional
foot controls (which I didn't get). It's a Kinesis ergonomic keyboard,
with the keys in recessed wells. The footpads handle control codes and
other stuff.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Kudos from Old Hicko
Date: 20 Apr 1995 22:04:59 -0400
Many thanks....
jms
Subject: JMS: done writing, then?
Date: 20 Apr 1995 22:05:26 -0400
Bob:
pfthpft........
jms
Subject: Background noise.
Date: 20 Apr 1995 22:16:14 -0400
It was probably the Centauri translation.
jms
Subject: JMS: Recording B5 from TV
Date: 20 Apr 1995 22:18:55 -0400
I really have no idea about the British taping laws; certainly one
should always obey one's local ordinances.
jms
Subject: Re: So JMS won't spend the mon
Date: 20 Apr 1995 22:29:26 -0400
It was always clear that we'd go with either 22, 24 or 25 episodes
per season, so that was accommodated in the early structure.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS...San Diego ComicCon
Date: 21 Apr 1995 17:18:55 -0400
I *always* go to San Diego Comic Con...it's my one big trip ever
year.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Buttons?
Date: 21 Apr 1995 17:19:24 -0400
Your friend is correct. While people are treated equally in the EA,
it seems not contradictory to have certain fashion aspects continue on
into the future, such as the reversal of buttons.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS INCOME=DEBTS?
Date: 21 Apr 1995 09:24:25 -0400
I do not hold the copyright for B5. The copyright for ALL shows is
in the hands of the studios. Roddenberry, for instance, did not own (and
his estate does not own) Star Trek. Paramount does. Look at any of the
ST merchandise: (c) (year) Paramount Television. Warner Bros./PTEN holds
the copyright for B5.
Thus, if they license it to a comics company, it's between the company
and the "creator" for legal purposes...Warner Bros. Ditto for the novels.
Why do I thus get involved anyway? Because they're based on my show, and
I have a personal interest in making sure they're done right.
And as stated, the goal is to keep income below debits *on paper*,
not in reality.
Because all studios know that if they can show no net income, they
never have to pay profit participation.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Kosh CGI Question
Date: 21 Apr 1995 09:24:35 -0400
What we have in mind for Kosh is going to tax our capabilities to the
limit. It will be a mix of prosthetics, CGI, compositing, wardrobe, an
unusual kind of matte, different exposure techniques, on and on and on;
the visual effects meeting on just this one sequence was the biggest one
we've ever had, drawing in every department (also practical effects,
visual effects, rotoscope, and others). The sequence exists in lots of
different pieces which will take us months to assemble, so I haven't seen
the final product yet, but if we've done this right, it should be a real
doozy.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Kosh CGI Question
Date: 21 Apr 1995 09:24:53 -0400
PS...as an aside on EFX...we constantly slip EFX in and a lot of
folks don't even notice it, because we don't point to it or make a big
deal out of it. It's just *there*. One example of this I mentioned was
the sanctuary in "Coming of Shadows," a virtual set that doesn't exist
in reality.
Here's another one.
In "Soul Mates," and in the main title, you'll see the shot of the
bazaar. It's a wide shot, showing the two levels of the bazaar, with
people walking on either side of the second floor, looking down into the
main area.
Secret revealed: there IS no second floor. Doesn't exist. We made
the second level digitally. To the best of my knowledge (though I might
have missed something), I don't think anyone noticed this as being a CGI/
composite effect. It's just there.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS - B5 Renewed says WW
Date: 21 Apr 1995 09:25:07 -0400
Well, it's certainly encouraging, but we still haven't been given the
formal notification about a pickup.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN: JMS INCOME=DEBTS?
Date: 21 Apr 1995 09:25:16 -0400
You have to understand in all this that the studios agenda is always
to guarantee maximum return for the studio and its stockholders, and the
minimum or nothing for those who create the product. This is the modus
operandi for *all* studios.
Example: I worked on MURDER, SHE WROTE as a writer/producer for two
years. It's a highly-rated top ten network series. The shows air two or
three times on network, then are taken off. Such programs usually go into
syndication, where the studio receives a per-episode fee from the
syndicator. In syndication, you get a straight residual, which for a
third/fourth run (now the first syndicated run) would be a couple/three
grand. Not bad.
But more and more, shows like M,SW are sold to *cable* like USA
Network, where the formula is different. There you, the writer, get a
percentage of the gross price paid per episode by the cable network.
Okay, so far so good, right? Except one day, some smart executive at
Universal realized that the studio is also part owner of USA Network, and
that by selling the episodes at market price, they were charging
themselves an arm and a leg. So why not charge the *bare minimum* to
themselves, and sell the show cheap to their own branch? So a show that
would normally be sold to another cable network for, say, a couple
hundred grand, one time, they turn around and sell instead to a cable
network they own, where it can run indefinitely, and sell it for a couple
hundred dollars...knowing full well that all the talent involved get a
percentage of the purchase fee.
Result: the third/fourth run of one of my M,SW episodes (the first
on USA) which, anywhere else, would bring in 2 or 3 grand brings in a
grand total of....$28.
You know that old joke about the (ethnic group) actress who was so
dumb she slept with the writer? There's a reason...because she'd heard
that in LA, *everyone* screws the writer.
jms
Subject: More Ellison bullshit!
Date: 21 Apr 1995 19:20:24 -0400
So your response to perceived intolerance from Harlan for the
views of others it to hope he's taken off the air, and drops dead.
Tolerance is a double-edged sword.
jms
Subject: regarding Babylon 5's ratings
Date: 21 Apr 1995 20:01:16 -0400
Bear in mind you're comparing apples and oranges. The top 20 shows
in syndication include mainly game shows and talk shows. You have to do
what the studios do, and separate out the dramas from the rest of the
pack. And among dramas we do *very* well, particularly in our
demographics.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: "Watch it cold"
Date: 22 Apr 1995 01:30:33 -0400
If there were three episodes I'd say should be watched as cold as
possible, I'd say..."In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum," "The Fall of Night,"
and "The Long, Twilight Struggle." (To some extent, I'd also inclulde
[include] "Confessions and Lamentations," and "Divided Loyalties.")
Unfortunately, that's the bulk of the remaining episodes, as opposed
to CoS, which was a one-off situation. Hell, in some ways, when compared
with "Struggle," "The Coming of Shadows" is a light comedy in which nothing
much happens.
Remember, the deeper we go into the story, the more we're going to
start cranking things. Each new batch starts off with a lighter, "let's
get acquainted" episode, but they turn fast. So I don't know what can
really be done about spoilers and stuff, except to hope for the best.
"Confessions" isn't per se a wham episode, for instance, but it does
have some very sharp turns, and it's an extremely intense episode on a
par with "Believers." It makes no compromises and takes no prisoners, and
I imagine it'll stir up about as much debate as did "Believers," if not
more. When we did playback after doing the audio mix a few days ago,
there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
So while it isn't a whammer, it's an *emotional* episode, and you
should come to it as unprepared as possible.
jms
Subject: There All The Honor Lies -- SP
Date: 22 Apr 1995 21:34:15 -0400
So after I'd read Peter's script, and decided to go with it, he
asked about Ivanova's line, "This isn't some kind of Deep Space franchise,
this place is ABOUT something."
"Are you really going to use that?" he asked.
"Absolutely," I said. "It's fall-down funny."
Long pause. "You people really ARE dangerous over there, aren't you?"
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Buttons?
Date: 22 Apr 1995 21:34:35 -0400
Ah! Yes, the reversal of buttons was a conscious decision. Our
costume designer asked which way I wanted to go with it, and I said yes,
let's continue that tradition into the future.
jms
Subject: Re: B5 CD
Date: 23 Apr 1995 05:20:37 -0400
For track 12, Christopher did a much longer, full-length version of
The Battle of the Line sequence, adding a lot of depth and letting it play
out fully. So yes, parts of it echo what's on the disk earlier, but in a
better, extended-play version. For me, it's one of the best tracks on the
disk (though I somewhat prefer the American version over the European
version, due to the strings).
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: SitW SD CGI??
Date: 23 Apr 1995 05:40:50 -0400
The San Diego shots are models. We're trying, in different episodes,
models vs. CGI. Next season, PTEN willing, we're going to try some new
stuff in planetary models interlocked with CGI for cities and stuff, to
help us further broaden out the series.
jms
Subject: Attn. JMS: Larry DiTillio no l
Date: 23 Apr 1995 05:42:42 -0400
The information is essentially correct. This year, I wrote 15 out
of 22 episodes. Larry provided an additional 3. That leaves 4 freelance
scripts, and in all four of those cases, I did pretty much all of the
rewriting on them. Consequently, Larry spent a lot of his time more or
less cooling his heels. There really wasn't that much for him to do.
Next season, I'll probably write 17 or 18, so again, there's not really
enough for a story editor to *do*. A story editor rewrites.
Also, this is the kind of show where I've set the parameters from day
one (actually from 1987), and Larry's strength is in world-building and
determining the direction of a show. There isn't much room for that. So
overall, it seemed to make sense to free him up to go after shows where he
can have more influence, do more rewrites and more original scripts; let
him make his mark. He has great strenths in areas not being utilized,
particularly as a script doctor. And there are several very interesting
opportunities out there for him.
So while we're still allocating a budget for a story editor for next
season, just in case I get swamped, right now there are no plans for any
one new in that position. It's just not something that fits into the
unusual way that B5 operates, we've found. (A story editor also works in
generating stories or listening to pitches...and, again, those are all
pretty much worked out ahead of time; all but one of the freelance scripts
this season were based on assigned premises from me, based on my notes for
this season). Look for him soon in other projects where he can mold the
direction in interesting and unique areas.
jms
Subject: Re: So JMS won't spend the mon
Date: 23 Apr 1995 05:47:41 -0400
Yeah, maybe it wasn't a direct shot this time, but you have to
understand how Theron works. It works something like this....
T: "That's a nice haircut."
S: "Thank you."
"It shows your profile to best effect."
"Thank you."
"Good sculpting on the back."
"Umm, hmm."
"So overall, it's a very nice haircut."
"Thank you."
"Well, for an axe murderer...."
After a while, y'know...why wait?
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Pak'Ma'Ra ! RA! RA!
Date: 23 Apr 1995 05:54:45 -0400
The pak'ma'ra are indeed tech scavengers; the tentacles move (we do
this via remote control), and are used in securing their food and moving
it into the mouth cavity; their "teeth" are more like beaks in structure;
their whole culture is based on the notion that they're basically
superior to everyone else, which is why they eat carrion in part, to
demonstrate their superiority over all others (they don't eat their own
kind); they do breathe oxygen, but because of the shape of their mouths,
cannot form human words, and thus rely on translation devices.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: Kosh CGI Questio
Date: 23 Apr 1995 05:54:57 -0400
All episodes will be done on time. On the best of days, it takes 52
days from start of filming to delivery; this one will take a bit longer,
but still be delivered on time.
jms
Subject: att JMS wowee
Date: 23 Apr 1995 06:16:21 -0400
"...just saw your picture on the web page. You are a cutie pie!!!"
Actually, that picture is of Horatio P. Farquar, an explorer who was
lost while pursuing stories of the Yeti far in the Himalayan mountains,
and whose picture I used shamelessly for my own purposes. In truth, I am
two-headed (the other one only goes by the name Bob) and am frequently
trotted out for the annual Cat Frightening Festival in La Mesa.
jms
Subject: Attn JMS: Minbari Questions
Date: 23 Apr 1995 06:16:36 -0400
The Minbari do have magneto-gravitational control in limited ways.
The ships are mainly cool shapes they came up with, in line with their
particular aesthetic. The Minbari mainly dislike Sheridan for HOW he won
his battle, as well as for the fact that he did it at all. You'll get
more on this in the next ep.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Significance of "twi
Date: 23 Apr 1995 06:18:27 -0400
Yes; work it out as you have, but take it further...we start with a
point of departure...then after some revelations, examine the geometry of
shadows, then begin to more forward, a race through dark plces. We come
toward the long dark, our past a distant star. We carry the motif of a
world getting dark. The coming of shadows that darkens into the long
twilight struggle, the last period between day and night...and we end the
season on...the fall of night.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS - Influencing the fu
Date: 23 Apr 1995 06:23:18 -0400
Nothing more the fans can do now but wait; time will now tell.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: favorite sf shows
Date: 23 Apr 1995 18:31:44 -0400
Unfortunately, because of the demands of making B5, I don't generally
get to watch a lot of TV. I try to catch the X-Files whenever I can, and
I'd have to say that's probably my personal favorite of what's out there
right now. (Fittingly, in my office, I don't have a B5 cup on my desk, I
have an X-Files mug.) I like MST3K enormously, and we had kind of an
exchange program going; they sent me a picture personally autographed by
all the main guys on the show, and we sent them a bunch of B5 caps. They
mentioned our show recently on their series, and now I have to find some
way to repay the favor.
I've only seen a couple of VR5's and am thus far having a hard time
getting into it. That may change with more viewings. I gave up on Earth 2
and SeaQuest some time ago, though some folks have been trying to get me
to take another look on E2, saying it's improved, so I'll try to give it
another shot when I get some free time.
My favorite shows generally tend to be ones from a while back, like
the Prisoner, the original Star Trek, Outer Limits, Thriller, Twilight
Zone, Blake's 7 and a few others.
jms
Subject: JMS: What can a cellist do?
Date: 23 Apr 1995 18:32:09 -0400
That's terrific. I've printed it up and will pass it on to Mira when
I see her next.
jms
Subject: Real Life Aliens and B5
Date: 24 Apr 1995 00:01:53 -0400
"I feel that B5 is the most likely candidate I have yet seen for the
clandestine involvement of real aliens."
Note to myself: increase security.
jms
Subject: JMS: Cheers and boos on the la
Date: 24 Apr 1995 04:31:33 -0400
"I presume they are selling Londo dolls and the ones used in the show
were samples."
Nope. There are no Londo dolls. No G'Kar dolls. No dolls of any
kind. No B5 clocks or starfuries (minus the MicroMachines) or frisbees or
postcards or the like. There's *very* little out there.
Which is how we like it.
jms
Subject: Re: Attn. JMS: Teddy Bear<spoi
Date: 24 Apr 1995 04:31:48 -0400
Everything featured in the Babylon Emporium was just made up by us.
Insofar as I know, none of it is real merchandise. (Everyone, including
the crew, are so starved for B5 stuff that when we finished filming the
ep, we sold off the stuff, at cost, to those in the crew who wanted them.
Two guesses who wound up with the Londo and G'Kar dolls....)
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS
Date: 24 Apr 1995 05:04:31 -0400
On my office wall I have two large areas set aside for quotes, wh ich
are on 2x3 placards. I switch them in and out depending on my mood and the
situation. (Up now are "The point of no return. That is the point which
must be reached." And "To define is to kill. To suggest is to create."
All the quotes are about writing in one way or another.)
Another of them, which will get its turn shortly, is "Writers are not
necessarily corrupted by money. Rather they are distracted, detoured into
other venues."
I don't wanna be distracted. Making TV and telling stories is hard
enough without adding an extra layer of nonsense. I make a good living.
I agree to license the stuff I'd personally like to have. But money has
never really *meant* that much to me, except the freedom to write what I
want, when I want, whenever I want. When I left Murder, She Wrote to do
B5, I took a pay cut even though the position was higher. My agent said
I was nuts. That's fine. Most of the jobs I've had, in the end I've
walked off, despite people waving money, when I thought that I could no
longer tell the stories I wanted to tell.
After a season on CAPTAIN POWER, when I wrote pretty much anything I
wanted, I got the sense that the second season was going to be more in the
control of the sponsor. They put a deal on the table for year two; I had
no other options waiting. Nonetheless, I passed. When I was on Jake and
the Fatman, the company screwed over my exec producers, to whom I owed a
great deal of allegiance. When they quit, I also walked, even though this
was my first major network staff credit, and I had nothing else pending,
and in fact ended up not working for several months.
Point being...nothing *really* matters to me but telling a story, and
being free to tell it the way I want. And if I got into heavily trying to
exploit every single dime out of B5, approving anything and everything,
softened where the show was going to help it get lots of spinoffs....it
wouldn't be the story I want to tell anymore. A good part of what this
show is, is subversive, and some elements are a bit on the controversial
side. If I had my eye on the dollar, I'd've never put "Believers" into
production. Or "Confessions and Lamentations" this season.
Also, I'm 40. I'll be 41 in July. If B5 goes its full 5 year run,
I'll be 44/45 at the end. And I will have said pretty much everything I
want to say in TV. At 45, I'll probably have 20 years in me to write all
the novels I want to write before the game is called on account of
darkness. I really don't want to waste that time running a franchise when
I should be telling stories. You find your story, you get on the stage,
tell it and get the hell off the stage.
Finally, I'm leery of money past a certain point. Rod Serling wrote,
in "The Velvet Alley," "Here's how they get you: they bring you to
Hollywood, and they pay you vast amounts of money for what you write.
Slowly, your standard of living begins to rise to where now you NEED that
income every day to maintain it. And then they threaten to take it away
from you...and then they own you."
'Nuff said.
jms
Subject: Spirituality spoilers and spec
Date: 24 Apr 1995 05:04:53 -0400
Bob: not bad, not bad....
jms
Subject: JMS: Why no action figures?
Date: 24 Apr 1995 23:41:55 -0400
I'm not *entirely* opposed to the idea of action figures, but let's
a) do that a bit down the road, and b) make sure it's done *right*. The
last thing anyone wants is for this stuff to look crummy. So while we've
had some inquiries, my sense is to wait for the right time and company,
rather than just rush out and do this stuff.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Posting followups
Date: 25 Apr 1995 01:13:51 -0400
I use the GEnie internet gateway. If I try to repeat the lines in a
message back, using autotype, it skips lines and becomes unintelligible.
There's no other software solution to this problem.
jms
Subject: JMS: Too long between new epis
Date: 25 Apr 1995 01:14:37 -0400
I have no control over the rerun schedule. That's a PTEN decision,
based on wanting new eps to show during sweeps. I'd much rather they
played 'em straight through...but hey, who listens to me?
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS - Ivanova Questions
Date: 25 Apr 1995 01:15:15 -0400
There's a *very* serious Ivanova episode coming up in the remainder
of this season. And re: the stat badge...gold is for command, silver is
for support/technical staff, so as liaison between those two, Ivanova's
stat bar is split.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Merchandising...
Date: 26 Apr 1995 02:45:09 -0400
The only problem with making a JMS producer doll is that ideally it
would have to be anatomically correct, and that would cause it to keep
tipping over on the shelf....
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS BIG BANG CON!
Date: 26 Apr 1995 02:48:00 -0400
Anything I write on line can be posted to other services.
And thanks.
jms
Subject: Mamma don't let your babies gr
Date: 26 Apr 1995 02:46:34 -0400
Actually, the security insignia isn't a target, it's a gunsight.
jms
Subject: JMS: LaserDisc Questions
Date: 26 Apr 1995 03:53:01 -0400
Unfortunately, I don't yet know the answer to either of these
questions, but when and if I do, I'll definitely post them.
jms
Subject: JMS: "There All *THE* Honor Li
Date: 26 Apr 1995 03:51:09 -0400
I had the same THE thought, but Peter tells me it's a quote, and the
quote has the THE in it, and by an act of faith I have come to believe
him.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS: Why no action figures
Date: 26 Apr 1995 04:04:44 -0400
Captain Power was, certainly, an extreme case, and yes, I walked off
that show after the first season because I felt the merchandising was
starting to drive the show, and determine where the stories were going to
go. That won't happen on this show because I won't *let* it. If that
makes me a little leery on this stuff...well, that's better than being too
eager, I suppose.
jms
Subject: Re: Thaxton's Return
Date: 26 Apr 1995 04:31:40 -0400
1) There is no requirement to the stations that they take B5 to get
Kung Fu. This is, quite simply, a lie.
2) I have posted the ratings before. They have continued to grow
during new episodes, and fall back during reruns, as do all shows. The
statement that the ratings are going down is, quite simply, a lie.
But that's what Ford does.
So what else is new?
jms
Subject: Acts of Sacrifice - Ivanova
Date: 26 Apr 1995 23:08:37 -0400
Where did the idea for Ivanova's sex scene come from? Listen to the
words...beat for beat, it's an average date, from meeting, dinner, sex, and
vanishing shortly afterward.
jms
Subject: JMS: Season 2 and 3 schedules?
Date: 26 Apr 1995 23:08:04 -0400
The last season 2 episodes will be broadcast in July. We're hearing
that if we're picked up, it's 50/50 as to whether PTEN wants the new year
3 episodes to start in November or January.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN: JMS BIG BANG CON!
Date: 26 Apr 1995 23:06:13 -0400
Big Bang is a for-profit convention, like Creation, and we've had
some real problems with them.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN: JMS INCOME=DEBTS?
Date: 26 Apr 1995 23:12:19 -0400
Unfortunately, the whole selling-to-yourself strategy is totally
legal, since each group makes up their own mind what to charge, and there
really IS no going rate.
jms
Subject: Sheridan's distress call (max
Date: 26 Apr 1995 23:12:47 -0400
In picking up a distress signal from an Earth warship, the Black Star
would've swooped in and blown it to bits.
jms
Subject: JMS: Alien Night?
Date: 26 Apr 1995 23:33:07 -0400
"Alien Night" is something we're kinda keeping under wraps for now,
until we get a firm production deal.
jms
Subject: Re: Mamma don't let your babie
Date: 26 Apr 1995 23:32:36 -0400
A gunsight from the POV of the shooter.
jms
Subject: Ivanova's character developmen
Date: 27 Apr 1995 05:20:12 -0400
The problem is that if you have Ivanova constantly threatening people,
it gets real old real fast, and after a while loses any real menace or
threat. So you use it sparingly. Otherwise it swiftly lapses into cliche.
jms
Subject: JMS in the UK this weekend
Date: 27 Apr 1995 05:37:23 -0400
For those in the UK, Claudia Christian, Peter Jurasik and I will be
swooping in for Babcom 95, held this weekend (the 29th and 30th) in
Birmingham at the National Exhibition Center. This will be a more fan
friendly convention than is usually the case at event-style conventions.
We hear tickets are going fast, so if you're doing to go, best to
look into it.
jms