Babylon 5 posts by JMS for December, 1992
Babylon 5 posts by JMS for December, 1992
This file includes a compilation of posts on GEnie by J. Michael
Straczynski in the Babylon 5 topic. The posts are copyright by JMS
(and compilation copyright is by GEnie).
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Topic 1 Mon Oct 26, 1992
SF-FANTASY [Yog Sysop] at 18:50 EST
Sub: Babylon 5
Welcome to the Babylon 5 category! As always, offering or requesting copies
of copyrighted material, whether it's the B5 Newsletter, photos, or the actual
movie/episodes violates copyright law and SFRT policy.
723 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 335 Tue Dec 08, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:57 EST
It's still the original special. It takes time to change things.
Jeff...you're taking this much too calmly....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 339 Wed Dec 09, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:37 EST
I think I'm about 6'5" in shoes. Out of shoes, about 3'2".
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 391 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:39 EST
With luck, maybe I'll see that particular story myself one of these days.
Meanwhile, as before, if anyone who's seen the promo(s) or the previews wants
to convey their feelings to their local station, I sure as heck ain't gonna
stand in the way....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 401 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:25 EST
The pilot airs the last week in February.
The guns used are called PPGs (to answer another question), and any space
battle sequences will use CGI effects for weaponry there as well.
There may have been a question I missed. If so, my regrets; there's 64
new messages since last night (yikes!)!
Oh, yeah, there was one more...it ain't making Warners watch the promos
that'll hasten B5 the Series onto the air. It's deciding, as stated, if it'll
be in a second night of PTEN programming, or on the same night if something
doesn't work out, or some other option. It's the timing that's being
determined.
Once the ratings are all in on all the shows, we'll know more.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 405 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:31 EST
Frodo...you've wandered off the road. It goes ever on, but you can't get
back to it without the facts. Rather than rehash, just get back into this
topic and go back to 1 and read forward. All will become clear to you. There
will be a series. Be patient.
Gandalf
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 419 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:28 EST
The B5 "starter kit," to use that phrase, consists really of two GIF
files in the library and some of the files compiled by Posner and the brief
release that I put in some time ago. That should give a fairly good
background on the show. Then you can dive in on the rest.
Is it my imagination, or have we added a LOT of new folks in the last few
weeks? If so, I'm curious to know what brought y'all here.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 432 Tue Dec 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:43 EST
Re: message volume...I usually log on about twice a day, and each time
I've done that the last week or so, there's been 55-65 new messages each time,
which means between 110 and 130 messages a day, which is rather
astonishing...and definitely up.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 439 Fri Dec 25, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:47 EST
BTW, I spoke today with the promotions people at KBHK San Francisco about
the B5/DS9 spots, and what they explained is that they have linked all of
their shows (sf) in one trailer as well as doing individual spots. In one of
them, they go from Kung Fu to Time Trax to B5 to DS9. So it's not a question
of using B5 material to promote DS9, simply that they appear in the same spot.
She's going to check their spots just to verify, but that's the explanation.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 449 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:56 EST
Definitely more discussion here than on the other CiStem. Largely, I
think, because it's easier to keep track of discussions here, and the messages
don't scroll off. Discussion there is fairly sporadic and limited.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 467 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:28 EST
Eeeek! Phil...you mean I didn't get back to you? I coulda SWORE I did!
Eeeek! Yes, Phil, please, by all means, the file is approved. My apologies.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 473 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:46 EST
(the grinding of teeth like tectonic plates)...there is no "Bob" in the
show, not nohow, not noway, that was a background prosthetic critter that the
E! folks grabbed and used to intro their piece. It's got nothing to do with
our show.
(I'm calm, calm, perfectly calm....)
Re: the photo...it's amazing how many people tell me, "You know, you look
JUST LIKE so-and-so." Just one of those faces, I guess. Thankfully very few
people to whom I've been compared have elected to sue....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 481 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:07 EST
Yeah, thanks, if you could tape it and send it, that'd be great. I spoke
to the promotions people, and they assured me it's separated out; so if you
could send it along, that'd be great, thanks.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 515 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:10 EST
The TV Guide writer saw the pilot, as well as the other pilots, so that's
how that happened. And you'll note how they approach SF; they want the slang,
they want to know who the Bad Guys and the Good Guys are, and feel no
compunction at all about giving away the ending. Imagine if the shows were
mystery, what the reaction would be. SF is treated and viewed differently.
And re: the date for new shows given in the CFQ article, that ain't
accurate. Fact is, as I've noted before, we can be filming new shows within 8
weeks of getting the word. If the response on airing is high enough, and with
other circumstances with the network itself dealt with we could be on the air
by the end of this summer. And that remains a very likely possibility.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 518 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:30 EST
Don't know who's doing the sfx on Rangers. I know they've gone through
several different teams, but that's about it.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 528 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:53 EST
Sue...yeah, there's a lot of traffic here. Given the usual ratio of
posted messages to lurkers, there are now probably (and this is just a
personal guess) 1800 to 2000 people hanging around these days in this
category. It might go higher than that, but I'm being conservative, based on
what's standard in terms of posters/non-posters ratios.
Re: the CNN piece, it's probably the interview they conducted the last
day of filming. There we were, trying desperately to finish the movie, and
the same day descend the camera crews from CNN, E!, Warners and some other
places. It was a *madhouse*.
BTW, I hear that the music on That Other Show sounds rather like ours.
I have to make a mental note to go back and re-read the David and Goliath
story....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 530 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:06 EST
I was at a party today at Pat Tallman's place, along with some other B5
cast members, and we screened some of the pilot for the guests who hadn't seen
anything before (to considerable ooohs and aaahs), and on the way home, my
thoughts turned to this forum, as they often tend to.
I often get asked what it's like to do this show and see the result; the
reaction tonight got me thinking about the Old Timers here on the B5
discussion, the ones who've been here over a year now, and those who came
later, who've seen this go from the secret That Which Cannot Be Discussed
(remember that one?) to first word of shooting, the countdown to photography,
the daily reports from the set, the discussion of the characters and the
world...to now a point where you're finally seeing the result on commercials
and promos and will shortly be seeing the finished product (and, of course,
the number of you who have already seen most of the finished product)...and I
guess I was wondering what it's like from YOUR perspective...?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 534 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:34 EST
The story of Babylon 5 will echo the history of the original Babylon.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 559 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:22 EST
I've just gone through the last 24 messages, and I very much want to
thank you for the responses and the compliments; that honest-to-god wasn't
what I was going for when I asked the question, it wasn't "fishing." See, to
me, because you all *have* been a part of the process of Babylon 5 _ some in
bigger ways than you might expect _ there should indeed be some sense of
participation and proprietariness (is that a word?). And mainly, I just
wanted to know if that came through, if you were feeling as I did as the thing
unfolds. Because that's important.
Equally important, for me, is that this whole discussion stand as a kind
of textbook in terms of how a show gets made, to give those who'd like to get
into the Biz more fully understand what's involved. And if, when one sees _
say _ a shot from outside going into the station, one knows now what's
involved, how the EFX were done, what headaches are behind it, then I think
that's a positive thing.
Anyway...I'm blathering. Many thanks for the warm thoughts; they were an
unexpected bonus to the day.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 575 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:01 EST
Will, jeez, that's amazing...you should've said something, the B5 family
would've been there with cards and letters. How're you doing now? I know it
can be a very traumatic experience, even once you're physically 100%.
One more thing, Will. Email me your address.
On other fronts....
One week from today, we will (or should) be finished with
sound/music/looping edits and the B5 pilot will be complete. It's both
exhilirating to think about that...and there's also that post partum
depression that hits whenever I finish a big project, a novel, or an episode
of a series. In my head, all I can play over are the things we should've or
could've done to make it even better...the scenes we should have trimmed, the
scenes we should've dropped back in again, THIS angle on a fight instead of
THAT one...you can play with these things forever. At some point, you just
have to let go.
Then the next phase _ the series _ rests in large measure in your
hands, in terms of how fast we can get this puppy in gear.
It's kind of funny, meanwhile...I've gotten a number of private responses
to stuff I asked here, and one person told me a rather remarkable story,
alongside Will's...without naming names, he'd taken it upon himself to
proselytize about the show as much as possible, to tell as many people about
it as he could.
Apparently, he was on one system, and saw a young woman on-line, and
called her into chat, something he was normally to shy EVER to do before.
They began talking about the show _ she'd apparently heard a little about
it, but not much _ and over time they began corresponding, and, in the words
of the person who sent me the note, "We fell in love with each other."
They've now met, and it looks like it might get serious indeed.
Amazing. (When the person gives me his permission, I'll post the full
note; he's a little sheepish of her finding out he said anything.)
I think it's really kind of cool.
Oh...one last thing. Several people have inquired privately how to send
notes or stuff hard-copy. An address where I can be reached is 14431 Ventura
Boulevard, Suite 260, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423.
Onward.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 591 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:21 EST
What an amazing group of posts...I'm speechless. It's gratifying to see
that the process works, that this medium can be used to such good effect.
Something that has always been important to me is de-mystifying the process.
Lee mentioned somewhere uptopic that the on-line stuff has been going on for a
long time, across various shows, from RGBs and Power through Zone and now to
this. To de-mystify writing, Harlan writes in bookstore windows...I do this.
I just got a private note today (oh, and speaking of notes, just address
hard-copy mail to my name; it's a private mailing address, not a studio) from
one fellow who just managed to get a development deal with a studio. It ain't
big, but it's a start...and because of the discussion here, and elsewhere over
the years, he has a better idea of what to expect, and how to prepare.
This is an extremely tough business to crack. And the largest part of
the problem is just getting accurate information. When I came to LA
originally, I didn't know squat, and a long time _ a LONG time _ was wasted,
time I now very much regret losing, because I just didn't fully or accurately
understand How Things Worked. If this process can make the entry easier for
another writer, or de-mystify what happens behind the screen, then all the
better.
And, selfishly, it has been great to get the input, to hear the
questions, especially those I can't answer...because down the road you just
KNOW that that question will come up eventually, and better to be hit with it
now than blindsided later on. It's a rewarding, fascinating and challenging
exchange. I suspect that a LOT of shows would be considerably improved for
this kind of direct communication.
Oh, yeah...and re the newsletter...if you ask Christy nice, I'm sure
she'll send you the back issue. Tell her I said it was okay.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 596 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:42 EST
That would be telling....
jms
"And they were carried off to Babylon...."
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 626 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:05 EST
I really don't know how to make an e-mail mailing list, and it would seem
inappropriate to ask anyone here to go through the hassle of doing it for all
1800-2000 people here to accommodate the handful with dishes. Or silverware,
for that matter. If someone here would like to be your "Dish Buddy" and send
you a note when it goes on, that might be one way of doing it.
Re: kids/robots...the exact phrasing of that has gone through various
permutations and paraphrasings; the specific line is "No kids or cute robots."
The latter specifically entails entities such as Twiki (got the spelling right
this time, thanks to whoever corrected me), who should be run down by a truck
at the first opportunity. (In fact, I can say without hesitation that if you
ever DO see what passes for a cute robot on this show, keep a close eye on it,
because you'll probably see somebody drop an anvil on it REAL fast.)
So this allows us to explore the question of robotics, but to do so in a
fairly serious context. Because logically, 200+ years in the future there are
going to be some changes; robotics will be more common, though likely in some
different form. (If you've seen the promos or the pilot, you've seen the
maintenance 'bot that checks out the hull of B5; it has arms, it moves, it's
independent, it's a robot. It just doesn't begin its report with "Bida-bida-
bida.")
On the topic of kids...it's a deliberate decision to steer clear of that
part, not because I think it's invalid, but because a) it's been done on
another show, and its spinoff, rather intensively, and b) it's part of the SF
stereotype, "We have to have kids because SF is a kid's genre."
Might there be a story about a family of refugees who come seeking
sanctuary, or opportunity elsewhere? Of course. But any kids in that family
won't be at the *center* of the story. And they'll be gone by the end of the
episode. It's also a matter of context; absent the scenario just posed, this
is a place for businessmen, travelers, mappers, traders, diplomats and others,
it's not a place for kids. It's also potentially a very DANGEROUS place.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 628 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:29 EST
Rumors are exactly that...and as I've indicated, anything that happens
of substance _ good, bad or indifferent _ you'll hear it from the source.
How can PTEN be dead when it hasn't even AIRED yet? I've hered this same
rumor from others, and have to say that if Creation is spreading this that
they are being *highly* irresponsible. The facts again are these: the first
night of programming goes on later this month. B5 airs the following month.
Based on the ratings for all of the shows, they will then open a second night,
or modify the first. And that will determine where (and when) B5 lands. It's
a logistical question about when to expand.
If anyone wanders back in that topic's direction and would like to re-
post this as an official rebuttal, you're welcome to do so.
I also hear they're showing the E! piece...guys, if you want to help us,
there at Creation...don't
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 662 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:30 EST
My sense (what there is of it) is that in every show, you have to make
choices. What, fundamentally, is the story you are telling? Who is your
story about? Is it for adults, or children? I don't watch LA Law regularly,
but I sort of poke my nose in from time to time, and I don't see a lot of
kid's stories. One could well go to the producers of that show and say, "Why
aren't you doing kid stories?" to which the only answer is, "That's not our
show."
I already said above that if families come through, there may be kids
along. The point of clarification for me is that I don't want to do shows
with kids at the center. First to distinguish us from other shows, and second
because that's not the area that I want to concentrate on just now. Of course
people still have kids, and of course some will come through B5; it's where
one places them in the story that's at issue.
It's often kinda funny...people say, on the one hand, "Yeah! Fight them
studios! Don't let them tell you the kind of stories you oughta do!" Then,
"But you've GOTTA do a story with kids!" or "This is the sort of story you
HAVE to do."
The only answer to that _ said without sarcasm, honest _ is "Do what I
did...sell your own show." I don't mean that in any way harshly, I'm very
serious about that. Whether it's a novelist, or a short story author, or a TV
writer, or a screenwriter, we each of us has to decide fundamentally what it
is we want to write about it, and define our choices. Would you call Larry
Niven and say, "Listen, while you're in the middle of the Mote In God's Eye
sequel, we need a really good section about kids." You let the man tell his
story his way.
This, for me, is just one of those areas on which I have planted my feet
and sunk roots clear to the center of the planet. Now, it's altogether
possible that some day long down the road, one story will occur to me, and
I'll deal with that when and if it happens. But in the interim...it's vital,
from my perspective, to make B5 a show by, for and about adults in adult
relationships; not to invalidate the other stuff, but only as a sense of where
this show's emphasis is. It's time to let the studios and the suits and the
networks know that an SF series can survive without putting in the required
child or teenager.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 664 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:54 EST
Postscript to the preceding: that doesn't mean that I (or any other
member of the B5 team) shouldn't be challenged on stuff like this.
Challenges are good. First, they keep you on your toes. Second, it makes one
verbalize why one has taken a certain stance, and it's at that point that
weaknesses and fallacies in the argument become apparent. "The unexamined
life" and all that. As I've noted before, sometimes the only way to get
pertinent information is to ask impertinent questions.
I love a good philosophical knock-down-drag-out.
Meanwhile, on other fronts...
I will tell you the truest thing I have learned about television in the
process of making the B5 pilot. That quality is rare is not really
remarkable; what's remarkable is that it gets done at ALL. Any show,
regardless of quality. There are millions of details, the tiniest things that
require constant shepherding. You're in the midst of doing one thing and
somebody calls involved with another part of the show and says, "Look, we've
got some question about whether the doors should go SHOOP! or BLOOP!, George
thinks SHOOP, and we think he's right...unless you'd rather come listen to
them youreself." And it's very easy to say, "Okay, just take care of it,"
then find yourself sitting there a month later and saying, "Damn, why did we
end up with a SHOOP! effect?"
It's physically impossible to be in every place at all times, and you
particularly don't want to be in a position where you start giving your people
less room to play and be independent. There are just so many details that
it's very easy to say, "Okay, fine, deal with it," or to not bother with
something, that it becomes quickly apparent why it's so hard to find real
quality out there. That kind of attention is a major pain in the butt. When
you see it from this side, you're just amazed that it gets done at ALL.
Just a thought for the day...
BTW, for those who might be interested (all four of you), the very last
episode I wrote for this season's "Murder, She Wrote" will air this coming
Sunday. I haven't seen anything on it _ no dailies, no rough cuts _ so I
have no idea how it came out, though I *hear* it came out well. Just FYI.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 682 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:35 EST
RE: cliffhangers...not between episodes, certainly. Between seasons,
it's...hard to explain. There are, or will be *changes* that happen from one
season to another (as planned), specific events that take place that should
bring one up short...but "cliffhanger" in the sense of leaving some guy
hanging from a string over a lake of fire...no, no plans for such at this
time.
RE: kids...boy, that one sure hit a nerve on both sides, didn't it?
That's good. An argument like this is what a show or story should do, get
people discussing the issues.
Meanwhile, on other areas....
****WOW****
I was in the editing bay today during the pre-dub of B5 (which I'll
explain more , which btw has a nifty huge projection screen, twelve or fifteen
feet across, so I got to see some of the show as if at a theater...plays
pretty well.
Anyway...what a pre-dub is, is this: those who saw the earlier version of
the pilot will remember, for instance, the scenes in the main corridor of the
station (well, one of them, anyway). You have Sinclair and Garibaldi talking.
It's an un-mixed scene...just as filmed, there are just two guys talking. All
the rest of the set is silent.
But now...NOW...you're in the editing bay, and now you add in the
background voices, human and alien...mechanical sounds nearby...an intercom
voice advertising station services...then layer in the music, and suddenly
it's a MOVIE! Someone said that sound is half of a movie, and you forget that
until it hits you in the face.
The pre-dub is where you layer in the voice tracks (original, from the
production; adr (automatic dialogue replacement) for lines that were not
sufficiently audible or need to be looped; incidental dialogue (computers,
background characters) and walla (general crowd sounds). You decide how much
of any of these is too much, how much more you need, what the balance is...if
you need to use the surround capability to put this voice HERE or THERE....
Then we previewed some scenes with music, and did a little of the same
there (we'll do more during the final mix Thursday through Tuesday). For
instance...most music cues are anywhere from a few seconds long to maybe a
minute or more. Ours tend to be longish...the longest is a cue that lasts 7.5
minutes, and goes inside the station, outside the station, to different
*parts* of the station, and the music continues throughout. We figured that
we needed to better differentiate the sound inside vs. outside the
station...so in the music cue, we drop the electric guitar out of the mix for
the inside scenes, and put it back in for the outside scenes, for instance.
The result, basically, being that it becomes a *M*O*V*I*E* for the first
time. And boy, it cooks, lemme tell you. There are moments of absolute and
inutterable self-doubt in a project like this, especially when paired with the
monumental press machine from elsewhere which is doing everything possible to
bury us in the interests of preserving an economic monopoly and critics who
figure we're a clone of another show. But then you turn around and see
something like this, and you know it's going to work...and it really helps.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 710 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:44 EST
Ah, except, Gary, for the reason I picked that particular metaphor; this
ain't Sudden Death, as with football.
This one's going to the judges at the end of the round, and the case will
be decided...win, lose or draw...on the merits of the performance in the ring,
not on hype (on either side), not on good feelings, but on the quality of the
work, which is as it should be. Only thing I've ever asked at any point in my
life is a fair fight on a level playing field. Then let things fall as they
may.
And as for the judges...look in the mirror.
jms
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Topic 2 Wed Nov 20, 1991
SOARON [Bio-Dread] at 19:41 EST
Sub: General Information
Babylon 5 will premiere with a two-hour movie entitled "The Gathering" early
in 1993. The creator of the series, J. Michael Straczynski joins us on-line
to answer your questions. (No story ideas please...)
443 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 25 Tue Dec 08, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:01 EST
Well...it's not walking distance, that's for sure....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 45 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:15 EST
A "religious/home shopping" network? Pieces of the One True Cross on
sale, 35% off? Some guy dressed as Moses suggesting that "We'll part the Red
Sea to give you the best price anywhere on our products"...?
Thanks re: the photo. I generally do *not* photograph well at all.
They get one head *in* focus, the other's out of focus, it takes forever to
airbrush out the horns, and the tail I don't even want to talk about. I had
to finally have some b&w's professionally done (by a woman who concluded that
the only way to make me loosen up in front of a camera was to dangle toys in
front of my face, just like she does with 5-year-olds) just to have SOMEthing
to give out.
Well, I suppose we all have our cross to bear. (Now marked down 20%,
move fast, we only have 5,000 left in inventory.)
Oh...and Kosh sorta walks/glides.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 51 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:45 EST
To some degree, yeah, I can't say a *lot* about this, but in general,
yes, these are all areas that we plan on exploring. The economics of trade,
the effects of the war, all of this. Again, what we're striving for in B5 is
to always ask the next question. Like, "Who pays for B5?" That's a question
you don't usually run into in SF show...who foots the bill for all these
starships running around the galaxy? With 4 other Babylon stations decimated
(three before becoming operational, one after), the Earth Alliance skimped on
the current version, rather like the Shuttle. They want to see if it will
last before sinking vast amounts of money into it. Which is why, in one hour-
script finished already, there's a reference made to giving some visiting
Centauri businessmen the Grand Tour in hopes of getting some investment from
them in B5 to counter the costs absorbed by the EA.
Economics and the like are things you can happily ignore if your show has
nothing to do with the real world.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 53 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:54 EST
Insofar as I know, B5 airs the last week in February; January 20 is when
the network overall goes on line.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 62 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:02 EST
Yes, that's pretty close to being correct. We're in the very comfortable
position of knowing what 50% to 75% of every season's episodes are going to
be, so you can, for instance, go to a writer on the level of a DC Fontana, for
instance, and say, "Here, this is the story where X happens. We need to see
the following elements introduced in this episode. Outside of that, you're
pretty much on your own." Then you also leave room for outside ideas to
become episodes as well, and let the writers pitch ideas you may never have
come up with alone. One makes sense AND fits within the universe that's
established, you buy it.
Nine times out of 10, when you see a lot of names script done
consistently, what you have is a situation where they don't really have a firm
grasp on where they're going. The producers buy a notion or an idea, they
then take it in-house, it goes through one draft, that writer can't make it
work, so they go to another in-house writer, it sits on a shelf after that,
then finally goes back to the other writer, and finally gets yanked out of
cold storage 5 days before prep and hurriedly put into production when another
script falls out. That's generally what happens.
As for the "go" on B5, that will come with reaction to the whole PTN
arrangement. The greater the ratings, the better the reaction, the faster we
get into production. Which is why it's *very* important that if you like the
show, you write to your local station and Warners to tell them so. It will
not only help move things along faster, but will give us more clout in doing
Our Own Thing without changes.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 69 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:21 EST
Many thanks for the offers. I'll post the full Warners address a little
closer to the scheduled airdate. May also provide the fax number, since
that's easier for many who are modemed into services like GEnie.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 73 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:25 EST
Yes, there will eventually be a B5 tech manual, which I believe Ron
Thornton will supervise.
Re: telling stations what you think if you've seen the pilot...that's
something I really hadn't thought about. On the merits of about ten seconds
worth of thought, it looks like a good idea. So yeah...if anyone who's seen a
preview of B5 (the whole thing) wants to tell your local station that you
liked it, feel free. The more heat the better.
By gosh, the ideas that come up in a place like this....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 82 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:44 EST
It ain't that they think B5 is a risk. The situation is simply this:
they've booked up the first night of the network with two series. That's
what they have room for. Question now is, do they open up a second night, for
which B5 would be the anchor, or do they replace one of the other shows should
one of them not perform to expected levels (which is the risk on any network)?
They won't have the information to make that decision until B5 *and* the other
shows hit the air.
That's really the full extent of it.
Re: music and sound...the music is finished. About 50 minutes worth,
sections of which are interpolated and cycled through various portions of the
movie. Which for TV is a *lot*, by the way; in final form, it gives you
almost wall-to-wall music. (An average TV movie gets maybe 30 minutes worth.)
I've heard most of the sound effects, and we're now in the process of a)
finishing the looping, and b) locking down the sound EFX. We do the final mix-
down starting January 4 and ending January 8.
On January 11, I will have two copies of the final, complete B5 movie in
my hot little hands. On SVHS. One for home, one for the archives. In full
surround sound.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 87 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:09 EST
We're trying several approaches to the sound of the weapons; some of them
incorporate the powering-up/air burn aspect. We'll see which work best.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 98 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:49 EST
It's not a big deal if you're just a viewer. If it's your show, which
you've nursed and watched over and hoped for and fought for over five long and
grueling years...it's a big deal.
Re: ownership...yes, the show is actually *owned* by Warners under the
terms of the contract, which is standard. (Which is why you see, on old ST
and new TNG stuff, copyright by Paramount, not by Roddenberry.) I have some
separation of rights in very specific areas.
Re: sound...yes again, it's in full surround sound, so if your local
station handles surround, you've got it made. And do crank it up; I've heard
sections of it, and it works *real* nice. (There's this little black box
we've adapted from fighter plane audio that, for the series, may let us
*localize* the individual sounds in a 3-D fashion, but we'll have to see if we
can make the technology downward-compatible first.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 106 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:16 EST
There's a sign in the docking bay/customs area of B5 which makes it clear
to visitors that B5 operates on Earth Standard time (or Earth Median time, or
somesuch, I forget the exact wording). Just to give it some sense of order.
Re: changing costumes...that's the funny part. See, every one of the
costumes was made to come apart, to be recombined in various ways. Our
problem was the cast, who loved the ensemble look of each item, and insisted
on wearing the whole thing. Take Londo, for instance...his outfit came with
the grand coat (his one really good coat), three shirts, three vests, two
pants, a cape and different boots. But he wanted to wear the coat at all
times, and butoned up...so you can't really SEE the change in clothes. The B5
personnel (Sinclair, Garibaldi, others) also kept wearing their clothes, which
were made to be opened, take the jacket off, relax...completely closed 99% of
the time.
This will be changed.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 118 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:44 EST
I honestly don't know what the individual syndex rules will be as they
apply to various stations. Your best bet there is to go straight to the
source...the station itself.
As for the details of sound and sound effects...maybe the "average
viewer" (whatever the heck *that* is) will or won't notice, but *I* will know
it's there.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 132 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:28 EST
Ron: yes! That's the black-box I was talking about. Thanks for the
clarification.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 144 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:33 EST
Which convention?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 172 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:39 EST
Joey: no comment. (You want I should blow the surprise?)
Re: comments here...if I found it annoying, I wouldn't be here.
If this were just about flak, about hyping a series, what you'd get would
be what you got when they used other systems to plug "Sneakers," for
instance...a quick or several-month blitzkrieg, a one-way (for the most part)
outflow of information, and then it stops.
For me, the best part of writing is *dialogue*. I'm fascinated by
dialogue...interpersonal, political, social, electronic, you name it. And for
the last five years, I've been trying to develop a dialogue with the SF
communityNot just, "Here's what I'm doing, here's the show, watch it, give us
ratings, and be quiet," but rather, "Here's what I'm doing...how close is this
to what you've been wishing someone would do? What are you tired of? What do
you think of this part over here?" Not so much specific advice, but
attitudes, sort of getting a sense of the room.
My feeling is that SF fans are consistently the most abused and taken-
advantage-of group around. Especially when it comes to media. Every six
months or so, somebody comes in to shill for a new show, they get everyone's
hopes up, then either walk away if the show is a hit, or flat out lie. I
know, I've been in the audience. And as a result, many SF fans have grown
understandably cynical about the whole process, they seem now to *expect* to
be lied to, to expect that it's going to be same old crap they got before.
And to me, this process is about changing that perception.
In most cases of publicizing a show, there is a buffer between the
creator or head of a show, and the viewers. There is no buffer in this case;
if the show fails, I'm right out here with a "Kick Me" sign on my back. If it
works, I convey that back to the other creative people involved. From
standard Hollywood perceptions, that is a very risky and dangerous thing to
do. For me...it's dialogue.
SF fans have always stood by their shows and been loyal, often to be
repaid by being shilled and hyped and thought of as (as one studio person put
it) vegetables witbooks...as long as they keep buying the products, the
merchandising, and stay quiet, that's fine.
I would like this process to be part of a rapproachment, to be more open
and to encourage a two-way conversation. That conversation was had during the
years this show was waiting to spring forth, and will contin afterward. (When
I did the LosCon presentation, during the Q&A following, one fellow asked if
this would stop once the show got on the air, once we had gotten what we
wanted: ratings. And that has been the case in the past. For as long as I
can type and plug into a modem, that will not be the case here.)
Like any dialogue, there are moments of conflict and frustration, and
moments of revelation. So on all levels, this has been a fascinating and
intriguing conversation. I have benefitted from it, and enjoy it despite the
occasional hassles, and look forward to doing so in future, as long as the
audience will want to continue the dialogue.
I hope that somewhere in that flurry of words I've answered your
question.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 173 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST
For some reason, some letters got lost from my message preceding; the
abusive studio phrase should be "vegetables with pocketbooks." It's an ugly
thought indicative of the ways SF fans are generally taken for granted.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 186 Mon Dec 21, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:20 EST
I guess the one way in which the feedback has been the most useful has
been in asking questions that I hadn't thought of. When you put a show like
this together, you try to second-guess problems or questions down the road.
What's been fun here is that I've often been blind-sided by questions that I'd
never considered. I then have to find an answer to those questions, which
then sticks. There have been questions of sound in space, kinds of weapons
technologies, that sort of thing. One person asked about the jump-gates, and
how they got there, which led me to formulate the idea that big ships
(cruisers) are big and powerful enough to form their own entry point into
hyperspace, while smaller ships have to rely on jump-points...so it's the job
of some of the bigger ships to leave jump-points behind them like bread
crumbs, enabling us to move further out into space.
In other words...I come up with pertinent information by being asked a
lot of impertinent questions. Which is as it should be.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 196 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:24 EST
Oh.
<blink, blink>
Emily Letilla voice: "Never mind."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 201 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:30 EST
Don't know about the ad content, since I haven't seen it yet, but hope to
soon. (Producer-types are always the last to know.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 203 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST
So far, the show has struck well with both SF fans and non-SF fans, which
bodes well. We deliberately exposed the show to people who don't much care
for the genre, and they were very much taken.
BTW, about 1/2 the ads for the B5 pilot are now sold, a fair amount of
time early. The network folks figured if they had half of the ads sold by mid-
January, given the economy and how these things go, especially with new
programs, they'd be doing good. To be at this point over two weeks early is a
very positive sign.
As I write this, a 50 minute cassette is playing here in my office, the
soundtrack for Babylon 5. I got a copy of the full soundtrack to a) verify
that some changes we'd requested were made (they were), and b) to see how the
soundtrack stood up just on its own terms. It's very nice stuff. Stewart
played with a variety of things, including sampling voices to use in some
scenes, played almost like an angelic chorus.
In the next 2 weeks, we will be essentially finished with all of the post-
production on the movie...1 year and 2 months from when I first announced the
project here on GEnie. What a ride....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 214 Thu Dec 24, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 16:44 EST
Yep, Stewart's on-line for the series as well.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 223 Fri Dec 25, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:02 EST
Well, in the interim a friend who's running a show has asked me to come
in and help out for a little while (wrote a 21 page outline overnight the day
after I said yes to help meet the production crunch), and I've started my
third novel, which is actually good timing. For me, the first 100-200 pages
of a novel are the hardest; after that, it's a lot easier. My hope is to
have some or all of that part done by the time we really get going seriously
on B5 the series, so that I can continue at a reduced speed from that point on
until the book is finished. (I figure it'll take about a year, a year and a
half to write the book, which I expect will be about 1,200 to 1,500 pages in
length.) If I were to wait until B5 began in earnest to start writing the
novel, it'd never get past the first few chapters because of the other
pressures. This is my one window of opportunity to start the thing.
So that's the main work now: B5 post, the new show, the novel, doing my
BBSing...oh, yeah, and I've started a few short stories, and obviously will
continue to do interviews and other promotional work for B5, as well as
developing the long-term 10-hour project I mentioned a while before, which I
should hear more about in the next few weeks. I've been asked to write a
network pilot, which is kind of interesting, and may tackle that as well,
just to see if I can do it.
Other than that, it's real slow right now.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 227 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:11 EST
Slow in the sense that I generally have 1-3 more projects going at any
given moment than is the case just now, but that's mainly due to the holidays,
and passing on some other gigs. It's just that I get twitchy if I'm not
working on something at all times. I *write*. It's what I do. Ten hours a
day, seven days a week, all year round excluding Christmas eve (for my
spousal overunit's sake, mainly), New Year's, and my birthday. If I stopped,
I'd go bananas.
Stephen: the network pilot is mainstream, and the 10-hour project
is...not. Which is all I'd prefer to say about it now until we get some firm
news.
Generally speaking, I've been very fortunate in that I've never been
"typed" as one kind of writer or another; I've done comedy, horror, science
fiction, cop shows, fantasy, mystery, mainstream, originals, adaptations,
animation, live action, you name it, I've probably written it. It helps a lot
the way the business is going these days to be able to show up wearing
whatever color hat is required for the job.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 239 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:05 EST
I don't think there is a bibliography contained in any message here, or
for that matter, anywhere. It would be just a major pain in the butt to
compile...there's been a lot of published/produced work, and it's scattered
all over the place. I'm not even sure if it's 100% do-able, since there are
copies of things I've lost or misplaced over the years (I've had something
like 500 articles published, as one example, and I've always tried to get and
keep copies of them, but I know there are some holes in the collection where
copies didn't come through.)
Let's deal with B5 first, meanwhile, before we even begin talkilng (or
talking) about what follows.
Re: a vacation...I've taken exactly two in my whole life. Both entailed
trips to England, the latter with a few weeks also spent in Ireland. Both
times I promised to leave the writing at home. And both times I ended up
secretly purchasing small spiral-bound notebooks and scribbling down ideas and
stories...I outlined sections of my second novel in bathroomverunit wouldn't
know I was writing when I said I wouldn't, and I outlined a full length (2
act) play while I was over in Ireland (and, alas, haven't been able to find
the notes since returning; I'm sure it's around here somewhere).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 244 Sun Dec 27, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:45 EST
The last five years, eh?
oboy....
Let's see...that's 30 columns plus maybe 7-10 major articles for Writer's
Digest...okay...1987 would include POWER, which means about 12 episodes on
that (counting stories, and it *may* be higher than that, I'm doing this from
memory)...12 total Twilight Zone episodes...4 or 5 episodes of Jake and the
Fatman (plus 1 co-written 2-hour MOW)...the Jekyll and Hyde adaptation for
Showtime's Nightmare Classics show (which earned Ace and Writers Guild
nominations for writing)...4 or 5 episodes of the Ghostbusters animated
series, plus the musical prime-time special... seven episodes of Murder, She
Wrote...an episode of CBS Storybreak ("The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek,"
adaptation, which to this day I've never seen)....
I think that's *most* of the produced stuff, though I'm pretty sure I'm
missing a few items (oh, yeah...and Babylon 5, natch).
On the unproduced side, we've got the 4-hour V miniseries, a feature film
written for Ivan Reitman, another feature written for London Films, another 4
or 5 unproduced Jake and Murder episodes, another Nightmare Classics
adaptation for Showtime, several unproduced pilots (live action and animation)
for various studios...6 scripts, 4 outlines and 10 premises written to put
together an anthology series which didn't fly...five or six spec feature
screenplays, and some other stuff, again this is all off the top of my head.
Then there have been articles in the late lamented L.A. Herald Examiner,
the L.A. Times, cover stories for the L.A. Reader, articles appearing in Video
Review and Penthouse...oh, yeah, and a dozen or more articles about Night
Gallery appearing in Twilight Zone Magazine ("A Viewer's Guide to Rod
Serling's Night Gallery") co-written with my spousal overunit...short stories
in Amazing Stories, Shadows 6, Midnight Graffiti, Pulphouse....
Then there have been the two novels, Demon Night and Othersyde, both from
Dutton, and the Twilight Zone anthology for which I adapted my TV scripts into
short stories....oh! And comic books! How could I forget that? One issue of
the Star Trek book, "Worldsinger," an issue of Teen Titans Spotlight ("Face to
Face to Face to Face," pitting Cyborg against Two Face), and an issue of the
Twilight Zone comic. Jeez, I almost forgot that stuff.
And for almost all of those 5 years I was host of the weekly radio talk
show, Hour 25 (first alone, then with a cohost, then with a cohost and
alternating weeks the last year or two), 2 hours of talk with SF writers,
actors and directors, among others. Somewhere in there, along with the WGA
and Ace nominations, I picked up nominations for the Bram Stoker Award for
Demon Night, and for a Gemini Award (the Canadian equivilent of an Emmy)
nomination for an episode of Power.
That's a partial list of the last 5 years. I've missed a lot, but that's
probably the major stuff, in any event. (Under the category of "unproduced,"
I also adapted Elfquest to a series for CBS, along with a co-writer, but can't
just now remember if that was 87 or 86.) If anything else comes to mind, I'll
drop it in later.
But that's really as specific as I can be without dragging out boxes and
other stuff...I hardly remember titles anymore, or which month which articles
appeared where. Eventually I'm going to have to get someone in here to
straighten it all out and put it all in order. Because there's literally
stuff that I've done that I've *completely* forgotten about; I'll be rummaging
through tapes or boxes of manuscripts and come across something I'd utterly
forgotten about. Senility, I suppose....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 245 Sun Dec 27, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:57 EST
Oh, yeah...as it turns out, that was 11 original scripts and 5-6
collaborations on Power for a total of 16 episodes. And one of my GB episodes
was the one that got the show nominated for an Emmy for best animated series.
I also forgot the movie developed for Shelley Duvall, another feature
screenplay for DIC (unproduced), also in the unproduced category an animated
series for ABC of my own creation, plus an early development (bible and two
scripts) for a Batman series for the same network.
That's the major stuff.
I think....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 251 Sun Dec 27, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:26 EST
Actually, my percentage of produce to unproduced, and published to
unpublished, is rather high in favor of the former in each category. I've
been quite fortunate that way. The main unproduced stuff comes under the
category of screenplays, and that's par for the course. Only about 1 out of
100 scripts ever gets NEAR production. I have friends who've been writing
nothing BUT screenplays, all on assignment, all unproduced. They get very
frustrated after a while. That's one of the benefits of working in
television, the odds are better. During the 91-92 season of MURDER, for
instance, I wrote six scripts, of which 5 were shot.
One thing that didn't occur to me to mention is the fact that during
these five years I've been on staff (story editor/producer) on five and a half
projects. My main responsibility when on staff is to do what I refer to as
"dialog-ectomies," where the structure is fine on a freelance script, but the
dialog just isn't cutting it. So I go through and replace all the dialogue,
leaving the structure intact. These are completely new scripts in that sense;
they're rewrites from page one through Fade Out.
If I were to have arbitrated any of those scripts (attempted to put my
name on them as co-writer, for which you only have to show that you've
contributed 50% of the material), there'd be another 20 or 30 scripts out
there with my name on them. But I strongly don't believe in doing that.
There's a lot of credit poaching in this town, and it hurts the freelancer.
When I'm on staff, I'm getting a salary in addition to script fees, while the
freelancer only has script fees in addition to residuals, and if a producer or
story editor puts his or her name on the script, that cuts the residuals by
half. I don't think that's right. Out of something like 200 scripts that
I've edited, I think I've put my name on about 5, each under very specific or
unusual conditions.
It's tough enough for writers to make a living in this town without
contributing to picking their pockets.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 256 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:51 EST
Haven't written any SF novels. When I work in prose, I tend to favor
dark fantasy. Which is the same genre as the new novel I'm now working on. I
just have a preference for contemporary dark fantasy in my reading _ Jonathan
Carroll, and many of the South American writers of "magic realism" _ so
that's what I tend to write, in prose.
Haven't yet seen any of the promos on 13, but I've heard from others who
have seen them. (Including the preceding note from Prof Mark.) I'm looking
for this stuff as eagerly as everybody else.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 258 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:43 EST
The most recent M,SW that I wrote was a ghost story set in Ireland, which
aired about a month or so ago, maybe two. The last one that I wrote for the
current season will air sometime this month, I believe; it's about an old
friend of Seth's, an actor, who returns to Cabot Cove to begin his theatrical
career again. I think Peter Donat is the guest star; it was shot after I'd
left M,SW, so I have *no* idea how it turned out. The title of the episode is
"Final Curtain," apt since it was my last for this season.
The pay differential between live-action and animation is QUITE
substantial, starting with the fact that there are no residuals in animation.
If I got residuals on all the animation I've written, I could retire tomorrow.
Also, there's no one set fee in animation, whereas the fees in live-action are
mandated by the WGA. Animation scripts can pay as little as $1500 or $3000,
and again, no residuals. My going price is $6,000 to $10,000 per script in
animation. (That's half-hour.) The price for a one-hour network show is
about $20,000 and with residuals, that can add up fast (the second rerun on a
network brings in about another $13,000, and it scales down bit by bit from
there).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 262 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:10 EST
It definitely does. And that's the trap. You come here to make it, but
it costs so much to stay that it eats away at anything you get, so you're
stuck on the treadmill.
Rod Serling talked about that in his script for "The Velvet Alley," where
someone's talking to a TV writer, new in town, and explaining how It All
Works. Paraphrasing: "They pay you astonishing amounts of money for what you
do...then gradually your standard of living goes up, and up, and up...until
finally you HAVE to have that level of income just to get by, day by day...and
then they threaten to take it away unless you behave.
And then, *then* they own you."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 272 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:21 EST
The script to the V mini is in my computer, and there aren't many copies
floating around. At this point, I'd prefer to keep it that way.
As for not being dead from exhaustion...I dunno...it's just what I do. I
don't really give it much thought (though the last week or so of actual
filming on B5 was pretty awful, from a physical standpoint; damn near did me
in).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 274 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:48 EST
It may well be adapted to a novel down the road, either by me or by
somebody else. It ain't a bad story.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 282 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:47 EST
How do I stay sitting down that long, you ask?
You ever own a staple-gun....?
Re: the "Stegosaurus" adaptation...yeah, it was fun, and based on a fun
character, although the network didn't actually want the specific story,
something new using it. So I got to play in that world a little. My
favorite moment, a scene I came up with: the steg is always sneaking up on
this one kid, and finally the kid's reacion is how can somethilng big sneak up
on anyone? The steg thought about it a second, shrugged (as best a steg CAN
shrug), and said, "You watch rabbits for a hundred thousand years...you
learn."
Oh...re: TV Guide...they indicated that B5 came first, not the other way
around. It's Newsweek that got it backwards.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 285 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:12 EST
Really? Have to remember to set the VCR....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 289 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:23 EST
I *HATE* being statesmanlike....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 298 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:06 EST
When someone asks, "What kinds of specific things have you gotten out of
this interaction?" I think I will point to the question just uptopic about
food. I've given this a *fair* amount of thought, mainly in the sense that
there are hydroponic gardens (referred to in the script) and other areas for
oxygen reclamation, I'd figured that there were also areas where alien-
environment food was to be raised, and finally a third area where food that is
simply impractical to grow on B5 would be synthesized. But the question opens
up additional areas that I haven't given that much thought to...and many
possibilities.
Let me (so to speak) stew on this and get back to you.
Thanks for yanking my blanket.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 302 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:03 EST
Jonathan....please, for my sake, one question at a time...pick one.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 310 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:23 EST
K'wicker (than a speeding bullet?)...I ain't fussy. My friends just call
me Joe. (Usually preceded by, "That Pain In The Ass")
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 314 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:44 EST
The station is owned by the Earth Alliance, and if you're going to be
staying there, you pay a fee. Station employees are charged a fee against
their salaries...which some of them aren't happy about.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 318 Sat Jan 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:39 EST
Dolphins are another area that I haven't gone into in any great degree
since the odds of any of them showing up at B5 are minimal, for production
reasons. Dolphins make for difficult actors, and their agents are even worse.
The homeless question brings me to a difficult point in the discussion _
generalities are okay to discuss, Jonathan, but the more specific the
questions get about plot points of the series, the less I can say. The five-
year arc is triple-encrypted in my computer for a *reason*. And, as much as
it pains me, I know that printups of this category go to a certain other
studio...and would rather not give too many specifics for obvious reaons. I'd
like us to do them first. Alas, we're not having this conversation in a
vacuum.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 320 Sat Jan 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:17 EST
Just as with the early days of ocean travel, you would generally have
three levels of travel: first class, one just below, and down deep below
decks, those traveling steerage. A small group can also pool all their
resources, for instance, charter a ship one-way just far enough as B5, and
hope to find work or new opportunities on far-away worlds. When this doesn't
happen, they linger...sometimes for a long time.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 336 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:56 EST
Dave: Bingo!
And re: genetic moofky-fooky...yes, it's a definite issue, and is
referenced at least once in the pilot.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 345 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:07 EST
BABYLON 5 meets ATTACK OF THE GIANT CRAB MONSTERS, I like it....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 349 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:30 EST
Actually just handled this up in topic 1. Rumors are the bane of science
fiction...and people at conventions who speak should try and get their facts
straight first.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 351 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:55 EST
There's been some disagreement over that...I prefer the idea that he's
uplifted. (It's between me and the prosthetics design team.)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 357 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:09 EST
Hey, there's an idea...come up with a totally bogus B5 five-year arc and
let it get accidentally uploaded and distributed to throw folks off... except
of course folks might well believe it, which would work against us in the long
run. Ah, well....
Any telekinetics on board Babylon 5? you ask?
No.
At least, not yet.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 388 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:49 EST
Pets is okay. Ah lahkes pets. Pets be cool. And cats be coolest.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 407 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:31 EST
There's haze in some scenes where you've got a lot of traffic, and food
cooking, and braziers, and the like. The quarters don't have that.
As it happens, Pat Tallman has pets...two bunnies and two chinchillas. I
pointed out to her that she now has both food and clothing concerns taken care
of. She's still not speaking to me.
Saw the DS9 pilot tonight.
Heh....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 422 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:01 EST
Katherine: oh, snarf you....
Bear: a 16 pound cat? Wow...some good eatin' there....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 428 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:42 EST
Eric...imagine two boxers in the ring, each bloodied and exhausted after
11 grueling rounds. It's now the last round. You've each got one last shot
in your heart. Your opponent comes in with a big name, with the sports
critics approval, with fancy clothes and a twelve million dollar windup. He
pulls back and lets you have it with everything he's got.
Then you look around...and you're still standing. And you're thinking
"THAT was their best shot?"
Because everything he had was intent on one hard shot to knock you out of
the ring...speeded training, massive amounts of promotion, just to knock you
out.
And you're still standing. And you smile.
Because now it's YOUR turn.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 441 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:01 EST
I can't remember when I was last this tired. (Well, that's a lie, it was
during the last 2 days of filming on B5, but the former made for a better
opening line.)
After getting zero sleep (nervous with anticipation, running the pilot
through my head over and over again to prepare for today), I went in with a
number of the production people today on the first day of the final
sound/dialogue/music mix. Ten straight hours, one half-hour break during
which we ate at the mixing tables. Trying different combinations, re-showing
scenes with slight modifications, over and over and over, until your eyes _
focused for 10 hours on the same focal distance, blinking against bright
lights so you can make notes _ start to melt out of your sockets. And there
are three more days to go of this....
But man, this thing is really coming together. It's exciting to watch it
happen. To the question about music...the music in this thing is just
terrific...dynamic, evocative, moody, exciting...and while it took me a while
to get it into my head (as with the theme from the Equalizer, which has
similar resonances), the theme definitely stays with you.
Along wund editors, Stewart Copeland came by, as well as various of the
film editors, the cameraman, others...and Richard Compton, our director, was
also at the helm for the whole ten hours, as was our line producer John
Copeland (no relation). People just wanted to come by and see it.
It's gonna be a hoot, ladies and gentlemen....
jms
______
************
Topic 3 Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:09 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Computer EFX Tech-Talk
Some of the new computer EFX used in BABYLON 5 will be revolutionary, a new
approach never seen before on this scale. It's all new tech, and this topic
will try and address the new technologies involved.
430 message(s) total.
************
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 185 Tue Dec 08, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:03 EST
Someone, somewhere (Ron? Mojo?) said that Cinefex had contacted us and
was planning an article, but that was a few weeks ago and I haven't heard
anything more about it. Will advise.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 196 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:18 EST
I imagine that we'll do some interacting (actors/cgi) as noted, but we
will also do some actual ship-building. For instance, in the pilot, when Kosh
arrives in the docking bay, there's a shot past him into the bay, where you
can see part of his ship (we actually built a fairly large section of it,
though only a small part is visible). I think that shot is in the CFQ
article. We also built (and then trashed) a spider transport to match the
CGI, though again you can't really tell because it's pretty demolished by the
time the actors get to it. There will be more of this done down the road.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 199 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:46 EST
Rico: both, for different reasons.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 202 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:04 EST
Mmmmmm....maybe. And there are some shots that do so in clearer terms;
in the council chamber are CGI "recorders," floating devices that record video
and audio of the proceedings. They float above the heads of the characters,
and later one of them goes between two characters as they walk out the door.
So yeah, there's some, just not on the scale of looking at starships...well,
except for the scene in the garden, which is CGI....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 204 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:44 EST
I don't think so...there *were* solid models made (which didn't move),
and CGI versions which *did* move...and I don't think you can tell them apart.
If anything, the CGI ones look better.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 206 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:53 EST
The sections of CGI shown at Wishcon were part of a non-color corrected
print, which left it all a little darker and muddier than is now the case.
Also the projection system muddied some of the shots, which come out much
sharper on a regular TV.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 209 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:26 EST
Combination of air jets and magnetics.
Would this face lie?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 216 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:51 EST
Cost. And the degree to which they would show up on camera; very often
the lighting required to illuminate an actor just washes out an LCD screen,
regardless of quality. Probably by 2357 they will have some that will stand
up to that level of lighting, but so far no one's shipped any back for our
use....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 229 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:30 EST
Wait, I thought we *did* shoot this show at 30 fps. I'm confused....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 242 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:54 EST
They're not transferred, they're kept on video. Since the stations want
deliver either on 3/4" or via sat-link, there's no need for the thing to be on
film.
Re: the recorders...one should broaden one's scope of SF beyond the
latest television shows. Orbs, recorders, transcribers, floating TV cameras,
on and on, they have all had a long history in SF.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 257 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:43 EST
Will: I don't think I'm getting through. Perhaps I wasn't clear.
(Which is the likely prospect.)
It's not a case of putting CGI efx on film via paintbox or that sort of
thing. In cases of full-CGI only in a shot, the computer generates each
frame of the sequence, which is then transferred direct into a laserdisk
recorder for maximum video quality. This is then transferred to videotape.
It never touches film.
In the case of mixing CGI with live action, the scene in question is
digitized, transferred into the computer, and mixed there with the CGI, then
sent back into the laser disk recorder. Again, it never touches film. And we
deliver the final product on videotape, not film.
If we end up distributing the film theatrically overseas, at THAT point
it will all be transferred to film, and the quality, I understand, will be
terrific.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 266 Tue Dec 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:12 EST
Actually, you could be right, it could be 1"...sometimes the Voices talk
to me all at once, and I get confused and fall down....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 307 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:23 EST
Yeah, I caught the referenc to Cavorite as well. Always loved "First Men
in the Moon," and have it on disk.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 349 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:27 EST
I use Windows a little more than I used to, but overall I suspect (well,
know, really) that I'm not getting the most bang for my buck because I don't
understand the mechanics of configuring either Windows or the computer itself.
I'm sitting here with a killer megasystem, and...the best comparison I can
think of is an australian aborigine who's found an F-16 figher plane and
mainly uses it to shelter his sheep and goats under the wings when it
rains....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 385 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:12 EST
I've tended to lean more in the direction of individual computers _
multi-gigabyte systems small enough to fit on the wrist, which also serve as
communications systems called Links _ that are generally networked into the
B5 database/central computer system. Ninety percent of any information you're
likely to need you probably already have in the Link; anything additional you
need, or if you need a direct interface with Babylon Central Computer, that
can be accomplished with a simple voice command.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 391 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:23 EST
Just as a point of clarification, Links are only used by station
personnel, not visiting aliens, or any visitor, human or otherwise, for whom
multi-use terminals have been set up in their quarters.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 407 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:53 EST
Basically, I think that there should be something on-screen if there
NEEDS to be something on-screen. For instance, in both Sinclair's quaters and
the briefing room, you'll see monitors on the wall in BG and later used for
important stuff. (That should be quarters, not quaters, which is what you
find on the moon.) When not *actively in use* they display only the B5 logo,
sort of a carrier wave. When a signal comes in from local, you get the BabCom
logo, then the signal. When a signal comes in from a ship, or the computer
provides information, you go right from the B5 symbol straight to the display.
When it's over, you go back to the static symbol until it's needed again.
The only real exceptions to this are a) the consoles in the observation
dome, which are going at all times to monitor incoming and outgoing ships, and
b) displays in the business areas which show the internal B5 Newscast and
commercials.
jms
______
************
Topic 4 Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:12 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Cast and Characters
For discussion of the actors who will be bringing BABYLON 5 to life with their
performances...for information before, and discussion after the airing of "The
Gathering" pilot.
451 message(s) total.
************
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 214 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:25 EST
Actually, though his looks seem to imply otherwise, G'Kar is a mammal.
(Costume designer Catherine Adair decided that the newborn Narns live in a
pouch in the father's body, and designed the costume with a slight suggestion
of that, a bit of a sling-look in the lower part.)
Don't ask, it wasn't my idea....
Re: G'Kar and Lyta, two things: 1) It's got nothing to do with romance,
strictly genetic business, and 2) what's not in the CFQ quote from the script
is the section where G'Kar mentions the need to alter the genetic structure to
make any offspring possible. "We still have to merge your genes with our
own," he says. Left alone, such mating is about as likely as a fish mating
with a bicycle to produce a walrus. But if the person(s) involved were
willing to go through *major* genetic restructuring, or be cloned and allow
*that* to be restructured, then it's possible, though still chancy at best.
Mixed species offspring are nearly unheard of in the B5 universe.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 223 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:23 EST
Just to clarify, the pouch is for *after* birth, not before; the newborn
Narn leaves the mother's body and enters the father's pouch. (At least,
that's what Catherine Adair came up with...it ain't canon yet, I haven't
decided if that's a Good Idea or not.)
Re: Non-humanoid...bear in mind, you still haven't seen what Kosh is
inside that suit...others, very non-humanoid, will make their appearances down
the road...and there's one race that has not yet been heard from, one shadow
government so secretive its existence is only whispered about, and when *they*
make their appearance, and you finally see what *they* look like...well, let's
just say that I've talked at some length with our EFX people, and it'll take
about 2 years to work out how to do this and make it credible.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 240 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:57 EST
Well, hmm....I guess I can come out with this now. As you know, it was
our plan to go for a very androgynous Delenn _ a male voice (which was to be
computer/electronically altered), female mannerisms, and a very ambiguous
makeup. We've now gone through about every possible electronic alteration,
and frankly, none of them sound as convincing as I'd like. Many of them
sound *okay*, but we've taken a hard and fast position on this show that
"okay" is simply not sufficient.
So we've decided to leave Delenn female, with the performer's original
voice intact and unaltered. Interestingly enough, when the performance was
shown at Wishcon and LosCon, the audience responded very positively to her
natural voice, urging that it be left alone. Which is now what we're going to
do.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 248 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:23 EST
Doesn't change a thing in the arc....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 256 Tue Dec 15, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:11 EST
Nope. Nothing changes.
Because Delenn was *always* going to end up female eventually, one way or
another. Start male, end up female. Using the same performer with some
adjustments to the prosthetics after the change.
Which is why I haven't commented upon the gender-change stuff being said
here. Some of you guessed right. So instead of waiting a few months and
making the change mid-season, we start off with Delenn female. No changes to
the overall arc.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 265 Tue Dec 15, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:20 EST
The consideration I brought to the issue was largely this: when the
planned male/female shift took place, there should have been substantial
differences such that the change MADE a difference; if Delenn came out talking
just the same, sounding the same, then the change becomes trivial.
It isn't saying "male voices sound this way," it's s go from A to B, the
difference should be noticeable."
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 267 Tue Dec 15, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:10 EST
Yes.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 270 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:46 EST
We're making up a number of alien languages, and the plan is to use
multiple terran languages in the series as well, though there wasn't time or
opportunity to do so in the pilot. One can only cram so much into a pilot.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 281 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:33 EST
Garibaldi is a security chief, and not into karate or stuff on that
order. Just a good roundhouse blow.
When I said "cute robots" (which I still stand behind firmly), I was
referring largely to things like Tweaky from Buck Rodgers. We will get into
the question of robotics and artificial intelligence on the show, but I'm
going to try for a different take on it.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 290 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:41 EST
It's hard to know WHAT Jerry's background is...his resume is filled
with...um...well, stuff like how he belonged to the Dance Company of Harlem,
and never did...so your guess is about as good as mine.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 293 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:56 EST
Yeah, we kinda suspected it. And he told us so right up-front, there was
actually no intent to fool anybody, it was just all in there to get some
attention. What mattered was what came across. And he came across
wonderfully in the audition.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 309 Tue Dec 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:48 EST
Actually she's sitting at a table NEXT to someone reading "Universe
Today." Well, let's see...John Iacovelli is in the opening montage at the bar
with another production designer (John's the one in the beard) when the
narrator mentions "businessmen and travelers"...Christy Marx can be seen, if
barely, in a couple of casino shots...you can barely make out Mojo in one
shot...we had a shot of the Spousal Overunit in another, but that was
cut...running the wheel of fortune is John Stears (in the beard) and Paul
Bryant (black sash and tux accompanying him)...Ron Thornton can be seen as
one of the two homeless people sitting on the floor in the Brown Sector (he's
on the right)...one of our production assistants is a hooker just visible
behind them...there are a bunch of others in other casino shots...there's an
attractive blond woman sitting at a table in the bazaar who's our stunt-
woman...and that's all I can think of offhand.
And to the obvious question: no, I'm not in any of the shots. Neither is
our director.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 311 Tue Dec 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:13 EST
Nope. Not a chance. Because in large part, I'm telling this story for
me, to do the show that *I'd* like to see on TV...and if I see me on tv, it
shatters the illusion.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 332 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:51 EST
They'll let anyone use a modem these days, won't they?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 349 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:11 EST
Gary...sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Twelve stars were all that
could fit in the available space.
BUT...you're right in general, however. There were very few who survived
the Line, not as few as 12, but less than 100. So believe me, it IS a big
deal. (Which is also why a lot of folks back home are looking askance at
Sinclair...how could he survive, unconscious, for 24 hours in a ship floating
through a war zone without being blown out of the sky?)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 351 Sun Dec 27, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:19 EST
Paula:
Yup. That's absolutely what would happen. And I ain't saying a WORD
beyond that.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 353 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:51 EST
No, physical contact is not required. Lyta hasn't tried to read
Sinclair's mind-block because he doesn't know it's there...yet. Yes, psi
ability is genetic, and appears in other races. There are non-Psi Corps
members who have the ability, and are not licensed and bonded, and the PC
would very much like to do something about that.
Psi rating is based on strength of ability. The general ranking is P1
through P10. Psi Cops _ sent to engage and take out rogue telepaths _ are
P12s. They don't talk much. They don't have to.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 356 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:49 EST
Curiously, unions and the inner running of the station is something that
Harlan wants to get into once the series is up and running, so I'll leave that
to him.
Re: the other Psi questions...I'll have to pull back because that touches
on some areas that I want to develop later. Suffice to say that the questions
you raise will be answered. (And no, they're not part of the military...at
least, not officially....)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 361 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:22 EST
The answer to most of the questions preceding is "yes." Yes to politics,
yes to divisions, yes to shields, yes to undergrounds. And beyond that I'm
getting into areas I can't talk about just now.
As far as non-Psi Corps telepaths...you have to remember what I said at
Wishcon: no one is stomping down non-PC telepaths (at least, not officially).
Telepaths are recruited for the PC, and the attraction there is that your
abilities will be honed, and you will be given what amounts to permanent job
security: you're bonded, you can testify as an unimpeachable witness in court,
you function as a sort of mental Notary Public, there are an awful lot of
benefits, plus working with others of your kind.
If you're a non-PC telepath, you do what you want. IF you are found to
have violated someone's privacy and stolen information (and this is hard to
prove on the best of days), then there are laws under which you may be
charged. When you license something like telepathy, there have to be laws on
privacy.ere diLaws on electronic eavesdropping didn't exist before the devices
themselves came into existence; once we knew they were there, we legislated.
Is this at times unfair to telepaths? Absolutely. And this is one thing
that I have to hammer at hardest...this is not the perfect, benign Federation
style government. It's flawed, and may not at all times be operating in the
best interests of its citizens. There are wheels within wheels, agencies
within agencies. After 25 years of Federation-think, people say, "Well, why
would they do this to this group of people, that's not right." No, it's not.
Ours is a different universe. And this will lead to pressure cooker
situations. And conflict. Which is at the core of good drama...and which
underlines the present as well, in that things aren't perfect or fair now,
either. If everybody agreed on how everybody else should be treated, we
wouldn't require courts.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 364 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:32 EST
Jonathan....you have an uncanny knack for asking the very specific
questions that I can't answer without revealing more than I feel that I can at
the moment. Yeesh....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 376 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:08 EST
After a crocodile named Leviathan? Er...I think that it's likely a
reference to the book of Job, where he is asked by god, "Canst thou draw out
Leviathan with an hook; or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?"
(JOB 41:1)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 378 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:04 EST
They don't exactly get along, that's for sure.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 381 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:28 EST
There's a mid-season story that deals *precisely* with this issue.
Hence...I'm forced to remain mute for the moment.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 398 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:25 EST
Ta-daaaa...Gary, take another look at the pilot. Every time you see
Lyta, you will notice a silver insignia on her lapel. It's the Psi symbol set
against a bronze background. That is, indeed, the preferred form of
reference.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 401 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:14 EST
Bill Warren suspects more than he knows, and knows less than he suspects.
And any resulting opinions are simply that, and though written are nowhere
near writ, holy or otherwise.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 406 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:36 EST
The amount of contact required varies according to the telepath's
strength. Lyta at P5 needs a little help. A P10 could nail you from across
the room.
And I want to have some fun with the commercial funding aspects of
B5...ads, gov't support, commercials, all that stuff. That's an issue that I
feel really needs to be addressed...who pays for this neat stuff? And what
happens when the money runs out?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 418 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:41 EST
Yes, we'll definitely see them in their civvies, and there will be a
range of entertainment possibilities, including TV (again, there are shots of
an internal newscast on B5, and commercials as well). Thee's _ er, there's _
one little thing that I'm gonna do the first episode or so to establish that
that's so off-beat and (one hopes) funny that I'm sure you'll like it. If
only I can get Warners to release the footage....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 426 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:04 EST
Yeah, that was the hard part with the actors...they're so used to seeing
one costume actors in SF that even though they HAD other stuff to wear, it was
hard to shoe-horn them into it. But that'll change.
As for skivvies...who knows...there's a shot of Sinclair emerging from
bed wearing just about nada until he gets his robe on that several women on
the show kept re-running, saying "yum...".
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 450 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:04 EST
I can't remember height ever even being discussed, except once, when we
were debating about two possibilities for a given role. I don't think it
really matters. As it happens, it probably won't ever come up because both
Michael O'Hare and Jerry Doyle (and I think Johnny Sekka) are all well over 6'
tall.
jms
______
************
Topic 5 Tue Nov 03, 1992
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] (Forwarded)
Sub: Grid Epsilon Irregulars - News & Info.
This topic is for information about Babylon 5 fan groups, newsletters,
fanzines, get-togethers, B-5 at conventions, and other general fun.
169 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 124 Wed Dec 09, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:16 EST
Straczynski the Great was Larry DiTillio getting me back for DiTillio the
Dwarf in "Ragnarok and Roll," which was me getting him back for Straczynski
the Butler in "Galaxy High," which was him getting me back for...well, you get
the idea...we have a friendship based on mutual antagonism and abuse.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 126 Thu Dec 10, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:22 EST
You can have it...cheap.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 134 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:15 EST
What shaketh is that Joe got up to his ears in alligators and put off
writing a brief intro to the current issue. However, it got turned in this
week, and Christy is in town tomorrow to go over my last minute revisions on
the current issue (faxed to me by her, it's all done otherwise), after which
she will get it to the printer probably within the coming week. Expect it
shortly after Christmas.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 142 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:00 EST
Actually, I didn't much like the "next Gene R" stuff. That line has
appeared in a lot of places, and while it may help reporters get a grip on a
Story Angle, it's misleading and just makes me wince. Was Rod Serling "the
next Norman Corwin?" (If you don't know who that is, find out.) Was
Roddenberry the next Joe Stefano? Is Orson Scott Card the next Piers Anthony?
(Hmm.....)
In the voice of the Ren and Stimpy Cartoon Horse, "No, sir, I don't like
it. Don't like it at all."
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 149 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:44 EST
Kath: did Christy get the message I left at y?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 152 Mon Dec 21, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:20 EST
...oh, rapture....
jms
______
Topic 6 Tue Nov 03, 1992
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] at 06:43 EST
Sub: Where is Babylon 5? TV stations...
Babylon 5 is a cornerstone of Warner's new Prime Time Network. Here is where
one can find the station information....
239 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 139 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:48 EST
The Prime Time Network goes on line January 20th. The airing of B5 is
still slated for the last week in February.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 163 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:16 EST
What's the other station in San Diego now carrying B5?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 230 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:06 EST
Leviathan...as a local, mayhap you could ring up Dana Hersey and fill him
in on the background, just so's he knows it ain't a DS9 riff.
This is probably the single biggest problem I know we're gonna have with
reviews. On every other level, we'll stand on our own; I just don't want that
inaccuracy surfacing and skewing the review.
jms
______
************
Topic 7 Tue Nov 03, 1992
J.HUDGENS [Fenn Shysa] at 23:07 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 _ POTENTIAL SPOILERS
If you've seen the B5 promos or the sales info packages and want to mention
specific items or situations without worrying about spoiling it for others,
post & comment here... THERE BE SPOILERS HERE!
332 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 167 Thu Dec 10, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:37 EST
This discussion seems to be getting awfully rancorous....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 171 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:26 EST
I think you're talking cross-purposes, the first one-hour episode vs. the
two-hour movie....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 184 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:49 EST
The logic on the door is this (sayeth our designers): the section into
which the door slides is jigsawed. When the door closes, pins extrude between
the walls into the jigsaw sections of the door that fit into the wall. This
creates an absolutely *solid* pressure door, much more so than a door that,
for instance, closes in the middle. If the whole side of the door had to go
into the slot, it would be nearly impossible to move given the angles
involved.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 201 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:38 EST
Sue, if you're finding tall people ALWAYS sit in front of you, and you
sit on the aisle, you may want to consider the fact that these two events are
related.
See, I stand about 6'4" or 6'5" (I can never remember which), and going
to a film can be an amazing experience. I never knew my knees could actually
go on either side of my ears. To minimize this, I (and most tall people I
know) sit on the aisle, so we can stick our legs out the side while
desperately trying to avoid tripping anyone.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 220 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:36 EST
Re: the Lyta face stuff, yes the scene as describes takes place, and is
definitely deliberate, and was a fairly elaborate effect that only lasts a few
seconds. We went through several tests before we got one we were happy with.
Definitely a story point.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 291 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:17 EST
If I see one more message with a one-liner on top and then ten zillion
lines of white space, which at 2400 baud go by too fast for me to read the
damn thing, so I have to then go back and find the number of the message, and
replay it time after time while hitting ^S to try adn stop it before it
scrolls past again, I am going to do someone serious damage.
(Well, everyone ELSE was having a tirade....)
Paula...you're responding to and arguing with something that only you
heard because it doesn't exist in the pilot. The line that Sinclair says is,
"I managed to take out a fighter before they hit my stabalizers. I was losing
control, I'd lost my team...." etc. Not vertical stabalizers. Just the
device that keeps the ship from spinning end over end by controlling the
various thrusts. No matter WHAT system you're using, you have to be able to
go from A to B, and the minute adjustments required, particularly if you're in
the midst of battle, are too complex for one person to make on the fly. It
has to go through a computer. If the system _ hydraulics, pneumatics, air
thrust, fusion, whatever power you happen to prefer _ is damaged, it's going
to screw you up.
THAT was the line. And the Line.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 293 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:13 EST
I keep hearing Alladin's more of a pain than it's worth, which is why I
generally do all my writing/reading on-line.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 320 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:13 EST
Just one other little item you're forgetting, Paula...these are
individual fighters, which are made to operate in and out of an atmosphere.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 322 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:21 EST
Several reasons...first, she wouldn't be able to tell for sure if his
memory had or had not been "doctored" to eliminate the memory of the action.
(An upper-level Psi could notice the seams in the memory; she's basically a
business-transaction person who's a teeny bit over her head in what she's
doing, and she knows it.) Second, I'm playing constantly with how our society
will deal with this kind of telepath.
The idea is always "innocent until proven guilty." Now, you can bring
someone to trial, and a psi can scan them, and boom, you know one way or
another. But does that violate our judicial tradition of a trial BY JURY, and
put 'WAY too much power in the hands of telepaths? Because bear in mind, we
still have to take their word for what they "see" in someone's mind. They can
function as key witnesses, but it's my sense that they would be SPECIFICALLY
PROHIBITED from going into the mind of an accused person to determine their
innocence or guilt, *even if so invited*.
There are others, but those are, in my mind, the key reasons for this.
It's a matter of trying to be logical and consistent in how these things are
used; you don't want to have something (or someone) become the Magic Wand that
solves every problem, a Deux Ex Lyta, so to speak.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 324 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:47 EST
Yes, Lyta's always had an affinity for alien races from a telepathic
standpoint. As for telling reality from subjective; as soon as it goes in
your eyes, it becomes subjective. So that's the only POV from which she can
act. It's easiest when it's straightforward visual or auditory impulses, not
much open to coloring by the subjective aspect. If the person being scanned
is unbalanced, then 1) it becomes VERY uncomfortable for the psi, and 2) there
are signature aspects of the scan (colors, hallucinations, delusions) that
would tip off any good psi that this may not be a very valid perspective.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 332 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:09 EST
Yes, there are shields available, mainly implants, sometimes drugs, and
cyberalteration techniques to mind-wipe people temporarily so they can't be
read easily.
Re: perjury, there are Psi review boards, as with the AMA (and of equally
debatable power) that could be called into play in the case of suspected
perjury, as well as other abuses of the Psi-Corps authority. If a review
board or other PC arm finds you're in violation of standards, the next step is
the psi-cops.
jms
______
************
Topic 8 Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:41 EST
Sub: Behind The Scenes
Production Designers, Art Directors, Costumers, Director, others...this is the
place to discuss the production-aspects of B5...it's look and the process
involved.
122 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 90 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:01 EST
I'm finishing B5 post production this coming week, and writing my third
novel, and am helping out a friend on another series (said friend having
gotten in over his head a bit, through no fault of his own) doing rewrites and
a few scripts. Just something to keep me busy while waiting to gear up for
the series. (Also took time to write out a synopsis of each of the first 22
episodes for B5's first season, which will then be assigned as needed,
interposing new ideas as they're suggested by other writers. Also finished an
hour-length B5 script, which will be one of the mid-season shows to be shot.)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 94 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:19 EST
All I can say is when Warners gives us the production go, we'll be ready.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 97 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:39 EST
That'll probably be decided by forces wiser than I. And just FYI, all
the PTEN shows are given 22 episode committments per season.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 99 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:00 EST
Who...?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 102 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:56 EST
That's simply a standard unit of measure. Some series do more than 22,
but those are more rthe MURDseasons generally ran 22 episodes.
22 x 3 seasons is 66, which is enough for long-term syndication, if
barely.
And there won't be a Joe Jr. One doesn't go through a vasectomy for lack
of anything better to do on a Friday night....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 106 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:45 EST
Nope, B5 is shot right here in LA County.
It helps that my Spousal Overunit is also a writer, and understands what
it means when I come out, eyes like poached eggs, staggering towrad the coffee
pot, mumbling, "Deadlines...deadlines...."
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 110 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:22 EST
They sure do cost a lot. We plan to do some such shots for the series,
in the zero-g section of the garden, and possibly in the zero-g cargo section
that rides on top of B5. My mandate to Ron is to come up with a way of doing
it that looks good. Once we have that, we'll do the story.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 120 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:10 EST
The series standard opening will be a variation on Londo's narration at
the top of the pilot.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 122 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:43 EST
Yeah, Londo seems like the *least* likely person to do the opening
narration for a show like this; you don't even see him for nearly two full
acts, and it's the kind of thing you'd expect the Commander to do.
But there are reasons for everything....
jms
______
************
Topic 9 Wed Nov 11, 1992
T.RESTIVO [Little Guy] at 18:27 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 Humor
From *Beep Beep*, to Top Ten Lists to full-blown paradies, this is where to
put your funny bone in writing!
107 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 9
Message 40 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:55 EST
Okay. That's it.
I'm running away from home.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 9
Message 55 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:48 EST
Y'know what's funny, though? The crossover points illustrate better than
anything I could say the kinds of things we *won't* have, the kinds of things
we *will* have, and the difference in philosophy between the two shows.
No whiz-kids saving ships, no Q's....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 9
Message 72 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:43 EST
No fanfic for the time being. I have to back up KL on this one.
We'll see Londo's _ spouse/spouses, I'm avoiding saying which _ in
time.
Looking at this crossover stuff brings to mind a decision I had to make
early on. I at one point thought, "Wouldn't it be great if we could make B5
the nexus point between ALL SF television and film universes?" So you could
head down toward the customs area, and find somebody with a light sabre, walk
past a cylon, that sort of thing. And part of it was very appealing, if
legally a nightmare given what would be required to get permission. But
finally decided that the show has to be its own universe, unique and distinct.
But part of me still longs to see a British phone box just sitting in the
middle of the central corridor....
jms
______
************
Topic 10 Thu Nov 12, 1992
SANDMAN [Henry] at 19:25 EST
Sub: Sex in Babylon 5
Can't do without this one!!
91 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 10
Message 63 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:53 EST
Suffice to say that this is a question that we will indeed be dealing
with. What you'd probably get is a "mirrored" effect, where you are making
love, and seeing it from both sides.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 10
Message 66 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:13 EST
Yes, but strong feelings can bleed through. And it's easier for a more
advanced Psi to shut it all out; Lyta, at P5 rating, is about in the middle,
and B5 is her first major assignment. Her position (in terms of psi-rating)
is one reason why she wears gloves and long-sleeved outfits that cover as much
as possible; it makes it easier to shut things out if there's no direct
contact. When and if she makes it up to a P7 or P8, it becomes less of a
problem.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 10
Message 78 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:24 EST
Yes, precisely.
Sinclair will have a steady relationship with one woman for most of the
first two seasons; same for a couple of other characters as well.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 10
Message 84 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:20 EST
Actually, I said that Sinclair will have a steady VERTICAL relationship
with....
Don't hit me, I'm a sick man.
And nothing in life is permanent, not even relationships.
jms
______
************
Topic 11 Sat Nov 14, 1992
J.SHEEN1 [Leviathan] at 18:09 EST
Sub: B-5 ADRIFT!
BABYLON 5 Topic Drift
If you feel like talking about it, but it doesn't fit anywhere else... If its
only connection to B-5 is that you thought of it in this CAT...
This is where to come and get it out.
273 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 118 Tue Dec 08, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:07 EST
BTW, speaking of ancient Babylon, with all the people interested in
what's going to happen in Babylon 5, I'm surprised more haven't gone into
their history books and tracked the history of the station's namesake. It
isn't *all* there...but a lot of it is.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 161 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:15 EST
Since I have access to you computer whizs (whizes? whizzes? whizi?), let
me pose a question.
For my sound card, I have the Media Visions Thunderboard for Windows.
Now, it works fine on such DOS programs as "Carmen San Diego" (though a
couple it seems to have a problem with). But when I try to use it in Windows
(for which after all it was intended), nothing happens. It hums for a second,
but that's all. For instance, when I run After Dark, it clicks for a second,
but nothing comes out.
I moved the system.ini interrupt for the driver to 2 from 9, but that
doesn't seem to work either. I installed the driver, but that doesn't work.
I tried to run a sound program off a floppy (the pro demo that comes with the
card) and the first time, it worked. The second time, I got two error
messages; the first said "selected MIDI out port is not available or is in use
by another application." The MIDI in port also got the same message. When I
then used the MIDI setup on the floppy, it said "General protection fault in
module timemidi.dll." And the thing crashed.
I went through system.ini and the only thing I could find that looked
like a midi port control was MIDI=msadlib.drv, which I deleted, and tried
again. Same result.
Any suggestions?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 165 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:57 EST
But I *did* that. I went into Windows drivers, picked the new driver,
put Windows disd 3 in, loaded it on, and selected that as the driver. Still
nada. I *don't* understand. So I may pick up Microsoft Sound, having heard
it's easier to use. Otherwise...I'm doomed.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 187 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:25 EST
No story suggestions, please. Thanks.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 190 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:41 EST
What's this yellow snow doing here?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 219 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:15 EST
"Even if it succeeded in court...." In that one little phrase is
encapsulated a year, possibly two, of depositions, interrogatories, counter-
interrogatories, legal fees up the yinyang, court appearances, and legal
maneuvering that can kill months of time that should otherwise be used in
writing.
People can be crazy sometimes.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 271 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:12 EST
I've lost all track of how much time I spend on BBSs; two-three hours a
day here, plus 1-2 per day on CIS, and then other services. I'm on several
where I don't post messages, and the folks there engaged in SF-TV discussions
don't know I'm looking over their shoulder.
Why? Because if people know you're there, they tend to speak more
politely about you, and your projects. They're free to be brutally
honest...and lemme tell you, it brings one up short sometimes. But I think
that's both good and essential. Sort of a control group approach...see what
the opinion is like of folks who don't have direct access, and only hear stuff
second-hand.
jms
______
************
Topic 12 Wed Nov 18, 1992
B.WIST [Brad] at 18:12 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 Sightings
Post here when you've spotted Babylon 5, whether it be on Television,
Magazine, or somewhere else. Let us know where we can find it/see it, too.
159 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 28 Sat Dec 12, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:16 EST
For those keeping track of new items in the press about B5....
* Expect a round up of new SF series, including B5, to appear in USA
Today in the next 7-10 days.
* Another round up of shows, including B5, is tentatively slated to
appear in the January 9 issue of TV Guide.
* The piece on the B5/Genie connection for the LA Times Magazine "Palm
Latitudes" section should likely appear December 20th or 27th.
(Not directly related to B5, but I just *have* to mention it
somewhere...my short story, "Say Hello, Mister Quigley," which appeared
recently in both Pulphouse and the Midnight Grafitti softcover anthology ended
up in the Recommended Stories section of the December Locus. It was the only
story selected from that issue of Pulphouse, and it's right alongside stories
by Brian Aldiss and John Varley and others.)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 32 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:53 EST
Yes, "Quigley" originally began as a TZ script, which the studio (MGM)
loved, my exec producer loved...EXCEPT they thought the subject matter _
incest _ was too controversial. (Many of the folks at MGM operated out of
the conventional wisdom that says that SF should not have anything to do with
the real world, should be nice bunny fantasies about neato aliens and strange
but funny people-weeples who live in scary but basically good houses and
YYYYAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!
(Sorry, that was my head exploding.)
Anyway, they said they'd produce the episode IF I removed that aspect of
the story. Which, to me, was the *point* of the damned thing. So I pulled
it, gave back the money, and squirreled it away until I could adapt it to
fiction later.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 36 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:08 EST
Yes, that's a gun, a PPG. I'm not thrilled with the way it looks, and
we're going to re-design it for the series. They don't strike that pose in
the pilot, but that's from an actual sequence, yes.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 43 Tue Dec 15, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:12 EST
Check my original message; I believe I typed PPG, not PPC. PPG is what's
in the script.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 74 Thu Dec 24, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:41 EST
Don't know if I've mentioned this, but Computer Gaming World will be
doing a cover story on B5 shortly.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 88 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:56 EST
The basic logo is my design. We'd gone throug none of which were quite
right, and finally I wrote a memo to Ron Thornton about what I thought would
be correct. I described the word Babylon in silver appearing backlit by a red
laser shooting across frame, with the 5 in black behind it. Big metallic
silver letters, and a much darker, jet-black metallic 5. "The main thing," I
said in the memo, "is that it should look way cool on a leather jacket." Ron
then executed the logo as described, it came out right, and it *does* look
swell on a jacket.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 98 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:00 EST
Maybe twelve or so. Just for the EFX team, me, my spousal overunit, our
director and another producer. (They were a gift from Ron.)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 103 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:24 EST
Yes, there is a separate B5 commercial, which will begin airing around
mid- or late-January.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 133 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:48 EST
Aquila: give me the name of the paper and the reporter who wrote the
article.
jms
______
************
Topic 13 Mon Nov 23, 1992
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] at 21:00 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Science and Technology
Jump gates, nanotech, high-tech weapons, starship drives, sound in space, and
other subjects of science and technology in Babylon 5.
93 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 13
Message 39 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:40 EST
I believe it stands for Phased Plasma Gun.
Re: the jump-ship scenario described just above...since the "exit ramp"
jump-gate is usually (but not always) under the control of a nearby base, as
B5 is tied into its local gate, it could *probably* contact the local base and
request activation of the gate. But it's a good point to consider, and I want
to dwell on that for a while before I lock it down.
It opens up some interesting possibilities.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 52 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:20 EST
Yes, you would. Yes, they have tried. No, they have not succeeded.
Probes tend to meet with unfortunate "accidents".... They also use a tight-
beam form of communication, rather than the more broad-based radio waves.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 13
Message 54 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:53 EST
I'm sure I covered it somewhere...somewhen....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 13
Message 57 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:34 EST
So they tell me....
jms
______
This file includes a compilation of posts on GEnie by J. Michael
Straczynski in the Babylon 5 topic. The posts are copyright by JMS
(and compilation copyright is by GEnie).
************
Topic 1 Mon Oct 26, 1992
SF-FANTASY [Yog Sysop] at 18:50 EST
Sub: Babylon 5
Welcome to the Babylon 5 category! As always, offering or requesting copies
of copyrighted material, whether it's the B5 Newsletter, photos, or the actual
movie/episodes violates copyright law and SFRT policy.
723 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 335 Tue Dec 08, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:57 EST
It's still the original special. It takes time to change things.
Jeff...you're taking this much too calmly....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 339 Wed Dec 09, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:37 EST
I think I'm about 6'5" in shoes. Out of shoes, about 3'2".
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 391 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:39 EST
With luck, maybe I'll see that particular story myself one of these days.
Meanwhile, as before, if anyone who's seen the promo(s) or the previews wants
to convey their feelings to their local station, I sure as heck ain't gonna
stand in the way....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 401 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:25 EST
The pilot airs the last week in February.
The guns used are called PPGs (to answer another question), and any space
battle sequences will use CGI effects for weaponry there as well.
There may have been a question I missed. If so, my regrets; there's 64
new messages since last night (yikes!)!
Oh, yeah, there was one more...it ain't making Warners watch the promos
that'll hasten B5 the Series onto the air. It's deciding, as stated, if it'll
be in a second night of PTEN programming, or on the same night if something
doesn't work out, or some other option. It's the timing that's being
determined.
Once the ratings are all in on all the shows, we'll know more.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 405 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:31 EST
Frodo...you've wandered off the road. It goes ever on, but you can't get
back to it without the facts. Rather than rehash, just get back into this
topic and go back to 1 and read forward. All will become clear to you. There
will be a series. Be patient.
Gandalf
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 419 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:28 EST
The B5 "starter kit," to use that phrase, consists really of two GIF
files in the library and some of the files compiled by Posner and the brief
release that I put in some time ago. That should give a fairly good
background on the show. Then you can dive in on the rest.
Is it my imagination, or have we added a LOT of new folks in the last few
weeks? If so, I'm curious to know what brought y'all here.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 432 Tue Dec 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:43 EST
Re: message volume...I usually log on about twice a day, and each time
I've done that the last week or so, there's been 55-65 new messages each time,
which means between 110 and 130 messages a day, which is rather
astonishing...and definitely up.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 439 Fri Dec 25, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:47 EST
BTW, I spoke today with the promotions people at KBHK San Francisco about
the B5/DS9 spots, and what they explained is that they have linked all of
their shows (sf) in one trailer as well as doing individual spots. In one of
them, they go from Kung Fu to Time Trax to B5 to DS9. So it's not a question
of using B5 material to promote DS9, simply that they appear in the same spot.
She's going to check their spots just to verify, but that's the explanation.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 449 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:56 EST
Definitely more discussion here than on the other CiStem. Largely, I
think, because it's easier to keep track of discussions here, and the messages
don't scroll off. Discussion there is fairly sporadic and limited.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 467 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:28 EST
Eeeek! Phil...you mean I didn't get back to you? I coulda SWORE I did!
Eeeek! Yes, Phil, please, by all means, the file is approved. My apologies.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 473 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:46 EST
(the grinding of teeth like tectonic plates)...there is no "Bob" in the
show, not nohow, not noway, that was a background prosthetic critter that the
E! folks grabbed and used to intro their piece. It's got nothing to do with
our show.
(I'm calm, calm, perfectly calm....)
Re: the photo...it's amazing how many people tell me, "You know, you look
JUST LIKE so-and-so." Just one of those faces, I guess. Thankfully very few
people to whom I've been compared have elected to sue....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 481 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:07 EST
Yeah, thanks, if you could tape it and send it, that'd be great. I spoke
to the promotions people, and they assured me it's separated out; so if you
could send it along, that'd be great, thanks.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 515 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:10 EST
The TV Guide writer saw the pilot, as well as the other pilots, so that's
how that happened. And you'll note how they approach SF; they want the slang,
they want to know who the Bad Guys and the Good Guys are, and feel no
compunction at all about giving away the ending. Imagine if the shows were
mystery, what the reaction would be. SF is treated and viewed differently.
And re: the date for new shows given in the CFQ article, that ain't
accurate. Fact is, as I've noted before, we can be filming new shows within 8
weeks of getting the word. If the response on airing is high enough, and with
other circumstances with the network itself dealt with we could be on the air
by the end of this summer. And that remains a very likely possibility.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 518 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:30 EST
Don't know who's doing the sfx on Rangers. I know they've gone through
several different teams, but that's about it.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 528 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:53 EST
Sue...yeah, there's a lot of traffic here. Given the usual ratio of
posted messages to lurkers, there are now probably (and this is just a
personal guess) 1800 to 2000 people hanging around these days in this
category. It might go higher than that, but I'm being conservative, based on
what's standard in terms of posters/non-posters ratios.
Re: the CNN piece, it's probably the interview they conducted the last
day of filming. There we were, trying desperately to finish the movie, and
the same day descend the camera crews from CNN, E!, Warners and some other
places. It was a *madhouse*.
BTW, I hear that the music on That Other Show sounds rather like ours.
I have to make a mental note to go back and re-read the David and Goliath
story....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 530 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:06 EST
I was at a party today at Pat Tallman's place, along with some other B5
cast members, and we screened some of the pilot for the guests who hadn't seen
anything before (to considerable ooohs and aaahs), and on the way home, my
thoughts turned to this forum, as they often tend to.
I often get asked what it's like to do this show and see the result; the
reaction tonight got me thinking about the Old Timers here on the B5
discussion, the ones who've been here over a year now, and those who came
later, who've seen this go from the secret That Which Cannot Be Discussed
(remember that one?) to first word of shooting, the countdown to photography,
the daily reports from the set, the discussion of the characters and the
world...to now a point where you're finally seeing the result on commercials
and promos and will shortly be seeing the finished product (and, of course,
the number of you who have already seen most of the finished product)...and I
guess I was wondering what it's like from YOUR perspective...?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 534 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:34 EST
The story of Babylon 5 will echo the history of the original Babylon.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 559 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:22 EST
I've just gone through the last 24 messages, and I very much want to
thank you for the responses and the compliments; that honest-to-god wasn't
what I was going for when I asked the question, it wasn't "fishing." See, to
me, because you all *have* been a part of the process of Babylon 5 _ some in
bigger ways than you might expect _ there should indeed be some sense of
participation and proprietariness (is that a word?). And mainly, I just
wanted to know if that came through, if you were feeling as I did as the thing
unfolds. Because that's important.
Equally important, for me, is that this whole discussion stand as a kind
of textbook in terms of how a show gets made, to give those who'd like to get
into the Biz more fully understand what's involved. And if, when one sees _
say _ a shot from outside going into the station, one knows now what's
involved, how the EFX were done, what headaches are behind it, then I think
that's a positive thing.
Anyway...I'm blathering. Many thanks for the warm thoughts; they were an
unexpected bonus to the day.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 575 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:01 EST
Will, jeez, that's amazing...you should've said something, the B5 family
would've been there with cards and letters. How're you doing now? I know it
can be a very traumatic experience, even once you're physically 100%.
One more thing, Will. Email me your address.
On other fronts....
One week from today, we will (or should) be finished with
sound/music/looping edits and the B5 pilot will be complete. It's both
exhilirating to think about that...and there's also that post partum
depression that hits whenever I finish a big project, a novel, or an episode
of a series. In my head, all I can play over are the things we should've or
could've done to make it even better...the scenes we should have trimmed, the
scenes we should've dropped back in again, THIS angle on a fight instead of
THAT one...you can play with these things forever. At some point, you just
have to let go.
Then the next phase _ the series _ rests in large measure in your
hands, in terms of how fast we can get this puppy in gear.
It's kind of funny, meanwhile...I've gotten a number of private responses
to stuff I asked here, and one person told me a rather remarkable story,
alongside Will's...without naming names, he'd taken it upon himself to
proselytize about the show as much as possible, to tell as many people about
it as he could.
Apparently, he was on one system, and saw a young woman on-line, and
called her into chat, something he was normally to shy EVER to do before.
They began talking about the show _ she'd apparently heard a little about
it, but not much _ and over time they began corresponding, and, in the words
of the person who sent me the note, "We fell in love with each other."
They've now met, and it looks like it might get serious indeed.
Amazing. (When the person gives me his permission, I'll post the full
note; he's a little sheepish of her finding out he said anything.)
I think it's really kind of cool.
Oh...one last thing. Several people have inquired privately how to send
notes or stuff hard-copy. An address where I can be reached is 14431 Ventura
Boulevard, Suite 260, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423.
Onward.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 591 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:21 EST
What an amazing group of posts...I'm speechless. It's gratifying to see
that the process works, that this medium can be used to such good effect.
Something that has always been important to me is de-mystifying the process.
Lee mentioned somewhere uptopic that the on-line stuff has been going on for a
long time, across various shows, from RGBs and Power through Zone and now to
this. To de-mystify writing, Harlan writes in bookstore windows...I do this.
I just got a private note today (oh, and speaking of notes, just address
hard-copy mail to my name; it's a private mailing address, not a studio) from
one fellow who just managed to get a development deal with a studio. It ain't
big, but it's a start...and because of the discussion here, and elsewhere over
the years, he has a better idea of what to expect, and how to prepare.
This is an extremely tough business to crack. And the largest part of
the problem is just getting accurate information. When I came to LA
originally, I didn't know squat, and a long time _ a LONG time _ was wasted,
time I now very much regret losing, because I just didn't fully or accurately
understand How Things Worked. If this process can make the entry easier for
another writer, or de-mystify what happens behind the screen, then all the
better.
And, selfishly, it has been great to get the input, to hear the
questions, especially those I can't answer...because down the road you just
KNOW that that question will come up eventually, and better to be hit with it
now than blindsided later on. It's a rewarding, fascinating and challenging
exchange. I suspect that a LOT of shows would be considerably improved for
this kind of direct communication.
Oh, yeah...and re the newsletter...if you ask Christy nice, I'm sure
she'll send you the back issue. Tell her I said it was okay.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 596 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:42 EST
That would be telling....
jms
"And they were carried off to Babylon...."
______
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 626 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:05 EST
I really don't know how to make an e-mail mailing list, and it would seem
inappropriate to ask anyone here to go through the hassle of doing it for all
1800-2000 people here to accommodate the handful with dishes. Or silverware,
for that matter. If someone here would like to be your "Dish Buddy" and send
you a note when it goes on, that might be one way of doing it.
Re: kids/robots...the exact phrasing of that has gone through various
permutations and paraphrasings; the specific line is "No kids or cute robots."
The latter specifically entails entities such as Twiki (got the spelling right
this time, thanks to whoever corrected me), who should be run down by a truck
at the first opportunity. (In fact, I can say without hesitation that if you
ever DO see what passes for a cute robot on this show, keep a close eye on it,
because you'll probably see somebody drop an anvil on it REAL fast.)
So this allows us to explore the question of robotics, but to do so in a
fairly serious context. Because logically, 200+ years in the future there are
going to be some changes; robotics will be more common, though likely in some
different form. (If you've seen the promos or the pilot, you've seen the
maintenance 'bot that checks out the hull of B5; it has arms, it moves, it's
independent, it's a robot. It just doesn't begin its report with "Bida-bida-
bida.")
On the topic of kids...it's a deliberate decision to steer clear of that
part, not because I think it's invalid, but because a) it's been done on
another show, and its spinoff, rather intensively, and b) it's part of the SF
stereotype, "We have to have kids because SF is a kid's genre."
Might there be a story about a family of refugees who come seeking
sanctuary, or opportunity elsewhere? Of course. But any kids in that family
won't be at the *center* of the story. And they'll be gone by the end of the
episode. It's also a matter of context; absent the scenario just posed, this
is a place for businessmen, travelers, mappers, traders, diplomats and others,
it's not a place for kids. It's also potentially a very DANGEROUS place.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 628 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:29 EST
Rumors are exactly that...and as I've indicated, anything that happens
of substance _ good, bad or indifferent _ you'll hear it from the source.
How can PTEN be dead when it hasn't even AIRED yet? I've hered this same
rumor from others, and have to say that if Creation is spreading this that
they are being *highly* irresponsible. The facts again are these: the first
night of programming goes on later this month. B5 airs the following month.
Based on the ratings for all of the shows, they will then open a second night,
or modify the first. And that will determine where (and when) B5 lands. It's
a logistical question about when to expand.
If anyone wanders back in that topic's direction and would like to re-
post this as an official rebuttal, you're welcome to do so.
I also hear they're showing the E! piece...guys, if you want to help us,
there at Creation...don't
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 662 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:30 EST
My sense (what there is of it) is that in every show, you have to make
choices. What, fundamentally, is the story you are telling? Who is your
story about? Is it for adults, or children? I don't watch LA Law regularly,
but I sort of poke my nose in from time to time, and I don't see a lot of
kid's stories. One could well go to the producers of that show and say, "Why
aren't you doing kid stories?" to which the only answer is, "That's not our
show."
I already said above that if families come through, there may be kids
along. The point of clarification for me is that I don't want to do shows
with kids at the center. First to distinguish us from other shows, and second
because that's not the area that I want to concentrate on just now. Of course
people still have kids, and of course some will come through B5; it's where
one places them in the story that's at issue.
It's often kinda funny...people say, on the one hand, "Yeah! Fight them
studios! Don't let them tell you the kind of stories you oughta do!" Then,
"But you've GOTTA do a story with kids!" or "This is the sort of story you
HAVE to do."
The only answer to that _ said without sarcasm, honest _ is "Do what I
did...sell your own show." I don't mean that in any way harshly, I'm very
serious about that. Whether it's a novelist, or a short story author, or a TV
writer, or a screenwriter, we each of us has to decide fundamentally what it
is we want to write about it, and define our choices. Would you call Larry
Niven and say, "Listen, while you're in the middle of the Mote In God's Eye
sequel, we need a really good section about kids." You let the man tell his
story his way.
This, for me, is just one of those areas on which I have planted my feet
and sunk roots clear to the center of the planet. Now, it's altogether
possible that some day long down the road, one story will occur to me, and
I'll deal with that when and if it happens. But in the interim...it's vital,
from my perspective, to make B5 a show by, for and about adults in adult
relationships; not to invalidate the other stuff, but only as a sense of where
this show's emphasis is. It's time to let the studios and the suits and the
networks know that an SF series can survive without putting in the required
child or teenager.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 664 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:54 EST
Postscript to the preceding: that doesn't mean that I (or any other
member of the B5 team) shouldn't be challenged on stuff like this.
Challenges are good. First, they keep you on your toes. Second, it makes one
verbalize why one has taken a certain stance, and it's at that point that
weaknesses and fallacies in the argument become apparent. "The unexamined
life" and all that. As I've noted before, sometimes the only way to get
pertinent information is to ask impertinent questions.
I love a good philosophical knock-down-drag-out.
Meanwhile, on other fronts...
I will tell you the truest thing I have learned about television in the
process of making the B5 pilot. That quality is rare is not really
remarkable; what's remarkable is that it gets done at ALL. Any show,
regardless of quality. There are millions of details, the tiniest things that
require constant shepherding. You're in the midst of doing one thing and
somebody calls involved with another part of the show and says, "Look, we've
got some question about whether the doors should go SHOOP! or BLOOP!, George
thinks SHOOP, and we think he's right...unless you'd rather come listen to
them youreself." And it's very easy to say, "Okay, just take care of it,"
then find yourself sitting there a month later and saying, "Damn, why did we
end up with a SHOOP! effect?"
It's physically impossible to be in every place at all times, and you
particularly don't want to be in a position where you start giving your people
less room to play and be independent. There are just so many details that
it's very easy to say, "Okay, fine, deal with it," or to not bother with
something, that it becomes quickly apparent why it's so hard to find real
quality out there. That kind of attention is a major pain in the butt. When
you see it from this side, you're just amazed that it gets done at ALL.
Just a thought for the day...
BTW, for those who might be interested (all four of you), the very last
episode I wrote for this season's "Murder, She Wrote" will air this coming
Sunday. I haven't seen anything on it _ no dailies, no rough cuts _ so I
have no idea how it came out, though I *hear* it came out well. Just FYI.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 682 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:35 EST
RE: cliffhangers...not between episodes, certainly. Between seasons,
it's...hard to explain. There are, or will be *changes* that happen from one
season to another (as planned), specific events that take place that should
bring one up short...but "cliffhanger" in the sense of leaving some guy
hanging from a string over a lake of fire...no, no plans for such at this
time.
RE: kids...boy, that one sure hit a nerve on both sides, didn't it?
That's good. An argument like this is what a show or story should do, get
people discussing the issues.
Meanwhile, on other areas....
****WOW****
I was in the editing bay today during the pre-dub of B5 (which I'll
explain more , which btw has a nifty huge projection screen, twelve or fifteen
feet across, so I got to see some of the show as if at a theater...plays
pretty well.
Anyway...what a pre-dub is, is this: those who saw the earlier version of
the pilot will remember, for instance, the scenes in the main corridor of the
station (well, one of them, anyway). You have Sinclair and Garibaldi talking.
It's an un-mixed scene...just as filmed, there are just two guys talking. All
the rest of the set is silent.
But now...NOW...you're in the editing bay, and now you add in the
background voices, human and alien...mechanical sounds nearby...an intercom
voice advertising station services...then layer in the music, and suddenly
it's a MOVIE! Someone said that sound is half of a movie, and you forget that
until it hits you in the face.
The pre-dub is where you layer in the voice tracks (original, from the
production; adr (automatic dialogue replacement) for lines that were not
sufficiently audible or need to be looped; incidental dialogue (computers,
background characters) and walla (general crowd sounds). You decide how much
of any of these is too much, how much more you need, what the balance is...if
you need to use the surround capability to put this voice HERE or THERE....
Then we previewed some scenes with music, and did a little of the same
there (we'll do more during the final mix Thursday through Tuesday). For
instance...most music cues are anywhere from a few seconds long to maybe a
minute or more. Ours tend to be longish...the longest is a cue that lasts 7.5
minutes, and goes inside the station, outside the station, to different
*parts* of the station, and the music continues throughout. We figured that
we needed to better differentiate the sound inside vs. outside the
station...so in the music cue, we drop the electric guitar out of the mix for
the inside scenes, and put it back in for the outside scenes, for instance.
The result, basically, being that it becomes a *M*O*V*I*E* for the first
time. And boy, it cooks, lemme tell you. There are moments of absolute and
inutterable self-doubt in a project like this, especially when paired with the
monumental press machine from elsewhere which is doing everything possible to
bury us in the interests of preserving an economic monopoly and critics who
figure we're a clone of another show. But then you turn around and see
something like this, and you know it's going to work...and it really helps.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 710 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:44 EST
Ah, except, Gary, for the reason I picked that particular metaphor; this
ain't Sudden Death, as with football.
This one's going to the judges at the end of the round, and the case will
be decided...win, lose or draw...on the merits of the performance in the ring,
not on hype (on either side), not on good feelings, but on the quality of the
work, which is as it should be. Only thing I've ever asked at any point in my
life is a fair fight on a level playing field. Then let things fall as they
may.
And as for the judges...look in the mirror.
jms
______
************
Topic 2 Wed Nov 20, 1991
SOARON [Bio-Dread] at 19:41 EST
Sub: General Information
Babylon 5 will premiere with a two-hour movie entitled "The Gathering" early
in 1993. The creator of the series, J. Michael Straczynski joins us on-line
to answer your questions. (No story ideas please...)
443 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 25 Tue Dec 08, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:01 EST
Well...it's not walking distance, that's for sure....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 45 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:15 EST
A "religious/home shopping" network? Pieces of the One True Cross on
sale, 35% off? Some guy dressed as Moses suggesting that "We'll part the Red
Sea to give you the best price anywhere on our products"...?
Thanks re: the photo. I generally do *not* photograph well at all.
They get one head *in* focus, the other's out of focus, it takes forever to
airbrush out the horns, and the tail I don't even want to talk about. I had
to finally have some b&w's professionally done (by a woman who concluded that
the only way to make me loosen up in front of a camera was to dangle toys in
front of my face, just like she does with 5-year-olds) just to have SOMEthing
to give out.
Well, I suppose we all have our cross to bear. (Now marked down 20%,
move fast, we only have 5,000 left in inventory.)
Oh...and Kosh sorta walks/glides.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 51 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:45 EST
To some degree, yeah, I can't say a *lot* about this, but in general,
yes, these are all areas that we plan on exploring. The economics of trade,
the effects of the war, all of this. Again, what we're striving for in B5 is
to always ask the next question. Like, "Who pays for B5?" That's a question
you don't usually run into in SF show...who foots the bill for all these
starships running around the galaxy? With 4 other Babylon stations decimated
(three before becoming operational, one after), the Earth Alliance skimped on
the current version, rather like the Shuttle. They want to see if it will
last before sinking vast amounts of money into it. Which is why, in one hour-
script finished already, there's a reference made to giving some visiting
Centauri businessmen the Grand Tour in hopes of getting some investment from
them in B5 to counter the costs absorbed by the EA.
Economics and the like are things you can happily ignore if your show has
nothing to do with the real world.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 53 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:54 EST
Insofar as I know, B5 airs the last week in February; January 20 is when
the network overall goes on line.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 62 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:02 EST
Yes, that's pretty close to being correct. We're in the very comfortable
position of knowing what 50% to 75% of every season's episodes are going to
be, so you can, for instance, go to a writer on the level of a DC Fontana, for
instance, and say, "Here, this is the story where X happens. We need to see
the following elements introduced in this episode. Outside of that, you're
pretty much on your own." Then you also leave room for outside ideas to
become episodes as well, and let the writers pitch ideas you may never have
come up with alone. One makes sense AND fits within the universe that's
established, you buy it.
Nine times out of 10, when you see a lot of names script done
consistently, what you have is a situation where they don't really have a firm
grasp on where they're going. The producers buy a notion or an idea, they
then take it in-house, it goes through one draft, that writer can't make it
work, so they go to another in-house writer, it sits on a shelf after that,
then finally goes back to the other writer, and finally gets yanked out of
cold storage 5 days before prep and hurriedly put into production when another
script falls out. That's generally what happens.
As for the "go" on B5, that will come with reaction to the whole PTN
arrangement. The greater the ratings, the better the reaction, the faster we
get into production. Which is why it's *very* important that if you like the
show, you write to your local station and Warners to tell them so. It will
not only help move things along faster, but will give us more clout in doing
Our Own Thing without changes.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 69 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:21 EST
Many thanks for the offers. I'll post the full Warners address a little
closer to the scheduled airdate. May also provide the fax number, since
that's easier for many who are modemed into services like GEnie.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 73 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:25 EST
Yes, there will eventually be a B5 tech manual, which I believe Ron
Thornton will supervise.
Re: telling stations what you think if you've seen the pilot...that's
something I really hadn't thought about. On the merits of about ten seconds
worth of thought, it looks like a good idea. So yeah...if anyone who's seen a
preview of B5 (the whole thing) wants to tell your local station that you
liked it, feel free. The more heat the better.
By gosh, the ideas that come up in a place like this....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 82 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:44 EST
It ain't that they think B5 is a risk. The situation is simply this:
they've booked up the first night of the network with two series. That's
what they have room for. Question now is, do they open up a second night, for
which B5 would be the anchor, or do they replace one of the other shows should
one of them not perform to expected levels (which is the risk on any network)?
They won't have the information to make that decision until B5 *and* the other
shows hit the air.
That's really the full extent of it.
Re: music and sound...the music is finished. About 50 minutes worth,
sections of which are interpolated and cycled through various portions of the
movie. Which for TV is a *lot*, by the way; in final form, it gives you
almost wall-to-wall music. (An average TV movie gets maybe 30 minutes worth.)
I've heard most of the sound effects, and we're now in the process of a)
finishing the looping, and b) locking down the sound EFX. We do the final mix-
down starting January 4 and ending January 8.
On January 11, I will have two copies of the final, complete B5 movie in
my hot little hands. On SVHS. One for home, one for the archives. In full
surround sound.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 87 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:09 EST
We're trying several approaches to the sound of the weapons; some of them
incorporate the powering-up/air burn aspect. We'll see which work best.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 98 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:49 EST
It's not a big deal if you're just a viewer. If it's your show, which
you've nursed and watched over and hoped for and fought for over five long and
grueling years...it's a big deal.
Re: ownership...yes, the show is actually *owned* by Warners under the
terms of the contract, which is standard. (Which is why you see, on old ST
and new TNG stuff, copyright by Paramount, not by Roddenberry.) I have some
separation of rights in very specific areas.
Re: sound...yes again, it's in full surround sound, so if your local
station handles surround, you've got it made. And do crank it up; I've heard
sections of it, and it works *real* nice. (There's this little black box
we've adapted from fighter plane audio that, for the series, may let us
*localize* the individual sounds in a 3-D fashion, but we'll have to see if we
can make the technology downward-compatible first.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 106 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:16 EST
There's a sign in the docking bay/customs area of B5 which makes it clear
to visitors that B5 operates on Earth Standard time (or Earth Median time, or
somesuch, I forget the exact wording). Just to give it some sense of order.
Re: changing costumes...that's the funny part. See, every one of the
costumes was made to come apart, to be recombined in various ways. Our
problem was the cast, who loved the ensemble look of each item, and insisted
on wearing the whole thing. Take Londo, for instance...his outfit came with
the grand coat (his one really good coat), three shirts, three vests, two
pants, a cape and different boots. But he wanted to wear the coat at all
times, and butoned up...so you can't really SEE the change in clothes. The B5
personnel (Sinclair, Garibaldi, others) also kept wearing their clothes, which
were made to be opened, take the jacket off, relax...completely closed 99% of
the time.
This will be changed.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 118 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:44 EST
I honestly don't know what the individual syndex rules will be as they
apply to various stations. Your best bet there is to go straight to the
source...the station itself.
As for the details of sound and sound effects...maybe the "average
viewer" (whatever the heck *that* is) will or won't notice, but *I* will know
it's there.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 132 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:28 EST
Ron: yes! That's the black-box I was talking about. Thanks for the
clarification.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 144 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:33 EST
Which convention?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 172 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:39 EST
Joey: no comment. (You want I should blow the surprise?)
Re: comments here...if I found it annoying, I wouldn't be here.
If this were just about flak, about hyping a series, what you'd get would
be what you got when they used other systems to plug "Sneakers," for
instance...a quick or several-month blitzkrieg, a one-way (for the most part)
outflow of information, and then it stops.
For me, the best part of writing is *dialogue*. I'm fascinated by
dialogue...interpersonal, political, social, electronic, you name it. And for
the last five years, I've been trying to develop a dialogue with the SF
communityNot just, "Here's what I'm doing, here's the show, watch it, give us
ratings, and be quiet," but rather, "Here's what I'm doing...how close is this
to what you've been wishing someone would do? What are you tired of? What do
you think of this part over here?" Not so much specific advice, but
attitudes, sort of getting a sense of the room.
My feeling is that SF fans are consistently the most abused and taken-
advantage-of group around. Especially when it comes to media. Every six
months or so, somebody comes in to shill for a new show, they get everyone's
hopes up, then either walk away if the show is a hit, or flat out lie. I
know, I've been in the audience. And as a result, many SF fans have grown
understandably cynical about the whole process, they seem now to *expect* to
be lied to, to expect that it's going to be same old crap they got before.
And to me, this process is about changing that perception.
In most cases of publicizing a show, there is a buffer between the
creator or head of a show, and the viewers. There is no buffer in this case;
if the show fails, I'm right out here with a "Kick Me" sign on my back. If it
works, I convey that back to the other creative people involved. From
standard Hollywood perceptions, that is a very risky and dangerous thing to
do. For me...it's dialogue.
SF fans have always stood by their shows and been loyal, often to be
repaid by being shilled and hyped and thought of as (as one studio person put
it) vegetables witbooks...as long as they keep buying the products, the
merchandising, and stay quiet, that's fine.
I would like this process to be part of a rapproachment, to be more open
and to encourage a two-way conversation. That conversation was had during the
years this show was waiting to spring forth, and will contin afterward. (When
I did the LosCon presentation, during the Q&A following, one fellow asked if
this would stop once the show got on the air, once we had gotten what we
wanted: ratings. And that has been the case in the past. For as long as I
can type and plug into a modem, that will not be the case here.)
Like any dialogue, there are moments of conflict and frustration, and
moments of revelation. So on all levels, this has been a fascinating and
intriguing conversation. I have benefitted from it, and enjoy it despite the
occasional hassles, and look forward to doing so in future, as long as the
audience will want to continue the dialogue.
I hope that somewhere in that flurry of words I've answered your
question.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 173 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST
For some reason, some letters got lost from my message preceding; the
abusive studio phrase should be "vegetables with pocketbooks." It's an ugly
thought indicative of the ways SF fans are generally taken for granted.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 186 Mon Dec 21, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:20 EST
I guess the one way in which the feedback has been the most useful has
been in asking questions that I hadn't thought of. When you put a show like
this together, you try to second-guess problems or questions down the road.
What's been fun here is that I've often been blind-sided by questions that I'd
never considered. I then have to find an answer to those questions, which
then sticks. There have been questions of sound in space, kinds of weapons
technologies, that sort of thing. One person asked about the jump-gates, and
how they got there, which led me to formulate the idea that big ships
(cruisers) are big and powerful enough to form their own entry point into
hyperspace, while smaller ships have to rely on jump-points...so it's the job
of some of the bigger ships to leave jump-points behind them like bread
crumbs, enabling us to move further out into space.
In other words...I come up with pertinent information by being asked a
lot of impertinent questions. Which is as it should be.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 196 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:24 EST
Oh.
<blink, blink>
Emily Letilla voice: "Never mind."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 201 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:30 EST
Don't know about the ad content, since I haven't seen it yet, but hope to
soon. (Producer-types are always the last to know.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 203 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST
So far, the show has struck well with both SF fans and non-SF fans, which
bodes well. We deliberately exposed the show to people who don't much care
for the genre, and they were very much taken.
BTW, about 1/2 the ads for the B5 pilot are now sold, a fair amount of
time early. The network folks figured if they had half of the ads sold by mid-
January, given the economy and how these things go, especially with new
programs, they'd be doing good. To be at this point over two weeks early is a
very positive sign.
As I write this, a 50 minute cassette is playing here in my office, the
soundtrack for Babylon 5. I got a copy of the full soundtrack to a) verify
that some changes we'd requested were made (they were), and b) to see how the
soundtrack stood up just on its own terms. It's very nice stuff. Stewart
played with a variety of things, including sampling voices to use in some
scenes, played almost like an angelic chorus.
In the next 2 weeks, we will be essentially finished with all of the post-
production on the movie...1 year and 2 months from when I first announced the
project here on GEnie. What a ride....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 214 Thu Dec 24, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 16:44 EST
Yep, Stewart's on-line for the series as well.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 223 Fri Dec 25, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:02 EST
Well, in the interim a friend who's running a show has asked me to come
in and help out for a little while (wrote a 21 page outline overnight the day
after I said yes to help meet the production crunch), and I've started my
third novel, which is actually good timing. For me, the first 100-200 pages
of a novel are the hardest; after that, it's a lot easier. My hope is to
have some or all of that part done by the time we really get going seriously
on B5 the series, so that I can continue at a reduced speed from that point on
until the book is finished. (I figure it'll take about a year, a year and a
half to write the book, which I expect will be about 1,200 to 1,500 pages in
length.) If I were to wait until B5 began in earnest to start writing the
novel, it'd never get past the first few chapters because of the other
pressures. This is my one window of opportunity to start the thing.
So that's the main work now: B5 post, the new show, the novel, doing my
BBSing...oh, yeah, and I've started a few short stories, and obviously will
continue to do interviews and other promotional work for B5, as well as
developing the long-term 10-hour project I mentioned a while before, which I
should hear more about in the next few weeks. I've been asked to write a
network pilot, which is kind of interesting, and may tackle that as well,
just to see if I can do it.
Other than that, it's real slow right now.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 227 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:11 EST
Slow in the sense that I generally have 1-3 more projects going at any
given moment than is the case just now, but that's mainly due to the holidays,
and passing on some other gigs. It's just that I get twitchy if I'm not
working on something at all times. I *write*. It's what I do. Ten hours a
day, seven days a week, all year round excluding Christmas eve (for my
spousal overunit's sake, mainly), New Year's, and my birthday. If I stopped,
I'd go bananas.
Stephen: the network pilot is mainstream, and the 10-hour project
is...not. Which is all I'd prefer to say about it now until we get some firm
news.
Generally speaking, I've been very fortunate in that I've never been
"typed" as one kind of writer or another; I've done comedy, horror, science
fiction, cop shows, fantasy, mystery, mainstream, originals, adaptations,
animation, live action, you name it, I've probably written it. It helps a lot
the way the business is going these days to be able to show up wearing
whatever color hat is required for the job.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 239 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:05 EST
I don't think there is a bibliography contained in any message here, or
for that matter, anywhere. It would be just a major pain in the butt to
compile...there's been a lot of published/produced work, and it's scattered
all over the place. I'm not even sure if it's 100% do-able, since there are
copies of things I've lost or misplaced over the years (I've had something
like 500 articles published, as one example, and I've always tried to get and
keep copies of them, but I know there are some holes in the collection where
copies didn't come through.)
Let's deal with B5 first, meanwhile, before we even begin talkilng (or
talking) about what follows.
Re: a vacation...I've taken exactly two in my whole life. Both entailed
trips to England, the latter with a few weeks also spent in Ireland. Both
times I promised to leave the writing at home. And both times I ended up
secretly purchasing small spiral-bound notebooks and scribbling down ideas and
stories...I outlined sections of my second novel in bathroomverunit wouldn't
know I was writing when I said I wouldn't, and I outlined a full length (2
act) play while I was over in Ireland (and, alas, haven't been able to find
the notes since returning; I'm sure it's around here somewhere).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 244 Sun Dec 27, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:45 EST
The last five years, eh?
oboy....
Let's see...that's 30 columns plus maybe 7-10 major articles for Writer's
Digest...okay...1987 would include POWER, which means about 12 episodes on
that (counting stories, and it *may* be higher than that, I'm doing this from
memory)...12 total Twilight Zone episodes...4 or 5 episodes of Jake and the
Fatman (plus 1 co-written 2-hour MOW)...the Jekyll and Hyde adaptation for
Showtime's Nightmare Classics show (which earned Ace and Writers Guild
nominations for writing)...4 or 5 episodes of the Ghostbusters animated
series, plus the musical prime-time special... seven episodes of Murder, She
Wrote...an episode of CBS Storybreak ("The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek,"
adaptation, which to this day I've never seen)....
I think that's *most* of the produced stuff, though I'm pretty sure I'm
missing a few items (oh, yeah...and Babylon 5, natch).
On the unproduced side, we've got the 4-hour V miniseries, a feature film
written for Ivan Reitman, another feature written for London Films, another 4
or 5 unproduced Jake and Murder episodes, another Nightmare Classics
adaptation for Showtime, several unproduced pilots (live action and animation)
for various studios...6 scripts, 4 outlines and 10 premises written to put
together an anthology series which didn't fly...five or six spec feature
screenplays, and some other stuff, again this is all off the top of my head.
Then there have been articles in the late lamented L.A. Herald Examiner,
the L.A. Times, cover stories for the L.A. Reader, articles appearing in Video
Review and Penthouse...oh, yeah, and a dozen or more articles about Night
Gallery appearing in Twilight Zone Magazine ("A Viewer's Guide to Rod
Serling's Night Gallery") co-written with my spousal overunit...short stories
in Amazing Stories, Shadows 6, Midnight Graffiti, Pulphouse....
Then there have been the two novels, Demon Night and Othersyde, both from
Dutton, and the Twilight Zone anthology for which I adapted my TV scripts into
short stories....oh! And comic books! How could I forget that? One issue of
the Star Trek book, "Worldsinger," an issue of Teen Titans Spotlight ("Face to
Face to Face to Face," pitting Cyborg against Two Face), and an issue of the
Twilight Zone comic. Jeez, I almost forgot that stuff.
And for almost all of those 5 years I was host of the weekly radio talk
show, Hour 25 (first alone, then with a cohost, then with a cohost and
alternating weeks the last year or two), 2 hours of talk with SF writers,
actors and directors, among others. Somewhere in there, along with the WGA
and Ace nominations, I picked up nominations for the Bram Stoker Award for
Demon Night, and for a Gemini Award (the Canadian equivilent of an Emmy)
nomination for an episode of Power.
That's a partial list of the last 5 years. I've missed a lot, but that's
probably the major stuff, in any event. (Under the category of "unproduced,"
I also adapted Elfquest to a series for CBS, along with a co-writer, but can't
just now remember if that was 87 or 86.) If anything else comes to mind, I'll
drop it in later.
But that's really as specific as I can be without dragging out boxes and
other stuff...I hardly remember titles anymore, or which month which articles
appeared where. Eventually I'm going to have to get someone in here to
straighten it all out and put it all in order. Because there's literally
stuff that I've done that I've *completely* forgotten about; I'll be rummaging
through tapes or boxes of manuscripts and come across something I'd utterly
forgotten about. Senility, I suppose....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 245 Sun Dec 27, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:57 EST
Oh, yeah...as it turns out, that was 11 original scripts and 5-6
collaborations on Power for a total of 16 episodes. And one of my GB episodes
was the one that got the show nominated for an Emmy for best animated series.
I also forgot the movie developed for Shelley Duvall, another feature
screenplay for DIC (unproduced), also in the unproduced category an animated
series for ABC of my own creation, plus an early development (bible and two
scripts) for a Batman series for the same network.
That's the major stuff.
I think....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 251 Sun Dec 27, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:26 EST
Actually, my percentage of produce to unproduced, and published to
unpublished, is rather high in favor of the former in each category. I've
been quite fortunate that way. The main unproduced stuff comes under the
category of screenplays, and that's par for the course. Only about 1 out of
100 scripts ever gets NEAR production. I have friends who've been writing
nothing BUT screenplays, all on assignment, all unproduced. They get very
frustrated after a while. That's one of the benefits of working in
television, the odds are better. During the 91-92 season of MURDER, for
instance, I wrote six scripts, of which 5 were shot.
One thing that didn't occur to me to mention is the fact that during
these five years I've been on staff (story editor/producer) on five and a half
projects. My main responsibility when on staff is to do what I refer to as
"dialog-ectomies," where the structure is fine on a freelance script, but the
dialog just isn't cutting it. So I go through and replace all the dialogue,
leaving the structure intact. These are completely new scripts in that sense;
they're rewrites from page one through Fade Out.
If I were to have arbitrated any of those scripts (attempted to put my
name on them as co-writer, for which you only have to show that you've
contributed 50% of the material), there'd be another 20 or 30 scripts out
there with my name on them. But I strongly don't believe in doing that.
There's a lot of credit poaching in this town, and it hurts the freelancer.
When I'm on staff, I'm getting a salary in addition to script fees, while the
freelancer only has script fees in addition to residuals, and if a producer or
story editor puts his or her name on the script, that cuts the residuals by
half. I don't think that's right. Out of something like 200 scripts that
I've edited, I think I've put my name on about 5, each under very specific or
unusual conditions.
It's tough enough for writers to make a living in this town without
contributing to picking their pockets.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 256 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:51 EST
Haven't written any SF novels. When I work in prose, I tend to favor
dark fantasy. Which is the same genre as the new novel I'm now working on. I
just have a preference for contemporary dark fantasy in my reading _ Jonathan
Carroll, and many of the South American writers of "magic realism" _ so
that's what I tend to write, in prose.
Haven't yet seen any of the promos on 13, but I've heard from others who
have seen them. (Including the preceding note from Prof Mark.) I'm looking
for this stuff as eagerly as everybody else.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 258 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:43 EST
The most recent M,SW that I wrote was a ghost story set in Ireland, which
aired about a month or so ago, maybe two. The last one that I wrote for the
current season will air sometime this month, I believe; it's about an old
friend of Seth's, an actor, who returns to Cabot Cove to begin his theatrical
career again. I think Peter Donat is the guest star; it was shot after I'd
left M,SW, so I have *no* idea how it turned out. The title of the episode is
"Final Curtain," apt since it was my last for this season.
The pay differential between live-action and animation is QUITE
substantial, starting with the fact that there are no residuals in animation.
If I got residuals on all the animation I've written, I could retire tomorrow.
Also, there's no one set fee in animation, whereas the fees in live-action are
mandated by the WGA. Animation scripts can pay as little as $1500 or $3000,
and again, no residuals. My going price is $6,000 to $10,000 per script in
animation. (That's half-hour.) The price for a one-hour network show is
about $20,000 and with residuals, that can add up fast (the second rerun on a
network brings in about another $13,000, and it scales down bit by bit from
there).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 262 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:10 EST
It definitely does. And that's the trap. You come here to make it, but
it costs so much to stay that it eats away at anything you get, so you're
stuck on the treadmill.
Rod Serling talked about that in his script for "The Velvet Alley," where
someone's talking to a TV writer, new in town, and explaining how It All
Works. Paraphrasing: "They pay you astonishing amounts of money for what you
do...then gradually your standard of living goes up, and up, and up...until
finally you HAVE to have that level of income just to get by, day by day...and
then they threaten to take it away unless you behave.
And then, *then* they own you."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 272 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:21 EST
The script to the V mini is in my computer, and there aren't many copies
floating around. At this point, I'd prefer to keep it that way.
As for not being dead from exhaustion...I dunno...it's just what I do. I
don't really give it much thought (though the last week or so of actual
filming on B5 was pretty awful, from a physical standpoint; damn near did me
in).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 274 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:48 EST
It may well be adapted to a novel down the road, either by me or by
somebody else. It ain't a bad story.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 282 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:47 EST
How do I stay sitting down that long, you ask?
You ever own a staple-gun....?
Re: the "Stegosaurus" adaptation...yeah, it was fun, and based on a fun
character, although the network didn't actually want the specific story,
something new using it. So I got to play in that world a little. My
favorite moment, a scene I came up with: the steg is always sneaking up on
this one kid, and finally the kid's reacion is how can somethilng big sneak up
on anyone? The steg thought about it a second, shrugged (as best a steg CAN
shrug), and said, "You watch rabbits for a hundred thousand years...you
learn."
Oh...re: TV Guide...they indicated that B5 came first, not the other way
around. It's Newsweek that got it backwards.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 285 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:12 EST
Really? Have to remember to set the VCR....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 289 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:23 EST
I *HATE* being statesmanlike....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 298 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:06 EST
When someone asks, "What kinds of specific things have you gotten out of
this interaction?" I think I will point to the question just uptopic about
food. I've given this a *fair* amount of thought, mainly in the sense that
there are hydroponic gardens (referred to in the script) and other areas for
oxygen reclamation, I'd figured that there were also areas where alien-
environment food was to be raised, and finally a third area where food that is
simply impractical to grow on B5 would be synthesized. But the question opens
up additional areas that I haven't given that much thought to...and many
possibilities.
Let me (so to speak) stew on this and get back to you.
Thanks for yanking my blanket.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 302 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:03 EST
Jonathan....please, for my sake, one question at a time...pick one.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 310 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:23 EST
K'wicker (than a speeding bullet?)...I ain't fussy. My friends just call
me Joe. (Usually preceded by, "That Pain In The Ass")
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 314 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:44 EST
The station is owned by the Earth Alliance, and if you're going to be
staying there, you pay a fee. Station employees are charged a fee against
their salaries...which some of them aren't happy about.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 318 Sat Jan 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:39 EST
Dolphins are another area that I haven't gone into in any great degree
since the odds of any of them showing up at B5 are minimal, for production
reasons. Dolphins make for difficult actors, and their agents are even worse.
The homeless question brings me to a difficult point in the discussion _
generalities are okay to discuss, Jonathan, but the more specific the
questions get about plot points of the series, the less I can say. The five-
year arc is triple-encrypted in my computer for a *reason*. And, as much as
it pains me, I know that printups of this category go to a certain other
studio...and would rather not give too many specifics for obvious reaons. I'd
like us to do them first. Alas, we're not having this conversation in a
vacuum.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 320 Sat Jan 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:17 EST
Just as with the early days of ocean travel, you would generally have
three levels of travel: first class, one just below, and down deep below
decks, those traveling steerage. A small group can also pool all their
resources, for instance, charter a ship one-way just far enough as B5, and
hope to find work or new opportunities on far-away worlds. When this doesn't
happen, they linger...sometimes for a long time.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 336 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:56 EST
Dave: Bingo!
And re: genetic moofky-fooky...yes, it's a definite issue, and is
referenced at least once in the pilot.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 345 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:07 EST
BABYLON 5 meets ATTACK OF THE GIANT CRAB MONSTERS, I like it....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 349 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:30 EST
Actually just handled this up in topic 1. Rumors are the bane of science
fiction...and people at conventions who speak should try and get their facts
straight first.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 351 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:55 EST
There's been some disagreement over that...I prefer the idea that he's
uplifted. (It's between me and the prosthetics design team.)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 357 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:09 EST
Hey, there's an idea...come up with a totally bogus B5 five-year arc and
let it get accidentally uploaded and distributed to throw folks off... except
of course folks might well believe it, which would work against us in the long
run. Ah, well....
Any telekinetics on board Babylon 5? you ask?
No.
At least, not yet.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 388 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:49 EST
Pets is okay. Ah lahkes pets. Pets be cool. And cats be coolest.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 407 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:31 EST
There's haze in some scenes where you've got a lot of traffic, and food
cooking, and braziers, and the like. The quarters don't have that.
As it happens, Pat Tallman has pets...two bunnies and two chinchillas. I
pointed out to her that she now has both food and clothing concerns taken care
of. She's still not speaking to me.
Saw the DS9 pilot tonight.
Heh....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 422 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:01 EST
Katherine: oh, snarf you....
Bear: a 16 pound cat? Wow...some good eatin' there....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 428 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:42 EST
Eric...imagine two boxers in the ring, each bloodied and exhausted after
11 grueling rounds. It's now the last round. You've each got one last shot
in your heart. Your opponent comes in with a big name, with the sports
critics approval, with fancy clothes and a twelve million dollar windup. He
pulls back and lets you have it with everything he's got.
Then you look around...and you're still standing. And you're thinking
"THAT was their best shot?"
Because everything he had was intent on one hard shot to knock you out of
the ring...speeded training, massive amounts of promotion, just to knock you
out.
And you're still standing. And you smile.
Because now it's YOUR turn.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 441 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:01 EST
I can't remember when I was last this tired. (Well, that's a lie, it was
during the last 2 days of filming on B5, but the former made for a better
opening line.)
After getting zero sleep (nervous with anticipation, running the pilot
through my head over and over again to prepare for today), I went in with a
number of the production people today on the first day of the final
sound/dialogue/music mix. Ten straight hours, one half-hour break during
which we ate at the mixing tables. Trying different combinations, re-showing
scenes with slight modifications, over and over and over, until your eyes _
focused for 10 hours on the same focal distance, blinking against bright
lights so you can make notes _ start to melt out of your sockets. And there
are three more days to go of this....
But man, this thing is really coming together. It's exciting to watch it
happen. To the question about music...the music in this thing is just
terrific...dynamic, evocative, moody, exciting...and while it took me a while
to get it into my head (as with the theme from the Equalizer, which has
similar resonances), the theme definitely stays with you.
Along wund editors, Stewart Copeland came by, as well as various of the
film editors, the cameraman, others...and Richard Compton, our director, was
also at the helm for the whole ten hours, as was our line producer John
Copeland (no relation). People just wanted to come by and see it.
It's gonna be a hoot, ladies and gentlemen....
jms
______
************
Topic 3 Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:09 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Computer EFX Tech-Talk
Some of the new computer EFX used in BABYLON 5 will be revolutionary, a new
approach never seen before on this scale. It's all new tech, and this topic
will try and address the new technologies involved.
430 message(s) total.
************
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 185 Tue Dec 08, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:03 EST
Someone, somewhere (Ron? Mojo?) said that Cinefex had contacted us and
was planning an article, but that was a few weeks ago and I haven't heard
anything more about it. Will advise.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 196 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:18 EST
I imagine that we'll do some interacting (actors/cgi) as noted, but we
will also do some actual ship-building. For instance, in the pilot, when Kosh
arrives in the docking bay, there's a shot past him into the bay, where you
can see part of his ship (we actually built a fairly large section of it,
though only a small part is visible). I think that shot is in the CFQ
article. We also built (and then trashed) a spider transport to match the
CGI, though again you can't really tell because it's pretty demolished by the
time the actors get to it. There will be more of this done down the road.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 199 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:46 EST
Rico: both, for different reasons.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 202 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:04 EST
Mmmmmm....maybe. And there are some shots that do so in clearer terms;
in the council chamber are CGI "recorders," floating devices that record video
and audio of the proceedings. They float above the heads of the characters,
and later one of them goes between two characters as they walk out the door.
So yeah, there's some, just not on the scale of looking at starships...well,
except for the scene in the garden, which is CGI....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 204 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:44 EST
I don't think so...there *were* solid models made (which didn't move),
and CGI versions which *did* move...and I don't think you can tell them apart.
If anything, the CGI ones look better.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 206 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:53 EST
The sections of CGI shown at Wishcon were part of a non-color corrected
print, which left it all a little darker and muddier than is now the case.
Also the projection system muddied some of the shots, which come out much
sharper on a regular TV.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 209 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:26 EST
Combination of air jets and magnetics.
Would this face lie?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 216 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:51 EST
Cost. And the degree to which they would show up on camera; very often
the lighting required to illuminate an actor just washes out an LCD screen,
regardless of quality. Probably by 2357 they will have some that will stand
up to that level of lighting, but so far no one's shipped any back for our
use....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 229 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:30 EST
Wait, I thought we *did* shoot this show at 30 fps. I'm confused....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 242 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:54 EST
They're not transferred, they're kept on video. Since the stations want
deliver either on 3/4" or via sat-link, there's no need for the thing to be on
film.
Re: the recorders...one should broaden one's scope of SF beyond the
latest television shows. Orbs, recorders, transcribers, floating TV cameras,
on and on, they have all had a long history in SF.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 257 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:43 EST
Will: I don't think I'm getting through. Perhaps I wasn't clear.
(Which is the likely prospect.)
It's not a case of putting CGI efx on film via paintbox or that sort of
thing. In cases of full-CGI only in a shot, the computer generates each
frame of the sequence, which is then transferred direct into a laserdisk
recorder for maximum video quality. This is then transferred to videotape.
It never touches film.
In the case of mixing CGI with live action, the scene in question is
digitized, transferred into the computer, and mixed there with the CGI, then
sent back into the laser disk recorder. Again, it never touches film. And we
deliver the final product on videotape, not film.
If we end up distributing the film theatrically overseas, at THAT point
it will all be transferred to film, and the quality, I understand, will be
terrific.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 266 Tue Dec 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:12 EST
Actually, you could be right, it could be 1"...sometimes the Voices talk
to me all at once, and I get confused and fall down....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 307 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:23 EST
Yeah, I caught the referenc to Cavorite as well. Always loved "First Men
in the Moon," and have it on disk.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 349 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:27 EST
I use Windows a little more than I used to, but overall I suspect (well,
know, really) that I'm not getting the most bang for my buck because I don't
understand the mechanics of configuring either Windows or the computer itself.
I'm sitting here with a killer megasystem, and...the best comparison I can
think of is an australian aborigine who's found an F-16 figher plane and
mainly uses it to shelter his sheep and goats under the wings when it
rains....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 385 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:12 EST
I've tended to lean more in the direction of individual computers _
multi-gigabyte systems small enough to fit on the wrist, which also serve as
communications systems called Links _ that are generally networked into the
B5 database/central computer system. Ninety percent of any information you're
likely to need you probably already have in the Link; anything additional you
need, or if you need a direct interface with Babylon Central Computer, that
can be accomplished with a simple voice command.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 391 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:23 EST
Just as a point of clarification, Links are only used by station
personnel, not visiting aliens, or any visitor, human or otherwise, for whom
multi-use terminals have been set up in their quarters.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 407 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:53 EST
Basically, I think that there should be something on-screen if there
NEEDS to be something on-screen. For instance, in both Sinclair's quaters and
the briefing room, you'll see monitors on the wall in BG and later used for
important stuff. (That should be quarters, not quaters, which is what you
find on the moon.) When not *actively in use* they display only the B5 logo,
sort of a carrier wave. When a signal comes in from local, you get the BabCom
logo, then the signal. When a signal comes in from a ship, or the computer
provides information, you go right from the B5 symbol straight to the display.
When it's over, you go back to the static symbol until it's needed again.
The only real exceptions to this are a) the consoles in the observation
dome, which are going at all times to monitor incoming and outgoing ships, and
b) displays in the business areas which show the internal B5 Newscast and
commercials.
jms
______
************
Topic 4 Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:12 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Cast and Characters
For discussion of the actors who will be bringing BABYLON 5 to life with their
performances...for information before, and discussion after the airing of "The
Gathering" pilot.
451 message(s) total.
************
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 214 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:25 EST
Actually, though his looks seem to imply otherwise, G'Kar is a mammal.
(Costume designer Catherine Adair decided that the newborn Narns live in a
pouch in the father's body, and designed the costume with a slight suggestion
of that, a bit of a sling-look in the lower part.)
Don't ask, it wasn't my idea....
Re: G'Kar and Lyta, two things: 1) It's got nothing to do with romance,
strictly genetic business, and 2) what's not in the CFQ quote from the script
is the section where G'Kar mentions the need to alter the genetic structure to
make any offspring possible. "We still have to merge your genes with our
own," he says. Left alone, such mating is about as likely as a fish mating
with a bicycle to produce a walrus. But if the person(s) involved were
willing to go through *major* genetic restructuring, or be cloned and allow
*that* to be restructured, then it's possible, though still chancy at best.
Mixed species offspring are nearly unheard of in the B5 universe.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 223 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:23 EST
Just to clarify, the pouch is for *after* birth, not before; the newborn
Narn leaves the mother's body and enters the father's pouch. (At least,
that's what Catherine Adair came up with...it ain't canon yet, I haven't
decided if that's a Good Idea or not.)
Re: Non-humanoid...bear in mind, you still haven't seen what Kosh is
inside that suit...others, very non-humanoid, will make their appearances down
the road...and there's one race that has not yet been heard from, one shadow
government so secretive its existence is only whispered about, and when *they*
make their appearance, and you finally see what *they* look like...well, let's
just say that I've talked at some length with our EFX people, and it'll take
about 2 years to work out how to do this and make it credible.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 240 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 17:57 EST
Well, hmm....I guess I can come out with this now. As you know, it was
our plan to go for a very androgynous Delenn _ a male voice (which was to be
computer/electronically altered), female mannerisms, and a very ambiguous
makeup. We've now gone through about every possible electronic alteration,
and frankly, none of them sound as convincing as I'd like. Many of them
sound *okay*, but we've taken a hard and fast position on this show that
"okay" is simply not sufficient.
So we've decided to leave Delenn female, with the performer's original
voice intact and unaltered. Interestingly enough, when the performance was
shown at Wishcon and LosCon, the audience responded very positively to her
natural voice, urging that it be left alone. Which is now what we're going to
do.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 248 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:23 EST
Doesn't change a thing in the arc....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 256 Tue Dec 15, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:11 EST
Nope. Nothing changes.
Because Delenn was *always* going to end up female eventually, one way or
another. Start male, end up female. Using the same performer with some
adjustments to the prosthetics after the change.
Which is why I haven't commented upon the gender-change stuff being said
here. Some of you guessed right. So instead of waiting a few months and
making the change mid-season, we start off with Delenn female. No changes to
the overall arc.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 265 Tue Dec 15, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:20 EST
The consideration I brought to the issue was largely this: when the
planned male/female shift took place, there should have been substantial
differences such that the change MADE a difference; if Delenn came out talking
just the same, sounding the same, then the change becomes trivial.
It isn't saying "male voices sound this way," it's s go from A to B, the
difference should be noticeable."
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 267 Tue Dec 15, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:10 EST
Yes.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 270 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:46 EST
We're making up a number of alien languages, and the plan is to use
multiple terran languages in the series as well, though there wasn't time or
opportunity to do so in the pilot. One can only cram so much into a pilot.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 281 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:33 EST
Garibaldi is a security chief, and not into karate or stuff on that
order. Just a good roundhouse blow.
When I said "cute robots" (which I still stand behind firmly), I was
referring largely to things like Tweaky from Buck Rodgers. We will get into
the question of robotics and artificial intelligence on the show, but I'm
going to try for a different take on it.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 290 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:41 EST
It's hard to know WHAT Jerry's background is...his resume is filled
with...um...well, stuff like how he belonged to the Dance Company of Harlem,
and never did...so your guess is about as good as mine.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 293 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:56 EST
Yeah, we kinda suspected it. And he told us so right up-front, there was
actually no intent to fool anybody, it was just all in there to get some
attention. What mattered was what came across. And he came across
wonderfully in the audition.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 309 Tue Dec 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:48 EST
Actually she's sitting at a table NEXT to someone reading "Universe
Today." Well, let's see...John Iacovelli is in the opening montage at the bar
with another production designer (John's the one in the beard) when the
narrator mentions "businessmen and travelers"...Christy Marx can be seen, if
barely, in a couple of casino shots...you can barely make out Mojo in one
shot...we had a shot of the Spousal Overunit in another, but that was
cut...running the wheel of fortune is John Stears (in the beard) and Paul
Bryant (black sash and tux accompanying him)...Ron Thornton can be seen as
one of the two homeless people sitting on the floor in the Brown Sector (he's
on the right)...one of our production assistants is a hooker just visible
behind them...there are a bunch of others in other casino shots...there's an
attractive blond woman sitting at a table in the bazaar who's our stunt-
woman...and that's all I can think of offhand.
And to the obvious question: no, I'm not in any of the shots. Neither is
our director.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 311 Tue Dec 22, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:13 EST
Nope. Not a chance. Because in large part, I'm telling this story for
me, to do the show that *I'd* like to see on TV...and if I see me on tv, it
shatters the illusion.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 332 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:51 EST
They'll let anyone use a modem these days, won't they?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 349 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:11 EST
Gary...sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Twelve stars were all that
could fit in the available space.
BUT...you're right in general, however. There were very few who survived
the Line, not as few as 12, but less than 100. So believe me, it IS a big
deal. (Which is also why a lot of folks back home are looking askance at
Sinclair...how could he survive, unconscious, for 24 hours in a ship floating
through a war zone without being blown out of the sky?)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 351 Sun Dec 27, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:19 EST
Paula:
Yup. That's absolutely what would happen. And I ain't saying a WORD
beyond that.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 353 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:51 EST
No, physical contact is not required. Lyta hasn't tried to read
Sinclair's mind-block because he doesn't know it's there...yet. Yes, psi
ability is genetic, and appears in other races. There are non-Psi Corps
members who have the ability, and are not licensed and bonded, and the PC
would very much like to do something about that.
Psi rating is based on strength of ability. The general ranking is P1
through P10. Psi Cops _ sent to engage and take out rogue telepaths _ are
P12s. They don't talk much. They don't have to.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 356 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:49 EST
Curiously, unions and the inner running of the station is something that
Harlan wants to get into once the series is up and running, so I'll leave that
to him.
Re: the other Psi questions...I'll have to pull back because that touches
on some areas that I want to develop later. Suffice to say that the questions
you raise will be answered. (And no, they're not part of the military...at
least, not officially....)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 361 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:22 EST
The answer to most of the questions preceding is "yes." Yes to politics,
yes to divisions, yes to shields, yes to undergrounds. And beyond that I'm
getting into areas I can't talk about just now.
As far as non-Psi Corps telepaths...you have to remember what I said at
Wishcon: no one is stomping down non-PC telepaths (at least, not officially).
Telepaths are recruited for the PC, and the attraction there is that your
abilities will be honed, and you will be given what amounts to permanent job
security: you're bonded, you can testify as an unimpeachable witness in court,
you function as a sort of mental Notary Public, there are an awful lot of
benefits, plus working with others of your kind.
If you're a non-PC telepath, you do what you want. IF you are found to
have violated someone's privacy and stolen information (and this is hard to
prove on the best of days), then there are laws under which you may be
charged. When you license something like telepathy, there have to be laws on
privacy.ere diLaws on electronic eavesdropping didn't exist before the devices
themselves came into existence; once we knew they were there, we legislated.
Is this at times unfair to telepaths? Absolutely. And this is one thing
that I have to hammer at hardest...this is not the perfect, benign Federation
style government. It's flawed, and may not at all times be operating in the
best interests of its citizens. There are wheels within wheels, agencies
within agencies. After 25 years of Federation-think, people say, "Well, why
would they do this to this group of people, that's not right." No, it's not.
Ours is a different universe. And this will lead to pressure cooker
situations. And conflict. Which is at the core of good drama...and which
underlines the present as well, in that things aren't perfect or fair now,
either. If everybody agreed on how everybody else should be treated, we
wouldn't require courts.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 364 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:32 EST
Jonathan....you have an uncanny knack for asking the very specific
questions that I can't answer without revealing more than I feel that I can at
the moment. Yeesh....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 376 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:08 EST
After a crocodile named Leviathan? Er...I think that it's likely a
reference to the book of Job, where he is asked by god, "Canst thou draw out
Leviathan with an hook; or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?"
(JOB 41:1)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 378 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:04 EST
They don't exactly get along, that's for sure.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 381 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:28 EST
There's a mid-season story that deals *precisely* with this issue.
Hence...I'm forced to remain mute for the moment.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 398 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:25 EST
Ta-daaaa...Gary, take another look at the pilot. Every time you see
Lyta, you will notice a silver insignia on her lapel. It's the Psi symbol set
against a bronze background. That is, indeed, the preferred form of
reference.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 401 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:14 EST
Bill Warren suspects more than he knows, and knows less than he suspects.
And any resulting opinions are simply that, and though written are nowhere
near writ, holy or otherwise.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 406 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:36 EST
The amount of contact required varies according to the telepath's
strength. Lyta at P5 needs a little help. A P10 could nail you from across
the room.
And I want to have some fun with the commercial funding aspects of
B5...ads, gov't support, commercials, all that stuff. That's an issue that I
feel really needs to be addressed...who pays for this neat stuff? And what
happens when the money runs out?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 418 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:41 EST
Yes, we'll definitely see them in their civvies, and there will be a
range of entertainment possibilities, including TV (again, there are shots of
an internal newscast on B5, and commercials as well). Thee's _ er, there's _
one little thing that I'm gonna do the first episode or so to establish that
that's so off-beat and (one hopes) funny that I'm sure you'll like it. If
only I can get Warners to release the footage....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 426 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:04 EST
Yeah, that was the hard part with the actors...they're so used to seeing
one costume actors in SF that even though they HAD other stuff to wear, it was
hard to shoe-horn them into it. But that'll change.
As for skivvies...who knows...there's a shot of Sinclair emerging from
bed wearing just about nada until he gets his robe on that several women on
the show kept re-running, saying "yum...".
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 450 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:04 EST
I can't remember height ever even being discussed, except once, when we
were debating about two possibilities for a given role. I don't think it
really matters. As it happens, it probably won't ever come up because both
Michael O'Hare and Jerry Doyle (and I think Johnny Sekka) are all well over 6'
tall.
jms
______
************
Topic 5 Tue Nov 03, 1992
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] (Forwarded)
Sub: Grid Epsilon Irregulars - News & Info.
This topic is for information about Babylon 5 fan groups, newsletters,
fanzines, get-togethers, B-5 at conventions, and other general fun.
169 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 124 Wed Dec 09, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:16 EST
Straczynski the Great was Larry DiTillio getting me back for DiTillio the
Dwarf in "Ragnarok and Roll," which was me getting him back for Straczynski
the Butler in "Galaxy High," which was him getting me back for...well, you get
the idea...we have a friendship based on mutual antagonism and abuse.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 126 Thu Dec 10, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:22 EST
You can have it...cheap.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 134 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:15 EST
What shaketh is that Joe got up to his ears in alligators and put off
writing a brief intro to the current issue. However, it got turned in this
week, and Christy is in town tomorrow to go over my last minute revisions on
the current issue (faxed to me by her, it's all done otherwise), after which
she will get it to the printer probably within the coming week. Expect it
shortly after Christmas.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 142 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:00 EST
Actually, I didn't much like the "next Gene R" stuff. That line has
appeared in a lot of places, and while it may help reporters get a grip on a
Story Angle, it's misleading and just makes me wince. Was Rod Serling "the
next Norman Corwin?" (If you don't know who that is, find out.) Was
Roddenberry the next Joe Stefano? Is Orson Scott Card the next Piers Anthony?
(Hmm.....)
In the voice of the Ren and Stimpy Cartoon Horse, "No, sir, I don't like
it. Don't like it at all."
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 149 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:44 EST
Kath: did Christy get the message I left at y?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 152 Mon Dec 21, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:20 EST
...oh, rapture....
jms
______
Topic 6 Tue Nov 03, 1992
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] at 06:43 EST
Sub: Where is Babylon 5? TV stations...
Babylon 5 is a cornerstone of Warner's new Prime Time Network. Here is where
one can find the station information....
239 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 139 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:48 EST
The Prime Time Network goes on line January 20th. The airing of B5 is
still slated for the last week in February.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 163 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:16 EST
What's the other station in San Diego now carrying B5?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 230 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:06 EST
Leviathan...as a local, mayhap you could ring up Dana Hersey and fill him
in on the background, just so's he knows it ain't a DS9 riff.
This is probably the single biggest problem I know we're gonna have with
reviews. On every other level, we'll stand on our own; I just don't want that
inaccuracy surfacing and skewing the review.
jms
______
************
Topic 7 Tue Nov 03, 1992
J.HUDGENS [Fenn Shysa] at 23:07 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 _ POTENTIAL SPOILERS
If you've seen the B5 promos or the sales info packages and want to mention
specific items or situations without worrying about spoiling it for others,
post & comment here... THERE BE SPOILERS HERE!
332 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 167 Thu Dec 10, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:37 EST
This discussion seems to be getting awfully rancorous....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 171 Fri Dec 11, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:26 EST
I think you're talking cross-purposes, the first one-hour episode vs. the
two-hour movie....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 184 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:49 EST
The logic on the door is this (sayeth our designers): the section into
which the door slides is jigsawed. When the door closes, pins extrude between
the walls into the jigsaw sections of the door that fit into the wall. This
creates an absolutely *solid* pressure door, much more so than a door that,
for instance, closes in the middle. If the whole side of the door had to go
into the slot, it would be nearly impossible to move given the angles
involved.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 201 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:38 EST
Sue, if you're finding tall people ALWAYS sit in front of you, and you
sit on the aisle, you may want to consider the fact that these two events are
related.
See, I stand about 6'4" or 6'5" (I can never remember which), and going
to a film can be an amazing experience. I never knew my knees could actually
go on either side of my ears. To minimize this, I (and most tall people I
know) sit on the aisle, so we can stick our legs out the side while
desperately trying to avoid tripping anyone.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 220 Sun Dec 20, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:36 EST
Re: the Lyta face stuff, yes the scene as describes takes place, and is
definitely deliberate, and was a fairly elaborate effect that only lasts a few
seconds. We went through several tests before we got one we were happy with.
Definitely a story point.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 291 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:17 EST
If I see one more message with a one-liner on top and then ten zillion
lines of white space, which at 2400 baud go by too fast for me to read the
damn thing, so I have to then go back and find the number of the message, and
replay it time after time while hitting ^S to try adn stop it before it
scrolls past again, I am going to do someone serious damage.
(Well, everyone ELSE was having a tirade....)
Paula...you're responding to and arguing with something that only you
heard because it doesn't exist in the pilot. The line that Sinclair says is,
"I managed to take out a fighter before they hit my stabalizers. I was losing
control, I'd lost my team...." etc. Not vertical stabalizers. Just the
device that keeps the ship from spinning end over end by controlling the
various thrusts. No matter WHAT system you're using, you have to be able to
go from A to B, and the minute adjustments required, particularly if you're in
the midst of battle, are too complex for one person to make on the fly. It
has to go through a computer. If the system _ hydraulics, pneumatics, air
thrust, fusion, whatever power you happen to prefer _ is damaged, it's going
to screw you up.
THAT was the line. And the Line.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 293 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:13 EST
I keep hearing Alladin's more of a pain than it's worth, which is why I
generally do all my writing/reading on-line.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 320 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:13 EST
Just one other little item you're forgetting, Paula...these are
individual fighters, which are made to operate in and out of an atmosphere.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 322 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:21 EST
Several reasons...first, she wouldn't be able to tell for sure if his
memory had or had not been "doctored" to eliminate the memory of the action.
(An upper-level Psi could notice the seams in the memory; she's basically a
business-transaction person who's a teeny bit over her head in what she's
doing, and she knows it.) Second, I'm playing constantly with how our society
will deal with this kind of telepath.
The idea is always "innocent until proven guilty." Now, you can bring
someone to trial, and a psi can scan them, and boom, you know one way or
another. But does that violate our judicial tradition of a trial BY JURY, and
put 'WAY too much power in the hands of telepaths? Because bear in mind, we
still have to take their word for what they "see" in someone's mind. They can
function as key witnesses, but it's my sense that they would be SPECIFICALLY
PROHIBITED from going into the mind of an accused person to determine their
innocence or guilt, *even if so invited*.
There are others, but those are, in my mind, the key reasons for this.
It's a matter of trying to be logical and consistent in how these things are
used; you don't want to have something (or someone) become the Magic Wand that
solves every problem, a Deux Ex Lyta, so to speak.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 324 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:47 EST
Yes, Lyta's always had an affinity for alien races from a telepathic
standpoint. As for telling reality from subjective; as soon as it goes in
your eyes, it becomes subjective. So that's the only POV from which she can
act. It's easiest when it's straightforward visual or auditory impulses, not
much open to coloring by the subjective aspect. If the person being scanned
is unbalanced, then 1) it becomes VERY uncomfortable for the psi, and 2) there
are signature aspects of the scan (colors, hallucinations, delusions) that
would tip off any good psi that this may not be a very valid perspective.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 332 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:09 EST
Yes, there are shields available, mainly implants, sometimes drugs, and
cyberalteration techniques to mind-wipe people temporarily so they can't be
read easily.
Re: perjury, there are Psi review boards, as with the AMA (and of equally
debatable power) that could be called into play in the case of suspected
perjury, as well as other abuses of the Psi-Corps authority. If a review
board or other PC arm finds you're in violation of standards, the next step is
the psi-cops.
jms
______
************
Topic 8 Tue Nov 03, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:41 EST
Sub: Behind The Scenes
Production Designers, Art Directors, Costumers, Director, others...this is the
place to discuss the production-aspects of B5...it's look and the process
involved.
122 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 90 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:01 EST
I'm finishing B5 post production this coming week, and writing my third
novel, and am helping out a friend on another series (said friend having
gotten in over his head a bit, through no fault of his own) doing rewrites and
a few scripts. Just something to keep me busy while waiting to gear up for
the series. (Also took time to write out a synopsis of each of the first 22
episodes for B5's first season, which will then be assigned as needed,
interposing new ideas as they're suggested by other writers. Also finished an
hour-length B5 script, which will be one of the mid-season shows to be shot.)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 94 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:19 EST
All I can say is when Warners gives us the production go, we'll be ready.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 97 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:39 EST
That'll probably be decided by forces wiser than I. And just FYI, all
the PTEN shows are given 22 episode committments per season.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 99 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:00 EST
Who...?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 102 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:56 EST
That's simply a standard unit of measure. Some series do more than 22,
but those are more rthe MURDseasons generally ran 22 episodes.
22 x 3 seasons is 66, which is enough for long-term syndication, if
barely.
And there won't be a Joe Jr. One doesn't go through a vasectomy for lack
of anything better to do on a Friday night....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 106 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:45 EST
Nope, B5 is shot right here in LA County.
It helps that my Spousal Overunit is also a writer, and understands what
it means when I come out, eyes like poached eggs, staggering towrad the coffee
pot, mumbling, "Deadlines...deadlines...."
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 110 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:22 EST
They sure do cost a lot. We plan to do some such shots for the series,
in the zero-g section of the garden, and possibly in the zero-g cargo section
that rides on top of B5. My mandate to Ron is to come up with a way of doing
it that looks good. Once we have that, we'll do the story.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 120 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:10 EST
The series standard opening will be a variation on Londo's narration at
the top of the pilot.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 8
Message 122 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:43 EST
Yeah, Londo seems like the *least* likely person to do the opening
narration for a show like this; you don't even see him for nearly two full
acts, and it's the kind of thing you'd expect the Commander to do.
But there are reasons for everything....
jms
______
************
Topic 9 Wed Nov 11, 1992
T.RESTIVO [Little Guy] at 18:27 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 Humor
From *Beep Beep*, to Top Ten Lists to full-blown paradies, this is where to
put your funny bone in writing!
107 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 9
Message 40 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:55 EST
Okay. That's it.
I'm running away from home.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 9
Message 55 Fri Dec 18, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:48 EST
Y'know what's funny, though? The crossover points illustrate better than
anything I could say the kinds of things we *won't* have, the kinds of things
we *will* have, and the difference in philosophy between the two shows.
No whiz-kids saving ships, no Q's....
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 9
Message 72 Sat Dec 19, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:43 EST
No fanfic for the time being. I have to back up KL on this one.
We'll see Londo's _ spouse/spouses, I'm avoiding saying which _ in
time.
Looking at this crossover stuff brings to mind a decision I had to make
early on. I at one point thought, "Wouldn't it be great if we could make B5
the nexus point between ALL SF television and film universes?" So you could
head down toward the customs area, and find somebody with a light sabre, walk
past a cylon, that sort of thing. And part of it was very appealing, if
legally a nightmare given what would be required to get permission. But
finally decided that the show has to be its own universe, unique and distinct.
But part of me still longs to see a British phone box just sitting in the
middle of the central corridor....
jms
______
************
Topic 10 Thu Nov 12, 1992
SANDMAN [Henry] at 19:25 EST
Sub: Sex in Babylon 5
Can't do without this one!!
91 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 10
Message 63 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:53 EST
Suffice to say that this is a question that we will indeed be dealing
with. What you'd probably get is a "mirrored" effect, where you are making
love, and seeing it from both sides.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 10
Message 66 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:13 EST
Yes, but strong feelings can bleed through. And it's easier for a more
advanced Psi to shut it all out; Lyta, at P5 rating, is about in the middle,
and B5 is her first major assignment. Her position (in terms of psi-rating)
is one reason why she wears gloves and long-sleeved outfits that cover as much
as possible; it makes it easier to shut things out if there's no direct
contact. When and if she makes it up to a P7 or P8, it becomes less of a
problem.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 10
Message 78 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:24 EST
Yes, precisely.
Sinclair will have a steady relationship with one woman for most of the
first two seasons; same for a couple of other characters as well.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 10
Message 84 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:20 EST
Actually, I said that Sinclair will have a steady VERTICAL relationship
with....
Don't hit me, I'm a sick man.
And nothing in life is permanent, not even relationships.
jms
______
************
Topic 11 Sat Nov 14, 1992
J.SHEEN1 [Leviathan] at 18:09 EST
Sub: B-5 ADRIFT!
BABYLON 5 Topic Drift
If you feel like talking about it, but it doesn't fit anywhere else... If its
only connection to B-5 is that you thought of it in this CAT...
This is where to come and get it out.
273 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 118 Tue Dec 08, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:07 EST
BTW, speaking of ancient Babylon, with all the people interested in
what's going to happen in Babylon 5, I'm surprised more haven't gone into
their history books and tracked the history of the station's namesake. It
isn't *all* there...but a lot of it is.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 161 Wed Dec 16, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 19:15 EST
Since I have access to you computer whizs (whizes? whizzes? whizi?), let
me pose a question.
For my sound card, I have the Media Visions Thunderboard for Windows.
Now, it works fine on such DOS programs as "Carmen San Diego" (though a
couple it seems to have a problem with). But when I try to use it in Windows
(for which after all it was intended), nothing happens. It hums for a second,
but that's all. For instance, when I run After Dark, it clicks for a second,
but nothing comes out.
I moved the system.ini interrupt for the driver to 2 from 9, but that
doesn't seem to work either. I installed the driver, but that doesn't work.
I tried to run a sound program off a floppy (the pro demo that comes with the
card) and the first time, it worked. The second time, I got two error
messages; the first said "selected MIDI out port is not available or is in use
by another application." The MIDI in port also got the same message. When I
then used the MIDI setup on the floppy, it said "General protection fault in
module timemidi.dll." And the thing crashed.
I went through system.ini and the only thing I could find that looked
like a midi port control was MIDI=msadlib.drv, which I deleted, and tried
again. Same result.
Any suggestions?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 165 Thu Dec 17, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:57 EST
But I *did* that. I went into Windows drivers, picked the new driver,
put Windows disd 3 in, loaded it on, and selected that as the driver. Still
nada. I *don't* understand. So I may pick up Microsoft Sound, having heard
it's easier to use. Otherwise...I'm doomed.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 187 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:25 EST
No story suggestions, please. Thanks.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 190 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:41 EST
What's this yellow snow doing here?
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 219 Sat Dec 26, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:15 EST
"Even if it succeeded in court...." In that one little phrase is
encapsulated a year, possibly two, of depositions, interrogatories, counter-
interrogatories, legal fees up the yinyang, court appearances, and legal
maneuvering that can kill months of time that should otherwise be used in
writing.
People can be crazy sometimes.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 11
Message 271 Thu Jan 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:12 EST
I've lost all track of how much time I spend on BBSs; two-three hours a
day here, plus 1-2 per day on CIS, and then other services. I'm on several
where I don't post messages, and the folks there engaged in SF-TV discussions
don't know I'm looking over their shoulder.
Why? Because if people know you're there, they tend to speak more
politely about you, and your projects. They're free to be brutally
honest...and lemme tell you, it brings one up short sometimes. But I think
that's both good and essential. Sort of a control group approach...see what
the opinion is like of folks who don't have direct access, and only hear stuff
second-hand.
jms
______
************
Topic 12 Wed Nov 18, 1992
B.WIST [Brad] at 18:12 EST
Sub: Babylon 5 Sightings
Post here when you've spotted Babylon 5, whether it be on Television,
Magazine, or somewhere else. Let us know where we can find it/see it, too.
159 message(s) total.
************
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 28 Sat Dec 12, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:16 EST
For those keeping track of new items in the press about B5....
* Expect a round up of new SF series, including B5, to appear in USA
Today in the next 7-10 days.
* Another round up of shows, including B5, is tentatively slated to
appear in the January 9 issue of TV Guide.
* The piece on the B5/Genie connection for the LA Times Magazine "Palm
Latitudes" section should likely appear December 20th or 27th.
(Not directly related to B5, but I just *have* to mention it
somewhere...my short story, "Say Hello, Mister Quigley," which appeared
recently in both Pulphouse and the Midnight Grafitti softcover anthology ended
up in the Recommended Stories section of the December Locus. It was the only
story selected from that issue of Pulphouse, and it's right alongside stories
by Brian Aldiss and John Varley and others.)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 32 Sun Dec 13, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:53 EST
Yes, "Quigley" originally began as a TZ script, which the studio (MGM)
loved, my exec producer loved...EXCEPT they thought the subject matter _
incest _ was too controversial. (Many of the folks at MGM operated out of
the conventional wisdom that says that SF should not have anything to do with
the real world, should be nice bunny fantasies about neato aliens and strange
but funny people-weeples who live in scary but basically good houses and
YYYYAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!
(Sorry, that was my head exploding.)
Anyway, they said they'd produce the episode IF I removed that aspect of
the story. Which, to me, was the *point* of the damned thing. So I pulled
it, gave back the money, and squirreled it away until I could adapt it to
fiction later.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 36 Mon Dec 14, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:08 EST
Yes, that's a gun, a PPG. I'm not thrilled with the way it looks, and
we're going to re-design it for the series. They don't strike that pose in
the pilot, but that's from an actual sequence, yes.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 43 Tue Dec 15, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:12 EST
Check my original message; I believe I typed PPG, not PPC. PPG is what's
in the script.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 74 Thu Dec 24, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:41 EST
Don't know if I've mentioned this, but Computer Gaming World will be
doing a cover story on B5 shortly.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 88 Mon Dec 28, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:56 EST
The basic logo is my design. We'd gone throug none of which were quite
right, and finally I wrote a memo to Ron Thornton about what I thought would
be correct. I described the word Babylon in silver appearing backlit by a red
laser shooting across frame, with the 5 in black behind it. Big metallic
silver letters, and a much darker, jet-black metallic 5. "The main thing," I
said in the memo, "is that it should look way cool on a leather jacket." Ron
then executed the logo as described, it came out right, and it *does* look
swell on a jacket.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 98 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:00 EST
Maybe twelve or so. Just for the EFX team, me, my spousal overunit, our
director and another producer. (They were a gift from Ron.)
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 103 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 18:24 EST
Yes, there is a separate B5 commercial, which will begin airing around
mid- or late-January.
jms
______
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 133 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:48 EST
Aquila: give me the name of the paper and the reporter who wrote the
article.
jms
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Topic 13 Mon Nov 23, 1992
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] at 21:00 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Science and Technology
Jump gates, nanotech, high-tech weapons, starship drives, sound in space, and
other subjects of science and technology in Babylon 5.
93 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 39 Wed Dec 23, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:40 EST
I believe it stands for Phased Plasma Gun.
Re: the jump-ship scenario described just above...since the "exit ramp"
jump-gate is usually (but not always) under the control of a nearby base, as
B5 is tied into its local gate, it could *probably* contact the local base and
request activation of the gate. But it's a good point to consider, and I want
to dwell on that for a while before I lock it down.
It opens up some interesting possibilities.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 52 Tue Dec 29, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:20 EST
Yes, you would. Yes, they have tried. No, they have not succeeded.
Probes tend to meet with unfortunate "accidents".... They also use a tight-
beam form of communication, rather than the more broad-based radio waves.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 54 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:53 EST
I'm sure I covered it somewhere...somewhen....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 57 Wed Dec 30, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:34 EST
So they tell me....
jms
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