Babylon 5 posts by JMS for Jan 1, 1993 - Jan 18, 1993
Babylon 5 posts by JMS for Jan 1, 1993 - Jan 18, 1993
This file includes a compilation of posts on GEnie by J. Michael
Straczynski in the Babylon 5 topic. The posts are copyright 1993 by
J. Michael Straczynski with compilation copyright 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.
397 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 73 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 89 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 94 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 124 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 126 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 160 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 162 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 180 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 208 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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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 223 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:41 EST
Yeah, I agree, the pointing-rods-and-magically-changing-colors on hair
and stuff is kinda old (though it surfaced in Total Recall). No plans for it,
that's for sure.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 230 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:46 EST
Aquila...let me try this again, since you may have missed it in other
postings. Our current situation is ironic in that it has nothing really to do
with our show, but rather with the network.
The chronology, and our situation, is simple.
1) November 1991: Time Trax, Kung Fu and B5 contend among each other for
the first night of programming on the new network. There are ONLY TWO SLOTS
AVAILABLE, two hours. B5 and TT have the inside track, but there's a question
as to whether or not B5 can be done for TV *at all* given what we were
promising (a huge saga, state of the art EFX, a large cast, that sort of
thing). So we have to answer that question by making a pilot. The other two
shows go into series production at that time.
2) They start filming episodes in August, about the same time we start
the pilot.
3) We finish the pilot (barring our current last phase of post
production). Warners LOVES the show. The stations, which have always been
big on the show, WANT the show. Warners tries to convince the local stations
to open up a second night of programming, with B5 as the anchor. The stations
love the idea...but don't want to open up a second night until they get the
ratings on ALL THE SHOWS. Not just B5. If all the shows are big hits, then
they open the second night with Bt as the anchor. If one doesn't perform,
then B5 becomes the replacement.
Point being...and I can't stress this enough...there is no -- repeat, NO -
- problem with Warners or the stations in terms of confidence or anything
else. They're chomping at the bit to go with it. The only problem is that
their "box" in which to put programs currently can only fit two one-hour
shows. Either they take one out, or get another box, but they can't give us a
go until one or the other happens. It's not like a big network that has 7
days of programming a week and can just drop in a show wherever it wants...or
a straight-ahead syndicated show. This is part of a new network, and is
dependent upon the internal workings of that network. Which is fine by me,
it's just the way things are just now.
Does that address your question?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 243 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:43 EST
Ninety percent of the stations taking the PTEN lineup have news from 10-
11, so that only leaves 8-10 for programs.
The deal is that the stations and Warners pay 50/50, as I understand it
from the trades, for the shows, and I don't think Warners would want to set
the precedent of paying 100% for any given number of shows. And because
they're 50/50 partners, it would be politically inappropriate for one arm to
unilaterally order X-episodes of anything. As for the rest, there are options
on top of options, all in our favor.
Re: post production timing and budget...we budgeted plenty of time and
money for post production. When the sound folks came back and asked for an
additional day, just so we can be sure we have time for whatever little
corrections are required by then, that wasn't a problem. As it is, we'll be
delivering the show next Thursday to Warners, and it won't even go out on the
satellite to the stations for a full month, and doesn't air for nearly six
weeks from the time of completion, so we're WELL ahead of schedule in that
respect. They only actually needed the show 4 weeks ahead for
screening/reviewer purposes; we extended that by two full weeks.
Another busy day in post today...but it's coming together well. We have
basically just two more acts to finish, and will probably give all of Monday
to one of them, since it's massively complex. (Usually you can do at least
two or three acts in a day.)
BTW, and totally aside...I finally saw the tape of my last MURDER, SHE
WROTE episode, and it actually came out quite well, minus one or two very
minor glitches. It airs Sunday. (And there's a bonus to the Captain Power
fans contained in the name of one of the characters....)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 257 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:09 EST
I can understand about the feeling re: coming information and the wait
until February. It's very easy to post info as we go into production, and
during production...but once it's finished here, which it will be as of this
coming Tuesday, the process is more or less complete. I've tried hard over
this process not to blather on, but to say something if there's something
worth hearing. I hope I can find new items to keep the topic(s) going as we
near airdate.
jms
(P.S. The current newsletter is finished, and will be going out in the
mail this week, I'm told.)
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 269 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:14 EST
I have no problem with married couples, none whatsoever, serving the EA.
And, as I've said before, there is no problem having a kid in the background,
as one of a family passing through, for instance, but I do not wish to center
a whole *story* around one. Someone said "But they can do it on TNG and DS9,"
which is one more reason for NOT doing it here, to keep the identities
separate and distinct.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 275 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:26 EST
Mark, I've answered this question about as many times as I intend
to...if you want to go back into the discussion and read the info, you're
welcome to. That article, for starters was put together LONG before the
general meeting with the stations at which point a true reading was gotten re:
the show. Warners *cannot* commit unilaterally on any series without the go
from the stations, and that won't come until they've got a fix on how ALL the
shows are doing. You're asking Warners to do something they wouldn't do for
ANY show at any time.
I'm not cranky, it's just that I've now answered this about six times
here.
Now exiting harrumph-mode.
Re: supernatural elements...not per se, no. There is some element of
mysticism and spirituality, but (one hopes) not quite so ham-handed. My
feeling is that if it's there, DO something with it other than use it as a way
into (and out of) a plot device, thereafter dropping it.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 278 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:49 EST
I don't think we have to worry about Warners, folks, really...it's okay.
And we've got contingencies up the wazoo. All is well.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 288 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:39 EST
You can jump into the B5 story at *any* point...only thing is, the more
you watch, the more you get the nuances. PICKET FENCES is a great example of
this.
And if the waiting to hear when and under what umbrella B5 will be picked
up is killing YOU....
jms
(Umbrella = same night/second night, not to start any rumors.)
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 295 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:45 EST
I am NOT stubborn. I don't care WHAT you say, I'm not changing my
opinion about that, I'm NOT stubborn.
And yes, the plan is to definitely have the PTEN expand to additional
night, just as Fox has done.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 299 Wed Jan 13, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:03 EST
There's been some talk of my appearing on H25 the Friday before the
broadcast, but nothing firm. And offhand...I'm sorry, but I don't recall the
date of the show with Ron. I'm sure it's written down somewhere...but you've
never actually SEEN my desk, have you?
Then again, as I think of it, *I* haven't seen my desk lately....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 310 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:20 EST
The inter-relationships between FOX, PTEN, the FCC and any and all other
acronymical organizations is utterly beyond my ken, and I would no sooner try
to explain it or understand it than I would attempt to build a tesseract in
the back yard.
In what I *hope* will be a relatively definitive word on this kid
topic...yes, I can write a story with kids. I've done it...I did it for the
Twilight Zone and other shows. The question is still one of making choices.
Is that what this series is ABOUT? You could drop in a chapter on badminton
techiques into The Lord of the Rings or Debbie Does Cleveland, the question
is, does it BELONG there? Is that what the show or the story is attempting to
address?
If there were no other shows with kids around, then I would be more
inclined to do one with kids at the center. But there are plenty of them
around, particularly in SF...you've got kids aplenty on TNG, on DS9, I just
saw a kid story on Space Rangers...this is simply a different kind of show.
My point is simply this: B5 is meant, in a very real sense, as noted in
my message on 2, to be an SF novel for television. If it were just random
stories skittering hither, thither and yawn, that would be one thing. But as
any novelist can tell you, you have to ask, "Whose story is it?" and stick
pretty close to that, even though you may swerve in and out of other POVs and
indulge in omniscient narrative. That requires certain choices about tone and
attitude and what you include, and what you choose to exclude. Doesn't
invalidate one type of story or another, it only says "THIS is what my story's
about."
There are plenty of other SF shows with kids. Let's have something a
little different.
(That's one of the ironies that crops up about this show...often people
say "We want innovation," and when asked for specifics, they ask to make it
more like other shows. "Well, TNG does this kind of story, why can't you?"
We can, but we're not. Because we're not TNG. Just as we will do some
stories that I *guarantee* you ST wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 325 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:55 EST
Yes, there's considerable training involved. In the pilot, Lyta talks
about it in one exchange, about the "years of training" required for a P5
classification, and that most of those who try "burn out."
As for the Fox station question...bear in mind that most stations that
broadcast Fox shows are not actively OWNED by Fox, they are only loosely
AFFILIATED with Fox. They're still independent stations that have a deal to
buy X-number of programs from Fox Television.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 337 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:36 EST
Actually, JoJo's...uhm...outfit is probably the best thing about the
show...not for pure asthetics, of course, just...I dunno...I just kinda like
the dynamics of it...
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 342 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:22 EST
Indeed, they might withhold such participation, which the PC would be
obligated to honor. Non-PC telepaths would be a different situation entirely,
of course...and a danger...which only a PC (or one of the other government's
own 'paths, if any) could work against.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 355 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:01 EST
The "Making of B5" piece is being re-edited; originally, the E! piece was
going to be the one shown, but...well, no need to rehash all of that. The
piece is being recut, and new stuff put in to replace the old stuff. It
should be finished next week, I hear, and then provided to the stations.
Great news about Arisia, Arne. Any other reactions come to mind?
Re: using my posts for articles...by all means, proceed.
BTW, it appears that the deal for a B5 game has been closed, and the
winner is Electronic Arts.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 358 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:47 EST
This goes back to a very basic philosophical question: can you have
thought without language, or language without thought? At one point in our
evolution, we became conscious...was there language, or did language then come
as a *result* of consciousnes? Or did the slow development of language *lead
to* the development of true consciousness?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 375 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:38 EST
I'll know more about the game in the weeks ahead.
Apparently, Creation has licensed some stuff...mainly shirts and mugs and
patches and the like, nothing major, but it's there. I got the first t-shirt
design roughs today, and have some notes, but nothing too major. More as this
is developed.
BTW, does anyone know if there are any SF conventions this coming weekend
in Dallas?
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 379 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:00 EST
Licensing Corporation of America. Based in New York.
jms
------------
REPly to topic, QUIt reading
STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior
PERmanently ignore this topic
MARk or UNMark this topic
or <RETURN> to continue ?
************
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...)
699 message(s) total.
************
------------
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
------------
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
------------
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
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 465 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:59 EST
Leslie, the stuff you mention is in either the computer EFX topic in this
category, or the B5 science topic, one or the other.
My messages can by all means be sent elsewhere; just not anyone else's
unless you secure permission.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 482 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:13 EST
There's something about the Lyta/Garibaldi dynamic that I like, as others
here have noted as well. I keep playing with one scene I'm dying to write,
where he's trying to pick up on her, and says, "Listen, what do you say we go
by my quarters, I'd like to show you my favorite thing in the whole world."
She gives him THAT look. "Okay-okay-okay, my SECOND favorite thing in the
whole world."
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 492 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:04 EST
Right...and there was a lengthy discussion of how the Links tie into the
B5 central computer, and how it operates in relation to those Links (which are
computer segments themselves) in either the SFX or the B5 Science topics.
BTW, a thought, for anyone to jump in on who wants to...as noted uptopic,
on Tuesday my job is basically done. The B5 pilot will be finished. Between
now and the show's airing 5 or so weeks from now, what areas would you be
interested in discussing? What things would you like to see done here? (I
briefly considered the idea of uploading one page of the script per day
between now and the time B5 airs, but then I realized that a lot of folks
would probably prefer to see it produced, not see the script -- the ultimate
spoiler -- and thus jettisoned that idea.) I guess my main fear is being
dull...not that that's *too* likely to happen with this crowd...but I take the
"okay, so now what?" note uptopic somewhat to heart.
Or we can just keep doing what we're doing....
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 511 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:22 EST
I'll have to check w/Wareners re: the script thing, but under the WGA
contract, I own the physical script and its disposition. Maybe the idea of
excerpts -- filmed stuff, or stuff we cut, missing scenes -- might be the best
way to go. (And even at the rate of 1 page per day, you'd only get through
the first third of the script by the time it aired anyway.) Will advise.
To the question of promotion above...Warners will begin a real push on
this subsequent to the 18th of January. They want to concentrate their
efforts on the month just prior to airing. So far, we've been dragged into
articles often on the basis of the controversy between the various shows...but
both Warners and I feel strongly that it's important to establish our separate
identity, not in relation to anything else. Now that the other shows have
aired, we can now have an easier time doing this.
What can I ask others to do? Mainly to just keep the word out there; if
you see a local article mistakenly labeling B5 a copy, to let the guy know the
facts. But probably the single *most* important thing is what can be done
when the show itself airs...and that's to write to both your local station and
Warners to let them know your feelings. But that's if and ONLY if you
genuinely like what you see, and for no other reason.
Will think about this stuff some more, maybe post some thought later.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 518 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:29 EST
Synopses of upcoming episodes....?
No.
I'd much prefer to see them first on B5 than elsewhere.
All good things come to those who wait...or as someone once said, "Good
news can wait, and bad news will refuse to leave."
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 528 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:43 EST
Re: sign off tags...pruff...that stuff's for sissies. The jms is
sufficient for my needs (and looks kinda like a revolver pointed right).
Have seen the whole movie now with final EFX, sound, music, dialogue, all
that jazz. Looks better than I'd hoped possible. Will be cleaning up a few
spots in the next two days, and then watching the final product one more time,
this time on a regular TV set rather than the studio's projection system and
sound system, to better gauge what will and won't be audible on a home TV.
By mid-day Wednesday, we be done.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 532 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:23 EST
Haven't yet seen Time Trax, so can't comment. I don't see "a lot" of
shows "taking place on space stations," at this point, only two, unless you
count the outpost stuff in Space Rangers. Personally, my feeling is that the
more good SF, the better.
It's my understanding that very likely B5 *will* be released theatrically
overseas as a feature. More on this as I can talk about it.
Guest stars? Of course. Many and varied.
Re: scripts...for the first year, there will be only two people on staff:
me, and Harlan Ellison, as creative consultant. So the majority of the
scripts will be freelance. For that first season, we've already locked down
our writers. They will come from one of two groups: a) a small group of
writers who I've worked with over the years and have trained to my tastes, and
b) another small group of leading SF writers, many of whom don't work for TV
anymore, but will break that absence for B5.
Part of the reason for this is to establish ourselves firmly during the
course of that first season, get our feet wet, firm up our identity, and other
hits by the same name. It does no good for freelancers on the outside to try
a script until they've seen at least one season, as well. Finally, because
there will be a certain amount of continuity and developing storylines from
episode to episode, that requires a certain degree of direction from in-house
on stories. Very often we'll go to a writer and say, "Here...in this story, X
has to happen. Beyond making sure that X is included, do what you want." An
outsider won't have access to knowing what that X is.
Still, there will be episodes totally separate from the arc, and those
are far more wide open.
One disservice that TNG has done the SF writing community is its -- in a
way -- tendency to *use* SF fans as idea mills. Hundreds of scripts arrive
each month, they're read through, good ideas are plucked out, they pay a
couple hundred bucks for the premise, then write it in-house. Part of the
reason they're always so desperate for material, and driven to this length of
soliciting scripts from fans, is that they don't have a terrific reputation in
the writing community. Some of it is undeserved, a hanger-on from previous
administrations, and some of it seems to have some basis in terms of the fact
that you will never have the chance to see your script through to the end.
That problem does not exist with B5. Our writers are already lined up
and ready to go.
Starting with the second season, assuming we get that far, we will open
things up more and be willing to look at finished scripts with a release form.
I think that providing that opportunity is important. But it won't be such a
cattle-call in the way it's handled.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 547 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:15 EST
Yes, I've asked David (and he's agreed) to write the novelization, which
will probably commence within days of the series go being given. And there
have been many screenplays published over the years, in script form/via
paperback or hardcover; I have a rather extensive collection of same
(including the aforementioned T2 book, which is extraordinarily good). It
might be a good idea to do one for B5, with annotations, but not including the
"how to write for tv" material mainly because that's a) covered in my writing
book, which b) I intend one of these days to finish updating to Writers Digest
Books can stop yelling on me.
Some random observations and thoughts which might be of interest....
We've pretty much finished the final mix, as stated, which we'll review
tomorrow morning to be sure that it sounds okay on a small set. But for
those of you out there with surround systems, and stations that will broadcast
in surround...me boyos, have YOU got a treat coming your way. We did a *lot*
of work on this thing to emphasize the surround. One act had over 100 passes
to make the sound as layered as possible (an average show has maybe 30 per).
The movement is quite distinct and compelling. The sound EFX are also quite
good...the sound made by the weapons is also quite good.
One thing we did with the weapons is to try, again, to be fairly logical.
If it's a BIG weapon -- rifle size or better -- then you're going to have a
quicker recharge time (if any) between firings, though you may have to change
packs more often. At one point, you'll see a smaller, hand-sized gun being
fired a few times. And each time, you'll hear a power whine as it builds up
the required power to fire off another round. A gun that small simply
wouldn't have the capability to fire off one after another after another
without some power buildup that might not be present in a larger gun.
(Smaller guns are generally things you'd want to smuggle on board, and might
be as useful, in those ways, as a Derringer, which could only fire one or two
shots, as opposed to a machinegun or gattling gun brought openly into battle,
and which is intended to be used a lot.)
Someone mentioned the positive aspects to building the maximum population
of a space station around available supplies and other very real
considerations. We're trying, consistently, to ask "How would this work in
reality? What are the SCIENCE considerations in doing SF?" In general, we've
found that if you Ask The Next Question and try to be logical, you get MORE
options, and you get more INTERESTING options than if you just throw all that
to the winds. (Often networks say, "Ah, screw the science on it, you'll just
limit yourself." Not true.)
During the final mix-down, a group of cub scouts came through the mixing
facility on a tour. So we invited them in for the play-back on the next-to-
the-last act...this is the one where we kick over the table and it's pretty
much nonstop action. Wanted to see the reaction of kids to the show, because
if there's a more relentlessly honest audience than kids that age, I don't
know what it is. The fidget factor is enormous when they get bored.
They didn't BUDGE. For some of the shots, they sat there, slack jawed,
at what they were seeing. Which is also good to know, that the show can
appeal to kids as well as adults WITHOUT making any dumb compromises (i.e.,
writing down, sticking in kids) to that audience. I heard them later talking
about it among themselves, and though one kid was a bit unnerved by the whole
thing, the rest just went on and on about it..."awesome"..."cool"..."that was
great." So far, so good.
Onward.
In thinking a little about the discussion, and what role I've tried to
play (and if I've seemed a bit brief or short of late, my apologies; the
workload is immense just now), and I don't want anyone to think that I'm
playing coy or just teasing about the series when questions about same come
up, insofar as story possibilities or plot stuff is concerned.
Obviously, I don't want to give out stuff that would constitute the Ultimate
Spoiler.
But there are generalities that I *can* talk about. When this topic
first began, I was able to talk a little about what was hoped for in the
movie...to let people know what we were talking about, and what to expect in
exchange for the interest. (I've always believed that you have to put your
money where your mouth is and earn loyalty by keeping promises and being
straightforward in what you do.)
So what *can* be said about the series, what would you have to look
forward to?
You will find out what happened to Sinclair, for starters, during the
Earth/Minbari war. In that respect, the pilot movie is like the first chapter
of a novel. For nearly 10 years, Sinclair has worked to convince himself that
nothing happened to him on the Line other than what seems to be the case: that
he blacked out for 24 hours. He's just managed to convince himself of this.
Now, suddenly, someone comes into his life and with seven words -- you'll know
them when you hear them -- completely unravels the self-deception. He knows
then that something DID happen to him, that someone DID mess with his
mind...and he is going to find out who, and why.
This he will do. And the ramifications of that discovery will have a
major influence on the series, on his relationships, and the future of not
only his character but many others.
You will see what a Vorlon is...and what it represents. And what it may
have to do with our own saga, and a hidden relationship to some of our other
characters (watch the reception scene carefully). We'll discover that there
are MANY players in this game.
One thing that separates this show from others is that on other shows,
very often you do things to them to make for interesting drama...you take them
prisoner, you make them kids, whatever...in this show, it's what's INSIDE the
characters that will pose the greatest problems...and the greatest
possibilities for drama. Most every major character is either running to, or
away from something in their hearts, or their pasts, or their careers.
Garibaldi's past will catch up with him in a very difficult way that will
affect his role and make him a very different character for as much as a full
season, and have lasting effects thereafter. Lyta will take part in a voyage
of discovery that will very much change her character.
Some of the established empires will fall. Some will rise. Hopes and
fortunes will be alternately made or destroyed. At least one major group not
yet known even to EXIST will make its presence known, but only gradually.
Some characters will fall from grace. Others will make bargains whose full
price they do not understand...but will eventually come to realize, and
regret.
At the end of the first season, one character will undergo a major, MAJOR
change, which will start the show spinning on a very different axis. The
first season will have some fairly conventional stories, but others will start
the show gradually moving toward where I want it to go. One has to set these
things up gradually. Events in the story -- which is very much the story of
Jeffrey Sinclair -- will speed up in each subsequent season.
Someone he considers a friend will betray him. Another will prove to be
the exact opposite of what Sinclair believes to be true. Some will live.
Some will die. He will be put through a crucible of terrible force, that will
change him, and alter his destiny, in a profound and terrible way...if he goes
one way, or the other, will determine not only his own fate, but that of
millions of others. He will grow, and become stronger, better, wiser...or be
destroyed by what fate is bringing his way. In sum, it is a story of hope
against terrible adversity and overwhelming odds.
That, in broad brush strokes, is a *taste* of what I plan to do with the
series. I note this here because when the pilot airs, I am going to ask for
your continued help in supporting the endeavor for the series, and it occurs
to me that you ought to have at least SOME idea of what you're buying, and
being asked to support. One should never be asked to sign a blank check on
the bank of one's conscience.
Reactions?
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 549 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:42 EST
What happens at the end of the five year arc? The "Babylon 5" series
ends...if I have anything to say about it (and I do). If something esle
follows, we'll see what that is, but it won't be the same series, or the same
title, or really the same characters.
Barring that very distant possibility, at the end of the five year arc, I
take a very, very, VERY long nap....
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 582 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:42 EST
Thanks, all. My only mortal dread in putting this stuff out there is
based upon the fact that the basic *story* of the pilot movie is fairly
straightforward, the way you make a prologue to a novel fairly simple, but
plant the seeds for that which will follow. My terror is that people will
look at it, expecting ***GALACTIC EMPIRES IN COLLISION!*** and see a rather
basic story, and say, "Huh? Where's all the other stuff?"
It's in the series. Trust me. I wouldn't lie on you.
In a way, it's a question of establishing context. Take, for instance,
the two TERMINATOR movies. The plots of both are incredibly simple, and
essentially identical: Character A comes out of the future to kill Character
B; Character C also comes out of the future to stop Character A. When you
come *right down to it*, that's all the story there is. But it introduces the
background, and the context, and that informs the story. The actual *story*
in the B5 pilot is similarly basic (also for the reason that it became easier
to slip past folks)...it's the context and the characters that are introduced
that matter.
And there's a *lot* to introduce...a new universe, new technologies, new
races, NINE regular characters, histories, wars, alliances...there ain't much
room for anything too complex.
It's like a foundation poured of concrete; it ain't pretty, but it's
*solid* enough to hold one hell of a house.
And speaking of which....
Basic fact: all you can do is the *best* you can do. You do your job,
second-guess yourself into hysteria, and hope it works.
Which is a long way of saying...the B5 pilot is now complete. Nothing
remains to be done. We had the final run-through and playback on TV set
speakers (modifying a few things here and there, but not much), and now it
goes to the studio, and from there, the stations.
There was only one other modification I made today: remembering some of
the confusion and uncertainty here about how the Kosh hand scene was framed --
why it was the way it was, he said vaguely -- I decided at the last minute to
bring in Pat Tallman to record one additional line of dialogue to clarify
things. Once again, the discussion here has directly affected something in
the pilot. The criticisms, I felt, were accurate, and needed to be addressed.
This was done.
That said...it's a strange feeling knowing that this stage is now
complete. No take-backs, no second chances, nada. The film lives or dies now
on its merits, as it should be. There's exhiliration, and a measure of -- I
dunno -- hollowness, I suppose. And now the need grows to get Phase Two
going. And one way or another, it *will* get going.
For five years, people told me that B5 could never be made, that even if
you could find a studio to back it, it might never get aired; and even if you
got both those two, you'd never be able to exercise the creative control
required to make it worth the agony. Five years is just a whole lotta NOs.
But it got done. And, of course, the chorus returns about the series...but it
will get made, if I have to move heaven and earth to do it.
Onward.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 602 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:03 EST
Re: using the background TVs to show newscasts of recent events... what
an utterly, utterly, majorly COOL idea. The frown on my face is only from
wondering why the hell none of US thought of that. (Hmm... y'know, there were
invariably one or two guys in the crew running around videotaping everything
and anything...if you could have them also videotaping scenes as we were
filming them...splice in EFX footage as needed...wrap the whole thing around
the B5 Newscast Logo (and yes, we have one, it's in the pilot, albeit in BG),
it'd give you something nifty to have going on, and would make sense.
What a wonderful and simple and effective idea....
Thank you.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 605 Thu Jan 14, 1993
n
the other day, and as we were watching it, he kept shaking his head at all the
things he would've done differently if he'd known then what he knows now, and
if he'd had the programs/techniques then that he has now. Just the few months
since we finished photography have given him a number of tools that he didn't
have then.
We talked a little about what's capable now, what he can do now, and
what's coming up, and it makes what's in the pilot look like nothing by
comparison. (A lot of the critics talked about the extensive work that went
into the DS9 jello-man effect, not to mention the cost involved; he turned his
associate Paul into the same thing in a test that worked just as well and took
one night and no money, just a little while behind the keyboard.) Once we get
the go, he and I are going to spend a couple of days just sitting and talking
about what can be done now, so that I can take full advantage of this new
stuff.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 627 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:46 EST
"Bob" will never be seen talke, for any reason,
in B5. I'll personally run a truck over him first, newscast or not (unless I
think I can get a good gag out of it...).
Re: my mental state...I'll know better in a week or so. I try not to get
too personally involved with my own life. Basically, itf
in ever-------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 652 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:05 EST
BTW, to correct an erroneous statement of mine earlier, there is not a
species named Vee'lons that will be introduced on DS9.
The Vee'lons will be introduced on Space Rangers.
Some days, I just can't get a break....
s
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 672 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:42 EST
I take great joy in being politically *incorrect* at every possible
opportunity. I believe in the motto someone at the BBC once voice: "There
are some people we WANT to offend."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 685 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:47 EST
Re: starships from Earth...yes, you'll be seeing a wide range of ships,
from smaller transports and trading vessels to big mothers. It is something
of an empire, and the ships come in as many varied forms as we have cars and
trucks and semis and tanks and on and on....
Re: talking vs. action...there's a shade more exposition than I'd like in
the pilot, mainly because there's so damned MUCH background to establish, so
much ground to lay...it'll be more evenly proportioned in the series. I like
action. For me, the #1 crime of any TV show or movie is that it should bore.
When in doubt, kill somebody.
Or blow something up.
Re: technology...yes, the point about the sudden jump via new
technologies is exactly dead on. It *did* have a tramautic impact, and to
varying degrees still does. The effect of technology, and the desire for
same, will be a recurrent thread. There are some technologies that are
considered too radical for some species, and are thus kept off limits, with
prison sentences or even death sentences for smuggling certain kinds of
technologies. One such tech-runner appears in the pilot. The parallel, I
suppose, would be our current concerns with the spread of nuclear technology.
jms
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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.
497 message(s) total.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Category 18, Topic 3
Message 447 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:05 EST
Isn't Lexicor the company owned by Lex Luthor...?
jms
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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.
501 message(s) total.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 458 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:01 EST
Lonnie, let us not tempt the universe....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 467 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:16 EST
Jack...er...so, you noticed those initials, eh? Probably noticed that
Garibaldi's first name is Michael, too, huh?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 469 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:06 EST
The two tallest are Michael O'Hare and Jerry Doyle...and I think they're
about the same height...unless Jerry's just a squidge taller.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 473 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:24 EST
Just checked their resumes, and their heights aren't indicated. I will
have to get back to you on this.
jms
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************
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.
222 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 5
Message 172 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:08 EST
The current newsletter is due out this week, and any who sent in subs
requesting #1 will probably receive them at the same time.
Re: merchandising...we have several deals in the works, the only one I
know for sure involves a computer game from a major company. There will be
some supplementary stuff...shirts and mugs and hats and patches and
stuff...around the time of the pilot, at least so I'm told. Luckily, my
contract with Warners requires my consultation on marketing, so nothing
embarrassing will come out if I have anything to say about it.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 5
Message 174 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:31 EST
Don't know yet; will probably have more info in a few weeks.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 5
Message 182 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:26 EST
The software company involved is a good one, and the designers are first
rate. As soon as I can announce the details, I will.
And yeah, I get one of everything. I may need a bigger house....
The best way to make sure one gets in on any upcoming marketing is
probably to write Warners marketing (I believe it's the Licensing Corporation
of America...maybe someone here has an address) and ask to get on a mailing
list for info.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 5
Message 189 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:32 EST
Great, Rob, many, many thanks. So yeah...anybody who wants to get on a
mailing list for merchandise related to B5, drop a note to the address
contained in message 187. Be the first on your block....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 5
Message 218 Wed Jan 20, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:00 EST
Yep...the "beep" stuff will all be clear by the end of the pilot.
jms
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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....
290 message(s) total.
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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
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Category 18, Topic 6
Message 252 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:19 EST
WVTV Milwaukee.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 6
Message 287 Wed Jan 20, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:02 EST
I'm scheduled for Gallifrey One Goes Forth?
Oh....
Er...when exactly is that, again?
jms
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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!
429 message(s) total.
************
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 349 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:19 EST
The background on that business meeting is similar to all such uses of
telepaths: both sides agree to the presence of a telepath to monitor the
negotiations. If one were to demur, the deal would be off because the person
clearly has something to hide. Which is why there is a good market for
various kinds of shields that don't LOOK like or feel like shields unless the
telepath knows what to look for. You can also just try and hide it and hope
that the telepath isn't looking too deep or isn't really paying attention,
which is what that guy was doing. (May have been reciting the "tensor" rhyme
trying to keep his brain occupied.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 353 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:31 EST
How much combat is in the movie? Not terribly much...I wanted more of a
dramatic series with action than an action series with drama. The series will
alternate...some with lots and lots of action, some with less.
The budget is classified.
Re: the total population of B5...this is something that I went round and
round with as the designers and I worked on this thing. They haven't given me
an exact figure yet; I imagine I'll get it eventually. It's in the *area* of
a couple hundred thousand, though. I *think* they said the max capacity was
around 250,000 but I could be wrong.
(This is one of those things where the writer can't just set a figure and
wave a magic wand. B5 is a particular given size...now you have to figure out
how much space is required by hydroponics, station systems, infrastructure and
so on...subtract that from the total available volume, determine how large the
individual living quarters are, with some variance, and then finally zero in
on how many people that could accommodate without squeezing everyone in like
sardines. All I know is that there's math involved....)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 361 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:45 EST
No, they're not.
And someone trained to know what to look for in a scan would pick up on
it...but those are few and far between.
Ah hates math. I failed bonehead math twice in junior college, and only
passed the third time when the professor, seeing me one more time in his
class, said in despair, "Just...go. I'll give you a C-, just go."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 366 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:23 EST
I can more or less hold my own in math UNTIL such time as suddenly we're
dealing with numbers AND letters. For some reason, I'm absolutely hard-wired
for language. Letters are part of a word, a number is for math. When someone
says "A = 9" my immediate response is, "A what? *A* dog? *A* horse? What?"
I know what the theory is on all this, that there are groups, sub-groups,
universes, all that jazz...the theory is fine...but when I look at a number
AND a letter in an equation, my brain goes into vapor lock, I get confused and
fall down.
I don't even want to TALK about the scams I ran in order to pass my
semester of Statistical Psychology to get my B.A. in clinical psych.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 369 Wed Jan 13, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:05 EST
.
.
.
.
.
<thud>
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 377 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:51 EST
To get past the language requirement, I took two semesters of German.
German I and German II. Simultaneously. From 9-10:30 twice a week we were
nice and safe and snuggly in a very basic German class...and from 10:30 to 12
noon twice a week (same days), we were dropped screaming like souls into
Dante's Ninth Circle masquerading as German II, where the instructor would
ONLY speak to us in German. Which we didn't understand. It was kind of a
trial run, an experiment to see if it would work, and the conclusion at the
end of the semester...at which point half of us were stark, staring mad, and
the other half were plotting to annex the Sudetenland...was that it didn't
work. My basic problem (even though I passed) was that I was always week on
English grammar...so when I had to slam a word through the various forms and
declensions, I would...well, you've seen what happens when someone throws an
equation at me...it's a lot like that, only with a bunch of umlauts thrown in
for color.
That was the same semester in which I realized that I wanted to get the
hell OUT of college and into writing full time, and started cramming courses.
I think I had something on the order of 23 or 27 credits that semester alone,
in violation of university limits (I crashed courses that were beyond the
proscribed limits). And they weren't monkey classes, either, lemme tell
you...6 units of German, plus classes in Statistical Psychology, Biology,
Literature, Philosophy, and some other stuff (along with the 1-2 writing
workshops I took every semester). To this day I'm still amazed that I
actually got THROUGH that semester.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 398 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:50 EST
There are actually several languages heard on B5, though you have to
work to hear them. (Those with surround will have an easier time.) For
instance, in the customs area, announcements are made first in English, then
in Interlac. In the bazaar area, you'll hear chirrups and whistles and clicks
and a wide range of language-sounds.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 400 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:12 EST
There are about as many as now...with a few extras developed on the Mars
and other colonies.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 408 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:29 EST
Re: asking telepaths on a date...it would be verbal, assuming we're
talking PC hrized scans are illegal, and thus they would not be "dipping" to
know your intentions.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 416 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:48 EST
(A job like that could take YEARS....)
jms
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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.
306 message(s) total.
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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
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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
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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
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 99 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:00 EST
Who...?
jms
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Message 126 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:07 EST
Re: the voices....I can't do it, I can't tell him....
Re: the narration at the beginning...actually, I suppose there's no
reason why I can't put it up here.
LONDO (older voice): "I was there at the dawn of the Third Age of
Mankind. It was the Earth year 2257. Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon
stations, located deep in neutral space. It was a port of call for
businessmen, smugglers, diplomats, businessmen and travelers from a hundred
worlds. It could be a dangerous place, but we accepted the risk because
Babylon 5 was our last, best hope for peace. Under the leadership of its
final commander, Babylon 5 was a dream given form...a dream of a galaxy
without war, where species from other worlds could exist in mutual respect...a
dream that was endange one man on a mission of destruction. Babylon 5 was the
last of the Babylon stations. This...is its story."
That's from memory, and as I look at it, some of it ain't *exactly* right
(that should be "species from different worlds" not "other worlds," for
instance, but the sense of it is correct, and it's probably 90% textually
correct. (I also see I repeated businessmen twice...which means I left
something out, but having now been up about 20 hours, I'm too tired to
remember what or to look it up in the script.)
I'll try to remember to dig out the exact wording and put it up, if
anyone's interested.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 137 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:23 EST
"I was there at the dawn of the Third Age of Mankind. It began in the
Earth Year 2257. Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations, located deep
in neutral space. It was a port of call for refugees, businessmen, smugglers,
diplomats and travelers from a hundred worlds. It could be a dangerous place,
but we accepted the risk because Babylon 5 was our last, best hope for peace.
Under the leadership of its final commander, Babylon 5 was a dream, given
form. A dream of a galaxy without war, where species from different worlds
could exist, side by side, in mutual respect...a dream that was endangered, as
never before, by the arrival of one man on a mission of destruction.
"Babylon 5...was the last of the Babylon stations. This...is its
story...."
jms
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Message 140 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:10 EST
That is the only narration in the show. When we get to the series, I
plan to adjust the narration and keep it as a stet opening. Probably it'll be
something along the lines of, "I was there at the dawn of the Third Age of
Mankind. It began in the Earth year 2257. Babylon 5 was the last of the
Babylon stations. This is its story...."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 147 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:38 EST
Oh, yeah, the "mission of destruction" thing ONLY relates to this
particular episode, the pilot. It'll be gone from regular episodes.
For the series, my feeling is that the intro should be as short as
possible, almost more for mood than for information.
The intro may also change slightly each season....
As for software, I use plain old Word for my writing, though I just got
7.0 and will change over as soon as I decide I have nothing else of value in
my life to deal with. I am but a simple man from a simple land of simple
values....
The computer itself is kind of a hum-dinger...a 486/50mhz, 330 meg hard
drive, 650 meg rewriteable optical drive (for a total on-line of about 1
gigabyte), NEC 4FG monitor, 64 megs of RAM, SCSI 32 bit system, and due to
arrive any day now, the 6-disk Pioneer CD-ROM jukebox. Also have the
Thunderboard sound card, Diamond Speedstar 14F video card, and a bunch of
other goodies.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 150 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:52 EST
Actually, there's a weird typo in there; it should be Wordstar 5.5, not
Word (ecch).
jms
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Message 161 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:37 EST
The background visuals for the narrative will be much the same for the
series as the pilot...a montage of the station, people and locales.
Difference between an exec producer and a producer? A producer can be a
line producer, who handles mainly production problems, or a writer producer,
who mainly writes, sits in on casting and stuff. An exec producer is the guy
In Charge...otherwise referred to as a Show Runner, who sets the direction for
the series or project, makes final decisions on casting, music, sets, all that
jazz. On B5, I share exec producer status with Doug Netter...basically, we
divide it up that Doug handles most of the deal making (which he loves) with
agents, other business stuff, and I get to play.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 167 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:54 EST
"Mankind" was being used by Londo specifically in relation to humans, not
sentient aliens including his own race. Earthers. Which was one reason (of
many) I wanted his character to be the narrator, someone looking in from the
outside.
As for the Third Age, it's -- oh, darn, look at the time, have to go....
jms
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Message 178 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST
I only said that the story will *concentrate* on B5 the first two years
in terms of locations. We'll branch out, certainly, after that.
Mike: your Third Age thought is very close to being correct. It's only
the object of your sentence that's incorrect.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 184 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:29 EST
Yes, it's repetitive. Yes, it's deliberate. It brings you back to the
beginning of the narrative, which is a space shot that more or less matches
the other shot. (Makes a visual loop, in other words.)
Telestro: certainly one of our characters might go the way of
Saruman....and one might go the way of Aragorn...and Gandalf...ah, well,
that's always uncertain, isn't it? "Expect me when you see me."
jms
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Message 185 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:33 EST
And then again...maybe not.
jms
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Message 194 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:28 EST
WHO TOLD YOU ABOUT PLANET GAWOOMPKI?! EGADS! THERE'S A LEAK IN OUR
OPERATION!
(Actually, there *is* a leak in our organization...the funny thing is
that it's me.)
Re: Sinclair and Ambassador-ship...there's a very logical questoin (or
question) that has to be dealt with. (Again, we go back to that same point,
asking the next question.) Why is a *Commander* serving on the station, and
the Advisory Council, and representing Earth? Wouldn't they have a regular
Ambassador present?
This is a question that we will resolve. As well as the one implicit in
the foregoing: why is a *COMMANDER* -- lower in rank than a Captain --
entrusted with this responsibility, rather than an Admiral or some other high-
ranking individual?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 195 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:33 EST
BTW, ironically, this is the only area that worries me in showing the
pilot. People are going to say, "Waitaminnit! This doesn't make any sense!
Why is a COMMANDER running this thing? And what about this bit over here...?"
It's kinda risky to deliberatly program in what look like errors, but are
story points that will be raised and resolved later. Ah, well...you gotta
take chances....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 205 Wed Jan 13, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:10 EST
Yeah, I'm *pretty much* staying to Naval terms, mainly because the
introduction of starships will probably be under that heading as vessels, and
that seems to follow. Additionally, if all of the various major militaries of
various countries were combined into one Earthforce, then there would be some
standardization, and naval terms *seem* to be more standard than others across
services, but my research there isn't as deep as it probably should be. Would
be nice to work in some variations, however....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 224 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:57 EST
The EA is governed by political figures, just as today, though some of
the structures have altered to accommodate a more world-spanning form of
government. (Instead of senators elected from states, they're now elected by
country, and so on.)
As for language...the DICTIONARY defines language, PEOPLE screw with it
until distinctions blur...as with the distinction between "fewer" and "less."
"There were less people in attendence this week." No. There were FEWER
people in attendence. This is what people do. This is your language. This
is your language in people...any questions?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 233 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:11 EST
That's an extremely good point about species/races; I'll be careful about
that. I don't *think* that came up in the pilot, and now it won't in the
series.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 238 Fri Jan 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:27 EST
BTW, it's my understanding that the monitor screens on TNG are not
inserted in post; they're regular TV screens with edges that come out and
cover any bends in the tube, thereby giving it a flat look. At least, that's
what I hear....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 251 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:53 EST
I agree re: universal translators. Most everything in the ST universe is
bent toward making the process easier, less challenging; I want to show the
process of overcoming. I think it's great if an alien shows up from a
previously unvisited planet, and they spend days trying to communicate with
it. I think that some computerized stuff might work, as in the case where
someone programs a machine to go from one specific language to another (sort
of a species-specific interpreter), but thats about it.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 261 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:37 EST
The language facilities of aliens will vary; probably the most fluent (by
virtue of necessity) are the ambassadors, whose english is perfect or nearly
so (cyberlink to the brain dumping the English equivilants of their own
language and grammar directly into the brain, very expensive and not a little
painful). The drawback is that some cultural references or some contextual
areas may not be as clear as required. (Londo wondering about ramoras, Delenn
unsure for a moment about poetry....)
Re: language in general...I agree that all languages must be "living
languages" in that they are free to grow and expand and add new terms. There
is a difference between this and a *collapsing language* in which the
distinction between terms (the aformentioned less and fewer) becomes degraded,
and meanings blur through misuse. Ase gradually becomes less precise. A
language should be graded on how well it manages to communicate the thoughts
of one to the other. If it begins to fail in that regard, then it is not a
living but a dying language.
(Another example: the way that "anxious" and "eager" have come to mean
the same thing. "Anxious" carries with it some degree of worry or dread or
fear; "eager" is a pleasant term, connoting something wonderful and nice for
which one is longing. So when someone says, with a smiling and expectant
attitude, "Yeah, I'm really anxious to see the new Lucas movie," it's a misuse
of the term, unless there's some reason for worry.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 268 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:11 EST
In terms of the EFX, I think it's all Amigas, with some IBMs being used
for general computing (letters, schedules, etc.).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 281 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:49 EST
Re: TRON v2.0....I'd rather write kids in space.
Re: places of origin...my sense is that they have their own unique names.
We don't call our planet Terra (well, not really), or Hum (for Human) or
Planet Human. Because some of the names are difficult to pronounce, the
logical approach is to note them by designation, i.e., "And shall be shipped
off to the Narn homeworld." That is the only time or I should say context by
which we refer to their places of origin. The only exception to this, and I
don't recall if this is in the pilot or not, is the Centauri homeworld,
designated Centauri Prime.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 288 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:35 EST
Yes, there are definitely other human settlements...colonies and outposts
and co-operative projects on other worlds with other species. It's mainly
from this overlap that the EA draws its non-human members, though a few worlds
have chosen to ally themselves directly with the EA.
jms
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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!
162 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 9
Message 122 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:11 EST
I...no...never mind...forget it...some things are too gross even for me.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 9
Message 132 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:13 EST
Suddenly sounds began emitting from the producer's office...witnesses
later described them as twin shrieks....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 9
Message 150 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:24 EST
Kosh as in "gosh." There's actually a last name, btw...Naranek.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 9
Message 156 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:50 EST
Pronounced Nuh-RAH-nek.
jms
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Topic 10 Thu Nov 12, 1992
SANDMAN [Henry] at 19:25 EST
Sub: Sex in Babylon 5
Can't do without this one!!
99 message(s) total.
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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
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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.
367 message(s) total.
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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
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 274 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:45 EST
Yes, GEnie is still my first choice. You'll note I didn't call the
locale for B5 Central Interstellar System or anything dopey like that; only
referring to it (in bible now, eventually in script) as Grid Epsilon (GE). I
post only a few messages there per week; this is home.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 296 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:13 EST
Yes, we'll definitely see some EVA suits of various kinds, human and
alien. In the pilot, though it's farther away than I would've liked, you can
see a shot along the side of B5, with a couple of ships streaking past, and a
flashing light up in the upper left-hand corner on the hull of the station.
Freeze the frame, and look closely, and you'll see th at it's a guy in an EVA
suit repairing a micrometeor puncture (or some other problem) with a welder of
sorts.
We'll do more, better, and closer, later on.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 303 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:30 EST
Apparently, it's not difficult at all to digitize an actor's face and put
it inside an EVA suit's facemask.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 319 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:19 EST
Someone back a while ago suggested "Fivers," and that's kinda nice.
Re: Captain Power...yeah, that's a show that is an example of what to
strive for, and how sometimes good intentions can get derailed. We genuinely
wanted to come up with a long-term story, and by and large, we succeeded. The
problem was the marketing in front of the show, and the merchandising behind
the show...we got killed from both sides.
There's an entire second season of unproduced CP scripts, story edited by
Larry DiTillio, in which he follows up on the arc that I and others
established during the first season. You would have found out what Dread
became, what happened to Power's mother, where Eden was (and there would be
direct contact), what the secret was in Soaron's programming, and so on.
It was a good experience, though, and it let me cut my teeth on multi-
season story construction. It was the experience on Power that led me to
believe that something like B5 could be done. (And yeah, I still have much
the same reaction to the last episode...it's a real tough one to watch...which
was the point.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 323 Fri Jan 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:48 EST
Definite no on the question of matter transmitters. That's a little too
much in the magic/science-fantasy area for my preferences. Space travel is
done in ships.
Re: Captain Power...it aired in 1987/88 in syndication. Was set in the
future, after the MetalWars, in which one man, who caused the war (in the best
interests of humanity) decided that to save humanity it must be digitized and
stored in machines for the day when perfect metalloid bodies could give
mankind immortality.
Re: Twilight Zone...yes, I worked on the syndicated version. Among the
episodes I wrote (I was also story editor) are "The Mind of Simon Foster,"
with Bruce Weitz; "Dream Me a Life," with Eddie Albert; co-wrote "The Curious
Case of Edgar Witherspoon," with Harry Morgan, and co-wrote "Our Selena is
Dying" posthumously with Rod Serling, from a long lost TZ outline. Other TZs
that I wrote around that time, but whose stars I can't consistently recall:
"The Wall," "The Call," "What Are Friends For?" "Something in the Walls,"
"Acts of Terror," "Special Service," "Rendezvous in a Dark Place," and have
another shared writing credit on "The Trance."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 356 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:50 EST
No, I wasn't previously aware of "Agony" (except what I've gone through
these last six months), but will look for it in future.
jms
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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.
166 message(s) total.
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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.
163 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 63 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:08 EST
Rob: from where? Re: telepaths...there are definite limits, and I most
definitely do NOT wanta it to be a deus ex machina, the solution to every
problem. If anything, it IS a problem itself.
M.Morgan...yes, absolutely, that's what I had in mind all the time. Yeah,
that's it, that's the ticket....
And tachyons...can't forget those pesky tachyons....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 72 Sat Jan 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:39 EST
The computer system is quite good, based on a crystalline technology
that's a mesh between alien and human-developed stuff. As for defense, you'll
see a full demonstration of this in the first season; for now, let's just say
that that smooth looking exterior is laced with sections that can open and
reveal all kinds of interesting things. Imagine a five mile long Swiss Army
knife....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 75 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:03 EST
Yes, the middle section of the station is the Garden, and is still an
O'Neill type environment. And over the course of the series, it's my
intention to bring in all the various organizations and sub-organizations
required to make a place like this work. I really want to try and convey the
sense of a Working Environment, not a set.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 82 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:52 EST
Doctrines and Covenants? Are we talking here Mormonism or Scientology?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 85 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:12 EST
HEY! NO FAIR! NOBODY TOLD ME THERE WAS GOING TO BE MATH INVOLVED! I
DIDN'T STUDY! I WASN'T TOLD THIS WAS GONNA BE ON THE TEST! AAAKKKK!
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 88 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:09 EST
I forget....
jms
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Message 103 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:54 EST
I'm still hammering down the rules on hyperspace...what can and can't be
done. My first thought was that they travel blind, but given that it's
heavily traveled, I realized after a while that you'd *have* to be able to see
your surroundings in order to avoid collisions.
The point you raise is quite conceivable.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 117 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:40 EST
Keyboards are still in use, mainly because there are always going to be
things that you don't want someone to hear, so you'll always need some kind of
non-verbal input system.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 119 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:50 EST
I dunno...I kinda like glasses...but I know the reality is that it may be
fixed by then...there are some in the pilot, in BG.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 121 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:39 EST
It looks cool.
Also, bear in mind that often different gravities require different
atmospheres; alternating atmospheres between floors in the same section is a
bit more difficult than setting aside one whole sector that would be, say, for
methane breathers, and which has a varied gravitational level as a further
accommodation. (If they require standard 1g, there are other areas.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 134 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:58 EST
Yep. You'll see 'em in both the pilot and the series.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 136 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:16 EST
I agree. I wear glasses. I could go to contacts (glass or plastic), try
surgery, all this stuff...but ain't nobody going near my eyes with pieces of
glass or knives or lasers, I don't care HOW safe it is. Just my luck to hit
the one in a million power surge and I'll end up looking backward out where my
brain stem used to be.
It's interesting to see how in pop SF, there is a tendency to assume that
Major Changes will take place. Take a look sometime at a film -- the first SF
musical motion picture -- called "Just Imagine," produced during the 30s. It
talked about a future world in which everyone would have personal flyers, no
one would have names any longer, only numbers, children would be manufactured
and people would eat pills instead of food.
The time-frame in which all this amazing stuff was to take place? The 1980s.
As somebody said, the future ain't what it used to be.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 152 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:02 EST
The defense system for B5 consists of a system of moderate level
defensive grids, hull-mounted weaponry (which is generally concealed behind
large plates, which would be blown off with explosive bolts to reveal the
weapons beneath), and a small number of individual fighter craft stored in a
docking bay at the rear of the station.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 158 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:37 EST
The two things on front -- the spikes, as it were -- are on either side
of a second loading bay, this one expressly for cargo held in the zero-g cargo
hold.
The vanes in the back are heat radiators, as I recall from the original
design notes.
jms
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Topic 14 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:59 EST
Sub: Lurkers/Introductions: Please Sign In
A place for newcomers to come in, say hello, whether you want to jump into the
conversation or not, just to let us know you're here.
151 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 14 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:13 EST
Great! A hi to all the folks who've come out and introduced themselves.
Good to have you aboard. It's interesting to know who all is out there...the
varied backgrounds and fields and "what brought me me here" is intriguing. A
fine buncha folks....welcome.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 78 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:15 EST
Actually...y'know...it's funny, but I've been trying to come up with a
name for the folks who just sorta roam B5, the "homeless" or others who have
enough resources to get there in hopes of jobs or new worlds, and don't have
enough to get off again...and who play a running game of tag of sorts with B5
security..."Lurkers" ain't bad....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 132 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:15 EST
Hey, Mark, good to have another H-25er around.
Pat: I taught at Grossmont College for about one semester, it's a pretty
good place. (Went to San Diego State and meself.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 135 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:52 EST
I taught writing (what else?)...I *think* it was around 1979 or 80.
After a while, everything blurs.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 143 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:59 EST
Re: SDSU, no, I had very little to do with the cinema/telecom dept.
there. I crashed two courses -- mainly because I wanted to learn from a
particular instructor, Norman Corwin -- and had one or two others, but that's
it. My interest was in other areas...one degree in Clinical Psychology with a
minor in Philosophy; another in Sociology with a minor in Creative Writing,
that sort of thing.
BTW, if you go down to the offices of the Daily Aztec, and ask to see the
archive volumes of the paper around 1977/78 or thereabouts, you'll see several
zillion articles by me in there. At more or less the same time, I was the
resident book reviewer, film reviewer and theater reviewer, had two weekly
humor columns ("A View from the Rabbit Hole" and "A Modern Cynic's
Dictionary"), as well as regular feature articles and profiles, and the
occasional investigative article, including one on the CIA. The frequency of
articles led some to describe the paper as The Daily J. Michael. At the same
time I was doing cover stories for the San Diego Reader, the Daily
Californian, features for the SD edition of the Los Angeles Times, and
entertainment reviews for KSDO-AM Newsradio.
But the Daily Aztec stuff was great fun. I worked without pay, the only
one on staff who did, in fact...because I didn't want to be beholden to
anybody, could write what I wanted, nobody had any leverage. Which was all
for the good, given the massive numbers of angry letters and the occasional
bomb threats elicited by what I wrote.
Can't imagine why....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 147 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:57 EST
Yes, a VERY large blunt object.
The one point of any possible interest to draw from this comes from
something I tried to beat into incoming students when I was an orientation
counselor at SDSU: if you go to college, and all you see are the class rooms,
the bathrooms, the parking lot and the cafeteria, you will cheat yourself of
99% of your possible education. Any university or college has vast
opportunities for writers and others. In the former case, write for the
university newspaper, or the university theater (and most schools have an
ongoing one-act production program)...take classes in acting or film, to get a
sense of history, or the hands-on process of being on stage...the range of
experience open to you is enormous. Don't just follow your major to its
conclusion. There is a world of experience you can get while you're there
*that you may never have the chance to experience again*. Take it.
End of sermon. I shouldn't even be here, frankly, this is for the new
folks and others to sign in and introduce themselves...both for the interests
of our own private party, so we know who's come into the room, and for any
possible future mailings or opportunities.
Let's hear from y'all.
jms
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Topic 15 Thu Dec 31, 1992
J.ROY18 [Jonathan] at 21:29 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Alien races
Aliens races in Babylon 5... their politics, abilties, technology, history,
and any other discussion specificly about non-humans.
80 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 2 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:19 EST
I'll have to be a little circumspect here (damn it, you're doing it
again....). The Narn Regime is not currently at war with the Centauri
Republic, which occuped the Narn homeworld for nearly a century before finally
being driven off by the Narn resistance. Their resources depleted they are
not currently in a position to make war on anyone; being naturally rather
paranoid, and having just been more or less enslaved, they have a dread of
other races getting together and possibly harming them, as well as a hunger
for the technology that might protect them down the road (as Russia feared
invasion its Eastern Front after WW2).
There's a rough alliance between the Earth Alliance and the Centauri,
since theirs was the first race we encountered. (They told us at that time
that they were the biggest guys around, that they ran everything, that we were
a lost colony of theirs...which eventually was disproven by genetic
examination. The rest of their claims were also BS. They were trying to
impress the natives.)
There's some movement toward making nice with the Minbari, but also a
GREAT deal of resistance, given the recent war.
Here's one little extra for you: only one person aboard Babylon 5 has any
idea of what a Vorlon is, inside that suit, and only one race has had dealings
with the Vorlons before. Watch the reception at the end, and see if you
notice anything unusual in the way the various people respond to Kosh.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 8 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:13 EST
Jonathan...............YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! One at a time, please!
The only questions I can remember...the vorlons have never fought a war
with any other race. (At least none has ever been recorded.) And right now
in the Minbari race there's a big split that took place after the
Earth/Minbari war between the religious leaders and the military leaders,
which culminated with the suicide of the Minbari commander at the conclusion
of the war. They've now arrived at an uneasy truce, but with time, who knows?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 12 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST
Anyone who will take the job.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 27 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:41 EST
By the way...someone on another CIStem posted a note about one of the two
upcoming DS9 episodes, that one of the alien species they would encounter are
named Vaa'lons...anyone else heard this?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 34 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:43 EST
Actually, I disagree...the basic "model" of the human form is very well
tailored and may be more general than we might suspect. Legs for walking,
probably two because all closed up sideways we present less of a silhouette
for predators, and two legs are more nimble, can slip through narrower places
than three. Arms to lift, and hands to manipulate objects (show me a culture
without a good opposable thumb) required for the birth of technology. Sensors
(eyes/ears/nose) at the very highest part of the body, best for observational
purposes, hunting and the like.
There are zillions of species on Earth, but you rarely seen anything
above spider-level with more than six legs. Now, I'm not saying that it's
impossible to have other forms, not at all...only that the humanoid form may
in fact be far more common than anyone suspects.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 45 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:19 EST
Heh...I like that....I have sudden images of two aliens, one in a
mustache, curly black hair, glasses and a big mustache...the other in a
triangular cap, curly black hair, pushing an ice cream cold-box...his name is
pronounced Chee-KO, the other Gro-CHooo..."Getta you tootsey frootsey ice-a
cream, getta you tootsey frootsey ice-a cream...."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 49 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:29 EST
Actually, for the pilot in particular, Kosh only has to move very stately
and slowly from point A to point B, so there wasn't much that needed to be
told. For a longer period, on the series, he would be played more as a
cypher...the less that can be revealed, the better. The only people directly
involved who had to know was the director (for certain attitudes) and the
costume designer (to incorporate certain elements and leave room in
appropriate sections).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 71 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:01 EST
Yeah, that's one thing I've kind of slated in as a B story in a given
episode...an alien comes aboard and they just can't quite manage to
communicate, it's just too damned foreign in its thinking. (What I'd love is
for them to find out at the end that it's some other alien's damned cat or
something, and they've been spending all this time trying to communicate with
something that ain't sentient...but with aliens, how can you tell sometimes?)
jms
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Topic 16 Fri Jan 15, 1993
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] at 01:02 EST
Sub: "No kids or cute robots, ever!"
This is a topic for discussion of the unofficial slogan of Babylon 5.
35 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 16
Message 2 Fri Jan 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:31 EST
On the other hand...maybe it might be better if our Sysoptrix took the
last, oh, 100 or so messages from 1 about this and transplanted 'em here. Get
the whole context in place.
And lord knows, it's not like she has anything ELSE to do, other than
nudzhing me....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 16
Message 10 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] (Forwarded)
The inter-relationships between FOX, PTEN, the FCC and any and all other
acronymical organizations is utterly beyond my ken, and I would no sooner try
to explain it or understand it than I would attempt to build a tesseract in
the back yard.
In what I *hope* will be a relatively definitive word on this kid
topic...yes, I can write a story with kids. I've done it...I did it for the
Twilight Zone and other shows. The question is still one of making choices.
Is that what this series is ABOUT? You could drop in a chapter on badminton
techiques into The Lord of the Rings or Debbie Does Cleveland, the question
is, does it BELONG there? Is that what the show or the story is attempting to
address?
If there were no other shows with kids around, then I would be more
inclined to do one with kids at the center. But there are plenty of them
around, particularly in SF...you've got kids aplenty on TNG, on DS9, I just
saw a kid story on Space Rangers...this is simply a different kind of show.
My point is simply this: B5 is meant, in a very real sense, as noted in
my message on 2, to be an SF novel for television. If it were just random
stories skittering hither, thither and yawn, that would be one thing. But as
any novelist can tell you, you have to ask, "Whose story is it?" and stick
pretty close to that, even though you may swerve in and out of other POVs and
indulge in omniscient narrative. That requires certain choices about tone and
attitude and what you include, and what you choose to exclude. Doesn't
invalidate one type of story or another, it only says "THIS is what my story's
about."
There are plenty of other SF shows with kids. Let's have something a
little different.
(That's one of the ironies that crops up about this show...often people
say "We want innovation," and when asked for specifics, they ask to make it
more like other shows. "Well, TNG does this kind of story, why can't you?"
We can, but we're not. Because we're not TNG. Just as we will do some
stories that I *guarantee* you ST wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 16
Message 21 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:19 EST
Something I forgot to mention uptopic, when asked if I can write a story
with kids...it's appeared in a lot of my prose. The two leading protagonist
in my most recent novel, OTHERSYDE, were around 16...the lead character in one
of the first short stories of mine ever to be published ("Your Move," in
Amazing SF) was about 13, and the second story of mine published ("A Last
Testament for Nick and the Trooper," Shadows 6) featured two kids maybe 19.
Provided only for the sake of completeness.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 16
Message 26 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:03 EST
Absolutely. I love being proven wrong.
Though there are few survivors to carry the story....
jms
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Topic 17 Tue Jan 19, 1993
C.STOBBE [Colin] at 21:02 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Merchandising
A place to discuss all the neat Babylon 5 merchandising coming out (hopefully)
soon
11 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 17
Message 3 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:00 EST
I'll know more about the computer game next week or so. Best thing in
general is to write to Licensing Corporation of America to get on their
mailing list for future B5 promotional stuff and merchandising.
The Creation designs for shirts look okay, if a tad prosaic...there has
got to be one central image to promote this show, but I'm darned if I can
figure out what it is at this stage. The logo looks swell, though, in any
event.
jms
This file includes a compilation of posts on GEnie by J. Michael
Straczynski in the Babylon 5 topic. The posts are copyright 1993 by
J. Michael Straczynski with compilation copyright 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.
397 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 1
Message 73 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 89 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 94 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 124 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 126 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 160 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 162 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 180 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
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 208 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
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 223 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:41 EST
Yeah, I agree, the pointing-rods-and-magically-changing-colors on hair
and stuff is kinda old (though it surfaced in Total Recall). No plans for it,
that's for sure.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 230 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:46 EST
Aquila...let me try this again, since you may have missed it in other
postings. Our current situation is ironic in that it has nothing really to do
with our show, but rather with the network.
The chronology, and our situation, is simple.
1) November 1991: Time Trax, Kung Fu and B5 contend among each other for
the first night of programming on the new network. There are ONLY TWO SLOTS
AVAILABLE, two hours. B5 and TT have the inside track, but there's a question
as to whether or not B5 can be done for TV *at all* given what we were
promising (a huge saga, state of the art EFX, a large cast, that sort of
thing). So we have to answer that question by making a pilot. The other two
shows go into series production at that time.
2) They start filming episodes in August, about the same time we start
the pilot.
3) We finish the pilot (barring our current last phase of post
production). Warners LOVES the show. The stations, which have always been
big on the show, WANT the show. Warners tries to convince the local stations
to open up a second night of programming, with B5 as the anchor. The stations
love the idea...but don't want to open up a second night until they get the
ratings on ALL THE SHOWS. Not just B5. If all the shows are big hits, then
they open the second night with Bt as the anchor. If one doesn't perform,
then B5 becomes the replacement.
Point being...and I can't stress this enough...there is no -- repeat, NO -
- problem with Warners or the stations in terms of confidence or anything
else. They're chomping at the bit to go with it. The only problem is that
their "box" in which to put programs currently can only fit two one-hour
shows. Either they take one out, or get another box, but they can't give us a
go until one or the other happens. It's not like a big network that has 7
days of programming a week and can just drop in a show wherever it wants...or
a straight-ahead syndicated show. This is part of a new network, and is
dependent upon the internal workings of that network. Which is fine by me,
it's just the way things are just now.
Does that address your question?
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 243 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:43 EST
Ninety percent of the stations taking the PTEN lineup have news from 10-
11, so that only leaves 8-10 for programs.
The deal is that the stations and Warners pay 50/50, as I understand it
from the trades, for the shows, and I don't think Warners would want to set
the precedent of paying 100% for any given number of shows. And because
they're 50/50 partners, it would be politically inappropriate for one arm to
unilaterally order X-episodes of anything. As for the rest, there are options
on top of options, all in our favor.
Re: post production timing and budget...we budgeted plenty of time and
money for post production. When the sound folks came back and asked for an
additional day, just so we can be sure we have time for whatever little
corrections are required by then, that wasn't a problem. As it is, we'll be
delivering the show next Thursday to Warners, and it won't even go out on the
satellite to the stations for a full month, and doesn't air for nearly six
weeks from the time of completion, so we're WELL ahead of schedule in that
respect. They only actually needed the show 4 weeks ahead for
screening/reviewer purposes; we extended that by two full weeks.
Another busy day in post today...but it's coming together well. We have
basically just two more acts to finish, and will probably give all of Monday
to one of them, since it's massively complex. (Usually you can do at least
two or three acts in a day.)
BTW, and totally aside...I finally saw the tape of my last MURDER, SHE
WROTE episode, and it actually came out quite well, minus one or two very
minor glitches. It airs Sunday. (And there's a bonus to the Captain Power
fans contained in the name of one of the characters....)
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 257 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:09 EST
I can understand about the feeling re: coming information and the wait
until February. It's very easy to post info as we go into production, and
during production...but once it's finished here, which it will be as of this
coming Tuesday, the process is more or less complete. I've tried hard over
this process not to blather on, but to say something if there's something
worth hearing. I hope I can find new items to keep the topic(s) going as we
near airdate.
jms
(P.S. The current newsletter is finished, and will be going out in the
mail this week, I'm told.)
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 269 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:14 EST
I have no problem with married couples, none whatsoever, serving the EA.
And, as I've said before, there is no problem having a kid in the background,
as one of a family passing through, for instance, but I do not wish to center
a whole *story* around one. Someone said "But they can do it on TNG and DS9,"
which is one more reason for NOT doing it here, to keep the identities
separate and distinct.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 275 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:26 EST
Mark, I've answered this question about as many times as I intend
to...if you want to go back into the discussion and read the info, you're
welcome to. That article, for starters was put together LONG before the
general meeting with the stations at which point a true reading was gotten re:
the show. Warners *cannot* commit unilaterally on any series without the go
from the stations, and that won't come until they've got a fix on how ALL the
shows are doing. You're asking Warners to do something they wouldn't do for
ANY show at any time.
I'm not cranky, it's just that I've now answered this about six times
here.
Now exiting harrumph-mode.
Re: supernatural elements...not per se, no. There is some element of
mysticism and spirituality, but (one hopes) not quite so ham-handed. My
feeling is that if it's there, DO something with it other than use it as a way
into (and out of) a plot device, thereafter dropping it.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 278 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:49 EST
I don't think we have to worry about Warners, folks, really...it's okay.
And we've got contingencies up the wazoo. All is well.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 288 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:39 EST
You can jump into the B5 story at *any* point...only thing is, the more
you watch, the more you get the nuances. PICKET FENCES is a great example of
this.
And if the waiting to hear when and under what umbrella B5 will be picked
up is killing YOU....
jms
(Umbrella = same night/second night, not to start any rumors.)
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 295 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:45 EST
I am NOT stubborn. I don't care WHAT you say, I'm not changing my
opinion about that, I'm NOT stubborn.
And yes, the plan is to definitely have the PTEN expand to additional
night, just as Fox has done.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 299 Wed Jan 13, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:03 EST
There's been some talk of my appearing on H25 the Friday before the
broadcast, but nothing firm. And offhand...I'm sorry, but I don't recall the
date of the show with Ron. I'm sure it's written down somewhere...but you've
never actually SEEN my desk, have you?
Then again, as I think of it, *I* haven't seen my desk lately....
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 310 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:20 EST
The inter-relationships between FOX, PTEN, the FCC and any and all other
acronymical organizations is utterly beyond my ken, and I would no sooner try
to explain it or understand it than I would attempt to build a tesseract in
the back yard.
In what I *hope* will be a relatively definitive word on this kid
topic...yes, I can write a story with kids. I've done it...I did it for the
Twilight Zone and other shows. The question is still one of making choices.
Is that what this series is ABOUT? You could drop in a chapter on badminton
techiques into The Lord of the Rings or Debbie Does Cleveland, the question
is, does it BELONG there? Is that what the show or the story is attempting to
address?
If there were no other shows with kids around, then I would be more
inclined to do one with kids at the center. But there are plenty of them
around, particularly in SF...you've got kids aplenty on TNG, on DS9, I just
saw a kid story on Space Rangers...this is simply a different kind of show.
My point is simply this: B5 is meant, in a very real sense, as noted in
my message on 2, to be an SF novel for television. If it were just random
stories skittering hither, thither and yawn, that would be one thing. But as
any novelist can tell you, you have to ask, "Whose story is it?" and stick
pretty close to that, even though you may swerve in and out of other POVs and
indulge in omniscient narrative. That requires certain choices about tone and
attitude and what you include, and what you choose to exclude. Doesn't
invalidate one type of story or another, it only says "THIS is what my story's
about."
There are plenty of other SF shows with kids. Let's have something a
little different.
(That's one of the ironies that crops up about this show...often people
say "We want innovation," and when asked for specifics, they ask to make it
more like other shows. "Well, TNG does this kind of story, why can't you?"
We can, but we're not. Because we're not TNG. Just as we will do some
stories that I *guarantee* you ST wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.)
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 325 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:55 EST
Yes, there's considerable training involved. In the pilot, Lyta talks
about it in one exchange, about the "years of training" required for a P5
classification, and that most of those who try "burn out."
As for the Fox station question...bear in mind that most stations that
broadcast Fox shows are not actively OWNED by Fox, they are only loosely
AFFILIATED with Fox. They're still independent stations that have a deal to
buy X-number of programs from Fox Television.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 337 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:36 EST
Actually, JoJo's...uhm...outfit is probably the best thing about the
show...not for pure asthetics, of course, just...I dunno...I just kinda like
the dynamics of it...
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 342 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:22 EST
Indeed, they might withhold such participation, which the PC would be
obligated to honor. Non-PC telepaths would be a different situation entirely,
of course...and a danger...which only a PC (or one of the other government's
own 'paths, if any) could work against.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 355 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:01 EST
The "Making of B5" piece is being re-edited; originally, the E! piece was
going to be the one shown, but...well, no need to rehash all of that. The
piece is being recut, and new stuff put in to replace the old stuff. It
should be finished next week, I hear, and then provided to the stations.
Great news about Arisia, Arne. Any other reactions come to mind?
Re: using my posts for articles...by all means, proceed.
BTW, it appears that the deal for a B5 game has been closed, and the
winner is Electronic Arts.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 358 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:47 EST
This goes back to a very basic philosophical question: can you have
thought without language, or language without thought? At one point in our
evolution, we became conscious...was there language, or did language then come
as a *result* of consciousnes? Or did the slow development of language *lead
to* the development of true consciousness?
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 375 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:38 EST
I'll know more about the game in the weeks ahead.
Apparently, Creation has licensed some stuff...mainly shirts and mugs and
patches and the like, nothing major, but it's there. I got the first t-shirt
design roughs today, and have some notes, but nothing too major. More as this
is developed.
BTW, does anyone know if there are any SF conventions this coming weekend
in Dallas?
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 379 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:00 EST
Licensing Corporation of America. Based in New York.
jms
------------
REPly to topic, QUIt reading
STArt new topic, #,#-# read prior
PERmanently ignore this topic
MARk or UNMark this topic
or <RETURN> to continue ?
************
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...)
699 message(s) total.
************
------------
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
------------
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
------------
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
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 465 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:59 EST
Leslie, the stuff you mention is in either the computer EFX topic in this
category, or the B5 science topic, one or the other.
My messages can by all means be sent elsewhere; just not anyone else's
unless you secure permission.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 482 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:13 EST
There's something about the Lyta/Garibaldi dynamic that I like, as others
here have noted as well. I keep playing with one scene I'm dying to write,
where he's trying to pick up on her, and says, "Listen, what do you say we go
by my quarters, I'd like to show you my favorite thing in the whole world."
She gives him THAT look. "Okay-okay-okay, my SECOND favorite thing in the
whole world."
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 492 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:04 EST
Right...and there was a lengthy discussion of how the Links tie into the
B5 central computer, and how it operates in relation to those Links (which are
computer segments themselves) in either the SFX or the B5 Science topics.
BTW, a thought, for anyone to jump in on who wants to...as noted uptopic,
on Tuesday my job is basically done. The B5 pilot will be finished. Between
now and the show's airing 5 or so weeks from now, what areas would you be
interested in discussing? What things would you like to see done here? (I
briefly considered the idea of uploading one page of the script per day
between now and the time B5 airs, but then I realized that a lot of folks
would probably prefer to see it produced, not see the script -- the ultimate
spoiler -- and thus jettisoned that idea.) I guess my main fear is being
dull...not that that's *too* likely to happen with this crowd...but I take the
"okay, so now what?" note uptopic somewhat to heart.
Or we can just keep doing what we're doing....
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 511 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:22 EST
I'll have to check w/Wareners re: the script thing, but under the WGA
contract, I own the physical script and its disposition. Maybe the idea of
excerpts -- filmed stuff, or stuff we cut, missing scenes -- might be the best
way to go. (And even at the rate of 1 page per day, you'd only get through
the first third of the script by the time it aired anyway.) Will advise.
To the question of promotion above...Warners will begin a real push on
this subsequent to the 18th of January. They want to concentrate their
efforts on the month just prior to airing. So far, we've been dragged into
articles often on the basis of the controversy between the various shows...but
both Warners and I feel strongly that it's important to establish our separate
identity, not in relation to anything else. Now that the other shows have
aired, we can now have an easier time doing this.
What can I ask others to do? Mainly to just keep the word out there; if
you see a local article mistakenly labeling B5 a copy, to let the guy know the
facts. But probably the single *most* important thing is what can be done
when the show itself airs...and that's to write to both your local station and
Warners to let them know your feelings. But that's if and ONLY if you
genuinely like what you see, and for no other reason.
Will think about this stuff some more, maybe post some thought later.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 518 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:29 EST
Synopses of upcoming episodes....?
No.
I'd much prefer to see them first on B5 than elsewhere.
All good things come to those who wait...or as someone once said, "Good
news can wait, and bad news will refuse to leave."
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 528 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:43 EST
Re: sign off tags...pruff...that stuff's for sissies. The jms is
sufficient for my needs (and looks kinda like a revolver pointed right).
Have seen the whole movie now with final EFX, sound, music, dialogue, all
that jazz. Looks better than I'd hoped possible. Will be cleaning up a few
spots in the next two days, and then watching the final product one more time,
this time on a regular TV set rather than the studio's projection system and
sound system, to better gauge what will and won't be audible on a home TV.
By mid-day Wednesday, we be done.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 532 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:23 EST
Haven't yet seen Time Trax, so can't comment. I don't see "a lot" of
shows "taking place on space stations," at this point, only two, unless you
count the outpost stuff in Space Rangers. Personally, my feeling is that the
more good SF, the better.
It's my understanding that very likely B5 *will* be released theatrically
overseas as a feature. More on this as I can talk about it.
Guest stars? Of course. Many and varied.
Re: scripts...for the first year, there will be only two people on staff:
me, and Harlan Ellison, as creative consultant. So the majority of the
scripts will be freelance. For that first season, we've already locked down
our writers. They will come from one of two groups: a) a small group of
writers who I've worked with over the years and have trained to my tastes, and
b) another small group of leading SF writers, many of whom don't work for TV
anymore, but will break that absence for B5.
Part of the reason for this is to establish ourselves firmly during the
course of that first season, get our feet wet, firm up our identity, and other
hits by the same name. It does no good for freelancers on the outside to try
a script until they've seen at least one season, as well. Finally, because
there will be a certain amount of continuity and developing storylines from
episode to episode, that requires a certain degree of direction from in-house
on stories. Very often we'll go to a writer and say, "Here...in this story, X
has to happen. Beyond making sure that X is included, do what you want." An
outsider won't have access to knowing what that X is.
Still, there will be episodes totally separate from the arc, and those
are far more wide open.
One disservice that TNG has done the SF writing community is its -- in a
way -- tendency to *use* SF fans as idea mills. Hundreds of scripts arrive
each month, they're read through, good ideas are plucked out, they pay a
couple hundred bucks for the premise, then write it in-house. Part of the
reason they're always so desperate for material, and driven to this length of
soliciting scripts from fans, is that they don't have a terrific reputation in
the writing community. Some of it is undeserved, a hanger-on from previous
administrations, and some of it seems to have some basis in terms of the fact
that you will never have the chance to see your script through to the end.
That problem does not exist with B5. Our writers are already lined up
and ready to go.
Starting with the second season, assuming we get that far, we will open
things up more and be willing to look at finished scripts with a release form.
I think that providing that opportunity is important. But it won't be such a
cattle-call in the way it's handled.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 547 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:15 EST
Yes, I've asked David (and he's agreed) to write the novelization, which
will probably commence within days of the series go being given. And there
have been many screenplays published over the years, in script form/via
paperback or hardcover; I have a rather extensive collection of same
(including the aforementioned T2 book, which is extraordinarily good). It
might be a good idea to do one for B5, with annotations, but not including the
"how to write for tv" material mainly because that's a) covered in my writing
book, which b) I intend one of these days to finish updating to Writers Digest
Books can stop yelling on me.
Some random observations and thoughts which might be of interest....
We've pretty much finished the final mix, as stated, which we'll review
tomorrow morning to be sure that it sounds okay on a small set. But for
those of you out there with surround systems, and stations that will broadcast
in surround...me boyos, have YOU got a treat coming your way. We did a *lot*
of work on this thing to emphasize the surround. One act had over 100 passes
to make the sound as layered as possible (an average show has maybe 30 per).
The movement is quite distinct and compelling. The sound EFX are also quite
good...the sound made by the weapons is also quite good.
One thing we did with the weapons is to try, again, to be fairly logical.
If it's a BIG weapon -- rifle size or better -- then you're going to have a
quicker recharge time (if any) between firings, though you may have to change
packs more often. At one point, you'll see a smaller, hand-sized gun being
fired a few times. And each time, you'll hear a power whine as it builds up
the required power to fire off another round. A gun that small simply
wouldn't have the capability to fire off one after another after another
without some power buildup that might not be present in a larger gun.
(Smaller guns are generally things you'd want to smuggle on board, and might
be as useful, in those ways, as a Derringer, which could only fire one or two
shots, as opposed to a machinegun or gattling gun brought openly into battle,
and which is intended to be used a lot.)
Someone mentioned the positive aspects to building the maximum population
of a space station around available supplies and other very real
considerations. We're trying, consistently, to ask "How would this work in
reality? What are the SCIENCE considerations in doing SF?" In general, we've
found that if you Ask The Next Question and try to be logical, you get MORE
options, and you get more INTERESTING options than if you just throw all that
to the winds. (Often networks say, "Ah, screw the science on it, you'll just
limit yourself." Not true.)
During the final mix-down, a group of cub scouts came through the mixing
facility on a tour. So we invited them in for the play-back on the next-to-
the-last act...this is the one where we kick over the table and it's pretty
much nonstop action. Wanted to see the reaction of kids to the show, because
if there's a more relentlessly honest audience than kids that age, I don't
know what it is. The fidget factor is enormous when they get bored.
They didn't BUDGE. For some of the shots, they sat there, slack jawed,
at what they were seeing. Which is also good to know, that the show can
appeal to kids as well as adults WITHOUT making any dumb compromises (i.e.,
writing down, sticking in kids) to that audience. I heard them later talking
about it among themselves, and though one kid was a bit unnerved by the whole
thing, the rest just went on and on about it..."awesome"..."cool"..."that was
great." So far, so good.
Onward.
In thinking a little about the discussion, and what role I've tried to
play (and if I've seemed a bit brief or short of late, my apologies; the
workload is immense just now), and I don't want anyone to think that I'm
playing coy or just teasing about the series when questions about same come
up, insofar as story possibilities or plot stuff is concerned.
Obviously, I don't want to give out stuff that would constitute the Ultimate
Spoiler.
But there are generalities that I *can* talk about. When this topic
first began, I was able to talk a little about what was hoped for in the
movie...to let people know what we were talking about, and what to expect in
exchange for the interest. (I've always believed that you have to put your
money where your mouth is and earn loyalty by keeping promises and being
straightforward in what you do.)
So what *can* be said about the series, what would you have to look
forward to?
You will find out what happened to Sinclair, for starters, during the
Earth/Minbari war. In that respect, the pilot movie is like the first chapter
of a novel. For nearly 10 years, Sinclair has worked to convince himself that
nothing happened to him on the Line other than what seems to be the case: that
he blacked out for 24 hours. He's just managed to convince himself of this.
Now, suddenly, someone comes into his life and with seven words -- you'll know
them when you hear them -- completely unravels the self-deception. He knows
then that something DID happen to him, that someone DID mess with his
mind...and he is going to find out who, and why.
This he will do. And the ramifications of that discovery will have a
major influence on the series, on his relationships, and the future of not
only his character but many others.
You will see what a Vorlon is...and what it represents. And what it may
have to do with our own saga, and a hidden relationship to some of our other
characters (watch the reception scene carefully). We'll discover that there
are MANY players in this game.
One thing that separates this show from others is that on other shows,
very often you do things to them to make for interesting drama...you take them
prisoner, you make them kids, whatever...in this show, it's what's INSIDE the
characters that will pose the greatest problems...and the greatest
possibilities for drama. Most every major character is either running to, or
away from something in their hearts, or their pasts, or their careers.
Garibaldi's past will catch up with him in a very difficult way that will
affect his role and make him a very different character for as much as a full
season, and have lasting effects thereafter. Lyta will take part in a voyage
of discovery that will very much change her character.
Some of the established empires will fall. Some will rise. Hopes and
fortunes will be alternately made or destroyed. At least one major group not
yet known even to EXIST will make its presence known, but only gradually.
Some characters will fall from grace. Others will make bargains whose full
price they do not understand...but will eventually come to realize, and
regret.
At the end of the first season, one character will undergo a major, MAJOR
change, which will start the show spinning on a very different axis. The
first season will have some fairly conventional stories, but others will start
the show gradually moving toward where I want it to go. One has to set these
things up gradually. Events in the story -- which is very much the story of
Jeffrey Sinclair -- will speed up in each subsequent season.
Someone he considers a friend will betray him. Another will prove to be
the exact opposite of what Sinclair believes to be true. Some will live.
Some will die. He will be put through a crucible of terrible force, that will
change him, and alter his destiny, in a profound and terrible way...if he goes
one way, or the other, will determine not only his own fate, but that of
millions of others. He will grow, and become stronger, better, wiser...or be
destroyed by what fate is bringing his way. In sum, it is a story of hope
against terrible adversity and overwhelming odds.
That, in broad brush strokes, is a *taste* of what I plan to do with the
series. I note this here because when the pilot airs, I am going to ask for
your continued help in supporting the endeavor for the series, and it occurs
to me that you ought to have at least SOME idea of what you're buying, and
being asked to support. One should never be asked to sign a blank check on
the bank of one's conscience.
Reactions?
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 549 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:42 EST
What happens at the end of the five year arc? The "Babylon 5" series
ends...if I have anything to say about it (and I do). If something esle
follows, we'll see what that is, but it won't be the same series, or the same
title, or really the same characters.
Barring that very distant possibility, at the end of the five year arc, I
take a very, very, VERY long nap....
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 582 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:42 EST
Thanks, all. My only mortal dread in putting this stuff out there is
based upon the fact that the basic *story* of the pilot movie is fairly
straightforward, the way you make a prologue to a novel fairly simple, but
plant the seeds for that which will follow. My terror is that people will
look at it, expecting ***GALACTIC EMPIRES IN COLLISION!*** and see a rather
basic story, and say, "Huh? Where's all the other stuff?"
It's in the series. Trust me. I wouldn't lie on you.
In a way, it's a question of establishing context. Take, for instance,
the two TERMINATOR movies. The plots of both are incredibly simple, and
essentially identical: Character A comes out of the future to kill Character
B; Character C also comes out of the future to stop Character A. When you
come *right down to it*, that's all the story there is. But it introduces the
background, and the context, and that informs the story. The actual *story*
in the B5 pilot is similarly basic (also for the reason that it became easier
to slip past folks)...it's the context and the characters that are introduced
that matter.
And there's a *lot* to introduce...a new universe, new technologies, new
races, NINE regular characters, histories, wars, alliances...there ain't much
room for anything too complex.
It's like a foundation poured of concrete; it ain't pretty, but it's
*solid* enough to hold one hell of a house.
And speaking of which....
Basic fact: all you can do is the *best* you can do. You do your job,
second-guess yourself into hysteria, and hope it works.
Which is a long way of saying...the B5 pilot is now complete. Nothing
remains to be done. We had the final run-through and playback on TV set
speakers (modifying a few things here and there, but not much), and now it
goes to the studio, and from there, the stations.
There was only one other modification I made today: remembering some of
the confusion and uncertainty here about how the Kosh hand scene was framed --
why it was the way it was, he said vaguely -- I decided at the last minute to
bring in Pat Tallman to record one additional line of dialogue to clarify
things. Once again, the discussion here has directly affected something in
the pilot. The criticisms, I felt, were accurate, and needed to be addressed.
This was done.
That said...it's a strange feeling knowing that this stage is now
complete. No take-backs, no second chances, nada. The film lives or dies now
on its merits, as it should be. There's exhiliration, and a measure of -- I
dunno -- hollowness, I suppose. And now the need grows to get Phase Two
going. And one way or another, it *will* get going.
For five years, people told me that B5 could never be made, that even if
you could find a studio to back it, it might never get aired; and even if you
got both those two, you'd never be able to exercise the creative control
required to make it worth the agony. Five years is just a whole lotta NOs.
But it got done. And, of course, the chorus returns about the series...but it
will get made, if I have to move heaven and earth to do it.
Onward.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 602 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:03 EST
Re: using the background TVs to show newscasts of recent events... what
an utterly, utterly, majorly COOL idea. The frown on my face is only from
wondering why the hell none of US thought of that. (Hmm... y'know, there were
invariably one or two guys in the crew running around videotaping everything
and anything...if you could have them also videotaping scenes as we were
filming them...splice in EFX footage as needed...wrap the whole thing around
the B5 Newscast Logo (and yes, we have one, it's in the pilot, albeit in BG),
it'd give you something nifty to have going on, and would make sense.
What a wonderful and simple and effective idea....
Thank you.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 605 Thu Jan 14, 1993
n
the other day, and as we were watching it, he kept shaking his head at all the
things he would've done differently if he'd known then what he knows now, and
if he'd had the programs/techniques then that he has now. Just the few months
since we finished photography have given him a number of tools that he didn't
have then.
We talked a little about what's capable now, what he can do now, and
what's coming up, and it makes what's in the pilot look like nothing by
comparison. (A lot of the critics talked about the extensive work that went
into the DS9 jello-man effect, not to mention the cost involved; he turned his
associate Paul into the same thing in a test that worked just as well and took
one night and no money, just a little while behind the keyboard.) Once we get
the go, he and I are going to spend a couple of days just sitting and talking
about what can be done now, so that I can take full advantage of this new
stuff.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 627 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:46 EST
"Bob" will never be seen talke, for any reason,
in B5. I'll personally run a truck over him first, newscast or not (unless I
think I can get a good gag out of it...).
Re: my mental state...I'll know better in a week or so. I try not to get
too personally involved with my own life. Basically, itf
in ever-------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 652 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:05 EST
BTW, to correct an erroneous statement of mine earlier, there is not a
species named Vee'lons that will be introduced on DS9.
The Vee'lons will be introduced on Space Rangers.
Some days, I just can't get a break....
s
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Category 18, Topic 2
Message 672 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:42 EST
I take great joy in being politically *incorrect* at every possible
opportunity. I believe in the motto someone at the BBC once voice: "There
are some people we WANT to offend."
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 685 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:47 EST
Re: starships from Earth...yes, you'll be seeing a wide range of ships,
from smaller transports and trading vessels to big mothers. It is something
of an empire, and the ships come in as many varied forms as we have cars and
trucks and semis and tanks and on and on....
Re: talking vs. action...there's a shade more exposition than I'd like in
the pilot, mainly because there's so damned MUCH background to establish, so
much ground to lay...it'll be more evenly proportioned in the series. I like
action. For me, the #1 crime of any TV show or movie is that it should bore.
When in doubt, kill somebody.
Or blow something up.
Re: technology...yes, the point about the sudden jump via new
technologies is exactly dead on. It *did* have a tramautic impact, and to
varying degrees still does. The effect of technology, and the desire for
same, will be a recurrent thread. There are some technologies that are
considered too radical for some species, and are thus kept off limits, with
prison sentences or even death sentences for smuggling certain kinds of
technologies. One such tech-runner appears in the pilot. The parallel, I
suppose, would be our current concerns with the spread of nuclear technology.
jms
------------
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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.
497 message(s) total.
************
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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
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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
------------
Category 18, Topic 3
Message 447 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:05 EST
Isn't Lexicor the company owned by Lex Luthor...?
jms
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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.
501 message(s) total.
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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
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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
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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
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 458 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:01 EST
Lonnie, let us not tempt the universe....
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 467 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:16 EST
Jack...er...so, you noticed those initials, eh? Probably noticed that
Garibaldi's first name is Michael, too, huh?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 4
Message 469 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:06 EST
The two tallest are Michael O'Hare and Jerry Doyle...and I think they're
about the same height...unless Jerry's just a squidge taller.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 473 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:24 EST
Just checked their resumes, and their heights aren't indicated. I will
have to get back to you on this.
jms
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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.
222 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 5
Message 172 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:08 EST
The current newsletter is due out this week, and any who sent in subs
requesting #1 will probably receive them at the same time.
Re: merchandising...we have several deals in the works, the only one I
know for sure involves a computer game from a major company. There will be
some supplementary stuff...shirts and mugs and hats and patches and
stuff...around the time of the pilot, at least so I'm told. Luckily, my
contract with Warners requires my consultation on marketing, so nothing
embarrassing will come out if I have anything to say about it.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 174 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:31 EST
Don't know yet; will probably have more info in a few weeks.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 182 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:26 EST
The software company involved is a good one, and the designers are first
rate. As soon as I can announce the details, I will.
And yeah, I get one of everything. I may need a bigger house....
The best way to make sure one gets in on any upcoming marketing is
probably to write Warners marketing (I believe it's the Licensing Corporation
of America...maybe someone here has an address) and ask to get on a mailing
list for info.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 189 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:32 EST
Great, Rob, many, many thanks. So yeah...anybody who wants to get on a
mailing list for merchandise related to B5, drop a note to the address
contained in message 187. Be the first on your block....
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 218 Wed Jan 20, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:00 EST
Yep...the "beep" stuff will all be clear by the end of the pilot.
jms
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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....
290 message(s) total.
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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
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Category 18, Topic 6
Message 252 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:19 EST
WVTV Milwaukee.
jms
------------
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 287 Wed Jan 20, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:02 EST
I'm scheduled for Gallifrey One Goes Forth?
Oh....
Er...when exactly is that, again?
jms
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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!
429 message(s) total.
************
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 349 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:19 EST
The background on that business meeting is similar to all such uses of
telepaths: both sides agree to the presence of a telepath to monitor the
negotiations. If one were to demur, the deal would be off because the person
clearly has something to hide. Which is why there is a good market for
various kinds of shields that don't LOOK like or feel like shields unless the
telepath knows what to look for. You can also just try and hide it and hope
that the telepath isn't looking too deep or isn't really paying attention,
which is what that guy was doing. (May have been reciting the "tensor" rhyme
trying to keep his brain occupied.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 353 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:31 EST
How much combat is in the movie? Not terribly much...I wanted more of a
dramatic series with action than an action series with drama. The series will
alternate...some with lots and lots of action, some with less.
The budget is classified.
Re: the total population of B5...this is something that I went round and
round with as the designers and I worked on this thing. They haven't given me
an exact figure yet; I imagine I'll get it eventually. It's in the *area* of
a couple hundred thousand, though. I *think* they said the max capacity was
around 250,000 but I could be wrong.
(This is one of those things where the writer can't just set a figure and
wave a magic wand. B5 is a particular given size...now you have to figure out
how much space is required by hydroponics, station systems, infrastructure and
so on...subtract that from the total available volume, determine how large the
individual living quarters are, with some variance, and then finally zero in
on how many people that could accommodate without squeezing everyone in like
sardines. All I know is that there's math involved....)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 361 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:45 EST
No, they're not.
And someone trained to know what to look for in a scan would pick up on
it...but those are few and far between.
Ah hates math. I failed bonehead math twice in junior college, and only
passed the third time when the professor, seeing me one more time in his
class, said in despair, "Just...go. I'll give you a C-, just go."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 366 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:23 EST
I can more or less hold my own in math UNTIL such time as suddenly we're
dealing with numbers AND letters. For some reason, I'm absolutely hard-wired
for language. Letters are part of a word, a number is for math. When someone
says "A = 9" my immediate response is, "A what? *A* dog? *A* horse? What?"
I know what the theory is on all this, that there are groups, sub-groups,
universes, all that jazz...the theory is fine...but when I look at a number
AND a letter in an equation, my brain goes into vapor lock, I get confused and
fall down.
I don't even want to TALK about the scams I ran in order to pass my
semester of Statistical Psychology to get my B.A. in clinical psych.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 369 Wed Jan 13, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:05 EST
.
.
.
.
.
<thud>
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 377 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:51 EST
To get past the language requirement, I took two semesters of German.
German I and German II. Simultaneously. From 9-10:30 twice a week we were
nice and safe and snuggly in a very basic German class...and from 10:30 to 12
noon twice a week (same days), we were dropped screaming like souls into
Dante's Ninth Circle masquerading as German II, where the instructor would
ONLY speak to us in German. Which we didn't understand. It was kind of a
trial run, an experiment to see if it would work, and the conclusion at the
end of the semester...at which point half of us were stark, staring mad, and
the other half were plotting to annex the Sudetenland...was that it didn't
work. My basic problem (even though I passed) was that I was always week on
English grammar...so when I had to slam a word through the various forms and
declensions, I would...well, you've seen what happens when someone throws an
equation at me...it's a lot like that, only with a bunch of umlauts thrown in
for color.
That was the same semester in which I realized that I wanted to get the
hell OUT of college and into writing full time, and started cramming courses.
I think I had something on the order of 23 or 27 credits that semester alone,
in violation of university limits (I crashed courses that were beyond the
proscribed limits). And they weren't monkey classes, either, lemme tell
you...6 units of German, plus classes in Statistical Psychology, Biology,
Literature, Philosophy, and some other stuff (along with the 1-2 writing
workshops I took every semester). To this day I'm still amazed that I
actually got THROUGH that semester.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 398 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:50 EST
There are actually several languages heard on B5, though you have to
work to hear them. (Those with surround will have an easier time.) For
instance, in the customs area, announcements are made first in English, then
in Interlac. In the bazaar area, you'll hear chirrups and whistles and clicks
and a wide range of language-sounds.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 400 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:12 EST
There are about as many as now...with a few extras developed on the Mars
and other colonies.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 408 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:29 EST
Re: asking telepaths on a date...it would be verbal, assuming we're
talking PC hrized scans are illegal, and thus they would not be "dipping" to
know your intentions.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 7
Message 416 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:48 EST
(A job like that could take YEARS....)
jms
------------
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************
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.
306 message(s) total.
************
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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
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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
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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
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 99 Mon Jan 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:00 EST
Who...?
jms
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 126 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:07 EST
Re: the voices....I can't do it, I can't tell him....
Re: the narration at the beginning...actually, I suppose there's no
reason why I can't put it up here.
LONDO (older voice): "I was there at the dawn of the Third Age of
Mankind. It was the Earth year 2257. Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon
stations, located deep in neutral space. It was a port of call for
businessmen, smugglers, diplomats, businessmen and travelers from a hundred
worlds. It could be a dangerous place, but we accepted the risk because
Babylon 5 was our last, best hope for peace. Under the leadership of its
final commander, Babylon 5 was a dream given form...a dream of a galaxy
without war, where species from other worlds could exist in mutual respect...a
dream that was endange one man on a mission of destruction. Babylon 5 was the
last of the Babylon stations. This...is its story."
That's from memory, and as I look at it, some of it ain't *exactly* right
(that should be "species from different worlds" not "other worlds," for
instance, but the sense of it is correct, and it's probably 90% textually
correct. (I also see I repeated businessmen twice...which means I left
something out, but having now been up about 20 hours, I'm too tired to
remember what or to look it up in the script.)
I'll try to remember to dig out the exact wording and put it up, if
anyone's interested.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 137 Sat Jan 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:23 EST
"I was there at the dawn of the Third Age of Mankind. It began in the
Earth Year 2257. Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations, located deep
in neutral space. It was a port of call for refugees, businessmen, smugglers,
diplomats and travelers from a hundred worlds. It could be a dangerous place,
but we accepted the risk because Babylon 5 was our last, best hope for peace.
Under the leadership of its final commander, Babylon 5 was a dream, given
form. A dream of a galaxy without war, where species from different worlds
could exist, side by side, in mutual respect...a dream that was endangered, as
never before, by the arrival of one man on a mission of destruction.
"Babylon 5...was the last of the Babylon stations. This...is its
story...."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 140 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:10 EST
That is the only narration in the show. When we get to the series, I
plan to adjust the narration and keep it as a stet opening. Probably it'll be
something along the lines of, "I was there at the dawn of the Third Age of
Mankind. It began in the Earth year 2257. Babylon 5 was the last of the
Babylon stations. This is its story...."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 147 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:38 EST
Oh, yeah, the "mission of destruction" thing ONLY relates to this
particular episode, the pilot. It'll be gone from regular episodes.
For the series, my feeling is that the intro should be as short as
possible, almost more for mood than for information.
The intro may also change slightly each season....
As for software, I use plain old Word for my writing, though I just got
7.0 and will change over as soon as I decide I have nothing else of value in
my life to deal with. I am but a simple man from a simple land of simple
values....
The computer itself is kind of a hum-dinger...a 486/50mhz, 330 meg hard
drive, 650 meg rewriteable optical drive (for a total on-line of about 1
gigabyte), NEC 4FG monitor, 64 megs of RAM, SCSI 32 bit system, and due to
arrive any day now, the 6-disk Pioneer CD-ROM jukebox. Also have the
Thunderboard sound card, Diamond Speedstar 14F video card, and a bunch of
other goodies.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 150 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:52 EST
Actually, there's a weird typo in there; it should be Wordstar 5.5, not
Word (ecch).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 161 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:37 EST
The background visuals for the narrative will be much the same for the
series as the pilot...a montage of the station, people and locales.
Difference between an exec producer and a producer? A producer can be a
line producer, who handles mainly production problems, or a writer producer,
who mainly writes, sits in on casting and stuff. An exec producer is the guy
In Charge...otherwise referred to as a Show Runner, who sets the direction for
the series or project, makes final decisions on casting, music, sets, all that
jazz. On B5, I share exec producer status with Doug Netter...basically, we
divide it up that Doug handles most of the deal making (which he loves) with
agents, other business stuff, and I get to play.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 167 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:54 EST
"Mankind" was being used by Londo specifically in relation to humans, not
sentient aliens including his own race. Earthers. Which was one reason (of
many) I wanted his character to be the narrator, someone looking in from the
outside.
As for the Third Age, it's -- oh, darn, look at the time, have to go....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 178 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST
I only said that the story will *concentrate* on B5 the first two years
in terms of locations. We'll branch out, certainly, after that.
Mike: your Third Age thought is very close to being correct. It's only
the object of your sentence that's incorrect.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 184 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:29 EST
Yes, it's repetitive. Yes, it's deliberate. It brings you back to the
beginning of the narrative, which is a space shot that more or less matches
the other shot. (Makes a visual loop, in other words.)
Telestro: certainly one of our characters might go the way of
Saruman....and one might go the way of Aragorn...and Gandalf...ah, well,
that's always uncertain, isn't it? "Expect me when you see me."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 185 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:33 EST
And then again...maybe not.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 194 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:28 EST
WHO TOLD YOU ABOUT PLANET GAWOOMPKI?! EGADS! THERE'S A LEAK IN OUR
OPERATION!
(Actually, there *is* a leak in our organization...the funny thing is
that it's me.)
Re: Sinclair and Ambassador-ship...there's a very logical questoin (or
question) that has to be dealt with. (Again, we go back to that same point,
asking the next question.) Why is a *Commander* serving on the station, and
the Advisory Council, and representing Earth? Wouldn't they have a regular
Ambassador present?
This is a question that we will resolve. As well as the one implicit in
the foregoing: why is a *COMMANDER* -- lower in rank than a Captain --
entrusted with this responsibility, rather than an Admiral or some other high-
ranking individual?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 195 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:33 EST
BTW, ironically, this is the only area that worries me in showing the
pilot. People are going to say, "Waitaminnit! This doesn't make any sense!
Why is a COMMANDER running this thing? And what about this bit over here...?"
It's kinda risky to deliberatly program in what look like errors, but are
story points that will be raised and resolved later. Ah, well...you gotta
take chances....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 205 Wed Jan 13, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:10 EST
Yeah, I'm *pretty much* staying to Naval terms, mainly because the
introduction of starships will probably be under that heading as vessels, and
that seems to follow. Additionally, if all of the various major militaries of
various countries were combined into one Earthforce, then there would be some
standardization, and naval terms *seem* to be more standard than others across
services, but my research there isn't as deep as it probably should be. Would
be nice to work in some variations, however....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 224 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:57 EST
The EA is governed by political figures, just as today, though some of
the structures have altered to accommodate a more world-spanning form of
government. (Instead of senators elected from states, they're now elected by
country, and so on.)
As for language...the DICTIONARY defines language, PEOPLE screw with it
until distinctions blur...as with the distinction between "fewer" and "less."
"There were less people in attendence this week." No. There were FEWER
people in attendence. This is what people do. This is your language. This
is your language in people...any questions?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 233 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:11 EST
That's an extremely good point about species/races; I'll be careful about
that. I don't *think* that came up in the pilot, and now it won't in the
series.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 238 Fri Jan 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:27 EST
BTW, it's my understanding that the monitor screens on TNG are not
inserted in post; they're regular TV screens with edges that come out and
cover any bends in the tube, thereby giving it a flat look. At least, that's
what I hear....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 251 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:53 EST
I agree re: universal translators. Most everything in the ST universe is
bent toward making the process easier, less challenging; I want to show the
process of overcoming. I think it's great if an alien shows up from a
previously unvisited planet, and they spend days trying to communicate with
it. I think that some computerized stuff might work, as in the case where
someone programs a machine to go from one specific language to another (sort
of a species-specific interpreter), but thats about it.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 261 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:37 EST
The language facilities of aliens will vary; probably the most fluent (by
virtue of necessity) are the ambassadors, whose english is perfect or nearly
so (cyberlink to the brain dumping the English equivilants of their own
language and grammar directly into the brain, very expensive and not a little
painful). The drawback is that some cultural references or some contextual
areas may not be as clear as required. (Londo wondering about ramoras, Delenn
unsure for a moment about poetry....)
Re: language in general...I agree that all languages must be "living
languages" in that they are free to grow and expand and add new terms. There
is a difference between this and a *collapsing language* in which the
distinction between terms (the aformentioned less and fewer) becomes degraded,
and meanings blur through misuse. Ase gradually becomes less precise. A
language should be graded on how well it manages to communicate the thoughts
of one to the other. If it begins to fail in that regard, then it is not a
living but a dying language.
(Another example: the way that "anxious" and "eager" have come to mean
the same thing. "Anxious" carries with it some degree of worry or dread or
fear; "eager" is a pleasant term, connoting something wonderful and nice for
which one is longing. So when someone says, with a smiling and expectant
attitude, "Yeah, I'm really anxious to see the new Lucas movie," it's a misuse
of the term, unless there's some reason for worry.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 268 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:11 EST
In terms of the EFX, I think it's all Amigas, with some IBMs being used
for general computing (letters, schedules, etc.).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 281 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:49 EST
Re: TRON v2.0....I'd rather write kids in space.
Re: places of origin...my sense is that they have their own unique names.
We don't call our planet Terra (well, not really), or Hum (for Human) or
Planet Human. Because some of the names are difficult to pronounce, the
logical approach is to note them by designation, i.e., "And shall be shipped
off to the Narn homeworld." That is the only time or I should say context by
which we refer to their places of origin. The only exception to this, and I
don't recall if this is in the pilot or not, is the Centauri homeworld,
designated Centauri Prime.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 8
Message 288 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:35 EST
Yes, there are definitely other human settlements...colonies and outposts
and co-operative projects on other worlds with other species. It's mainly
from this overlap that the EA draws its non-human members, though a few worlds
have chosen to ally themselves directly with the EA.
jms
------------
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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!
162 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 9
Message 122 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:11 EST
I...no...never mind...forget it...some things are too gross even for me.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 9
Message 132 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:13 EST
Suddenly sounds began emitting from the producer's office...witnesses
later described them as twin shrieks....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 9
Message 150 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:24 EST
Kosh as in "gosh." There's actually a last name, btw...Naranek.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 9
Message 156 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:50 EST
Pronounced Nuh-RAH-nek.
jms
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Topic 10 Thu Nov 12, 1992
SANDMAN [Henry] at 19:25 EST
Sub: Sex in Babylon 5
Can't do without this one!!
99 message(s) total.
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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
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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.
367 message(s) total.
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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
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 274 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:45 EST
Yes, GEnie is still my first choice. You'll note I didn't call the
locale for B5 Central Interstellar System or anything dopey like that; only
referring to it (in bible now, eventually in script) as Grid Epsilon (GE). I
post only a few messages there per week; this is home.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 296 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:13 EST
Yes, we'll definitely see some EVA suits of various kinds, human and
alien. In the pilot, though it's farther away than I would've liked, you can
see a shot along the side of B5, with a couple of ships streaking past, and a
flashing light up in the upper left-hand corner on the hull of the station.
Freeze the frame, and look closely, and you'll see th at it's a guy in an EVA
suit repairing a micrometeor puncture (or some other problem) with a welder of
sorts.
We'll do more, better, and closer, later on.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 303 Tue Jan 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:30 EST
Apparently, it's not difficult at all to digitize an actor's face and put
it inside an EVA suit's facemask.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 319 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:19 EST
Someone back a while ago suggested "Fivers," and that's kinda nice.
Re: Captain Power...yeah, that's a show that is an example of what to
strive for, and how sometimes good intentions can get derailed. We genuinely
wanted to come up with a long-term story, and by and large, we succeeded. The
problem was the marketing in front of the show, and the merchandising behind
the show...we got killed from both sides.
There's an entire second season of unproduced CP scripts, story edited by
Larry DiTillio, in which he follows up on the arc that I and others
established during the first season. You would have found out what Dread
became, what happened to Power's mother, where Eden was (and there would be
direct contact), what the secret was in Soaron's programming, and so on.
It was a good experience, though, and it let me cut my teeth on multi-
season story construction. It was the experience on Power that led me to
believe that something like B5 could be done. (And yeah, I still have much
the same reaction to the last episode...it's a real tough one to watch...which
was the point.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 323 Fri Jan 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:48 EST
Definite no on the question of matter transmitters. That's a little too
much in the magic/science-fantasy area for my preferences. Space travel is
done in ships.
Re: Captain Power...it aired in 1987/88 in syndication. Was set in the
future, after the MetalWars, in which one man, who caused the war (in the best
interests of humanity) decided that to save humanity it must be digitized and
stored in machines for the day when perfect metalloid bodies could give
mankind immortality.
Re: Twilight Zone...yes, I worked on the syndicated version. Among the
episodes I wrote (I was also story editor) are "The Mind of Simon Foster,"
with Bruce Weitz; "Dream Me a Life," with Eddie Albert; co-wrote "The Curious
Case of Edgar Witherspoon," with Harry Morgan, and co-wrote "Our Selena is
Dying" posthumously with Rod Serling, from a long lost TZ outline. Other TZs
that I wrote around that time, but whose stars I can't consistently recall:
"The Wall," "The Call," "What Are Friends For?" "Something in the Walls,"
"Acts of Terror," "Special Service," "Rendezvous in a Dark Place," and have
another shared writing credit on "The Trance."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 11
Message 356 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:50 EST
No, I wasn't previously aware of "Agony" (except what I've gone through
these last six months), but will look for it in future.
jms
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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.
166 message(s) total.
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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.
163 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 63 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:08 EST
Rob: from where? Re: telepaths...there are definite limits, and I most
definitely do NOT wanta it to be a deus ex machina, the solution to every
problem. If anything, it IS a problem itself.
M.Morgan...yes, absolutely, that's what I had in mind all the time. Yeah,
that's it, that's the ticket....
And tachyons...can't forget those pesky tachyons....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 72 Sat Jan 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:39 EST
The computer system is quite good, based on a crystalline technology
that's a mesh between alien and human-developed stuff. As for defense, you'll
see a full demonstration of this in the first season; for now, let's just say
that that smooth looking exterior is laced with sections that can open and
reveal all kinds of interesting things. Imagine a five mile long Swiss Army
knife....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 75 Sun Jan 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:03 EST
Yes, the middle section of the station is the Garden, and is still an
O'Neill type environment. And over the course of the series, it's my
intention to bring in all the various organizations and sub-organizations
required to make a place like this work. I really want to try and convey the
sense of a Working Environment, not a set.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 82 Tue Jan 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:52 EST
Doctrines and Covenants? Are we talking here Mormonism or Scientology?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 85 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:12 EST
HEY! NO FAIR! NOBODY TOLD ME THERE WAS GOING TO BE MATH INVOLVED! I
DIDN'T STUDY! I WASN'T TOLD THIS WAS GONNA BE ON THE TEST! AAAKKKK!
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 88 Wed Jan 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:09 EST
I forget....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 103 Fri Jan 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:54 EST
I'm still hammering down the rules on hyperspace...what can and can't be
done. My first thought was that they travel blind, but given that it's
heavily traveled, I realized after a while that you'd *have* to be able to see
your surroundings in order to avoid collisions.
The point you raise is quite conceivable.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 117 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:40 EST
Keyboards are still in use, mainly because there are always going to be
things that you don't want someone to hear, so you'll always need some kind of
non-verbal input system.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 119 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:50 EST
I dunno...I kinda like glasses...but I know the reality is that it may be
fixed by then...there are some in the pilot, in BG.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 121 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:39 EST
It looks cool.
Also, bear in mind that often different gravities require different
atmospheres; alternating atmospheres between floors in the same section is a
bit more difficult than setting aside one whole sector that would be, say, for
methane breathers, and which has a varied gravitational level as a further
accommodation. (If they require standard 1g, there are other areas.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 134 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:58 EST
Yep. You'll see 'em in both the pilot and the series.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 136 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:16 EST
I agree. I wear glasses. I could go to contacts (glass or plastic), try
surgery, all this stuff...but ain't nobody going near my eyes with pieces of
glass or knives or lasers, I don't care HOW safe it is. Just my luck to hit
the one in a million power surge and I'll end up looking backward out where my
brain stem used to be.
It's interesting to see how in pop SF, there is a tendency to assume that
Major Changes will take place. Take a look sometime at a film -- the first SF
musical motion picture -- called "Just Imagine," produced during the 30s. It
talked about a future world in which everyone would have personal flyers, no
one would have names any longer, only numbers, children would be manufactured
and people would eat pills instead of food.
The time-frame in which all this amazing stuff was to take place? The 1980s.
As somebody said, the future ain't what it used to be.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 152 Sat Jan 16, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 02:02 EST
The defense system for B5 consists of a system of moderate level
defensive grids, hull-mounted weaponry (which is generally concealed behind
large plates, which would be blown off with explosive bolts to reveal the
weapons beneath), and a small number of individual fighter craft stored in a
docking bay at the rear of the station.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 13
Message 158 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:37 EST
The two things on front -- the spikes, as it were -- are on either side
of a second loading bay, this one expressly for cargo held in the zero-g cargo
hold.
The vanes in the back are heat radiators, as I recall from the original
design notes.
jms
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Topic 14 Thu Dec 31, 1992
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:59 EST
Sub: Lurkers/Introductions: Please Sign In
A place for newcomers to come in, say hello, whether you want to jump into the
conversation or not, just to let us know you're here.
151 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 14 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:13 EST
Great! A hi to all the folks who've come out and introduced themselves.
Good to have you aboard. It's interesting to know who all is out there...the
varied backgrounds and fields and "what brought me me here" is intriguing. A
fine buncha folks....welcome.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 78 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:15 EST
Actually...y'know...it's funny, but I've been trying to come up with a
name for the folks who just sorta roam B5, the "homeless" or others who have
enough resources to get there in hopes of jobs or new worlds, and don't have
enough to get off again...and who play a running game of tag of sorts with B5
security..."Lurkers" ain't bad....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 132 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:15 EST
Hey, Mark, good to have another H-25er around.
Pat: I taught at Grossmont College for about one semester, it's a pretty
good place. (Went to San Diego State and meself.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 135 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:52 EST
I taught writing (what else?)...I *think* it was around 1979 or 80.
After a while, everything blurs.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 143 Mon Jan 18, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:59 EST
Re: SDSU, no, I had very little to do with the cinema/telecom dept.
there. I crashed two courses -- mainly because I wanted to learn from a
particular instructor, Norman Corwin -- and had one or two others, but that's
it. My interest was in other areas...one degree in Clinical Psychology with a
minor in Philosophy; another in Sociology with a minor in Creative Writing,
that sort of thing.
BTW, if you go down to the offices of the Daily Aztec, and ask to see the
archive volumes of the paper around 1977/78 or thereabouts, you'll see several
zillion articles by me in there. At more or less the same time, I was the
resident book reviewer, film reviewer and theater reviewer, had two weekly
humor columns ("A View from the Rabbit Hole" and "A Modern Cynic's
Dictionary"), as well as regular feature articles and profiles, and the
occasional investigative article, including one on the CIA. The frequency of
articles led some to describe the paper as The Daily J. Michael. At the same
time I was doing cover stories for the San Diego Reader, the Daily
Californian, features for the SD edition of the Los Angeles Times, and
entertainment reviews for KSDO-AM Newsradio.
But the Daily Aztec stuff was great fun. I worked without pay, the only
one on staff who did, in fact...because I didn't want to be beholden to
anybody, could write what I wanted, nobody had any leverage. Which was all
for the good, given the massive numbers of angry letters and the occasional
bomb threats elicited by what I wrote.
Can't imagine why....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 14
Message 147 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:57 EST
Yes, a VERY large blunt object.
The one point of any possible interest to draw from this comes from
something I tried to beat into incoming students when I was an orientation
counselor at SDSU: if you go to college, and all you see are the class rooms,
the bathrooms, the parking lot and the cafeteria, you will cheat yourself of
99% of your possible education. Any university or college has vast
opportunities for writers and others. In the former case, write for the
university newspaper, or the university theater (and most schools have an
ongoing one-act production program)...take classes in acting or film, to get a
sense of history, or the hands-on process of being on stage...the range of
experience open to you is enormous. Don't just follow your major to its
conclusion. There is a world of experience you can get while you're there
*that you may never have the chance to experience again*. Take it.
End of sermon. I shouldn't even be here, frankly, this is for the new
folks and others to sign in and introduce themselves...both for the interests
of our own private party, so we know who's come into the room, and for any
possible future mailings or opportunities.
Let's hear from y'all.
jms
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Topic 15 Thu Dec 31, 1992
J.ROY18 [Jonathan] at 21:29 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Alien races
Aliens races in Babylon 5... their politics, abilties, technology, history,
and any other discussion specificly about non-humans.
80 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 2 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:19 EST
I'll have to be a little circumspect here (damn it, you're doing it
again....). The Narn Regime is not currently at war with the Centauri
Republic, which occuped the Narn homeworld for nearly a century before finally
being driven off by the Narn resistance. Their resources depleted they are
not currently in a position to make war on anyone; being naturally rather
paranoid, and having just been more or less enslaved, they have a dread of
other races getting together and possibly harming them, as well as a hunger
for the technology that might protect them down the road (as Russia feared
invasion its Eastern Front after WW2).
There's a rough alliance between the Earth Alliance and the Centauri,
since theirs was the first race we encountered. (They told us at that time
that they were the biggest guys around, that they ran everything, that we were
a lost colony of theirs...which eventually was disproven by genetic
examination. The rest of their claims were also BS. They were trying to
impress the natives.)
There's some movement toward making nice with the Minbari, but also a
GREAT deal of resistance, given the recent war.
Here's one little extra for you: only one person aboard Babylon 5 has any
idea of what a Vorlon is, inside that suit, and only one race has had dealings
with the Vorlons before. Watch the reception at the end, and see if you
notice anything unusual in the way the various people respond to Kosh.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 8 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:13 EST
Jonathan...............YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! One at a time, please!
The only questions I can remember...the vorlons have never fought a war
with any other race. (At least none has ever been recorded.) And right now
in the Minbari race there's a big split that took place after the
Earth/Minbari war between the religious leaders and the military leaders,
which culminated with the suicide of the Minbari commander at the conclusion
of the war. They've now arrived at an uneasy truce, but with time, who knows?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 12 Fri Jan 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 22:50 EST
Anyone who will take the job.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 27 Sun Jan 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:41 EST
By the way...someone on another CIStem posted a note about one of the two
upcoming DS9 episodes, that one of the alien species they would encounter are
named Vaa'lons...anyone else heard this?
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 34 Mon Jan 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:43 EST
Actually, I disagree...the basic "model" of the human form is very well
tailored and may be more general than we might suspect. Legs for walking,
probably two because all closed up sideways we present less of a silhouette
for predators, and two legs are more nimble, can slip through narrower places
than three. Arms to lift, and hands to manipulate objects (show me a culture
without a good opposable thumb) required for the birth of technology. Sensors
(eyes/ears/nose) at the very highest part of the body, best for observational
purposes, hunting and the like.
There are zillions of species on Earth, but you rarely seen anything
above spider-level with more than six legs. Now, I'm not saying that it's
impossible to have other forms, not at all...only that the humanoid form may
in fact be far more common than anyone suspects.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 45 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:19 EST
Heh...I like that....I have sudden images of two aliens, one in a
mustache, curly black hair, glasses and a big mustache...the other in a
triangular cap, curly black hair, pushing an ice cream cold-box...his name is
pronounced Chee-KO, the other Gro-CHooo..."Getta you tootsey frootsey ice-a
cream, getta you tootsey frootsey ice-a cream...."
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 49 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:29 EST
Actually, for the pilot in particular, Kosh only has to move very stately
and slowly from point A to point B, so there wasn't much that needed to be
told. For a longer period, on the series, he would be played more as a
cypher...the less that can be revealed, the better. The only people directly
involved who had to know was the director (for certain attitudes) and the
costume designer (to incorporate certain elements and leave room in
appropriate sections).
jms
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Category 18, Topic 15
Message 71 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:01 EST
Yeah, that's one thing I've kind of slated in as a B story in a given
episode...an alien comes aboard and they just can't quite manage to
communicate, it's just too damned foreign in its thinking. (What I'd love is
for them to find out at the end that it's some other alien's damned cat or
something, and they've been spending all this time trying to communicate with
something that ain't sentient...but with aliens, how can you tell sometimes?)
jms
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Topic 16 Fri Jan 15, 1993
T.ORTH [Mr. Rico] at 01:02 EST
Sub: "No kids or cute robots, ever!"
This is a topic for discussion of the unofficial slogan of Babylon 5.
35 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 16
Message 2 Fri Jan 15, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:31 EST
On the other hand...maybe it might be better if our Sysoptrix took the
last, oh, 100 or so messages from 1 about this and transplanted 'em here. Get
the whole context in place.
And lord knows, it's not like she has anything ELSE to do, other than
nudzhing me....
jms
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Category 18, Topic 16
Message 10 Thu Jan 14, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] (Forwarded)
The inter-relationships between FOX, PTEN, the FCC and any and all other
acronymical organizations is utterly beyond my ken, and I would no sooner try
to explain it or understand it than I would attempt to build a tesseract in
the back yard.
In what I *hope* will be a relatively definitive word on this kid
topic...yes, I can write a story with kids. I've done it...I did it for the
Twilight Zone and other shows. The question is still one of making choices.
Is that what this series is ABOUT? You could drop in a chapter on badminton
techiques into The Lord of the Rings or Debbie Does Cleveland, the question
is, does it BELONG there? Is that what the show or the story is attempting to
address?
If there were no other shows with kids around, then I would be more
inclined to do one with kids at the center. But there are plenty of them
around, particularly in SF...you've got kids aplenty on TNG, on DS9, I just
saw a kid story on Space Rangers...this is simply a different kind of show.
My point is simply this: B5 is meant, in a very real sense, as noted in
my message on 2, to be an SF novel for television. If it were just random
stories skittering hither, thither and yawn, that would be one thing. But as
any novelist can tell you, you have to ask, "Whose story is it?" and stick
pretty close to that, even though you may swerve in and out of other POVs and
indulge in omniscient narrative. That requires certain choices about tone and
attitude and what you include, and what you choose to exclude. Doesn't
invalidate one type of story or another, it only says "THIS is what my story's
about."
There are plenty of other SF shows with kids. Let's have something a
little different.
(That's one of the ironies that crops up about this show...often people
say "We want innovation," and when asked for specifics, they ask to make it
more like other shows. "Well, TNG does this kind of story, why can't you?"
We can, but we're not. Because we're not TNG. Just as we will do some
stories that I *guarantee* you ST wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.)
jms
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Category 18, Topic 16
Message 21 Sun Jan 17, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:19 EST
Something I forgot to mention uptopic, when asked if I can write a story
with kids...it's appeared in a lot of my prose. The two leading protagonist
in my most recent novel, OTHERSYDE, were around 16...the lead character in one
of the first short stories of mine ever to be published ("Your Move," in
Amazing SF) was about 13, and the second story of mine published ("A Last
Testament for Nick and the Trooper," Shadows 6) featured two kids maybe 19.
Provided only for the sake of completeness.
jms
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Category 18, Topic 16
Message 26 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 00:03 EST
Absolutely. I love being proven wrong.
Though there are few survivors to carry the story....
jms
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Topic 17 Tue Jan 19, 1993
C.STOBBE [Colin] at 21:02 EST
Sub: BABYLON 5 - Merchandising
A place to discuss all the neat Babylon 5 merchandising coming out (hopefully)
soon
11 message(s) total.
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Category 18, Topic 17
Message 3 Tue Jan 19, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:00 EST
I'll know more about the computer game next week or so. Best thing in
general is to write to Licensing Corporation of America to get on their
mailing list for future B5 promotional stuff and merchandising.
The Creation designs for shirts look okay, if a tad prosaic...there has
got to be one central image to promote this show, but I'm darned if I can
figure out what it is at this stage. The logo looks swell, though, in any
event.
jms
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