Babylon 5 forums

BAB016.TXT

Date: 1 Feb 93 12:40:55 EST
From: Matt Schmitt <MS@pacnet.pac.wesleyan.edu>
Subject: Re: Behind the Scenes?
To: b5@iastate.edu

> From:       dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams)
>
> What ever happened to that supposedly "new" edition of the Babylon 5
> "Behind The Scenes" show?   Shouldn't it have been out by now?
>
    I _think_ that it will get fed to the stations, possibly with the
pilot itself - the schedule I've seen blocked out 2.5 hours for the B5
feed, but the show is only 2 hours.  My best guess is that they are
feeding more promos to the stations at that time, and/or the "making of"
special.
    Of course, this is all guesswork on my part, and shouldn't be taken as
fact.  If someone hasn't already, or doesn't beat me to it, maybe I'll
post something asking about this to GEnie tonight to ask Joe.
---
From: rkamal@ccs.carleton.ca (R Kamal)
Subject: B5 stations in Canada
To: ai371@yfn.ysu.edu
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 13:34:01 EST
Cc: b5@iastate.edu

I called my local station. (We have a few, but one of them is
national, several are French, one is in Montreal, one is carrying
DSN/TNG, and that has left me with only one good candidate: CJOH)

I talked to a lady at the programming dept. and she said she had not
heard or seen anything about B5 at all. I asked her what would be
involved in picking it up and she went into a song and dance about a
"replacement" something and then I mentioned so far it was only a TV
movie. She said that'd be a whole different story. She told me
something about "Baytime Broadcasting" in Toronto that buys the rights
for the stuff they air. I asked her for a postal code to send to you
and she kind of evaded the question, thinking I wanted to start an
annoying letter writing campaign. When I explained my reasons she gave
me the address of a TV station in Toronto that is CJOH's sister
station, as I guess they do things side by side or maybe this Toronto
station is in charge of rights and that sort of thing. She said she
could forward my request to Baytime Broadcasting (although I don't
know if she will). Here is the address for the toronto sister-station:

CFTO
Box 9, Station "O"
Toronto, ON
M4A 2M9
CANADA

CJOH's address I don't have the postal code to, but it's:
CJOH TV
1500 Merivale Road
Nepean, ON
CANADA

My snail address is:
Ali Azarbar
57 Fardon Way
Ottawa, ON
K1G 4N5

I can be reached through the net at horizon@pinetree.org, or
rkamal@alfred.ccs.carleton.ca.

BTW, I contacted our cable company and asked them to see if any
stations were carrying the PTEN stuff. She checked and said "That's an
only-in-the-US thing." Hmm. Could someone with GEnie access pose a
question to jms about exactly how widespread he wants B5 to be? (i.e.
does he intend it to be an American-only thing?)

Thank you.
---
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 12:18:05 MST
From: jacque@niwot.scd.ucar.edu (Jacque Marshall)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: B5 stations in Canada

From rkamal@ccs.carleton.ca Mon Feb  1 11:58:41 1993
>
> only-in-the-US thing." Hmm. Could someone with GEnie access pose a
> question to jms about exactly how widespread he wants B5 to be? (i.e.
> does he intend it to be an American-only thing?)
>

This question has been floating around for some time, and
I believe the generalized answer (other GEnie accessers,
check me on this) that Joe gives is "anybody who wants to
pick up B5 is free to do so." Can't imagine why he
*wouldn't* want it in Canada anyway...
---
From: Lee_Whiteside-P14942@email.mot.com
Date: 1 Feb 93 20:30:55 GMT
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: B5 "Making Of", non-US, etc

In regards to the "Making of B5", Joe has said that the E! special was being
redone to take out "Bad Bob" and that it looks like it will be fed along with
the movie.  Some stations have said they didn't have room to put in a full
half hour, so Warner's will be sending out "making of" clips in various
lengths for the stations to fit in where they can.  The may all go out with
the feed for the movie or it may be in a separate feed.  Those of you with sat
dishes should keep an eye on the Warner's transponder for promo feeds or a
preview feed.  There was no advance word on the preview feeds for TT and
KF:TLC, so  there most likely will not be any for B5 unless someone gets a
copy of the fax that Warners sends out.
 
As for airing outside the U.S., Joe has mentioned that plans are for a
theatrical release overseas (both TT and KF:TLC have had their pilot movies on
home video in the U.K.).  There have been mentions of some Canadian stations
airing the two PTEN series but no word on if B5 will air on them.  This has
more to do with the way Warner Bros. is setting up their network and most
likely they are concentrating on getting the coverage in the U.S. with Canada
being a secondary market.  Once B5 goes to a series, then they will probably
sell it to Canada.
 
Finally, those of you with USENET access should probably start up or join in
discussions in rec.arts.sf.tv to let other people know about the show.  I sent
out a selection of recent posts by Joe yesterday and hopefully will be posting
an updated FAQL to the net (and here) in the next day or two.
---
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 13:32:21 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: JMS...

(I edit out posts that only make sense if you've read the message
he's replying to, by the way...)

Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 8
Message 331       Sun Jan 31, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 05:27 EST
 
     Rob: so what would you suggest?
 
     If B5 succeeds, there will be comics published in the same basic
universe, as well as novelizations.  These will be specifically encouraged to
go in different directions, partly for selfish reasons, so they won't mess
with my time/character line, and partly because I'd like to see what others
can do with this universe...sort of like a shared world anthology.  So yes,
there's room to play, and with luck, we'll see it there and elsewhere.
 
     What other options would you suggest?  If I've missed something, let me
know.
 
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 266       Sun Jan 31, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 05:30 EST
 
     Just for clarity, I don't want to "slip Prisoner elements in" in the way
described.  Was only referencing the show as the kind of show to emulate with
a beginning, middle and end, and a sometimes surreal aspect that leaves you
questioning what's real and what isn't.
 
   jms
---
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 13:18:54 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
Message-Id: <199302012118.AA13520@halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu
Subject: Re:  Behind the Scenes?

Joe said the E! clip is almost finished... CNN has shown some B5 clips
recently, and stations DO have commercisl they can run...

:)

Ad in People magazine coming up soon for B5. Look for most stuff to happen
mid February...
---
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 13:21:40 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, koreth@hyperion.com
Subject: Re:  Screening feeds?

Second SF&F RT
Category 17,  Topic 12
Message 1         Wed Jan 20, 1993
SOARON [Pifgdog!]            at 12:48 EST
 
 Here is the revised satellite uplink schedule for all our favorite
 shows and one guilty pleasure.  You guess which is which.  <g>
 
  STAR TREK - THE NEXT GENERATION
  -------------------------------
 
  Episode Feeds:   SAT    ??:?? Pm - ??:?? PM  EST  T301/5v/Ch 9
   SUN    ??:?? Pm - ??:?? PM  EST  T301/5v/Ch 9
 
  Audio is 5.8 left, 6.2 right, 6.8 mono.
 
  1st Feed   2nd Feed   Wk O Show   Epi #   Episode Name
  --------   --------   ---------   -----   ------------
  01/16/93   01/17/93   01/18/93    233 R   Rascals
  01/23/93   01/24/93   01/25/93    238     Ship In A Bottle
  01/30/93   01/31/93   02/01/93    239     Aquiel
  02/06/93   02/07/93   02/08/93    240     Face Of The Enemy
  02/13/93   02/14/93   02/15/93    241     Tapestry
  02/20/93   02/21/93   02/22/93    242     The Birthright - I
  02/27/93   02/28/93   03/01/93    243     The Birthright - II
  03/06/93   03/07/93   03/08/93    234 R   A Fistful Of Datas
  03/13/93   03/14/93   03/15/93    235 R   The Quality Of Life
  03/20/93   03/21/93   03/22/93    238 R   Ship In A Bottle
  03/27/93   03/28/93   03/29/93    244     Starship Mine
 
  R = Repeat episode
 
  Additional air schedule information will be provided as it becomes
  available.
 
  STAR TREK - DEEP SPACE NINE
  ---------------------------
 
  Episode Feeds:   SAT    10:00 Am - 11:00 Am  EST  T301/5v/Ch 9
   4:00 Pm -  5:00 Pm  EST  T301/5v/Ch 9
   SUN     4:00 Pm -  5:00 Pm  EST  T301/5v/Ch 9
 
  Audio is 6.2 left, 6.8 right, 5.8 mono.
 
  1st Feed   2nd Feed   Wk O Show   Epi #   Episode Name
  --------   --------   ---------   -----   ------------
  01/16/93   01/17/93   01/18/93    403     A Man Alone
  01/23/93   01/24/93   01/25/93    405     Babel
  01/30/93   01/31/93   02/01/93    406     Captive Pursuit
  02/06/93   02/07/93   02/08/93    407     Q-Less
  02/13/93   02/14/93   02/15/93    408     Dax
  02/20/93   02/21/93   02/22/93    409     The Passenger
  02/27/93   02/28/93   03/01/93    401 R   Emissary - I
  03/06/93   03/07/93   03/08/93    402 R   Emissary - II
  03/13/93   03/14/93   03/15/93    410     Sore Losers
 
  R = Repeat episode
 
  Additional air schedule information will be provided as it becomes
  available.
 
  BABYLON 5
  ---------
  Two-hour movie feed:
 
   SAT:  12:00 Pm - 02:30 Pm  EST  T301/2v/Ch 3
   SUN:  12:00 Pm - 02:30 Pm  EST  T301/2v/Ch 3
 
  Audio is 5.8 left, 6.2 right, 6.8 mono.
 
  1st Feed   2nd Feed   Wk O Show   Epi #   Episode Name
  --------   --------   ---------   -----   ------------
  02/13/93   02/14/93   02/15/93    Unk     The Gathering
 
  TIME TRAX
  ---------
  THESE FEEDS ARE **NOT** CLOSED CAPTIONED!
 
  Episode Feeds:   TUE:  11:00 Pm - 12:00 Am  EST  T301/2v/Ch 3
   WED:   6:00 Am -  7:00 Am  EST  T301/2v/Ch 3
 
  Audio is 5.8 left, 6.2 right, 6.8 mono.
 
  1st Feed   2nd Feed   Wk O Show   Epi #   Episode Title
  --------   --------   ---------   -----   -------------
  01/26/93   01/27/93   02/01/93    Unk     Unknown
 
  KUNG-FU:  THE LEGEND CONTINUES
  ------------------------------
  THESE FEEDS ARE **NOT** CLOSED CAPTIONED!
 
  Episode Feeds:  THU:  11:00 Pm - 12:00 Am  EST  T301/2v/Ch 3
  FRI:   4:30 Pm -  5:30 Pm  EST  T301/2v/Ch 3
 
  Audio is 5.8 left, 6.8 right, 6.8 mono.
 
  1st Feed   2nd Feed   Wk O Show   Epi #   Episode Title
  --------   --------   ---------   -----   -------------
  01/28/93   01/29/93   02/01/93    Unk     Unknown
 
  SATELLITE FEED FOR THE UNTOUCHABLES
  -----------------------------------
  Episode Feeds:   SAT  11:00 Am - 12:00 Pm  EST  T301/5v/Ch 9
5:00 Pm -  6:00 Pm  EST  T301/5v/Ch 9
   SUN   3:00 Pm -  4:00 Pm  EST  T301/5v/Ch 9
 
  Audio is 5.8 right, 6.2 left, 6.8 mono.
 
  1st Feed  2nd Feed  3rd Feed  Wk O Show  Epi#  Episode Title
  --------  --------  --------  ---------  ----  -------------
  01/16/93  01/16/93  01/17/93  01/18/93   003   First Blood
  01/23/93  01/23/93  01/24/93  01/25/93   004   Murder, Ink - I
  01/30/93  01/30/93  01/31/93  02/01/93   005   Murder, Ink - II
  02/06/93  02/06/93  02/07/93  02/08/93   006   Deal With The Devil
  02/13/93  02/13/93  02/14/93  02/15/93   007   A Tale Of Two Fathers
Part I
  02/20/93  02/20/93  02/21/93  02/22/93   008   A Tale Of Two Fathers
Part II
 
 
---
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 20:35:50 -0500
From: mab@buphy.bu.edu (Michael Burstein)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Re:Query

SOrry about that that. I heard his company was called Rattlesnake Productions.
---
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 18:20:32 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
Message-Id: <199302020220.AA21487@halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: JMS postings...


Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 390       Sun Jan 31, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:24 EST
 
     I'll be getting in touch with Mr. Jonas.
 
     Re: the uniforms...yes, there's a certain traditional look to them, and
this is deliberate.  Look at any uniform from 200 years ago, and you have
certain lines and forms that repeat, and which stay part of the uniform. 
There is a STRONG sense of tradition and history in any branch of the
military.  Heck, the navy not long ago went BACK to a more traditional dress
after making some modifications.  The basic dress uniform for your basic
soldier on leave looks about the same now as it did during WW II.
 
     Much of what passes for SF uniforms/costuming in the future simply
pretends that all that history and tradition just suddenly came to a
screeching halt.  In B5, we're trying to connect our past, our present and our
future, to show the continuity of the human species. 
 
  jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 8
Message 335       Sun Jan 31, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 19:31 EST
 
     Rob...my friend, it took me five years to get this one show into
production.  The rest...I'll leave those to somebody else. 
 
     Re: colors and uniforms...we decided against using color that much as
service designation (red for security, and so on) for two reasons: one is that
it's so associated with Trek.  We're not Trek.  We allowed a touch of it in
the insignia, but in a very limited way.  Second reason, you're dealing with
aliens who see various colors and don't see others, and alien sectors where
the lighting may wash out or totally change the color codes, which is why we
went for specific *symbols* for different areas (security, maintainance,
command and so on).  If you're in the alien sector that uses red light
heavily, and you need help fast, you don't want to try and figure out of
that's a blue stripe or a purple stripe  when asking somebody for help.
 
    jms
---
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 18:36:26 PST
From: vijay@zycad.com (Vijay Vaidyanathan)
To: ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com
Cc: b5@iastate.edu, koreth@hyperion.com
Subject:  Screening feeds?

In reply to Steve's message you posted:
> Here is the revised satellite uplink schedule for all our favorite
>

Perhaps you misunderstood Steve's message ... he was referring to
feeds of B5 *BEFORE* the scheduled 13 Feb feed. The version in Feb
13 will be the "final" broadcast version. However, for both
TimeTrax and KungFu - fee fi fo fum, Warner fed several
"Disclaimer" versions, which is basically advance versions (e.g.
no ending title music) which may in fact be further edited. These
were downlinked with a disclaimer on the screen during the entire
feed that said something like "screening version, not for
broadcast" or something like that.

This screening feed preceded the actual "formal" feed by atleast a
week, probably more.

Perhaps someone can ask JMS on Genie: I am not on that ridiculous
system anymore!

Vijay
-----

PS: My ONE concern about B5 is that JMS seems to actually *like* a
pathetic system like GEnie! :-) How come he isnt on USENET?
Netcom has access in LA (or wherever he is!). Perhaps he is on
this mailing list?
---
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 93 03:18:55 MST
From: dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Re: behind...

Matt Schmitt <MS@pacnet.pac.wesleyan.edu> writes:

 >> What ever happened to that supposedly "new" edition of the Babylon 5
 >> "Behind The Scenes" show?   Shouldn't it have been out by now?

 >I _think_ that it will get fed to the stations, possibly with the
 >pilot itself - the schedule I've seen blocked out 2.5 hours for the B5
 >feed, but the show is only 2 hours. 

It could simply be nothing more than a "reel change" break or something.

 >My best guess is that they are feeding more promos to the stations at 
 >that time, and/or the "making of" special.

So far PTEN has always had promo feeds separate from the episodes.

 >maybe I'll post something asking about this to GEnie tonight to ask Joe.

Good idea.  But by far the most important thing to ask him 
about is the PREVIEW feeds.


Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com> writes:
 >Oh, that one. Yes, it'll be in teh Sat downlink, and there will 
 >be various lengths for the stations to choose from. 

Where did you get that info?   That makes it sound a 
lot like a copy of the DSN Electronic Press Kit.  :->

 >I thought the original question was about E!'s 
 >Behind the Scenes show remake...

Yea, i'd like to see that as well.
---
Date: Tue, 02 Feb 1993 09:06:58 CST
From: Telestro ip Wandrun <"spock::baileyt"@kirk.msoe.edu>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: RE: Screening feeds?

On Groundhog's Eve, 1993, Vijay Vaidyanathan spake:

[...]

> Perhaps someone can ask JMS on Genie: I am not on that ridiculous
> system anymore!
>
> Vijay
> -----
>
> PS: My ONE concern about B5 is that JMS seems to actually *like* a
> pathetic system like GEnie! :-) How come he isnt on USENET?
> Netcom has access in LA (or wherever he is!). Perhaps he is on
> this mailing list?

Hey, don't you be knockin' my main buddy, the GEnie!  Seriously, it is really 
neat, and that is where J. Michael Straczynski(sp) calls most.  For a slight 
monthly fee, you can get messages on an awesome number of topics, and it is a 
bit more directed than I have found Usenet to be. (My college just recently got 
access to the Internet.)  Messages are available nationwide moments after 
posting, unlike Usenet.  I'm not knocking Usenet, it's just a different service 
than GEnie.
---
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 12:14:49 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu
Subject: Re: behind...

Joe mentioned that the Making Of show would be in the Sat uplink. He
wasn't positive, but was pretty sure...
---
Subject: UFO TV SHOW (fwd)
To: b5@iastate.edu@bbx.iastate.edu
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 93 14:35:35 MST

Yo!

    JMS said he wanted anything we saw comparing B5 to ST:DS9 forwarded to
    him, so this is as close as I can get:

Forwarded message:
> 
> Subject: New Space Show. 
>   Those of you that don't believe in watching TV and it will warp you mind 
> will not be interested in knowing that another show is coming out about 
> living in space. Here's some information about it......A LONG, long, time 
> ago in a galaxy far away, two new syndicated sci-fi shows - Deep Space Nine 
> and Babylon 5 - were rocketing to the top of the TV ratings with plots so 
> similar they could've been cloned from the same Klingon!
>   The inevitable collision resulted in a red-hot star war between two eager 
> empires, Paramount and Warner Brothers - and the plot began to thicken. 
>   Babylon 5 creator Joe Straczynski claims he gave Paramount first dibs on his 
> project back in 1988, but the studio nixed the idea. So Joe says he took the 
> concept to Warner Brothers, which invited him to do the pilot for Babylon 5.
>   Soon, Deep Space Nine, a Star Trek spinoff produced by Paramont, was 
> blasting through the Hollywood ether with almost  the same storyline - a 
> giant space station plays home to an assortment of aliens and creepy 
> critters.
>   Despite the striking similarities, Deep Space Nine's executive producer Rich 
> Berman is saying his show's unique. But if you ask us, you can't tell the 
> aliens without a score card. 
>   Here are the things that a similar; The plot of both shows revolves around 
> life aboard a huge space station located near a "wormhole" that's used as a 
> shortcut to other worlds. Deep Space Nine is under the control of Commander 
> Sisko, Babylon 5 is under the control of Commander Sinclair,(or that may be 
> backwards). DS9 is populated by an assortment of humans and oddball aliens 
> who can barely tolerate each other. B5 is the same. DS9 The space station 
> set features a bar, a casino and a bazaar where smugglers, thieves, hookers 
> and hoods hang out. B5 is the same. The gal second-in command defends the 
> space station against attack from her post on the bridge in the pilot 
> episode. Same for B5.
> JW So it appears that some years we are fed cowboy shows, next Doctor shows. 
> next police shows and now it is Sci=fi shows. I like them better anyway.
> Source of Information: Some tabloid magazine that I've don't have the name of 
> anymore.
> John Winston.
---
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 93 00:54:04 MST
From: dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: PTEN feeds

Tonight's normally scheduled PTEN feeds were a no-go.

Instead they just put up a slate saying "RESCHEDULED".

I was looking forward to seeing the first Time Trax 
episode that wasn't part of the preview feeds. 

So, has anyone heard anything?
---
To: mab@buphy.bu.edu
Cc: b5@iastate.edu
From: techy@iastate.edu
Subject: Re: Re:Query
Date: Wed, 03 Feb 93 08:06:07 CST

I believe the production company is called Synthetic Worlds
---
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1993 19:26:09 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, cnelson@eckerd.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: JMS stuff.

Second SF&F RT
Category 17,  Topic 12
Message 36        Wed Feb 03, 1993
S.MONARES [Steve]            at 20:18 EST
 
Ok everyone  here are some of the new satellite feed times for Time Trax/Kung
Fu AND BABYLON 5.
 
 
First feed of the Time Trax/Kung Fu block feed has been changed to:
 
Sundays 12:00pm(noon) to 2:30pm ET  (that includes a 10 minute reel change)
Telstar 301 2V  Audio 5.8 L  6.2 R and 6.8 M.
 
The Friday refeed of the Time Trax/Kung Fu block feed has not been changed.
 
The Tuesday and Wednesday stand alone feed of Time Trax has been cancelled.  I
don't have the new feed time yet, but will post when I do.
 
The satellite feeds of Babylon 5 HAVE CHANGED!!!
 
First feed is now Firday 2/19/93 on T301 9H from 1:30 am to 3:45am ET
 
Second feed is now Saturday 2/20/93 on T301 2V from 6pm to 8:30pm ET
 
Audio is 5.8 L  6.2 R and 6.8 M
 
 
And yes, now that means we have to wait another week before we can see it. :^(
 
 
More info as I get it.....
  Steve
 
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 568       Mon Feb 01, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:15 EST
 
     For what it's worth, we *are* using metric in the series; it's the
growing standard, and by the time our show takes place, will probably be fully
standard (barring some currently unforeseen new form of measurement...how many
feet to a Krell?).  Logically, that does seem the way to go.
 
     Good point, btw, about the international aspects, on many levels.   I
think that if we're going to fairly represent Earth in the future, you have to
go beyond the "token" minority idea.  Not just one black, or one asian, but
*lots* of folks in a mix...and not just from those two fairly safe groups. 
When was the last time you saw a Moslem on Trek?  Or a Jew?   Did somebody
launch a Pogrom when we weren't looking? 
 
     That's the challenge...to be *truthfully* international, AND to show a
true vision of the future, you're going to need Native Americans, Indians,
Arabs, Africans, Hispanics, South Americans, Australians...on and on and on. 
Not to be politically correct (which I tend to think refers more to the way a
character is *represented* than simply acknowledging his/her existence) but
simply to include them as part of the human race as we go to the stars.
 
    jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 591       Tue Feb 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:50 EST
 
     BTW, just a thought about something uptopic...if you *are* planning to
tape B5 off the air, you may want to seriously consider doing it on SP, rather
than the slower speeds, for many reasons.  First and foremost, it's a fairly
darkly lit show, and at slower speeds you'll get a muddy picture, certainly
losing details on the SFX.  Which makes any dubs you'd want to make even MORE
problematic....
 
  jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 415       Tue Feb 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:55 EST
 
I tried to type this on-line earlier and the note dropped dead on me; I'll
type this off-line and see if it gets on this time.
 
We're now 3 weeks from the date when most stations will broadcast the pilot
for BABYLON 5.  Though it's not as interesting as reports from the set, or
during pre-production planning, I thought I'd take a moment to update you on
what's going on now that we're nearing B-Day.
 
There is a scene, in "The Producers," where Zero Mostel hops into a cab and
says to Gene Wilder, "I'm launching myself into Little Old Lady Land."  And
consequently vanishes from sight while running from rendezvous to rendezvous.
 
For lack of a better term, I find myself now firmly launched into Little Old
Press Land.  Because once the show is finished, it kind of behooves you to let
people know it's coming out.  This requires multiple trips to LOPL.  Phase One
was sending review copies out to reviewers (from which we've been getting back
good, often glowing comments).  Phase Two, print and television ads, will be
surfacing shortly (and already have, in some circles).  Phase Three, perhaps
the most crucial, are the direct press contacts.
 
The last week or so, I've been doing interviews with reporters around the
country about every two days.  It'll shortly cycle up to once a day.  Just
today alone, I did two interviews, one with a newspaper syndicate, another for
a paper in La Cross, Michigan.  We're also booking more television interviews,
with CNN, VH1 and other news organizations.  I've encouraged all the reporters
to talk with others on the B5 team, but because the cast aren't NAME
PERFORMERS (for the most part, and only for the moment), they come back to the
point of talking to the creator/producer.  Such is life, and such is the
business.
 
What's gratifying now, and what's different about *these* interviews as
opposed to those conducted before or during filming, is that now for the most
part the reporters at the other end of the telephone or the microphone have
seen the finished pilot.  You can sense a certain level of enthusiasm, they
generally *understand* what we're trying to do here.  And they're being very
supportive.
 
In a curious way, this is the most wearing part of the process, because you
end up answering the same basic questions over and  over and over.  And you
have to keep up your enthusiasm, can't let it seem like you're tired...you
have to do a mini-tent revival every time the phone rings.  (Fortunately,
that's not hard to do with B5.)  And you try to find ways to answer the
question a little differently each time, to give each reporter something
different, something that you haven't told everyone else.  And when the
reporter misses something you want emphasized, you have to find ways to sneak
it into the conversation without seeming like you're directing the interview
(which you shouldn't do).
 
There have been a couple of folks who didn't know the genre, who kept asking
about "sci-fi" and the usual "where do you get your ideas" stuff...but they
have been the minority.  So far, 99% of the reporters have known their stuff,
have asked some tough but fascinating questions, and it's clear that they Get
It.
 
The last week to ten days before broadcast, I'll probably be doing 2 or more
interviews per day, depending on circumstances.  That'll be a REAL test of
stamina.  But all this is no less a part of the process than writing or
filming, and I figured I'd bring you up to speed on that aspect (and to partly
explain why I may have been a bit on the quiet side lately; when you talk
about B5 for several hours a day to reporters, the desire to then write about
it that evening diminishes slightly...but only slightly).  My main problem is
that the reporters are told that they shouldn't go over 20 minutes...a
provision put in for my well being, Warners doesn't want me falling over in
exhaustion... but once I get wound up, there's a tendency to go on for half an
hour, 45 minutes, an hour....hmm...on reflection maybe the 20 minutes is for
THEIR protection....
 
Look for B5 in Entertainment Weekly in the next few weeks; look for an
extensive CNN piece a week or so before air...more stories should be showing
up in the wire services, and local newspapers. We're working on getting
reviews from major players as well as local reviewers.
 
It's getting like the Normandy Invasion around here.
 
BTW...a totally unrelated aside.  As you know, I've been sitting here and
picking nits on B5 the last week or two.  The other night, taking a break
around 2:30 a.m., I was watching Terry Gilliam being interviewed on the South
Bank Show on Bravo, and he mentioned one scene in Time Bandits where there's a
glitch that just *ruins* the shot for him.  It's when the kid and the dwarves
burst through the wall at the end of the long hall that leads from his
bedroom.  Just as the wall falls into blackness, at the very upper right hand
corner of the wall perpindicular to the blackness, there's a piece of loose
tape where the set began to split slightly.  The tape is about 4 inches long.
 
Now, I've seen Time Bandits three, maybe four times.  I have it on disk.  I
have never, EVER seen that piece of tape until he mentioned it.  And I
thought, "Good grief, Terry, c'mon, it's  NOTHING!  What're you so distraught
about?"  Then I remembered that I've been doing pretty much the same thing for
the last week or so.  With probably as much grounds for being upset.
 
(And as if that weren't enough of a telegram from the universe, today I saw
Used People.  A great film.  And there, in one shot, you can clearly see the
boom mike reflected off a polished wood cabinet.  Big deal.  You move on.  We
*know* it's a movie.)
 
Some days I figure this stuff out faster than other days....
 
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 426       Tue Feb 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:53 EST
 
     Mostly the reporters seem content to let the controversy go unstated, and
deal with the show on its own terms, which at this point is fairly preferable.
Let's stand on our own.
 
     And yeah, a lot of questions about the five year plan, which I asnwer as
best I can.
 
     Re: Entertainment Weekly...I have no idea how their review is going to
go, only that they're planning to have one, and a sidebar article.
 
     BTW, the B5 newsletter's third edition went to the printer's on Monday,
so expect it well before the show airs.
 
  jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 432       Wed Feb 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 04:51 EST
 
     Hardest question?  Hmm...haven't actually gotten one, so far; I  imagine
that'll change as more folks see this thing.  Unless of course you're talking
about being *diplomatic* again, which in response to some questions is very
difficult indeed....
 
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 8
Message 342       Tue Feb 02, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:50 EST
 
     How the other characters in the B5 story react to the end of the five
year arc will be a direct function of what happens at the end of that arc. 
And I ain't telling.
 
     There will also be some room for the actors to decide on any future
participation in anything else, and that decision will also have an impact on
the fate of their characters.
 
  jms
---
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 93 14:54:35 -0500
From: mab@buphy.bu.edu (Michael Burstein)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: B5 Fan Club?

How does one go about starting one of these things for a regional area?
I'm thinking of the Boston Fans of Babylon Five, or BFBF, or BFB5, or 2BF,
or BF squared, or....you get the idea. :-)
---
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 93 13:03:42 MST
From: jacque@niwot.scd.ucar.edu (Jacque Marshall)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: media watch?

Upon reading JMS's comments from yesterday about the barrage
of interviews, it occurs to me that it might be worthwhile
to organize some sort of data pool to keep track of stuff
(and compile it so obsessive/compulsives like me can get
a *full set* :-) )

In some senses, much of this organization is already in
place: the "ADDITIONAL READING" section in the FAQ, and
the "B5 Sightings" topic on GEnie.

But there are a couple of things I wonder about: has anybody
gone to the trouble of actually *compiling* all the 
sightings listed on GEnie into one central location
that is easy to access (sort of an on-line catalog)?
(I'm still struggling to catch up--any other GEnie
followers on this list care to comment?)

And has anybody thought about starting a central "library"
where copies of clips and magazine articles can be stored
and redistributed from?

(I know I'm going to regret this but) I'd be willing to
volunteer for the latter, if folks would like to send
clips (or copies of clips--earlier the generation the
better) for compilation into a scrapbook. I'll even look
into the copyright implications for redistributing stuff,
and work out some sort of "subscription" fee to cover
photocopying and postage and so forth.

My main motivation for this is two-fold: I personally 
want to get my mits on as much of the press stuff as 
possible, and I simply don't have the *time* to do the
media search (like I have the time to do the compilation
;-) ). So, what say we pool our resources?

Comments? Suggestions?

If any of y'all decide to throw in on this project,
probably best to send stuff to my home address:

  Jacque Marshall
  3250 O'Neal Circle B-23
  Boulder, CO 80301

If you do decide to send me stuff, the pieces of
information I would like to see included are: Name,
date, and issue number of publication, author and
body of article, and, if possible, mailing address
and phone for the publication.

Well, lemme know what you think of this idea (and
especially if somebody out there already has it handled!)

Also, if anybody would care to pass the notion on to
Joe and see what he thinks (I could do it myself, but
as I said, I'm behind on my GEnie homework, and am
still kind of tripping over my feet in that system.
I will also try to post to the Sightings topic myself
in the next day or two--but somebody please stop me
if I'm re-inventing the wheel!)
---
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 93 13:23:11 MST
From: jacque@niwot.scd.ucar.edu (Jacque Marshall)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: B5 Fan Club?

> How does one go about starting one of these things for a regional area?
> I'm thinking of the Boston Fans of Babylon Five, or BFBF, or BFB5, or 2BF,
> or BF squared, or....you get the idea. :-)
> 
> Michael A. Burstein
>

Well, when I started our high school's Star Trek club, I put
a notice up on some of the school bulletin boards, maybe an
ad in the school paper (I don't remember) and mouthed off
a lot. Then, after we'd had our first meeting to kind of
test the waters (about 20 people showed up--not bad!) we
went and found ourselves a faculty sponsor.

Some years later, I did the same thing on a city-wide level:
ad in the classifieds, put posters up at CU, and so on. In
a market the size of Boston, you might even have public
access cable available... public radio stations, all sorts
of stuff. Also, put up notices at book stores (especially
if you have any SF bookstores in the area).

Basically, you just decide you're gonna do it, and then
get the word out, using whatever means come handy.

How 'bout:

  BF
  BF  ?  (You know, make it a square logo?...Gee, we could
  do that here, too: Boulder Fans of Babylon Five;

  BF
  BFwest...if you don't mind us horning in on
   your name... :-) )
---
From: Lee_Whiteside-P14942@email.mot.com
Date: 4 Feb 93 21:56:12 GMT
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: B5 Fan Clubs & Media Watches

On the subject of a local fan club, best thing to do is to put up flyers at
places similarly inclined people will see them.  Comic and book stores are
good places as well as local libraries.  Having been involved with local Star
Trek and Dr. Who fan clubs, I can relate how those two were started.  The Star
Trek one came out of some friends organizing a viewing party when Space: 1999
originally aired way back in 1974.  They were mostly Arizona State University
students so I imagine that they posted notices and such around the campus.
The Dr. Who club started from people who frequented a sci-fi bookstore that
carried a lot of Dr. Who merchandise back in the early 80's.
 
As for a national Babylon 5 fan club, that will most likely evolve out of the
mailing list for the B5 newsletter which evolved from the GEnie users that are
dubbed "The Grid Epsilon Irregulars".  I doubt if they would make use of the
organization that runs the Lucasfilm and Star Trek fan clubs.  Until the show
goes to series, any fan organization would be fairly small.
 
For anyone looking to start up a local club, I would suggest you keep things
informal as much as possible until you can be sure you've got enough people to
support a full-fledged club with a treasury, by-laws, officers, newsletter,
etc.
 
On the subject of keeping track of the media stuff, I don't know if anyone has
attempted to compile a fully detailed listing off the posts on GEnie.  I've
been mainly trying to note the major articles in the FAQL.  A more detailed
listing could develop from that to become a separate file.  Keeping actual
photocopies of everything could be a major task, especially if trying to catch
all the local newspaper articles that will appear in the next few weeks.
 
Once things slow down, I was planning on attempting to compile a more detailed
listing based on the info posted in the Media Sightings topic on GEnie, but if
someone else gets to it first, you won't find me complaining.
 
I'm also trying to catch TV reports on shows like Entertainment Tonight and
CNN's Showbiz Today and any others that I can get advance warning on.
--- 
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 93 15:43:13 -0800
From: danwood@netcom.com (Dan Wood)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Will satellite be scrambled?

According to Steve Monares on GEnie,
>The satellite feeds of Babylon 5 HAVE CHANGED!!!
>First feed is now Firday 2/19/93 on T301 9H from 1:30 am to 3:45am ET
>Second feed is now Saturday 2/20/93 on T301 2V from 6pm to 8:30pm ET
>Audio is 5.8 L  6.2 R and 6.8 M

Are these uplinks going to be scrambled? I want to get somebody to tape
'em for me, but if they're scrambled, it won't be possible.

For that matter, are the other SF uplinks (Trek, etc.) scrambled?

E-mail me if you know, please!
---
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1993 19:03:56 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: JMS

(May have alreayd posted the first of these two replies.)

--

GE Mail
Item    8791433                 93/02/01        20:33
From:   STRACZYNSKI                     J. Michael Straczynski
To:     J.ROY18                         Jonathan E. Roy
Sub:
 
Reply:  Item #3244287 from J.ROY18      on 93/02/01 at 16:26
 
     To the Canadian question, I would certainly like Babylon 5 to be as
internationally available as possible.  Especially in Canada, where I
previously worked on two series.  This is, however, an area utterly and
absolutely outside my province.  That's strictly a Warners area.  I'm sure
it'll get there, but the details and timetables are things to which I'm
not privy.
 
     Re: the Graphic Books Online inquiry...I confess to knowing nothing
at all about this.  Doesn't mean it isn't legit, doesn't mean it isn't
legit, only that this is the first time I've heard of it.
 
  jms
 
----------
GE Mail
Item    0573476                 93/02/04        18:02
From:   STRACZYNSKI                     J. Michael Straczynski
To:     J.ROY18                         Jonathan E. Roy
Sub: Ethnicity
 
     My only point re: not seeing Jews and Moslems was not relating to
the actors who portray the characters, but the characters *themselves*;
yes, Nimoy is Jewish, but Spock is not.  In the 200 years of future
history, what happened to Hassidic jews and Moslems in chadors and Catholic
priests...or those who are openly of one ethnic group or another...an SF
television character with an Arab name, personality, character, dress and
history?  That's what I was referring to.  There's a dearth of those
in SF TV in general, and Trek in particular, I think.
 
       jms
---
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1993 19:33:33 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, cnelson@eckerd.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: JMS...

(The flak jacket message is a reply to my question asking if the jacket
could block a projectile weapon, thrown knife, etc.)

Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 12
Message 198       Wed Feb 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:53 EST
 
     I hadn't heard a thing about it.  All it *might* involve is the fact that
we have to add a voice-over just to announce the companies involved over the
credits, i.e., "A Rattlesnake Production in association with Synthetic Worlds,
Ltd. (my company) and Warner Bros. Domestic Television.)
 
    jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 638       Thu Feb 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:12 EST
 
     The delay is to accommodate a wish from Warners to put a voice over on
the end credits, basically, "A Rattlesnake Production, in Association with
Synthetic Worlds, Ltd., distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television." 
It'll take a while to do the VO, lay it into the master, and then get it out
to the stations.
 
    jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 443       Thu Feb 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:22 EST
 
     By and large, I'd agree, though with a clarification.  There is a
difference between having experiences which one can write about, and being
able to take those experiences and graft them onto a fictional storyline,
flesh them out with characters and a dramatic plotline and resolution.  The
first is biography; the second is fiction.  One may have an experience that
leads to a story, but to only recount the experience wholecloth is not in
itself the story.  Not to diminsh the former, only that it is *different*.
 
     So on that level, yes, I tend to agree.  To the point of your
question...I've never had a problem with running out of ideas.  Never had a
dry season, and doubt I will.  (And even if it were to hit, I've got a
sufficient backlog of story fragments, outlines, premises and so on to carry
me through several years of writer's block.)
 
     The key is discipline and the ability to interpret an individual
experience in such a way that it has broader implications.
 
    jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 8
Message 350       Thu Feb 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 21:08 EST
 
     Yes, they're configured for certain kinds of weapons, but they can't be
used against everything.  (And they're heavy enough to take some kinds of
projectile weapons, but a) not big ones, and b) that don't do squat for your
head.)  As it is, in the pilot, when one person wearing the jacket is hit,
he's hit *hard* and comments that "...flak jacket...took most of it..."  Not
all, but most.  And he was considerably hammered by it.
 
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 290       Thu Feb 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:26 EST
 
     The station was designed to rotate mainly because it's scientifically
accurate.  Afterward, we realized that, as you suggest, it *does* give the
station a very dynamic look.  Which only proves the point that if you take the
time to actually do things correctly, to answer the next question, it works
FOR you, not against you.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 15
Message 132       Wed Feb 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:54 EST
 
     Oh, yeah, the gills...not really a story point...Narns are big on getting
their hands on new technology, and he paid for gill implants.  A small touch.
 
   jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 16
Message 113       Wed Feb 03, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 23:56 EST
 
     He-Man and She-Ra were the first shows I worked on on staff.  Wrote about
12 or 14 of the former, about 11 or so of the latter.  It had its down-
moments, but we had some fun. 
 
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 16
Message 116       Thu Feb 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 02:49 EST
 
     Why did I work on it?  This may sound awful, but I kinda liked the show. 
I'd seen the first season, and just for the heck of it, wrote a spec script. 
Sent it to the producer.  Cold.  No agent, no contacts, no nuthin'.  Got a
call to go for a meeting.  He commissioned a story.  I wrote it.  He bought
it, commissioned a script, which was also bought (and produced).  Wrote a
second one a week later.  Was then informed that their budget for freelance
contributions was almost gone (foo!) but that I was welcome to come on staff
for a weekly salary.  This was my first offer of a staff gig, and I took it.
 
     And I've been on staff somewhere almost constantly since then, with only
minor breaks.
 
     Overall, I enjoyed the experience.  I learned a lot, got to see nearly
everything I wrote produced, learned how far I could push myself (writing a
full script, from zero, no outline, in 24 hours...and this was before
computers, just on an IBM Selectric).  I tried in general to write stories
that were more adult in nature...alternating those with comic episodes just
for fun.  (Favorite scene...two disgustingly cute elf-like folks asking
Skeletor if he'd like a bowl of warm Spoo.  Responding in a mimicking tone of
voice...SKELETOR: "No, I don't want any SPOO!  I *hate* Spoo.  And I don't
even know what Spoo IS!") 
 
     Also got to re-write a lot of freelance scripts, there and on its sister-
show (literally, in this case).  Learned how to become a script doctor.  Met
Larry DiTillio (well, no experience is ever 100% great). 
 
     (Here's my very first conversation with Larry.  I'd been working for
about a week, and had not said about two words to Larry, despite the fact that
he occupied the office directly across from mine.  Finally, after turning in a
script, I leaned in his door, and mentioned how relieved I was that the job
was going so well, "At first, I didn't think I could do it."  "I know what you
mean," Larry said, "I didn't think you could do it either."  At that moment, a
lasting friendship was born.  Remind me  sometime to tell you about the
occasional wars we would declare on one another's offices, and the time he
tried to burn down my office.)
 
     Point being, as I said in my "I'm taking a break" column that ran in
Writer's Digest last month, no experience is ever wasted, and no writing is
wasted writing provided that you learn, and grow more muscular, and become a
better writer from the experience.
 
      jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 16
Message 118       Thu Feb 04, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 18:29 EST
 
     "Origin of the Sorceress," "The Cold Zone," "Journey to Stone City,"
"Battle of the Dragons," "The Magic Falls," "Mistaken Identity," "The Games,"
"Trouble's Middle Name," "Double Trouble," and some others, that's all I
remember off hand.
 
   jms
---
Subject: Broadcast time in Albuquerque
To: b5@iastate.edu
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 93 10:15:03 MST
From: "Allen J. Newton" <bbx!dino.basis.com!anewton@unmvax.cs.unm.edu>

Hello, B5'ers!

    Babylon 5 will be premiering in Albuquerque Monday, Feb. 22 at 7:00pm
    on KGSW Fox-14 (in Albuquerque and the surrounding areas).  I don't
    know what the translator affiliations are, if any.

--- 
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1993 12:56:00 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, cnelson@eckerd.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: JMS postings.

(Archive emssages are from long ago. THey are near
the end of the post.)

--- cut

Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 1
Message 652       Fri Feb 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:02 EST
 
     Yeah, I'm big on TDK's as well, generally don't/won't use anything else.
 
     Here's some info for satellite and local viewers....on Feb. 6, the B5
promos/teasers will be downlinked to stations, and they'll start to show up
around Feb. 8th on local stations...long-form behind-the-scenes pieces will be
downlinked Feb 10, and the "Countdown to Babylon 5" promos will be downlinked
Feb 11, airing around the 12th or so.
 
     The "Countdown" on stations begins around Feb 15 (this is all for
stations airing around the 22nd); radio spots will appear later in the same
week, with Babylon 5 finally airing around the 22nd/23rd in most markets. 
(The stations may have some idea when they'll run the parts and pieces and
promos.)
 
      jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 451       Fri Feb 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:03 EST
 
     I don't know of any Canadian stations at this time, though some can pick
it up off the Buffalo station.  There's talk of a TV interview for Canadian
TV, but would prefer that to be linked to the stations carrying it there.
 
  jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 453       Fri Feb 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:13 EST
 
   LOST SCENES FROM BABYLON 5
 
 The following scene is excerpted from the script for "The
 Gathering."  It was filmed, but was eliminated from the
 final cut due to time restraints.
 
 Earlier in the story, Dr. Benjamin Kyle has had...an
 encounter with what is inside the Vorlon's encounter suit.
 
   ***
 
 INT. MEDLAB
 
 where Laurel and Kyle look through the glass at Kosh.
 
      LAUREL
So, Doctor...just what *did* you see 
when you looked inside that suit?
 
      KYLE
      (a long beat, then:)
There are moments in your life when 
everything crystallizes.  When the 
whole world reshapes itself, right 
down to its component molecules, and 
everything changes.
      (beat)
I've looked upon the face of a 
Vorlon, Laurel...and nothing's the 
same anymore.
 
 And, his thoughts distant, Kyle moves off, leaving Laurel
 to peer through the mist at the shrouded figure within the
 isolab, and wonder....
 
  ***
 
 Just a little aside, provided FYI.
 
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 468       Sat Feb 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:11 EST
 
     Sue: thanks.  And yes, you're correct...we'll reveal what's inside Kosh's
encounter suit around the end of year two/start of year three, and I'm going
to get Ron (and others) working on the actual form at the top of year one, so
that by the time it's revealed, everything works and it's as impressive as
it's supposed to be.
 
     As to why Kyle doesn't say specifically...remember there's the issue of
patient/doctor confidentiality.
 
    jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 2
Message 471       Sat Feb 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 03:32 EST
 
     That's a zero-g cargo bay which stretches from one end of the station
nearly to the other, and is attached to the system that makes B5 revolve
beneath.
 
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 6
Message 386       Fri Feb 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:06 EST
 
     Skip: lemme know when it airs on E!  It might be one of the newer promos.
 
     Don't know when it's playing on Denver; best to check locally.
 
     (Just to clarify that...I have no means of knowing when all of the
various stations will air the show, that's done strictly on a local basis, so
that's your best source on this...and there will be ads the Sunday before, in
any event.)
 
   jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 12
Message 208       Sat Feb 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:19 EST
 
     There's really nothing I can say about the other show for the time being.
 
     As for the clips...yes, the stations can use them wherever and however
they are so inclined.  Newscasts or otherwise.  Some have, and more will as
time draws close.
 
     For the first time, there's a clock ticking behind Babylon 5.
 
   jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 16
Message 125       Fri Feb 05, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:10 EST
 
     Actually, Rob, I'd say that I agree with about 98% of your concerns, and
voiced them myself while I was there.  The production values were generally
just awful....
 
   jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 16
Message 128       Sat Feb 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe]            at 01:25 EST
 
     Re: the title..."Deal with it." 
 
     Thing is, Babylon has become a myth that can be interpreted and re-
interpreted a zillion ways, and can't be unmentioned forever because of one of
those interpretations.  That's why the name has come up more times than I want
to think about, in song and story.  (Remember the song "Babylon," by, I
believe, Donovan?)  We did a titles search before we began production, and the
title Babylon 1 has been used 4 times, Babylon 2 has been used twice, Babylon
3 appears in a copyrighted song title, and Babylon 4 has also been used
(though neither copyrighted nor trademarked, so we've taken that step).  Which
also goes to Somtow using a Babylon 5 in his story.  It's a name that merits
lots of re-interpretations.
 
     And yes,I'd like to use some rock and roll, just looking for the right
place.
 
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 19
Message 9         Fri Feb 05, 1993
SF-LAWRENCE [Katherine]      at 15:42 EST
 
 From Archive B5-002.TXT
 Message date: Tue Jan 21, 1992
 From STRACZYNSKI
 
     BABYLON 5 is a deep-space station located in a strategic sector of space
that is heavily traveled, a jump point for journeys, with representatives from
various civilizations on board.
 
     DEEPSPACE 9 is a deep-space station located in a strategic sector of
space that is heavily traveled, a jump point for  journeys, with
representatives from various civilizations on board.
 
     Funny...I don't see what's similar about them at ALL...even if there ARE
some other points of comparison that I can't reveal for fear of compromising
my OWN story.
 
     As for the reason for rebuilding B5...it was an idea that was right, and
those responsible refused to knuckle under to what was, in effect, terrorism.
During WW II, someone asked Winston Churchill what he would do if a V-2 took
out Big Ben.  "We shall rebuild it," he said.  And what if they knock THAT
down?  "We shall rebuild it again, and again, as many times as is required.
Because it is not theirs to destroy, it is OURS."
 
     B5, at this crucial time, is the last, best hope for peace, and there are
people dedicated to pursuing that peace, whatever the cost, however many times
others may try to destroy it.  Those aboard B5 know the risk, but come because
they believe in what it stands for, just as U.N. observers go into a country
knowing fully that they may be killed.
 
     Why rebuild the Enterprise?  Why make more shuttles after one blows up,
even though you KNOW that the odds indicate that at least one more will go,
sooner or later?  Why continue with the Gemini space program even after those
astronauts died in that terrible fire?
 
     Because the universe doesn't reward you for doing what's safe, and easy.
Because courage and persistence is what pulled us out of the seas and onto
land and dragged us through millions of years of evolution.   What sets the
human race apart from everything else is our persistence, the stubborn, noble
dignity that propelled Washington's men, when offered the chance to stand down
during the revolutionary war, when they were tired and bleeding and
frostbitten, to refuse to knuckle under, and to go on.
 
     During WW II, again, there were cases of planes sent in to bomb strategic
sites...and when one batch was shot down, another wing went off.  And another.
And another.  Until finally SOMEONE got through.   Because it had to be done.
The consequences were too terrible otherwise.
 
     We have come into an age when it seems passion is passe, when the very
common coin of our shared humanity, the willingness to put our lives on the
line for a cause or a belief, seems somehow suspect.  Why do people rebuild
BABYLON 5 even though it's not safe?  Why do they go there when it's not safe?
 
     Because the Earth/Minbari war ALONE almost wiped out humanity.  We can't
afford NOT to be there.
 
     And these people are willing to put their lives on the line to see' that
that never happens again.  Because they damn near won the first time, and the
next bunch might well finish the job.
 
     One of my favorite pieces of verse is from Tennyson's ULYSSES.  And it is
at the core of what BABYLON 5 is about.  It concerns the final voyage of
Ulysses...older, tired, who has lost his family and most of his kingdom and
most of his men, betrayed and saddened...and he gathers up those few surviving
members from his earlier journey, and as they prepare to push off, he
concludes with a final benediction: "Though we are not now that strength that
in old days moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are: one equal
temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate but strong in will, to
strive, to seek, to find and not to yield."
 
   jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 19
Message 10        Fri Feb 05, 1993
SF-LAWRENCE [Katherine]      at 15:42 EST
 
 From Archive B5-002.TXT
 Message date: Fri Jan 31, 1992
 From STRACZYNSKI
 
     Insofar as we can tell, the EFX work via computer will be easier and
faster.  The B5 demo that's floating around was done literally in about a
week, by one guy working part time.  Look at that and imagine what we can do
once we get our full team working full-time.
 
     I don't know if you'll see more or less such EFX on B5 as opposed to TNG
because I haven't really counted.  We'll use them as required by the story.  I
think the mix on "The Gathering" is a little light on EFX, because so much of
this story is establishing the characters and the relationships.  So we'll
take what efx we DO have in that episode and make them REALLY spiffy.
 
     I'm *pretty* sure that Ron Thornton told me we can generate 5-8 NEW
minutes of EFX every week once we get to series.  Bear in mind that many of
the space EFX you see on a show like TNG are recycled or composited using a
mix of old and new film.  We can do all that PLUS put out a very substantial
amount of new EFX.  And we'll be using those EFX in interesting ways that I
think will be fairly original in look and feel.
 
     One thing that I'm planning toward now is a mid-season crisis, and we'll
be squirreling away bits of EFX for that episode early on, since the script
will be finished well in advance of the shooting.  What I want to do -- and
again, this is the series part -- is have one episode where we just kick over
the table and go for it: a major, armed conflict between dozens, maybe even
HUNDREDS of individual ships.  Think some of the sequences in RETURN OF THE
JEDI as a boilerplate.  And what will be cool, what the EFX guys have sketched
out for me, is that we can begin from the POV of one ship, move away as it's
blown up, move THROUGH AND BETWEEN the other ships, change direction, and pull
back to the B5 POV, all in one continuous take.  It means preparing WELL in
advance, but I suspect that the result is going to be worth it in spades.
 
     Which is, again, one of the benefits to working things out on a show or
film far in advance, as with a novel.  Instead of lurching from one script to
another, never knowing what's coming next, we'll have a full time-line to work
from...what approximate EFX will be required, what sort of sets we will need
down the road, that sort of thing, which means we can make things look better
overall.
 
     I just wish we were PAST the movie already, and moving on.  But one
crisis at a time....
 
  jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 19
Message 11        Fri Feb 05, 1993
SF-LAWRENCE [Katherine]      at 15:43 EST
 
 From Archive B5-002.TXT
 Message date: Sat Feb 01, 1992
 From STRACZYNSKI
 
     Interesting stuff on the tech side, much to consider.  I remain inclined
toward the solar collectors for several reasons: 1) They look boss.  2) The
first thing you have to learn in space is to not over-complicate things.  The
sun is a constant, and unless it goes nova (in which case anything else is
irrelevant now anyway), it's a relatively safe bet for power.  Set it up and
forget it.  What matters is that it can do the job.  3) Good SF not only looks
to the future, but tries to send a message for the present as well.  And if we
can emphasize this issue, all the better.
 
     Trying to decide which new piece of info to let go now.  Hmm...it'll
either be B5's second in command, or one of the ambassadors.  Hmm....
 
jms
 
     (P.S. And yes, I'm also inclined toward showing space silent.  There are
ways of doing it and still making it dramatic.)
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 19
Message 13        Fri Feb 05, 1993
SF-LAWRENCE [Katherine]      at 15:45 EST
 
 From Archive B5-002.TXT
 Message date: Sun Feb 02, 1992
 
      Those stations that agreed to carry B5 early on are all still
 carrying the program, plus a bunch of other stations that've been lined
 up subsequent to NATPE.  A full list will be appended soonest.
 
      The speculated-upon similarity to Japan was not unintentional.
 
      Regarding sub-light speeds...we're working that out with the tech
 crew.  Actually, EVERYONE is getting in on that aspect.  One design for
 a B5 defensive ship (kly loaded: 1200 parsecs
 
      WEIGHT: Standard earth gravity: unloaded, 35,000 kg; loaded, 114,000 kg
 
      DIMENSION: Length: 37 meters; Span: 43 meters; Height at max diameter:
       8.43 meters
 
      ARMAMENT: 8 antimatter lasers
       18 "Blackhole" missiles with 1.5 megaton warheads
2 explosive projectile 85mm ruger spiral-feed cannons
4 "Reagan" class dumb-fire missiles
3 pulsed accellerator long-range missiles
 
      CREW: 2, plus back-up crew for long-distance missions.
 
      Again, that may not end up being what's actually used in the show, but
 it's one of our speculations by some of the tech people.  Kinda fun.  One
 other ship that's been designed is the Blohm Und Voss-IBM BV142 V493
 "Nervenklau" class interceptor with ram-fusion turbos.  (It's a smaller
 ship than the "Patriot" class, made for speed and bite.)
 
      Are we having fun, or what?
 
  jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 19
Message 14        Fri Feb 05, 1993
SF-LAWRENCE [Katherine]      at 15:47 EST
 
 From Archive B5-002.TXT
 Message date: Sun Feb 02, 1992
 From STRACZYNSKI
 
     Whew, that's a lot of comments.  Let me try and deal with the major
issues rather than point-by-point.
 
     Re: sound in space...there's more than one way of doing that, and I think
I have an idea that will let me satisfy BOTH camps.  I won't know if it
actually *works* until we get into a sound room with footage on screen, but
there may be a third alternative.
 
     Re: the TNG "forehead" problem...here's what I think is a major point of
distinction between the two shows.  TNG often becomes the Alien Of The Week
show.  If you're going to have a guy come through the show just once, you tend
not to spend an awful lot of time on the prosthetics/appliances.   On a TV
production schedule, there simply isn't that kind of time.  So you compromise,
and come up with something that'll suffice...and the easiest thing to do is to
affect the area you will see most on the screen, the face or forehead.  (You
could, I suppose, provide flippers instead of feet, but how often would you
see them in a shot?)
 
     One of the interesting things about B5 is that, with some exceptions from
time to time, we'll be drawing most of our players from one or more of the
five different groups (four alien, one human).  So we know, in advance, that
we're going to be using the same "look" many times during a given season.
Which means that we can spend a lot of time up front in designing more
elaborate appliances or prostheses since we'll be using them more often, thus
amortizing the cost and time and effort.
 
     Londo is the most human of the bunch.  They get progressively more
unusual as we go along.  When we do feature someone not from one of the major
groups, we want to know about it well enough in advance that we can do it up
right.  John Iacovelli, our production designer (from HONEY, I SHRUNK THE
KIDS) would love to experiment with some insectoid designs, with limbs that
move in the opposite way they're supposed to...to play with size in other
aliens, having some *substantially* taller or smaller than Earth-norm.  And
from time to time, there will be some life-forms that you'll just see out of
the corner of your eye that'll be quite different.
 
     You see, in TNG, if you have something REALLY bizarre on screen, you more
or less have to justify why it's there, and what it's doing there, and thus it
becomes a major plot point, and thus it has to be played by a human actor,
which brings you right back to the forehead problem.  But on B5, *anything*
can pass through.  Which gives us latitude to do things with mechanicals and
high-tech puppeteering.  (Some of our guys have come over from the Henson
Creature Shop, with some *amazing* ideas.)
 
     Once again, it all comes down to *advance planning*.  Which has always in
my view been the one aspect lacking in 99% of all TV SF series.  This show, as
reported, has taken us 4 years to get going, and believe me when I say that
that time has NOT been spent just sitting around.
 
     Re: what I learned on my trips to conventions and appearing on WHY CAN'T
THEY GET IT RIGHT? panels...what I came away with was a general sense of
frustration from people who felt that in most cases, a show ends up being
either good SF and bad television, or good TV but bad SF, and why can't you
mix the two?  They pointed to the lack of character conflict in TNG, noting
(correctly) that conflict is the core of ANY drama.  They wondered --
repeatedly -- why it is that every time a decent concept comes along, someone
has to hobble it with kids or cute robots.
 
     It was just a general sense of frustration that while SF in print (and to
SOME extent films) has grown up into adulthood, TV SF was still perceived AND
EXECUTED as though for kids, or without the grittiness or maturity of the work
you'd associate with Gibson or Sterling or Clarke.   ST was, by and large, an
anomaly in that it treated SF with a modicum of respect.  There's not been
much of that, the audience tended to feel.
 
     Which made me all the more determined to try and bring SF into the
mainstream not by compromising the SF, but by -- as it were -- bringing the
mountain to Mohammed by incorporating elements that mainstream vieewers  have
come to expect from non-SF series: adult characters with adult relationships,
sexual and otherwise; interpersonal conflict; marriages and divorces and
pregnancies and all the other elements that are the common coin of our shared
humanity.  People who live in a world that, unlike the antiseptic Enterprise,
requires courage and struggle and hope and joy and effort, exactly as those
elements are required in our own lives.
 
     As I think I stated once before LONG uptopic...my model on this is, in a
way, DRAGNET and HILL STREET BLUES.  There was a time in the TV industry when
cop shows were viewed the same way SF shows are viewed now: of interest only
to people into police procedurals and mysteries, which  was considered a very
small proportion of the audience.  The along came DRAGNET, which for the first
time showed cops going on dates, having divorces, barbeques, fights...and that
show went through the roof because it fleshed out the characters (for that
time...yes, they're stiff and cardboard now, but at that time they were
revolutionary, and if you check your TV history, you will find that DRAGNET is
still considered the most successful cop show ever produced for TV).  HILL
STREET BLUES was the final culmination of that process, a model from which
came shows like LA LAW and ST. ELSEWHERE and others.
 
     There is absolutely NO reason on earth why that same process cannot apply
to SF.  And that is what we are pledged to do on this show.  I expect either
to succeed -- astonishingly -- or fail, just as astonishingly.
  But there won't be a middle ground.
 
  jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18,  Topic 19
Message 15        Fri Feb 05, 1993
SF-LAWRENCE [Katherine]      at 15:48 EST
 
 From Archive B5-002.TXT
 Message date: Mon Feb 03, 1992
 From STRACZYNSKI
 
     Two quickies...on the tech of the "Patriot" ship...please, once again,
bear in mind that that was passed along mainly for the fun of it.  The
designer who came up with it isn't a scientist, and was engaging in a bit of
"rubber science."  The main thought there was the idea of a range of weaponry,
most of it extensions of either modern stuff (projectile weapons) and
futuristic stuff.  BeLIEVE me, anything we finally come up with -- and it may
bear no resemblance to the ship discussed -- will go firmly through the hands
of the tech people who'll check and double-check for this stuff.
 
     As to keeping around Laurel Takashima...believe me, I have every
intention of doing so.  The reason Pilot was killed off in C.P. was due to the
actress's desire to take on some film roles and leave the show.  So I decided,
"Okay, if we're going to lose a character, let's not wimp out and have her
transferred, let's kill her, but kill her in a dramatic way that changes not
only the characters, but the nature of the show itself."   Which is why, when
she went, she took the whole base of operations of our main characters with
her.  (Season Two would've been completely different from season one, with our
guys on the run, no permanent base of operations.)
 
 
     The problem with episodic series is that, after a while, you know what
the parameters are.  You know THIS character won't ever be killed, and THAT
base has got to remain, and THIS can't change.  And you fall into a habit and
into regular expectations.  I *love* to blow up those sorts of expectations.
Find the one thing that NO ONE thinks you're ever going to do in your
show...and do it.  It keeps EVERYBODY on their toes.  If you can tune in and
never know for sure what's going to happen, knowing that  everyone and
everything is fair game, it makes the tension in the show far more real.  The
reaction when Pilot/Jennifer Chase was killed off was astonishing...and when
the base was destroyed with her.  I was at a con when it was shown, and one
person finally broke the stunned silence and said, "Jesus, they're not kidding
around, this IS a war."  Which was exactly the right response.
 
     How this will affect B5...wait and see.
 
     And here's a little something to consider.  Some have noted the location
of B5's namesake, it's proximity to the Tigres and Euphrates, that sort of
thing...speculated on other aspects of the show...but much of what you need to
know about what will eventually happen in the course of the B5 story arc is
already available to you.  In any decent desk encyclopedia.
 
     What, you thought I pulled the name Babylon out of a hat?  Let's just say
that there are going to be some interesting historical parallels....
 
jms
---
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Time slot....
From: rider@geloser.login.qc.ca (Serge Ayotte)
Date: Sat, 06 Feb 93 20:23:22 EST

Hiya folks...

I got this from the SF.TV newsgrup, someone is not giving a chance to
B5...

From: abilenko@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Arkady Bilenko)
>        Dear Netters,
>after several hours on the phone to local (Columbus, Ohio) TV stations,
>I discovered that a local CBS affiliate will show the premiere of
>Babylon 5 at 12 am (midnight) on February 21.
[rest deleted, I answered is question concerning others
episodes...<grin>>]

Anyone in Burlington wants to give a call to Channel 3 to see if they'll
past it??? If a CBS affiliate in Ohio passes it maybe we Montrealer's
will have a chance to see it too!!! [on knees begging and praying!!!]
---