BAB017.TXT
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1993 09:27:24 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
Message-Id: <199302071727.AA28568@halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, cnelson@eckerd.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: JMS postings
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 672 Sat Feb 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:15 EST
No matter what, I'll be at BayCon with Harlan and Susan. That's why god
made notebook computers....
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 479 Sat Feb 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:19 EST
Torville...yes, it did mean something to him. And we'll deal with what
he saw later. (And it's still part of the record that he did see something.)
If you "can't imagaine what that would be," then good. It means I'm
doing it right.
Re: making the written comments here available at the Shop (wasn't that
the Stephen King boogeyman?), sure, why not?
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 483 Sun Feb 07, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:26 EST
LOST SCENES FROM BABYLON 5
Here's another scene, which was filmed for the pilot movie, but
cut when the pilot ran long. It takes place at the top of the
movie, in the teaser.
***
INT. OBSERVATION DOME
One of the consoles BREEPS and Laurel goes to it. With a push
of a button, the slender glass panel in front of her fills with
the image of SECURITY CHIEF MICHAEL GARIBALDI, early forties,
dark haired, hard-edged.
LAUREL
Garibaldi, what's up?
GARIBALDI
Looking for the Commander. We've got
someone down in Bay 12 needs his
personal clearance to come aboard.
LAUREL
He just linked in a few minutes ago,
said he was on his way. Had to take
care of a "tourist problem" first.
And no, I don't know what he meant,
so don't ask. I just hope it works
out better than the last one.
And with that, we go to
INT. CASINO
where we PAN the surroundings, revealing a mix of alien and
human life forms. There's smoke, music, dancers, and a colorful
blend of costumes and strange drinks on the bar. We FIND COMMANDER
JEFFREY SINCLAIR moving slowly through the crowd, keeping a close
eye on
A COUPLE
male and female from the look of it. He's human, she's alien,
and there's something vaguely chitinous about her skin, something
both exotic and forbidding. He's clearly coming on to her. He
surreptitiously hand her a credit chit. She smiles and moves away
from the bar, taking his hand as suddenly Sinclair is behind her.
He takes the chit from her and hands it back to the human.
SINCLAIR
I wouldn't.
(to the alien woman)
You know the rules about crossing
species. Stick with the list.
HUMAN "JOHN"
What're you, a bigot or something?
SINCLAIR
No. But obviously you've never me
an Arnassian before. After they
finish, they eat their mate.
With that, Sinclair heads away. The human looks back at the
woman with a very new perspective. And this time it's her turn
to smile...and now she holds up a hand, offering *him* money. On
his wary look, we CUT.
***
(I know, I know, I'm a sick man....)
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 392 Sat Feb 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:20 EST
BTW, apparently B5 will be carried in Canada. I have the info...er,
somewhere in my computer, will try and chase it down.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 504 Sat Feb 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:23 EST
(And as people gather on the street in front of the unassuming house in
an otherwise quiet part of the Valley, they try to figure out what that
curious sound is emanating from a back room, because surely it could not be
what it sounds like....some banging their head against a wall, over and over
and over...because no one could sustain that kind of continued injury without
just dropping dead right in the middle of a wor
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 14
Message 192 Sat Feb 06, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:29 EST
If your friend Lisa (who by the way never writes anymore, never calls,
the children are always asking about her, but we can't tell her the truth, now
can we...I mean, circus midgets and Wall Street scandals, how do you tell that
to a pair of wide-eyed five year old twins) is referring to The Next
Generation, the answer is that yes, I would have done B5 regardless because I
was noodling with the basic concept late in 1986, early in 1987, which means
it pretty much pre-dates TNG, if only by a few months. If she is referring to
the original Trek...that's a question that I really can't answer, it's
perveated every aspect of American culture that it's nearly impossible to say.
The original Trek showed that a space series could be done, so on that level,
it helped lay the foundation.
jms
---
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1993 09:34:34 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
Message-Id: <199302071734.AA28741@halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, cnelson@eckerd.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: JMS reply to religion/etc comment.
Item 7124413 93/02/06 17:13
From: STRACZYNSKI J. Michael Straczynski
To: J.ROY18 Jonathan E. Roy
Reply: Item #8073504 from J.ROY18 on 93/02/06 at 15:16
In television, we work by showing things. On Cagney and Lacey,
sure, ANYone could *be* an alcoholic. But they chose to show Cagney as an
alcoholic. It was dramatic, and moving. To follow up with the same
actress for a moment, on The Trials of Rosie O'Neil, again, anyone could
be jewish. But they chose to have one of the characters wear a Yamulka.
You could, in any series, offer the idea that anyone could be lesbian or
gay or bisexual. But in (I believe it was) LA Law, they chose to show a
character who was lesbian, same in the ABC show Heartbeats.
A person CAN be anything...but unless you show SOMEthing, then they
are essentially nothing. In other words, you can choose to ignore the
whole question, as a writer or producer, that's certainly within your
province. I simply choose NOT to ignore these things. You don't like it,
you don't gotta watch.
jms
---
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1993 17:58:45 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
Message-Id: <199302080158.AA06196@halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Hey
I'm sending in a message with info on downlink times for
the B5 promo clips. If anyone is willing to copy it for me (If you
tape it), please let me know. :) I'd love to see them. I'm worried
my local Station won't be pushing B5 too hard.
---
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1993 18:02:51 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
Message-Id: <199302080202.AA06283@halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, cnelson@eckerd.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: Sat news, funny stuff, etc.
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 495 Sun Feb 07, 1993
J.HUDGENS [Fenn Shysa] at 19:13 EST
For those who asked/begged/pleaded for this... :)
Here's the feed schedule for the BABYLON 5 tease promos:
Monday 2/8 10:30-10:45pm ET
Tuesday 2/9 1:30-1:45pm ET
Wednesday 2/10 9:30-9:45am ET
All feeds are T301/2V (channel 3).
Audio is 5.8 left, 6.2 right, 6.8 mono mix.
This group of promos includes four :15's, four :10's, and four ID's, and make
extensive use of the left-right stereo split...
Fire up them satellites and VCRs!
Fenn
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 322 Sun Feb 07, 1993
T.RESTIVO [Little Guy] at 16:09 EST
Well, Bear, he's accused you of being a sick man, while I've been accused of
being a strange man by Joe <g>....
And as for CoJ, there are always....
THE ELEVEN CoJ COMMANDMENTS....
I. I am the Joe the Producer, who brought you out of the Land of Network
Programming, that wasteland of boredom. You shall not have other shows besides
mine. You shall not take pictures or videos or GIFs in the shape of Vorlons,
space stations, Centauri, or Minibari. For Warners and I own the copyright,
and Hollywood is a litigious place, and GEnie may get their butts sued,
inflicting punishment on the users' wickedness, but bestowing mercy on those
too poor to come up with the settlement.
II. You shall not take the name of Joe your Producer in vain. Remember to
give proper notification about source material, with copyright.
III. Remember to keep holy the day which B5 appears on your local PTEN
channel.
IV. Honor thy Sysops and Topic Police.
V. Thou shalt not have cute kids or robots. EVER!
VI. Thou shalt not commit neepery.
VII. Thou shalt not steal plot ideas from Joe your Producer, nor leave
public story ideas.
VIII. Thou shalt not bear false witness against Joe your Producers, nor
spread false rumors about Joe or B5 on Internet.
IX. Thou shalt not covet Joe's Spousal Overunit, but you can give her your
sympathy for living with Joe.
X. Thou shalt not covet Joe's series, nor his ass, nor his house, his Video
Toaster, his scripts, his royalties, his access to GEnie, his connections to
Harlan, nor anything else that belongs to him.
XI. This space for obligatory 11th Commandment. <grin!!!>
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 400 Sun Feb 07, 1993
L.WHITESIDE [Whovian] at 15:30 EST
PRIME TIME ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK
BABYLON 5 STATIONS
(Sorted by State)
Last update 2/6/93
ST City-(Other Cities in market) NOTES I.D. CH RANK
-- -------------------------------------- ---- -- ----
AK Anchorage KYES 158
AK Fairbanks KO7U 206
AL Birmingham WTTO
AL Huntsville WZDX 54
AL Montgomery WCOV 20 109
AL Mobile WPMI 15
AR Ft. Smith KPBI 46 119
AZ Phoenix KUTP 45 20
AZ Tucson-Nogales KTTU 81
AZ Yuma-El Centro KECY 179
CA Bakersfield KUZZ 130
CA Fresno-Visalia KMPH 26 59
CA Los Angeles KCOP 13 2
CA Monterey-Salinas KCBA 35 111
CA Palm Springs K4OD 156
CA Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto KRBK 19
CA San Diego 2 KUSI 51 25
CA San Francisco/Oakland KBHK 44 5
CA Santa Barbara-Santa Marie KADY 110
CO Colorado Springs-Pueblo KXRM 100
CO Denver KDVR 31 21
CT Hartford-New Haven 1 WTXX 20 23
DC Washington, DC WDCA 20 7
FL Ft. Meyers-Naples WFTX 92
FL Gainesville WOGX 51 167
FL Jacksonville WNFT 47 55
FL Miami-Ft. Lauderdale WDZL 39 16
FL Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne WOFL 35 24
FL Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota 3 WTOG 44 14
FL Tallahassee-Thomasville WTLH 49 115
FL W. Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce WTVX 46
GA Atlanta WATL 36 11
GA Augusta WFXG 113
GA Columbus WXTX 121
HI Honolulu 4 KHNL 13 71
IA Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Dubuque KOCR 83
IA Davenport KLJB
IA Des Moines-Ames KDSM 17 73
IL Chicago WPWR 50 3
IL Peoria-Bloomington WYZZ 43 112
IN Indianapolis-Bloomington WTTV 26
KY Lexington WDKY 56 72
KY Louisville WBNA 21 49
KY Paducah-C. Girardeau-Harrisburg KBSI 75
LA Alexandria K47D 170
LA Baton Rouge WGMB 44 96
LA Lafayette KADN 15 118
LA New Orleans WNOL 38 39
MA Boston WSBK 38 6
MD Baltimore WNUV 54 22
ME Portland-Auburn WPXT 51 74
MI Detroit WXON 9
MI Flint-Saginaw-Bay City WSMH 66 58
MI Traverse City-Cadillac WGKI 124
MI West Michigan WXMI 17
MN Minneapolis-St. Paul KMSP 9 15
MO Kansas City KSMO 30
MO Springfield KDEB 27 80
MO St. Louis KPLR 18
NC Charlotte WJZY 46 31
NC Asheville-Greenville (SC)-Spartanburg(SC) WHNS 21 35
NC Greenville(NC)-New Bern-Washington WFXI 105
NC Greensboro WGGT 48
NC Raleigh-Durham WLFL 22 32
NC Winston-Salem WNRW 45
ND Fargo-Valley City KVRR 15 108
NE Omaha KPTM 42 76
NM Albuquerque-Santa Fe KGSW 50
NV Las Vegas KVVU 5 79
NV Reno KAME 21 117
NY Buffalo WUTV 29
NY Albany-Schenectady-Troy WXXA 23 52
NY New York (Secaucus, NJ) WWOR 9 1
NY Plattsburgh 27
NY Syracuse WSYT 68 65
OH Cincinnati WSTR 64 29
OH Cleveland WUAB 43 12
OH Dayton WRGT 45
OH Toledo WUPW 36 64
OK Oklahoma City KOCB 34 44
OR Portland KPTV 12 27
PA Johnston-Altoona (WWPC-23) WWCP 8 91
PA Philadelphia WPHL 17 4
PA Pittsburgh WPGH 53 17
PA York (Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon) WPMT 43 45
SC Columbia WACH 87
TN Jackson WMTU 16 185
TN Knoxville WKCH 43 63
TN Memphis WLMT 30 42
TX Abilene-Sweetwater KTXS 159
TX Amarillo WCIT 126
TX Austin KBVO 42 68
TX Corpus Christi KDF 128
TX Dallas - Ft. Worth KTXA 21 8
TX El Paso KCIK 101
TX Houston KTXH 10
TX Lubbock KJTV 149
TX Odessa-Midland KPEJ 152
TX San Antonio KABB 29 40
TX Waco-Temple KWKT 98
TX Wichita Falls-Lawton KJTL 142
UT Salt Lake City KXIV 14 41
VA Richmond WRLH 35
VA Roanoke-Lynchburg (27) WJPR 21 66
VA Portsmouth-Newport-Norfolk WGNT 27 38
WA Seattle-Tacoma KSTW 11 13
WA Spokane KAYU 28 78
WA Yakima KCY 53 123
WI Green Bay-Appleton WGBA 67
WI La Crosse-Eau Claire WLAX 134
WI Madison WMSN 47 93
WI Milwaukee WVTV 18 28
NOTE: RANK is the national rank of the station's market, thus WWOR is
in the New York City Market, which is #1, Yakima WA is in market
#123, etc.
This station list is based on a list originally posted by
J. Michael Straczynski, sorting the stations by state, not
market rank. Station channel numbers are being added as they
are mentioned. The stations listed may not carry all of the
Prime Time Entertainment Network Programming but are signed up
for the Babylon 5 movie.
Station Notes:
1. This status of this station has in doubt. It's owners have
bought the local FOX affilliate and are selling WTXX to a home
shopping network. However, the transfer will not happen until
after Babylon 5 airs.
2. XETV has passed on Babylon 5 with KUSI/51 picking it up.
3. WTOG is also broadcast on channel 29 north of the Tampa area.
4. KHNL 13 is carrying B5 instead of KFVE 5.
5. In Canada, best bets seem to be U.S. stations that are carrying
Babylon 5.
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 401 Sun Feb 07, 1993
L.WHITESIDE [Whovian] at 15:32 EST
And now the list of known airdates and times for local stations.
Part 2 - Known Airdates on local stations
Satellite Feeds:
Friday 2/19/93 from 1:30am to 3:45am ET on T301/9H (18)
Saturday 2/20/93 from 6:00pm to 8:30pm ET on T301/2V ( 3)
ST Station First Airdate and Time Repeat Airdate and Time
AL WZDX 54 Feb 23, 7:00 p.m.
AZ KUTP 45 Feb 25, 7:00 p.m. Feb 28, 3:00 p.m.
CA KUSI 51 Feb 27, 8:00 p.m.
CO KDVR 31 Feb 28, 4:00 p.m. Mar 7, 3:00 p.m.
CT WTXX 20 Feb 23, 8:00 p.m.
DC WDCA 20 Feb 26, 8:00 p.m. Feb 28, 4:00 p.m.
FL WTOG 44 Mar 2, 8:00 p.m.
FL WZDL 39 Feb 23, 8:00 p.m. Following Weekend
FL WOFL 35 Mar 1, Mar 6,
HI KHNL 13 Mar 1, 8:00 p.m.
IA KLJB Feb 22, 7:00 p.m.
IL WPWR 50 Feb 22,
LA WGMB 44 Feb 22, 7:00 p.m. Mar 6, 1:00 p.m.
MA WSBK 38 Feb 23, 8:00 p.m. Mar 6, 8:00 p.m.
MI WXMI 17 Feb 22,
NC WGGT 48 Feb 28, noon
NC WNRW 45 Feb 28, noon
NE KPTM 42 Mar 1,
NY WWOR 9 Feb 26, 8:00 p.m.
NY WUTV 29 Feb 22, 9:00 p.m.
OH KSTR 64 Feb 24,
OH WRGT 45 Feb 27,
TN WKCH 43 Feb 22, 8:00 p.m.
TN WLMT 30 Feb 22,
VA WJPR 21 Mar 1, 8:00 p.m.
VA WRLH 35 Feb 28, 4:00 p.m.
---
From: yau <ey@unix.brighton.ac.uk>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 93 10:55:04 GMT
Message-Id: <15675.9302081055@unix.bton.ac.uk>
To: B5@iastate.edu
Subject: UK release of B5 - AAARRRGGGHHH!
I've been informed by sources here in the UK that B5 will be released on
VHS video by Warner Home Video UK in... SEPTEMBER 1993!! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
Good grief!
Now, I hope this isn't true considering that Warner had the sense to release
TT and KF over here around the same time as it premiered in the States. I'll
try and find out more info. concerning this and keep any UK fans informed.
---
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 93 10:45:25 PST
From: vijay@zycad.com (Vijay Vaidyanathan)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: B5 GIFs
I thought there were B5 gifs at hyperion.com but I dont seem to be
able to get to hyperion.com any more ...
Any other place that keeps ftp-able b5 gifs?
Thanks.
---
Date: 8 Feb 93 16:14:05 EST
From: Matt Schmitt <MS@pacnet.pac.wesleyan.edu>
Subject: Re: B5 GIFs
To: b5@iastate.edu
I don't know why you can't get to hyperion.com - maybe it's down or
something. I'll try if I get a chance. Also, my system only recognizes
the place if I say "ftp ftp.hyperion.com", instead of "ftp hyperion.com".
Maybe that's the problem.
Anyway, there are _NUMEROUS_ GIFs there in the pub/Babylon-5/Pictures
directory.
> Any other place that keeps ftp-able b5 gifs?
>
Last I looked, there were a couple in coe.montana.edu. I don't
remember the exact directory, something like pub/TV/Guides/babylon-5, if
memory serves.
Enjoy!
---
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1993 19:11:41 -0800 (PST)
From: Eric Neuman <pryrates@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Greetings!
To: b5@iastate.edu
Hello everybody! I don't know how many people are here on this
list yet, but why don't we try and get some discussion going about the
show...
---
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1993 21:20:43 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, cnelson@eckerd.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: JMS ostings
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 504 Mon Feb 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:43 EST
I definitely want to get into the question of alien religions and they're
affect on us, and our own religions and their effect on *them* and on
ourselves. (Which is one reason why you can clearly see, in the opening
montage of the pilot, a fellow in a Cleric's collar coming aboard.) I'm not
religious, but you'd have to be a fool not to at least recognize the role of
belief as part of mankind's ongoing attempt to understand itself and the
universe. And there will be some extrapolation going on a well as to where
the various religions ended up. (I keep chuckling about the idea of seeing a
Scientology franchise, "A division of Sony Corporation.")
So yes, this is *definitely* an area I want to play with.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 6
Message 415 Mon Feb 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 16:06 EST
It's been relayed to me that CITV in Edmonton, Canada will be playing B5,
both the pilot and when it's picked up for series. (Also the Anik D1
satellite.) There's word that some Ontario Baton stations are going to carry
it, but that's unconfirmed. This is all second-hand, not from Warners, so I
can't vouch 100% for its authenticity, but thought I'd pass it along in case
it's useful.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 14
Message 198 Mon Feb 08, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:47 EST
Permeated. I meant to say permeated.
I guess I was just thrown by Lisa's reappearance after so many years in
exile in the Siberian wastelands....
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 521 Tue Feb 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:21 EST
Allen: nope. Wouldn't take 1-2 years to figure out how to do a plain old
human with the correct EFX.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 524 Tue Feb 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:54 EST
I think it's because the other show wasn't finished yet, and they wanted
to provide raw footage for promotional purposes anyway.
Ours is going out once, finished.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 533 Tue Feb 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:15 EST
What is Lyta holding? Could be a gun....
I haven't seen the promo shots, so I honestly can't say if the music is
Stewart's or not. I've no idea, I'm afraid. But you saw the core shuttle,
eh? Yeah, it's a good shot. Can be improved. I'd like to add a greater
sense of depth to the thing. But it's still way cool, and the first time
something on this scale has been done.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 335 Tue Feb 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:25 EST
Bad enough there's a church I don't want...now there's a growing schism
over dogma...isn't this how the Ottoman Empire began to slide? Or just the
ottoman in front of the sofa...I'm so confused...and I've tried, really tried
to control this discussion, Me knows it hasn't been easy, I--
Me Knows? OhmyMe, now *I'm* doing it! YAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!
But it's okay, I forgive Me. For I am magnanimous. All three of Me.
Bibble..bibble...bibble....
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 346 Tue Feb 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 04:58 EST
Yeah, well, just you wait until B5 airs, and half of you hate it, and the
other half just won't admit it...you'll see the front door of this particular
chapel turn into a revolving door...before the cock crows thrice, one of you
will betray me....
Damn...there it goes again.
But what if you DON'T like it? Huh? Then what happens? Talk about your
basic Void....
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 7
Message 527 Tue Feb 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:02 EST
Why do I get this sense that I've landed smack dab in the middle of the
supermarket scene in "They Might Be Giants"...? (A properly obscure
reference, one hopes.)
Or was that "Duck Amok?"
Who can remember?
Is it me, or is it cold in here? It's me, isn't it?
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 13
Message 310 Tue Feb 09, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 05:05 EST
The stars *do* move behind the glass; it's just a very short shot and you
can't notice. It's gradual. Watch the pilot, and you'll see a very definite
movement.
If the top part is moving counter to the central rotation at just the
right speed, would it not appear to be stationary?
jms
---
Subject: Re: Greetings!
To: b5@iastate.edu
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 93 9:40:00 MST
From: "Allen J. Newton" <bbx!dino.basis.com!anewton@unmvax.cs.unm.edu>
Eric Neuman <unmvax!u.washington.edu!pryrates@bbx.basis.com> wrote:
> Subject: Greetings!
> To: b5@iastate.edu
> Message-Id: <Pine.3.05y.9302091941.A19868-8100000@carson.u.washington.edu>
> Mime-Version: 1.0
> Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=us-ascii
>
> Hello everybody! I don't know how many people are here on this
> list yet, but why don't we try and get some discussion going about the
> show...
>
>
Love to! Unfortunately, as we haven't seen it, yet, there is not a lot
to discuss except the JMS postings which J. Roy forwards to us. I find
these very interesting, and look forward to seeing the movie a week
from next Monday (here in Albuquerque).
This sounds like the most interesting Sci-fi to hit television period.
I enjoyed (in my youth) the old Star Trek, Lost in Space, Space:1999,
UFO, and especially BattlestaR Galactica. I think it was the concepts
that I enjoyed most about Lost in Space and Space:1999. The acting was
pretty corny in Space:1999, which I noticed when I rented an episode
from a video store here in town. Of course, when I watched the movie
for BattlestaR Galactica (after not having seen any episodes for about
ten years) I noticed the acting and characterizations were EXTREMELY
bad. It was the SFX that made that series for me (I enjoy watching
space battles! Explosions in space aside...)
This movie (and hopefully series), Babylon 5, sounds like JMS has put a
lot of REAL thought into it. When I was in high school, I had a dream
of doing something like this. Way different setting, of course, but
something with a tentative peace which could erupt into full-scale war
at any time. And REALISTIC-looking aliens! From the JMS posts here, I
don't think I'll be disappointed. I'm glad I heard about this in time
to not miss it! When I first heard about B5, I thought it was
something new that had been running a month or two by the time I got
wind of it (via Internet -- the rec.arts.sf.tv forum). I don't watch a
lot of TV, so it's unlikely I would find out about anything new that
way.
Well, I hope this starts the ball rolling regarding Eric's suggestion
about discussions. PEACE!!!
---
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 93 11:31:35 -0600
From: techy@iastate.edu
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Disclaimer
Hello and welcome subscribers, new and old, to the Official Internet
babylon 5 Mailing List! (OFIB5ML for short) Heh.
Just some housekeeping notes here that I think should be stated as to
avoid mass confusion in the following weeks...
#1) I do not get paid for this and do not want to.
#2) Following advice from a member, I am letting you know that the list of
subscribers to the mailing list will not be posted again. That was a one
time re-affirmation that I needed to do. I will >NOT< distribute
a list of subscribers to any other newsgroups or people in the future.
#3) We are at a critical time right now. With the movie airing in a few weeks,s,
expect your mailbox to over-flow.
#4) Please, please, please do >NOT< ask for copies of the movie via the
mailing list... that should be done in private email. Even though most
people do, taping off the TV and keeping it is against the law (what is it..
after 2 weeks you're expected to erase it?)... and making copies is
perhaps even worse. I got a Canadian Trek club in some deep water after
it got out that they were inviting members to pay $4.00 so they can
come in and make copies of tapes... its a no-no.
#5) The JMS on the mailing list is not Joe Straczynski.
#6) Im working on a proposal for alt.fan.babylon5 right now.. alt
because it is not yet considered a series. Ill advise
#7) Im tired
#8) I can't wait!
So.. keep the posts rolling while i go back to my writing. Thanks for
the ear!
---
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: A question on the satellite feed.
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 93 11:30:20 -0800
From: eric@synopsys.com
The satellite feed information I have on Babylon 5 (does anybody want
it resent here?) says the feed is scheduled to be 2.5 hours long. I'd
like to record it at fast speed, but that would require a T160 tape.
If the feed looks at all like the Deep Space 9 feed, then it won't be
a problem. It was also listed as over two hours, but the extra was
all colorbars (stuck between the two one hour segments). Does anybody
know the details of what's going on during the feed?
---
From: Lee_Whiteside-P14942@email.mot.com
Date: 10 Feb 93 22:35:53 GMT
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: B5 Sat Feed length, etc.
The first sat feed (1:30 a.m. 2/19 T301 9H) is scheduled for 2 hrs 15 mins
while the second feed (6:00 p.m. 2/20 T301 2V) is scheduled for 2 hrs 30 mins.
Originally, is was suggested that the 2.5 hour slot would include some "making
of clips" but with the first feed at 2:15, that seems less likely. Supposedly
there is a planned 10 minute break for stations to change tapes (most use one
hour tapes to tape stuff off the sat feed). If the feed is like the two hour
Time Trax Feed, the blank space for local commercials ran the full time,
unlike the usual blank space on a ST:TNG episode where a two minute commercial
break has a 30 second blank space. The intial PTEN feeds had two minutes of
blank space for a two minute commercial break. I haven't seen any subsequent
feeds, so this may have changed.
I would suggest that unless you are sitting there ready with the pause button
on your VCR to allow for the full scheduled length of the feed.
---
Date: 10 Feb 93 18:19:46 EST
From: Matt Schmitt <MS@pacnet.pac.wesleyan.edu>
Subject: B5 in Houston
To: b5@iastate.edu, kopnicky@owlnet.rice.edu
> Can anyone tell me when Babylon 5 will air in Houston? I've
> been looking at ftp sites for the information, but can't find it.
>
The information I've got at hand doesn't say. All I've got on Houston
is that it will be on WTXH (if I'm remembering the call letters right).
I don't even have the station number....
Someone down that way might want to just give them a call and ask -
many stations are pretty good about that. Typically, though, it's being
shown during the week of the 22nd. Promos should start showing up on that
station very soon as well, which is another way of finding out.
Lee, do you have any new info on Houston? I can't recall if anyone's
posted anything to GEnie about it recently....
---
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 93 15:03:15 PST
From: vijay@zycad.com (Vijay Vaidyanathan)
To: eric@synopsys.com
Cc: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: A question on the satellite feed.
The show itself will fit within the 2 hr tape. There was some talk
about some promo stuff being fed along with it, and if thats so,
there's likely to be color bars that will allow you to switch
tapes.
Me, I'm planning on using my Hi8 tapes!
---
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1993 17:02:25 -0800 (PST)
From: Eric Neuman <pryrates@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Greetings!
To: "Allen J. Newton" <bbx!dino.basis.com!anewton@unmvax.cs.unm.edu>
Cc: b5@iastate.edu
I too watched some of those older shows (I was a big fan of
Battlestar Galactica) although I was too young to really remember
Space:1899 or other such shows. Heck...the Galactica I watched was
probably reruns anyways...
One of the things about Babylon 5 that interests me the most is
the computer-generated images. I'm a big fan of computer graphics,and
think it's high time somebody started using the full potential for
computers in things like this. Does anyone out there have any B5 .GIFs
they could stick up here on the list? I found a good twenty or so at
ftp.hyperion.com, but most of them were so fuzzy it was hard to make out
much detail...
---
To: b5@iastate.edu
From: Edward_Lee_Whiteside@cup.portal.com
Subject: B5 Making of Feed and more Promos
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 93 23:02:38 PST
Here's a message from GEnie with the details on the making of and
additional promos for Babylon 5.
------------
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 547 Wed Feb 10, 1993
J.HUDGENS [Fenn Shysa] at 23:35 EST
Hoo-kay, gang, here's the remainder of the B5 promos feed info...
BABYLON 5 - "BEHIND THE SCENES" REEL
Thursday 2/11 7:30-8:00am ET
Friday 2/12 9:00-9:30pm ET
Saturday 2/13 11:30-12noon ET
BABYLON 5 - PHASE II & III PROMOS
Thursday 2/11 10:30-10:45pm ET
Friday 2/12 1:45-2:00pm ET
Monday 2/15 9:00-9:15am ET
All feeds are T301/2V (channel 3). Audio is 5.8 left, 6.2 right, 6.8 mono mix.
The behind the scenes cuts are provided in four different lengths: five and a
half, four and a half, two and a half minutes, and ninety seconds. After the
packaged pieces, the raw interview footage will be included.
The Phase II promos stress the storyline of B5... this included two :30's,
three :20's, two :15's, four :10's, and four ID's....
Phase III is the countdown phase, starting with "next week", then "In seven
days... six days..." all the way through "Tomorrow" and "Tonight" versions.
Closing out the reel, the Phase II promos are repackages as "Encore" promos
for any second runs of B5...
Fire up those VCR's, Grid Eppers...
Fenn
---
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 93 06:17:35 MST
From: dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Re: feeds
Lee_Whiteside-P14942@email.mot.com writes:
>Supposedly there is a planned 10 minute break for stations to change
>tapes (most use one hour tapes to tape stuff off the sat feed).
Right. "reel change" breaks are perfectly normal on anything over an hour.
>If the feed is like the two hour Time Trax Feed, the blank space for
>local commercials ran the full time,
I know... I really HATE full commercial cutouts like that.
They are a real waste of time.
>unlike the usual blank space on a ST:TNG episode where a two minute
>commercial break has a 30 second blank space.
Actually, Paramount only uses a 20-second window for the local breaks.
>The intial PTEN feeds had two minutes of blank space for a two minute
>commercial break. I haven't seen any subsequent feeds, so this may
>have changed.
Nope... they are still doing it. There was also (still) *NO* B5 promos
in the last Time Trax feed. The next one should be on Friday, so I sure
hope they will finally include something
>I would suggest that unless you are sitting there ready with
>the pause button on your VCR
But of course.
>to allow for the full scheduled length of the feed.
What? Allow awful commercials to pollute my copy of Babylon 5??
Surely you jest! :->
---
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 93 06:18:07 MST
From: dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Electronic Press Kit
BABYLON 5 * ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT
----------------------------------
(TRT - 17:00)
Feed contents:
1. "Babylon 5" Featurette (5:30)
2. "Babylon 5" Featurette (4:30)
3. "Babylon 5" Featurette (2:30)
4. "Babylon 5" Featurette (1:30)
Segments all have narration, assorted program clips,
cast/crew comments, and behind the scenes material.
"Coming soon... Babylon 5"
-=-=-=-=-=-
Opening narration:
Far into the future, deep in outer space, there is a port of call for
people from a hundred galaxies. A place where the familiar and not so
familiar attempt to coexist in peace. Welcome to behind the scenes of
the movie event... Babylon 5.
-=-=-=-=-=-
GREAT feed!! However, this is no substitute for the original E! show,
since in that you see a LOT more. These are more like extended promos.
Hmmm... but why does "Electronic Press Kit" sound so familiar? :-)
-dean
---
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1993 08:45:58 -0500
To: b5@iastate.edu
From: duga@pacvax.pacersoft.com
Subject: Narrative...
From dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams):
>-=-=-=-=-=-
>
>Opening narration:
>
> Far into the future, deep in outer space, there is a port of call for
> people from a hundred galaxies. [...]
^^^^^^^
What? Let's hope JMS had nothing to do with this opening narrative...
A hundred solar systems, sure, but galaxies?!?!
--Brady
---
From: Michael Stoodt <stoodt@cis.umassd.edu>
Subject: Re: Narrative...
To: b5@iastate.edu
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 93 10:51:46 EST
> duga@pacvax.pacersoft.com writes:
> > people from a hundred galaxies. [...]
> ^^^^^^^
>
> What? Let's hope JMS had nothing to do with this opening narrative...
> A hundred solar systems, sure, but galaxies?!?!
> -------
>
> That sounded a little silly to me as well....
This was certainly written for, and probably written by, the sort of
layman who doesn't understand that saying "galaxy" when you mean "star
system" is like saying "continent" when you mean "city block", only
three or four orders of magnitude worse...
---
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1993 18:16:11 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: A few JMS psotlings.
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 724 Thu Feb 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:41 EST
Shane...it ain't an avalanche yet. It's still got a long way to go.
You have to understand...every writer in this town has had his heart broken by
"good news," by the deal that's 99.999% done, a sure thing, and which
evaporates at the very last second. I can't even think in the terms you
suggest, not yet, not until we're shooting film on the series.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 4
Message 507 Wed Feb 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:49 EST
I think generally most people are happy to have the job, though they know
the risks (given the prior Babylon stations). I can't imagine the EA sending
anyone there against their wish, if for no other reason than that person now
becomes a clear and present danger.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 373 Thu Feb 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:43 EST
Yeah, that might be it...he did a lot of vocal sampling, using sort of an
ethereal chorus for some things...and chimes...listen for a recurrent heavy
beat; Stewart's a percussion man, and it shows to great effect in the
soundtrack.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 5
Message 377 Thu Feb 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 03:28 EST
I'm sure that Stewart's music would be released to correspond with a B5
series.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 12
Message 223 Wed Feb 10, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 23:55 EST
Mordechai: obviously you're not paying attention. Others have seen
promos. And about 8 days before the broadcast, you'll be up to your ears in
ads, on-screen and on radio and in print.
jms
(BTW, speaking of sightings, did I mention that Arne recently caught a
screening of the *FINISHED* pilot?)
---
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1993 20:59:33 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: JMS re: Galaxis/Solar systems
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 1
Message 731 Thu Feb 11, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:13 EST
I can't comment, because I haven't seen the promos. I *hope* they didn't
use that term. I caught it in an ad, and corrected it. This is a sore point
with me. People have a tendency (outside SF...or who didn't pay attention in
grade school) to use galaxies and solar systems quite interchangeably, or
because "galaxies" sounds bigger.
Re: Delenn's voice...the voice we went with is her natural voice.
jms
---
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1993 22:21:36 -0800 (PST)
From: Eric Neuman <pryrates@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Sattelite uplink
To: b5@iastate.edu
Could someone who has a satellite system please contact me e-mail?
I have a couple questions I need to ask someone...
---
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 93 06:16:42 MST
From: dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Re: Babylon
>STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 20:13 EST
>
>I can't comment, because I haven't seen the promos.
>I *hope* they didn't use that term.
Sorry Joe... :->
>I caught it in an ad, and corrected it.
Too bad he didn't catch the promos. Oh, well.
BTW, the "Phase 2" promos are *VERY* good.
>This is a sore point with me. People have a tendency (outside SF...or who
>didn't pay attention in grade school) to use galaxies and solar systems
>quite interchangeably, or because "galaxies" sounds bigger.
Phew... talk about not paying attention!!
>Re: Delenn's voice...the voice we went with is her natural voice.
That "augmented" voice sounded pretty neat though.
---
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 93 20:31:16 PST
From: koreth@hyperion.com (Steven Grimm)
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: Now that the promo feed has happened...
...anyone got a good frame grabber and some spare time?
---
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1993 21:06:29 -0800
From: Jonathan Roy <ninja@halcyon.halcyon.com>
To: b5@iastate.edu, rlewis@isi.edu
Subject: Few postlings
Things are quiet on the Joe front. The "galaxies" line is an error
on that part of the marketing IDIOTS, and also the "peace conferance"
thing. Joe said that is a complete error, and he's going to have to look
into this.
Sigh. I hate marketing people that are brain dead. Let Joe make the
commecials himself! Sigh.
----- cut
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 553 Fri Feb 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 01:52 EST
Glad you liked what you saw. (Some other promos will air on Nicks game
halftimes, apparently.)
"The Peace Conference angle?" WHAT peace conference angle? Just to be
clear...did you get the idea from the way the material was presented that a
big peace conference was about to take place? Because that's not factually
correct, and if that's the impression being given, it should be revised.
jms
----------
Second SF&F RT
Category 18, Topic 2
Message 558 Fri Feb 12, 1993
STRACZYNSKI [Joe] at 21:23 EST
Glad to hear the phase 2 and 3 promos look good; haven't seen them myself
yet. As to my prior work...yeah, there's a lot of it, much of it in SF or
dark fantasy, but a) there's no curriculum vitae posted, and I'm loathe to
post it here because I've done so before, and it would start to get boring.
(Actually, *is* boring...there's nothing duller, I think, than a laundry list
of one's prior work.) Maybe a posted bio file might be a good idea,
though...lemme think on that one.
jms
PS to Kevin who has *all* my messages....you have my condolences.
---
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1993 22:07:22 -0800 (PST)
From: Eric Neuman <pryrates@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Promos?
To: b5@iastate.edu
I happened to be flipping through the channels here, and the local
newsstation that Babylon 5 was airing on happened to be showing a 5 minute
promo tape for B5. Incredible! They showed *many* clips from the show,
including lots of special EFX shots. The graphics are simply staggering.
Satr Trek has nothing even CLOSE to what I saw...hopefully someone out
there actually set their VCR...
---
From: Dennis Wallace <wallace@cs.widener.edu>
Subject: B5 -> ST/QL?
To: b5@iastate.edu
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 93 21:28:03 EST
Hi there:
I was wondering... Since we have a few people new to the list,
and seem to miss the point that this mailing list was designed for
Babylon 5 fans (NOT Quantam Leap or Star Trek), Maybe we should start
some discussion about B5...
I know we're all anxiously awaiting the pilot, and are
basically holding our collective breaths, but I've seen a HUGE dropoff
in the past week or so. So, on that note...
When the pilot airs, I for one would like to see some choice
quotes appear in digitized sound form. Right now I have a Star Trek
sound for my mail, and I would REALLY like to change it to an
appropriate B5 sound. Gee... And maybe I could remove DarkWing Duck
from my login too...
Here's hoping for a SMASHING good time viewing the pilot!
DW
PS. I don't want to give the impression that I hate other shows...
Star Trek is good, and so is Quantam Leap, but it's time for a new
show to make it's break!
---
From: fils@iastate.edu
To: b5@iastate.edu
Subject: RE: B5 -> ST/QL?
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 93 21:42:50 CST
Babylon 5,
Dennis, I think that many people, like me, have said and
heard about all they want to on B5 before it airs. I know all
that I want to (and maybe a little more) about the story and have
said about all I want to untill I have actually seen this show.
I hope that we haven't pinned to much of our hopes, dreams
etc on this show. We want alot (deserve alot taking into account
the kind of SF that TV has given in the past) and I hope this show
has the ability to deliever. My best wishes. It will be nice to see
if there are any good sounds from it. I plan to tape it on the
19th and have my friends over to watch it on the 20th and some others
on the 21st. One of my friends has a Mac cx hooked into his stereo/VCR
so if there are any good sounds to get, I am sure he'll get them. I
could have them hqx and placed at the ftp (with a post put here
as I did with some of the gifs I have made of B5). If someone has the
ability to make QuickTime or GL (DL) files that would be nice. I
might be able to get some of those done as well, but I cann't be sure.
I suspect that there will most likely be a couple of
special magazine like publications come out after the show airs
that could provide some good images. The frame grabbers suffer
some resolution ability.
From what I gather the name Babylon is no accident. We probably
all recall the city of Babel from the Bible. Does anyone know of any
good history books about the this city and it's role in Biblical
stories. I thought it might make for good reading before the show
downlinks here in a few days. From what I gather about the B5 story
and what I recall about babel there are some interesting (if not
completely accidental) parallels.
Anyway, take care all
---