KoshN
Super Moderator
----- Original Message -----
From: <jmsatb5@aol.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 7:10 PM
Subject: additional from jms
> I'm putting this here because the new message threader I sent eaerlier
> is taking a while to move through the system. So this info will repeat
> soonish on another subject.
>
> jms
>
> -----------------------------------------------
>
> The rule of thumb in Hollywood is that for every thousand scripts that
> get written, only a few dozen get into development, and out of those,
> only one will ever get made...if that.
>
> A little over a year ago, I was approached by a company that wanted to
> make a Babylon 5 movie. They optioned the rights, and commissioned a
> script. (It's worth mentioning that I, not WB, own the rights to a B5
> movie. When we were negotiating the original B5 deal -- by whose terms
> I will never see a dime in profit -- the one thing they did let me have
> were the movie rights, figuring they'd never be worth anything in the
> long run.)
>
> Anyway...on December 27th of 2003, the script for "The Memory of
> Shadows" was turned in, and the process began of trying to make the
> deal work with all the various forces involved. It is, to say the
> least, a very difficult process on any movie where the studio does not
> directly take the financial reins. In terms of B5, Warner's position
> was esssentially, "We only do big-budget movies with big names, so
> you're on your own." If there were big-name movie actors in the film,
> they'd get behind it; without that, things become very problematic,
> especially as far as the financing was concerned. You much have to put
> together a consortium of international interests and business plans
> rivaled in complexity only by the Allied invasion of Normandy Beach.
>
> Nonetheless, every attempt was made by the people involved to get this
> deal in place. This was not being done by Doug or myself, but rather
> by the company/individuals who approached us and optioned the rights.
> At times, it seemed we were inches away from a deal...stages were
> reserved at Elstree, actors were contacted, a director was in place,
> the script went through many revisions, a few key staff were hired,
> again not by me...it was really a year-long roller coaster ride.
> During that time, the people involved, with every good intention, tried
> very hard to pull the necessary pieces together on the deal. The
> option expired in late December 2004, but I renewed it without cost, to
> give those involved more time to try and make things work.
>
> In the end, however, the deal could not be put together, and it did not
> look as if that was going to change at any point in the foreseeable
> future. So the option has reverted, and to all intents and purposes,
> the project has dead ended. Nor do I think this particular incarnation
> will arise again at any point in the future, though prognostication has
> always been a tricky art, especially if you have to do it without the
> benefit of hindsight.
>
> This was not the first time someone's taken a run at a B5 feature film,
> and it will not be the last. Eventually it will happen, because such
> things are simply inevitable. If they can do a Brady Bunch movie, you
> can be sure that sooner or later, somebody's going to do a B5 movie.
> The only thing I can say without equivocation is that when that day
> comes, as the rights-holder, I will make darned sure that it's done
> right, because I'd rather have no B5 movie than one that doesn't live
> up to what fans and I myself would want to see.
>
> To that end...I can wait.
>
> Anyway, just thought you should know the story.
>
> jms
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> copyright (c) 2005 by
> Synthetic Worlds, Ltd.
> Reprint permission specifically
> denied to SFX Magazine
From: <jmsatb5@aol.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 7:10 PM
Subject: additional from jms
> I'm putting this here because the new message threader I sent eaerlier
> is taking a while to move through the system. So this info will repeat
> soonish on another subject.
>
> jms
>
> -----------------------------------------------
>
> The rule of thumb in Hollywood is that for every thousand scripts that
> get written, only a few dozen get into development, and out of those,
> only one will ever get made...if that.
>
> A little over a year ago, I was approached by a company that wanted to
> make a Babylon 5 movie. They optioned the rights, and commissioned a
> script. (It's worth mentioning that I, not WB, own the rights to a B5
> movie. When we were negotiating the original B5 deal -- by whose terms
> I will never see a dime in profit -- the one thing they did let me have
> were the movie rights, figuring they'd never be worth anything in the
> long run.)
>
> Anyway...on December 27th of 2003, the script for "The Memory of
> Shadows" was turned in, and the process began of trying to make the
> deal work with all the various forces involved. It is, to say the
> least, a very difficult process on any movie where the studio does not
> directly take the financial reins. In terms of B5, Warner's position
> was esssentially, "We only do big-budget movies with big names, so
> you're on your own." If there were big-name movie actors in the film,
> they'd get behind it; without that, things become very problematic,
> especially as far as the financing was concerned. You much have to put
> together a consortium of international interests and business plans
> rivaled in complexity only by the Allied invasion of Normandy Beach.
>
> Nonetheless, every attempt was made by the people involved to get this
> deal in place. This was not being done by Doug or myself, but rather
> by the company/individuals who approached us and optioned the rights.
> At times, it seemed we were inches away from a deal...stages were
> reserved at Elstree, actors were contacted, a director was in place,
> the script went through many revisions, a few key staff were hired,
> again not by me...it was really a year-long roller coaster ride.
> During that time, the people involved, with every good intention, tried
> very hard to pull the necessary pieces together on the deal. The
> option expired in late December 2004, but I renewed it without cost, to
> give those involved more time to try and make things work.
>
> In the end, however, the deal could not be put together, and it did not
> look as if that was going to change at any point in the foreseeable
> future. So the option has reverted, and to all intents and purposes,
> the project has dead ended. Nor do I think this particular incarnation
> will arise again at any point in the future, though prognostication has
> always been a tricky art, especially if you have to do it without the
> benefit of hindsight.
>
> This was not the first time someone's taken a run at a B5 feature film,
> and it will not be the last. Eventually it will happen, because such
> things are simply inevitable. If they can do a Brady Bunch movie, you
> can be sure that sooner or later, somebody's going to do a B5 movie.
> The only thing I can say without equivocation is that when that day
> comes, as the rights-holder, I will make darned sure that it's done
> right, because I'd rather have no B5 movie than one that doesn't live
> up to what fans and I myself would want to see.
>
> To that end...I can wait.
>
> Anyway, just thought you should know the story.
>
> jms
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> copyright (c) 2005 by
> Synthetic Worlds, Ltd.
> Reprint permission specifically
> denied to SFX Magazine
