JMS Speaks on "Jeremiah"

[channe]

JMS Speaks on \"Jeremiah\"

From rastbm:

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Just to let folks looking on know that we're starting to move the arc forward
in fits and starts, to some extent laying foundations but also making some big
jumps along the way. This week's ep, Sam Egan's "City of Roses," starts to
feather in some new information about the Big Death.

Then next week's episode is a big arc ep, "Firewall," which I wrote as kind of
this season's answer to B5's "Signs and Portents," where we really kick the
year one arc into high gear. If you're looking for a good place to jump on,
this might be it. We really kick over some tables with this one. <hr></blockquote>

 

[Recoil]

Re: JMS Speaks on \"Jeremiah\"

He has been talking about how Firewall is one of his favorite episodes of the first season. I have been awaiting it ever since hearing that. It is going to rock.

 

[channe]

Re: JMS Speaks on \"Jeremiah\"

Ohhhh yeah...

Since it takes me a few days to get the Jeremiah episodes from the little birdie that provides, I'm going to stay entirely away from the forum until I see it - so I can get the full-on surprise. /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[Lyta]

Gratuitous Sex and Violence?

Here is an interesting post from JMS today ...

<font color=orange>However, it's been said on one of the mailing lists that certain scenes are being reshot, with less sex and and violence, to be used in syndication. Obviously, you wouldn't be able to syndicate the show without some editing; but, if you are actively refilming scenes with tamer content, wouldn't that suggest that the a lot of what we're seeing is gratuitous?

If that's what's been said then what's been said is erroneous.

We shoot both a syndication version and a pay cable version simultaneously, there are no reshoots after the fact, though some audio dubbing does happen in post.

Every movie and TV series does this to ensure the life of the series in domestic on-air syndication. No one makes a big budget movie or series without making an alternate version available. It's just pro forma.

jms</font color=orange>

 

[channe]

Re: Gratuitous Sex and Violence?

I'd imagine that what he's referring to is doing two accepted takes of a scene: I bet you anything Kurdy's going to have some radically different mannerisms in the syndicated version, simply because he cannot swear. Also, I bet there are ways to frame your shots that deal with the sex-and-violence issue.

For example - give the topless waitresses at the club shirts. Don't *show* Claire and Jeremiah getting it on with a lot of skin - just hint at it, skip over some stuff, and add a few lines to take up the time you missed.

I don't think JMS is going to allow the quality of the syndicated version to suffer.

 

[Lyta]

Theo

More stuff from JMS today ... this time about Theo and a name of an upcoming episode:

<font color=orange>I was re-watching the pilot the other day with a couple of friends who hadn't seen it, and got to wondering: Are we going to see any more of Theo?

Definitely. She's in Thieves Honor, A Means to an End, and the two-part season finale Things Left Unsaid.

jms</font color=orange>

Drakh/Pål Are Nordal had a very good question, which I hope JMS answeres ... which episode is "A Means to an End". My guess is #18 because maybe she is in a storyline that leads into the season finale?

 

[Lyta]

Re: Gratuitous Sex and Violence?

I think that JMS may have misinterpreted what the person was asking. Their point was since they are shooting alternative scenes then doesn't that mean those scenes were gratuitious? If you can get the same message across, then why not just shoot the altered scenes to begin with?

I don't think that they are gratuitious and it is a subject that is being debated on a mailing list. Just because they shoot toned down scenes for syndication, also means that those same scenes will have less impact than the original versions. Take Channe's example of giving the waitresses shirts ... I think the message will be a bit diluted as to -why- Kurdy would give up his precious cans of food. Having the waitresses topless gives a clearer reason why IMO. /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

I agree with Channe here that because it is JMS, I am sure he is making sure the quality is still there and it will still make sense.

It is a good issue to debate however. /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[Quagmire]

Re: Gratuitous Sex and Violence?

It reminds me of an old post by JMS I saw asking if the lesbianism in B5 was necessary. The reply was that anyone asking that question has lost the argument already because they are obviously trying to change something to fit their own views instead of what works for the story.

Like Lyta said it goes towards creating an idea of what kind of place they were in and helps explains Kurdy's reaction. It also hints at how norms and values may have changed when all the adults are no longer there to drill them into the minds of the younger generation.

 

[PsionTen]

Re: Gratuitous Sex and Violence?

Whenever I think about this show, I look at it from the perspective of the world in which the characters exist. I'm not sure that people fully appreciate how f*cked up this place is. It's not like in the Peanuts strip where adults simply don't appear -- they don't exist (or at least they didn't for awhile). I mean there are no schools, no churches, no teachers, no priests... I'm of the opinion that in such a world there would probably be even more sex and violence than what we see now.

 

[drakh]

Re: Theo

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Lyta:
<font color=yellow>Drakh/Pål Are Nordal had a very good question</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>Ack... She's figured out my secret identity... Now she must dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

 

[drakh]

Re: Gratuitous Sex and Violence?

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Lyta:
<font color=yellow>Take Channe's example of giving the waitresses shirts ... I think the message will be a bit diluted as to -why- Kurdy would give up his precious cans of food. Having the waitresses topless gives a clearer reason why IMO. /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>Another example would be Jeremiah's little rant about God. I doubt that one will need to be toned down considerably before it can be shown on US broadcast TV...

 

[channe]

Re: Gratuitous Sex and Violence?

Drakh is the notorious Pal Are Nordal? Kewl.

I really hope they keep Jeremiah's rant against God. It was so apropos. A man who hasn't had any religious education outside maybe a few trips to Sunday School (come on, with a name like Jeremiah...). A man trying to understand an adult concept of God with a child's knowledge of God. Of course he's going to be messed up.

After all, President Bartlett went on a rant against God.

 

[Lyta]

Re: Theo

Originally posted by drakh:
<font color=yellow>Ack... She's figured out my secret identity... Now she must dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!</font color=yellow>

*snicker* Like it was soooooooo hard to figure out too. /ubbthreads/images/icons/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif Besides, I think a few people around here might miss me if I die! *pout* /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[Kribu]

Re: Theo

Yup, we would. /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif Plus now that the secret is out (come on, even I knew, and I only lurk at rastb5mod!), there really isn't much point in killing Lyta. /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

 

[drakh]

Re: Gratuitous Sex and Violence?

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by channe:
<font color=yellow>Drakh is the notorious Pal Are Nordal?</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>No... That's my evil twin. I'm the cute and charming one.