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various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26 AM

Ok! Ok! It was only a passing thought! Geesh! :rolleyes: ;)

Oh, it not like I fed you to the wood chipper or something. :p :LOL:


I personally still think JMS could find a neat way of working him in if he wanted to, and I'm sure the actor might be willing to return (it is a feature film after all).

Well with JMS, anything's possible.


My guess is that Dr. Chambers would be a good candidate if a Dr. role is needed in any large way.

Agreed. Plus it would give something to one of the Crusade cast, the cast who all got the short shrift, because of some <expletive deleted> suits at TNT-Atlanta :mad:. As far as I'm concerned, the more people from the cast (and crew) of Babylon 5 and Crusade that JMS can believably work into "Babylon 5 - The Memory of Shadows" the better. :D
 
Anyone looked up what all the primary actors from B5 are currently involved in to see who obviously has room in their acting schedules (or who obviously doesn't have room in their acting schedules?

We're talking about a major motion picture for which all of the contracts aren't signed and which is now on script draft "x" of a probable "y" total. There will probably be at least six months of pre-production work including set design and construction, location scouting, plus preliminary make-up, costume and FX tests, all before a single frame of film is exposed. It isn't like WB is going to make an announcement next week and the cameras start rolling in July. So it isn't like anything the actors are currently involved with is apt to be a problem.

Scheduling will probably be the least of the issues. They'll try to schedule the film to create the fewest possible problems for the cast. Meanwhile they'll either have to drop any projects that conflict (and which pay less) or see if the folks running their other projects are flexible. JMS himself is well-known for writing characters out of scripts to accomodate outside projects, as most smart TV producers are. (Both Mira and Stephen Furst got time off for other jobs - hence all of Delenn's unseen visits to Minbar and Vir's posting there.) NYPD Blue gave Det. James Martinez a back injury so that actor Nick Turtoro could play Sammy "The Bull" Gravano in a TV movie. They similarly wrote around Sharon Lawrence while she did a short-lived sitcom, then brought her back for a time after that show folded.

The fact is (as JMS explained back when Robert Foxworth jumped ship to do DS9 instead of "Severed Dreams" it isn't worth forcing an actor to do a job he's signed up for if he doesn't want to do it - even if you have a signed contract. You just end up with a surly, unhappy guy on the set who phones in his role. Better to let him go and get somebody else. Chances are a B5 film for Warner Bros. is going to pay everybody a heck of a lot more than a TV guest shot or independent film. So if anyone in the cast is signed up to do one of those and that conflicts with TMoS, guess which one they chuck? If the actor doesn't want to, you can bet his or her agent (who gets a commission based on what the actor gets) is going to push for the higher paying job and possible future franchise. Like I said, I don't think schedules are going to be a problem.

Regards,

Joe
 
JMS himself is well-known for writing characters out of scripts to accomodate outside projects, as most smart TV producers are. (Both Mira and Stephen Furst got time off for other jobs - hence all of Delenn's unseen visits to Minbar and Vir's posting there.)

You just reminded me that they cut Gary Cole's part in one episode of American Gothic so he could go off and film The Brady Bunch.

Lucas Buck to Mike Brady and back again within a couple of weeks. The mind boggles :LOL:
 
What I was kinda getting at, and maybe the B5 actors aren't this busy, but, for instance, Nicole Kidman is probably booked solid for like the next 2-3 years. So I was wondering, if anyone was booked that much, or if anyone has absolutely nothing booked.

Just to kinda see if maybe we can work out who might be in it.

Probably doesn't apply though, because I haven't heard much about the B5 actors, and they seem to be pretty fortunate when they do find work, that lasts for any length of time.
 
What I was kinda getting at, and maybe the B5 actors aren't this busy, but, for instance, Nicole Kidman is probably booked solid for like the next 2-3 years.

I think it is a pretty safe bet that none of the B5 actors are booked as far in advance as Nicole Kidman. :) Let's not forget something like 95% of the membership of SAG (and Equity, and the Writers Guild) does not make enough money at their chosen profession to do only that. And probably 99% of all those unions is not working (in film, stage or TV) at any given time.

Even super-stars, in part because of the large salaries they command, often aren't committed to one project after another. They spend a lot of time between jobs considering various projects, trying to get them made, taking options on books and sitting in endless meetings, none of which leads to a contract to actually do anything. A steady gig is the exception rather than the rule at both ends of the spectrum, which is why journeymen actors like Richard Hatch and Jerry Doyle tend to get so emotionally attached to projects that last awhile. :)

Of the B5 crew Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas were probably best placed to work almost constantly, because both are character actors rather then leading men types, and thus have more opportunities. Peter (who not only worked a lot in the 70s and 80s, but who saved his money and invested wisely) has more-or-less retired from acting and works only when he wants to. Andreas continues to turn up in things, as does Bruce.

Regards,

Joe
 
Going back to JMS rewriting this script - I wouldn't be at all surprised is he put in a little nod to Rick Biggs as a mark of respect :)
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

Using Dr. Benjamin Kyle (Johnny Sekka), would seem a bit weak. He's currently almost 65 years old,

Yeesh! You say that like we might as well just have the guy from Monty Python and the Holy Grail knock him over the head and cart him off! ("Bring out yer dead!") He's only 65, for crying out loud. Andreas turned 58 this year; do you think we ought to just give up on ever seeing G'Kar again? :p

Aisling
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

Using Dr. Benjamin Kyle (Johnny Sekka), would seem a bit weak. He's currently almost 65 years old,

Yeesh! You say that like we might as well just have the guy from Monty Python and the Holy Grail knock him over the head and cart him off! ("Bring out yer dead!") He's only 65, for crying out loud. Andreas turned 58 this year; do you think we ought to just give up on ever seeing G'Kar again? :p

Aisling

:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

Using Dr. Benjamin Kyle (Johnny Sekka), would seem a bit weak. He's currently almost 65 years old,

Yeesh! You say that like we might as well just have the guy from Monty Python and the Holy Grail knock him over the head and cart him off! ("Bring out yer dead!")

ROFL! :LOL:



He's only 65, for crying out loud.

However, it appears that he has retired in the B5 universe (after turning in many years of work, there), and in real life.


Andreas turned 58 this year; do you think we ought to just give up on ever seeing G'Kar again? :p

Aisling

No, because Andreas is working, and looks vigorous. Sekka, in contrast, looked old and frail eleven years ago, almost as bad as how Peter Cushing looked in The Satanic Rites of Dracula [1974] (a skeleton with sunken cheeks, walking around puffing on a cigarette). Sekka didn't look that bad but I bet a stiff breeze could have blown them both over.
 
Going back to JMS rewriting this script - I wouldn't be at all surprised is he put in a little nod to Rick Biggs as a mark of respect :)
Yep, a "Biggs vaccine" or something critical coming from "the Biggs institute" isn't out of the question. Possibly even a transport named the Biggs.
 
So what we have now, is the official title of the movie. That's ok. Only 2 years to go and we will (hopefully) see the movie. And I do hope that Rick will be mentioned in one way or another. All in all, he deserves it.
 
I am SO disappointed that its Memory, not Movement of Shadows, which I STILL think is a much better title, that I'm not sure I can bring myself to watch the movie, when it comes out! :p
And, if you believe that, you'll also be interested in some prime vacation resort land on Venus I'm selling. ;)
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

Another JMS post:

From: jmsatb5@aol.com (jms at b5)
Subject: re: various from jms
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Date: 6/15/2004 5:58:58 AM << Newer : List : Older >>

No Thread

Okay, let's try this again. Best to break the ice by just sort of doing a
round-up of what's going on and what's coming and suchlike.

I'll try to address some of the questions that have come up about what's coming
up.

On the movies DVDs, and what's inside: the main thing is that we've got
commentaries on literally every one of them. Mike Vejar and I did a commentary
on In the Beginning, I did one with John Iacovelli on The Gathering, and
another with Janet Greek and Tracy Scoggins on River of Souls. I can't
remember now if I solo'd on A Call to Arms or if Mike was there as well (it all
blurs after a while...I've done something like fifteen of these things by now).

There's a separate cast commentary on Thirdspace with, I think, Pat, Jeff,
Jesus Trevino, and one or two others.

On the Crusade DVDs, there's one commentary I did on the original pilot (once
WB and I came to a meeting of minds, to wit, "I'm gonna say what happened to
the show, what *really* happened...you got a problem with that?"). There's a
second commentary track with Fiona, Janet, Peter Woodward and Carrie Dobro.

(We interrupt this message with a coded message for our friends in England and
Australia: keep your eyes on the horizon.)


One oddity...constant readers will remember a while back when I was asked what
TMoS was, and I provided a list of things it *wasn't*. The aforementioned
oddity is...one of those things has come up as an adjunct to TMoS.

Also, expect word fairly soon-ish about a new series of B5 novels.

Elsewhere on the prose front...Straczynski Unplugged is out now, and
Tribulations will be coming out in December.

I've turned in all three final Rising Stars scripts, and the first issue of the
last arc comes out in October, I hear.

Next week a new arc and a new artist starts on Amazing Spider-Man, and it's a
stinking cool issue. You can read a preview of the whole issue for free at:

http://www.milehighcomics.com/firstlook/marvel/spidey509/

On other projects...I'm making sudden progress with the medieval play I've been
twiddling with for the last few years, and may have it done in the next couple
of months. Once that happens, my plan is to do a limited, small production for
two weeks or so here in LA, just to see how the text works with an audience,
then take it away for another few months, twiddle with it some more, then go
for a larger venue. I may do something similar in London, since I may be
spending a bit amount of time there fairly soon
.

And for those who've asked, I won't be in attendence at San Diego Comic Con
this year due to a variety of commitments.

Oh...and I've been offered an EP position on a network series, and while I
don't usually do that on shows I don't create or develop, when I heard what
this project was, I had to get on board. We still have to negotiate a deal,
and work out how that will interface with the stuff that'll be going on later
in the year, but fortunately the start date for the series should work out, at
least at this point.


jms

EDIT. Interesting parts in bold.
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

He could mean the website Dark Horizons, run by a man who lives in Austrailia...
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

Wow, new B5 novels, Executive Producer on a show he didn't create (Is this an existing show, or one not yet aired?) and TMoS.

Does the highlighted stuff have anything to do with the wrong side of the river and/or the rumors going around earlier in the year of Winchester Films (I believe that's what the company was called)
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

Executive Producer on a show he didn't create (Is this an existing show, or one not yet aired?)
I might be a way off, but what about Enterprise S4?

Is it wrong to assume that it would have to be Sci-Fi/Fantasy series?
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

I might be a way off, but what about Enterprise S4?

I thought they just named an new show-runner for Enterprise, the guy who did Odyssey 5? On the other hand when someone at the Hawthorned, NJ con asked what he would do in the Trek universe if he had the chance, he said, "Oddly enough that's something I can't comment on" or words very close to that.

Is it wrong to assume that it would have to be Sci-Fi/Fantasy series?

After all the years he put in on Murder She Wrote and other more mainstream projects, I'd say, "Yes, it is." ;)

Regards,

Joe
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

No, because Andreas is working, and looks vigorous.

Sigh. I'm too tired to come up with something this time. Insert one of my standard issue obvious-yet-clever sexual innuendoes here. :cool:

Aisling
 
Re: various from jms - Monday, June 14, 2004 8:26

Ok, let us begin to sift through and attempt to interpret the Great Maker's latest mystery in words:

On the Crusade DVDs, there's one commentary I did on the original pilot (once
WB and I came to a meeting of minds, to wit, "I'm gonna say what happened to
the show, what *really* happened...you got a problem with that?"). There's a
second commentary track with Fiona, Janet, Peter Woodward and Carrie Dobro.

(We interrupt this message with a coded message for our friends in England and
Australia: keep your eyes on the horizon.)

This explains itself fairly well. Yay! WB allowed him to speak the truth! (Although I'm sure that now-well-known disclaimer will be prominantly displayed stating that the opinions expressed do not represent the views of WB or its affiliates.) This will be a very welcome thing. The truth at last. As for the last bit...this I take to be a hint to R2 folks to be patient, the full movie box set will be released there, not the truncated version you're seeing listed now. This should be welcome news for you all. :)

One oddity...constant readers will remember a while back when I was asked what
TMoS was, and I provided a list of things it *wasn't*. The aforementioned
oddity is...one of those things has come up as an adjunct to TMoS.

Also, expect word fairly soon-ish about a new series of B5 novels.

This is the most telling and fascinating section. Note that the revelation about a new series of novels is in a seperate paragraph with the word "also" preceeding it as a qualifier. So, here's how I would interpret this section.

Although he told us some items TMoS wasn't, due to TMoS (remember he told us recently new things have popped up because of TMoS), one of the items he told us it wasn't is now in the works as something new in the B5 universe, and that in addition to that new item, there is also a new series of books in the works. Therefore, I see this as a indication of the "in spades" comment JMS made before. We're getting a new series of novels and something else new that's from the "list of things it ain't" and The Memory of Shadows.

Now the question is, what was that list again? And...what is the newest project that's from that list? (A new series, perhaps? :D)

On other projects...I'm making sudden progress with the medieval play I've been
twiddling with for the last few years, and may have it done in the next couple
of months. Once that happens, my plan is to do a limited, small production for
two weeks or so here in LA, just to see how the text works with an audience,
then take it away for another few months, twiddle with it some more, then go
for a larger venue. I may do something similar in London, since I may be
spending a bit amount of time there fairly soon
.

The play sounds amazing, though sadly, I doubt I will ever get the chance to see it performed living in Memphis, TN. :( However, the last line is also very telling. He is clearly indicating that he will soon be spending some time in London. This is obviously job related...the question is...does it have to do with TMoS, or something else? My guess is that it has to do with TMoS...and may be some slight clarification on the "wrong side of the river" statement he made before. (I know, I know..."the wrong side of the river" is not a phrase commonly used in such a case, but hey, this is JMS we're talking about here...perhaps he was trying to give us a hint without being too obvious and while still channeling his Vorlon half. :D)

Oh...and I've been offered an EP position on a network series, and while I
don't usually do that on shows I don't create or develop, when I heard what
this project was, I had to get on board. We still have to negotiate a deal,
and work out how that will interface with the stuff that'll be going on later
in the year, but fortunately the start date for the series should work out, at
least at this point.

This is the second most interesting section IMO. The mind reels with possibilities. :p While JMS did make that cryptic comment/non-comment in NJ about Trek, they have also made the announcement that Manny Cotto will take the reigns of Trek (at least for S4).

So this begs the question...is Trek a next stop for the Great Maker? Or is there something new on the horizon that he's found so interesting he's agreed to take over as EP having not been the creator?

It is here I will tell you a rumor (mind you I said a rumor!) that my insider source told me he heard in regards to the JMS/Trek issue, which might give some creedance to the "JMS will helm Trek" argument. My source told me that the rumor mill in Hollywood is that JMS was asked to take over Enterprise, but the problem is that he was asked to take it immediately, now. JMS said he would love to, but couldn't right away due to his other commitments (read B5 projects, etc.). Unfortunately, TPTB at Trek wanted someone right away. JMS said he could do it, if they could hold on for a while. The rumor more or less left it there...what the final outcome was to this suspected conversation, my source did not know...but it was supposedly a door that was not closed...leaving it a possibility that JMS could come on board once his schedule cleared. This could explain the Cotto decision as an interim move until JMS could take over, since the rumor also indicated that TPTB at Paramount wanted JMS very badly. This is only rumor and speculation so take it as such.

The new series could well be something totally new and fresh. For all we know it could be the new SF series that's not set in the Trek universe that B&B are creating. (I doubt this very seriously, but hey, you never know.)

There is also nothing to say that the new series is an SF series at all. His wording could be read many different ways, so only time will truly tell on this one. This does, however, make one wonder whether the project that is an "adjunct to TMoS" is a new B5 series or not. You must ask yourself, "would JMS take on EPing a new show he didn't create and EP and run a new B5 series simultaneously?" If he's only acting as EP on the new show to help in guiding it, then the answer could be, "yes, JMS could do both." If he will be more active in this other new show than that, in addition to TMoS and the comics, then that answer could well be, "no, JMS wouldn't stretch himself so thin, especially when handling a new B5 series, so therefore I must conclude that the "adjunct" project is not a new B5 series."

Ok, I think my thoughts have run the circuit enough for now.

:D

One last thought for you all:

YAY! HAPPY DANCE! MORE AND MORE B5! B5 "IN SPADES"! YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAA! :D :D :D

CE
 

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