My dream for Babylon 5

[Solo]

Don't get me wrong - the DVDs are great, and it's excellent that we now can watch the series from end to end, BUT...

I'm really, really honked off at the CGI/Compression issues of the DVDs. They are cropped, information is missing, and, to be honest, my laptop can render better graphics in real-time than what is on display in B5.

So, my dream, now that Blu-ray/HD-DVD will come soon, is a re-release of the show on HD-DVD, with completely new, photo-realistic CGI. I mean, imagine seeing the station looking like a real, physical, massive thing, rendered in 16:9... Imagine seeing the Technomage-monster in Season 2 (The Geometry of Shadows) as a real, physical menace, with hair, and not looking like something from a cheap Playstation game....

The new effects would, of course, be required to be rendered according to the scripts, so we wouldn't *change* the show, per se, just update it...

I must admit that I have no idea of what a thing like this would cost, so I'm not really proposing a business plan here, just, you know, sharing a dream I've had for a long time. I know for a fact that many were put off by the CGI-effects of the original run here in Norway, no matter how real JMS thought they looked...

Solo

[therichieboy]

I first saw B5 when Midnight on the Firing Line first aired in the UK. I remember thinking 'that model work looks a bit wierd' Looking back I can't believe I was fooled. I think the original effects in B5 are an important part of the history of CGI. It would be a bit of a shame to change them. It would smell a bit Lucas-y. It would be cool to rebuild Karnak Temple but I wouldn't want to knock down the original ruins to see it- know what I mean?

Blue Ray may be able to hold the option of playing the show with either old or new CGI- that would be great.

[spikey thing]

The patterns on the station could be explained away using modern cgi.

[therichieboy]

What do you mean, Spikey?

[spikey thing]

well u could go into a lot more detail - ie : outer tiles.
In close up - detail - what instruments / functions are on each section?
What about Portholes / viewing windows?
Although the outer skin is different colours - why? - perhaps show..

dont forget B5 was created using Amigas originaly.

would a facelife really be that bad?

[Jan]

My dream for B5 is to see a theatrical production. I don't care even one fig for the effects as long as they serve the story. That said, I understand how the right effects can help the story, I just would rather see new B5 than re-worked B5.

Jan

[Ranger1]

So, my dream, now that Blu-ray/HD-DVD will come soon, is a re-release of the show on HD-DVD, with completely new, photo-realistic CGI.

A dream that sadly will never come true, the original CGI shots were rendered as NTSC format and in 4:3, the only thing that can cut close, is if they will release the B5 series as 4:3 (which i hate, so i hope they wont).

So Blu-ray and\or HDDVD wont give you any clearer picture when it comes to CGI shots (The live action scenes were shot in Hi def tho).

[Garibaldi's Hair]

As far as I am concerned, B5 is what it is ... the show that pioneered the use of CGI on television. Period. It had never been done before on a scale like this, and B5/Foundation Imaging that you could make it work, and make it work convincingly on the small screen.

More than that, whilst newer shows undoubtedly have greater technical capabilities at their disposal I have still to see another show make such creative (and, dare I say it) artistic use of CGI in their ship designs. Most shows' ships still look as though they could be built as models, but the Vorlon and Shadow designs, complete with their organic, pulsating outer skins (to name just 2), could only have been convincingly realised in CGI.

If there were sufficient money pouring into B5 to allow the complete reconstruction of all the CGI effects from all 5 seasons (which would be required since all the original stuff was lost by WB), then that would probably pay for a movie or two.

I know which I would rather see.

I have never seen anyone argue that Paramount should go back a redo the effects on the original ST series, as they are now out of date. Why? Ground-breaking show, and an important piece of SFTV history, so you don't mess with it.

B5? As far as I am concerned, same applies. Leave it alone already!

[Towelmaster]

I have never seen anyone argue that Paramount should go back a redo the effects on the original ST series, as they are now out of date. Why? Ground-breaking show, and an important piece of SFTV history, so you don't mess with it.

B5? As far as I am concerned, same applies. Leave it alone already!

Damn it Garibaldi; that is exactly what I was about to write... Especially the TOS-thing.

B5 is landmark tv-sf. I would watch a newly rendered version of course, but I ain't waiting for it. I'd rather see the effort go into more B5-tv. Or movies...

[Ranger1]

If there were sufficient money pouring into B5 to allow the complete reconstruction of all the CGI effects from all 5 seasons (which would be required since all the original stuff was lost by WB), then that would probably pay for a movie or two.

If Lucas didnt re-create all the special effects for the original trilogy up to now, im pretty sure its darn expansive

I really wouldn't count on it, i mean, it would be a dream come true, but the chances are less than a zero.

[Jan]

Well, Solo did admit in the original post that it was only a dream, not anything s/he actually ever thought might happen.

Solo, when was the first B5 run in Norway? The first reference to it I can find in the archives is in 1996.

Jan

[Garibaldi's Hair]

Well, Solo did admit in the original post that it was only a dream, not anything s/he actually ever thought might happen.

Yeah, I realise that Jan, but for me it isn't even a dream ... I wouldn't want to see it (my opinion only YMMV) precisely because B5's pioneering CGI effects are a part of what makes it so great. It was the first to do it, thus redefining the use and production of FX for all the other TV shows that have followed it.

In my opinion that is something that should be preserved.

Yes, at times it looks dated (and the inability to re-render because the original models are gone forever is unfortunate in the extreme), but it is a landmark series and should be allowed to stand as such for all time. Just like ST:TOS, and (dare I say it) SW Eps IV-VI should have been.

Now, if someone were to offer me a Special Edition of B5, with spanking new effects I obviously wouldn't say no, provided I could still access the original thing, but B5 is special because it is a great story, with great characters, but also because it was something new (in US terms) in having a well defined 5 year story arc, and in utilising the new technology to such amazing effect.

Remove one of those aspects and the whole suffers ... it is diminished.

[Boo Gee]

My dream is to have more $$ than I know what to do with so I can produce a B5 flick/tv show/books/whatever, and as such, JMS would have no worries regarding studio meddling (for the most part). That would be cool.

[spikey thing]

amen to that.

Talking of Dreams.

I dream of Lyta, Ivanova, & Talia covered in Chocolate Sauce and Marshmallows. ( oh .. I'll leave that thought for later ).

[vacantlook]

Boo Gee, I must say, your avatar is absolutely hillarious. If there had been people around me when I looked at it just now, they would have thought I was crazy due to how crazy-loud I laughed. It's great.