Babylon 5- The Lost Tales *SPOILERS*

[SmileOfTheShadow]

I'll have to dig around a bit myself. I you look at the posting dates on the messages you linked to above, you'll see the ones that most emphatically say "these are canon" are the older ones, and those that back off a bit are more recent. I'd also take any comments that suggest the other Dell books were in any way canon with a grain of salt. Those were nearly all written while Dell still held the license and was turning out books. What did you expect the guy to say?

Joe

I've read most of the Dell books, and while I don't consider them the greatest works of fiction ever, they certainly don't contradict the show by any means in terms of the events that happen in them. The characters act a little differently than normal at times, but it wasn't even that bad as far as I remember. I see no reason to completely discount them.

Jon

[Dustin_S]

The worst one I've read so far was "The touch of your shadow, the whisper of your name." I say it's the worst one yet, but that's only cause the others (of course) were so good. "Touch of your shadow..." is still a fine read, though some things seem odd, like walking into a room that's been repainted a few shades to light.

[Alfred Taylor]

Didn't mean to upset anyone.

Hello Everyone,

I'd like to explain my position. I didn't mean to upset anyone, but I'm so impressed with what JMS has done with the small screen, I don't want anything to destroy that image. I'm surprised that JMS hasn't done anything for the Big Screen. He delivers his films on time and usually under budget, and I would think that would be something that the execs in Hollywood would want to exploit, but Yea I digress.

I've been burned a few times with Star Trek novels, and I made the poor assumption that the Babylon-5 novels would be similar. I based that upon two things. First, I read the first half of book #1, and I wasn't impressed. I'll probably finish it over Christmas break, so I guess I should reserve judgement until then. Secondly, Peter Jurasik has written some Babylon-5 novels, and I equated them with the great works of William Shatner. If I overstated my position, I apologize.

[Jan]

Secondly, Peter Jurasik has written some Babylon-5 novels, and I equated them with the great works of William Shatner. If I overstated my position, I apologize.

Peter Jurasik hasn't written any B5 novels. He did write a sci-fi book but it wasn't B5.

Jan

[grumbler]

Peter Jurasik hasn't written any B5 novels. He did write a sci-fi book but it wasn't B5.

Jan

Ditto for Bruce Boxleitner, whose two books I thought were actually quite good. I was disappointed that they didn't extend the series.

[SLerman]

Ditto for Bruce Boxleitner, whose two books I thought were actually quite good. I was disappointed that they didn't extend the series.

So was I. I really liked the Frontier books. A very interesting blend of Sci-Fi and Western.

[phazedout]

So was I. I really liked the Frontier books. A very interesting blend of Sci-Fi and Western.

but what about Firefly? if you like blends of sci-fi and western.
OK back on topic I read about 5 of the books published with a channel 4 logo on them the last one (Which may have been whisper of your shadow) was truly awful, soemthing about this large shadow approaching and the people on the station rioting and the whole place darn-near tearing itself apart.
Phaze
o nthe "on-topic is a straight line - I am a sine wave we intersect occasionaly" ID

[Jan]

Latest from JMS:

223 From: [email protected] - view profile
Date: Thurs, Oct 26 2006 4:01 am
Email: [email protected]
Groups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

Well, tomorrow I head back to LA for meetings on other projects for two
days, then it's back to Vancouver again on Sunday to continue prep. So
far everything's laying out very cleanly. We have an EFX house on
board now, which was the last big step to be undertaken. It wasn't
until the last day or so that we could really get into the CGI issues,
which are huge on these stories.

And in regard to that...the initial goal was to try and do three big
stories in one DVD. So I wrote three scripts, featuring Sheridan,
Lochley, Galen and Garibaldi. (I wanted to focus on the human
characters initially so we'd have more time for prosthetics R&D for the
next one.) The stories, as noted previously, were huge...all over the
map, from Minbar, to Earth, Mars, the future, the distant past, as well
as B5 itself obviously. We're also going to be trying some new
production technologies, again trying to stay ahead of the tech curve,
the way B5 has always stayed ahead on these things.


And over the last few days, as we began to bring on crew and lay out
the production, looking at just how complicated these mini-movies were
going to be, the idea of making three of these monsters began to become
a bit much for us to pull off on out first time out the gate,
especially since I'm still kind of new as a director. So we decided to
postpone one of the three to the next DVD, and lengthen the other two
to make up the difference. GIven that the Garibaldi story was the most
complicated visually and technically, also the most difficult from a
CGi perspective, that's the one that got pushed until, potentially,
next time.


And if the sales are anywhere near what WB expects, and I think they
will be, there's no question that there will be more of these down the
road. So we're gong to focus in on those two stories and knock them
out of the park. Same length, same running time, and now even bigger
than at first anticipated since the budget on number three will now be
applied to the other two.


Part of what we're doing is to re-think the look of B5 to some degree.
The show was created using 1993 technology, video toasters and amigas,
and was to some extent limited by the paradigms and production methods
we used in that. But it's now 13 years later, and while I will keep
the feel of the show the same, and the silhouettes and designs, there's
no reason to limit the look of the feel to what we could do six years
ago (from when we stopped). So we're going to invest a lot of time,
effort and money into really re-imagining some of the visuals at the
present level -- looking at shows like Battlestar and the like -- and
bringing those tools into B5 while still maintaining the feel of the
show.


I also managed to work in a nice nod to Andreas and Richard in the two
mini-movies.


So with that...the team is now in place, the last personnel have been
hired, and as soon as I get back to Vancouver, I get to take off the
producer's hat and put on the director's hat.


jms


message content (c) 2006
synthetic worlds, ltd.
permission to reprint
specifically denied to
SFX Magazine

[phazedout]

Galen? My face British Techno-mage?
wuhoo!!!
<dances around room happily>

Phaze
on the "phazedout kilda on Second life, pop in and say hi" ID
hmm, forum software knocked me for too many smilies

[frulad]

Hmmm two stories with Sheridan, Lochley and Garibaldi! Hot-Cha!!!

*Joins Phazedout on the other side of the Atlantic in happy dancing*

[Joseph DeMartino]

Hmmm two stories with Sheridan, Lochley and Garibaldi! Hot-Cha!!!

Actually, it sounds like two stories featuring Sheridan, Lochley and Galen. JMS specifically said that the Garibaldi segment had been pushed back to the second disc, which confirms some grumbling from Jerry Doyle about a deal Warner Bros. offered him for a shoot in Vancouver, which had just been dropped due to "budget reasons", which he took as code for "we don't like your politics."

Since they won't officially make deals for disc two until they see the results for disc one, they couldn't just say they were "postponing" the deal. The offer would have to be withdrawn and renegotiated next spring after disc one is out. Which might actually be to Doyle's benefit if the first disc does well.

Regards,

Joe

[SpanishFan]

Galen. Wow, I didn't see that coming. I was thinking in terms of B5 cast, not Crusade, but this is major cool.
I'm surprised, though, that Garibaldi's story is "more complicated visually and technically" than Galen's.

I kinda feel sorry that there's gonna be only 2 stories, not just because there's gonna be one less story, but because, you know, "three's sacred".
Speaking of which, we have three characters and two stories, which two will share a story? Galen/Sheridan, Sheridan/Lochley or Lochley/Galen? Because if it is Lochley/Galen, I can't help remembering that little TMoS thing.

[Spoo Junky]

I'm really happy that Galen is going to be back, and that Peter Woodward is going to play him, at least that's the presumption, since there have been no 'recasting' rumours being cast about (a little technomage humour )

[Satai Delenn]

WOW Thanks Jan even I am excited now .My favorite technomag and Garibaldi, and Lochley too *faints *

[frulad]

Actually, it sounds like two stories featuring Sheridan, Lochley and Galen.

In my joy I mis-typed. Have you ever tried to type and dance about a room at the same time?