Babylon 5- The Lost Tales *SPOILERS*

[Jan]

JMS update with release info

Just found on the moderated group:

Ranger Elenopa wrote:
> Hi JMS,

> I was just thinking, we hadn't heard anything for a while about 'The
> Lost Tales' (like when we can buy it!).


> As it is just about new year, can you tell us anything?

Not much to say at the moment. The studios shut down two weeks ago,
everybody's on hiatus. The post production process continues apace,
with animatics having come down before the break for approval so they
can start the heavy rendering. I came up with an opening set-piece
which is now being storyboarded out, and we have someone now designing
a new title sequence as well. We'll just keep doing this until
February/March, when we do the final mix, with the release date slated
for the week of July 27th.

jms

The weekend of July 27 just happens to be the weekend of San Diego Comic Con.

Jan

[frulad]

Wondering if JMS will have a minute or two sneak peek at the New York Con in Feb...

[Jan]

Funny, I asked that same question. Let's see if he stops back to that thread and answers. Hope so, because I'm planning on being there.

Jan

[Jan]

Looks like he won't have anything he feels is sufficiently ready in time for NYCC:

Title: Re: Attn: JMS - NY Comic Con and TLT sneak peek
Author: [email protected]
Date: 19 Jan 2007 21:24:42 -0800
Message-ID: <[email protected]. com>

Amy Guskin wrote:
> So, JMS...enquiring minds want to know whether you think you might possibly
> be potentially having the slightest inclination of maybe considering thinking
> about bringing along to New York Comic Con any footage whatsoever that might
> possibly be from, oh, I dunno, B5:TLT...?
>
> (If you can be bribed, I'm planning on making at least one trip downtown to
> La Bella Ferrara's for cannoli while I'm there.)
>
> Amy

The cgi won't be sufficiently finished to bring anything of substance,
and we don't do the final audio mix until March, and I'm leery of
bringing anything that isn't balanced. (Well, with the exception of me
but I don't have much choice there.)

We are, however, planning to do a lot of stuff for San Diego, including
a trailer made just for SDCC (with an intro I recorded on the stages in
Vancouver), a director's blog, and perhaps some other googies. But
nothing of that for NYCC, I'm afraid, with the possible exception of
maybe one or two of the blogs, if they're sufficiently done by then.

jms

Jan

[AmyG]

This really bugs me. I mean, they finished filming in November and are well into post-production now, and JMS has known for some time that he's going to be attending a large east-coast convention. It seems inconceivable to me that they wouldn't have planned to specifically get even one two-minute piece of film, something that looks like something, ready for this. And as I replied to him on the mod, it seems kind of strange that they'll only have a trailer ready the same weekend the DVD is coming out. I realize that they're marketing to more than just B5 fans -- they'll want to draw in people who won't have the DVD advance-ordered on Amazon.com -- but to miss the chance of creating some buzz at New York Comic Con just seems like a wasted opportunity, IMHO.

[Jan]

Could be. I've been assuming that NYCC is going to be more comic oriented than SDCC is, though, so maybe that's why JMS wasn't figuring on bringing something B5. Being just it's second year, it's hard to tell if NYCC will become as multi-media as SDCC.

Jan

[phazedout]

what's a googie?
It seems even the great maker is not averse to the odd typo
Phaze
on the "not that I'm perfect you understand, but I'm working on perfection target is 2012" ID

[Joseph DeMartino]

And as I replied to him on the mod, it seems kind of strange that they'll only have a trailer ready the same weekend the DVD is coming out.

Well, in fairness to JMS he doesn't say that the first and only trailer is going to be shown at SDCC. He says that a special trailer is being produced that will be shown exclusively at SDCC. Presumably there will be all sorts of stuff on the website and elsewhere, including various trailers, prior to the con, with a special SDCC-only version as a "treat" (like the blooper reels were at the B5 conventions) for the folks at JMS's "home" con on the launch weekend.

And given how much use of TLT apparently of virtual sets, until the CGI comes I don't find it implausible that there isn't much that they can cut together into any kind of "trailer". Especially since they couldn't start rendering on the CGI until they had the final cut of the film and knew exactly how long each virtual set segment and space shot was going to run.

Frustrating, but probably not avoidable given the schedules. And I'm sure we'll see promos and trailers well before July, even if the uber-cool version is reserved for SDCC.

Regards,

Joe

[AmyG]

It just seems crazy to me. I assume they're still trying to cut a deal to get the thing broadcast, and there's certainly a television presence in New York. To say I'm disappointed -- in addition to surprised -- would be putting it mildly. I have to really think about whether I still want to go, even. I don't really care that much about what JMS has to say in his Q&As; the important stuff will get quoted online. And as Jan points out, it's mainly a comics con, which to me isn't as much fun as a general media con. But the chance to be the first to see even a snippet of new Babylon 5 was something I was really looking forward to. Phooey, I say!

[Jan]

I'm not surprised. From the very moment that he announced it, JMS has said that there's massive amounts of CGI involved in this project. This was only reinforced by the amount of green screen we see in the photos he released. I expect that a major percentage is going to be composite shots and I'd think that, even with today's technology, those would be the most complex to do properly.

When JMS brought some of the Crusade episodes to a con here in FL, one was complete except for some of the music cues and the other was only missing a few effects. I don't think he'd ever show something that was less complete than that since it wouldn't give a true feel for the episodes.

If anything, the most I might have hoped for was a glimpse of the opening title sequence. I've always enjoyed those.

Jan

[Andrew_Swallow]

And given how much use of TLT apparently of virtual sets, until the CGI comes I don't find it implausible that there isn't much that they can cut together into any kind of "trailer". Especially since they couldn't start rendering on the CGI until they had the final cut of the film and knew exactly how long each virtual set segment and space shot was going to run.

They can do a radio play trailer. A couple of actors in front of a nice green background.

The other thing is who is paying for JMS's room?
Marvel comics may not be happy having Warner Brothers DVD steal their news reports.

[Jan]

Since he's listed as a Guest of Honor of the convention, the con would be picking up his expenses. As for the 'radio play trailer', yes, they *could have* done something like that but if they didn't record it back in November it's not likely to exist by February.

Jan

[AmyG]

If anything, the most I might have hoped for was a glimpse of the opening title sequence. I've always enjoyed those.

That's funny, because I could swear that you were the one who put the idea in my head in the first place that maybe he would bring something TLT with him, which is what got me excited about going to the con at all!

[Garibaldi's Hair]

It just seems crazy to me. I assume they're still trying to cut a deal to get the thing broadcast, and there's certainly a television presence in New York. To say I'm disappointed -- in addition to surprised -- would be putting it mildly. I have to really think about whether I still want to go, even. I don't really care that much about what JMS has to say in his Q&As; the important stuff will get quoted online. And as Jan points out, it's mainly a comics con, which to me isn't as much fun as a general media con. But the chance to be the first to see even a snippet of new Babylon 5 was something I was really looking forward to. Phooey, I say!

Careful Amy, this is awfully similar to the issue you have taken KoshN to task for over on B5TV. Since JMS appears relaxed about it, and since he knows how the TV business works better than any of us here I don't really think it is such a big deal as far as the marketing of the DVD is concerned.

Those of us following the news on the web are already looking forward to it. Those casual fans who might pick it up if their interest is piqued would probably be more likely to pick it up if it is available in a couple of weeks time (if they see it in San Diego) rather than in another 3 months time (if they see it in New York) by which point they may well have forgotten what it was that piqued their interest in the first place.

I don't think a sneak preview will make much difference unless it is followed up fairly quickly by other bulid-up advertising in other forms to reinforce it. And if WB are already in negotiations for a network to broadcast the shows, I doubt the fact there is a TV presence at the con makes any odds one way or the other.

[AmyG]

And if WB are already in negotiations for a network to broadcast the shows, I doubt the fact there is a TV presence at the con makes any odds one way or the other.

Not at the con. In town. In New York. Where you might want to have material on hand to market to people with whom you might be inclined to take meetings, if you were attempting to court them to purchase your product for broadcast.