New JMS post!!!

[Leto II]

This story is actually set DURING the timeframe of the feature film itself, in a lull in the fighting during the Telepath War.

Interestingly,


S

P

O

I

L

E

R

S



...Lyta removes Bester's neural block from Garibaldi's mind during this story, which makes me wonder how or *if* it'll even get dealt with onscreen in the movie, considering it's a fairly major plot point and all.

[Andrew_Swallow]

Originally posted by colonyearth
{snip}TPTB decide on another one. One thing that I noticed that I thought was interesting. If you recall in "The Gathering", G'Kar told Lyta that the borrowing of her genetic material would result in possibly making a clone. We know in S5 she agrees to let the Narn have her DNA. Is there a possibility that the Narn are raising a Lyta clone somewhere? Just a fun speculation I thought I'd share right quick.

That is a possibility that I had missed. In the magazine story "Nautalus Coil"

SPOILERS

P

O

I

L

E

R

S

Lyta returns to the Vorlon planet where she was enhanced. She leaves behind some Psi Cops who may have a sample of her DNA. They could be doing some cloning.

[colonyearth]

Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino

So regardless of anybody's theories, B5:TMoS has to be a theatrical film. JMS is too careful a writer, and plays too fair with his audience, for his reference to 2.35:1 to be an accident. And 2.35:1 can only refer to a theatrical film. QED.

As for the audience - I believe CE will back me up when I point out that a film that attracts a fraction of the audience of a even a flop TV show is likely to make money. You don't have to sell millions upon millions of tickets in the U.S alone to make your money back on a feature film. But a hit network television show has to attract tens of millions of viewers, week in and week out, for the network (not the studio which can resell the show overseas) to make any money. Books, plays, movies, all can get by on the crumbs of the kind of audience a TV show needs - and they do.

With a movie you have the actual prodution costs, then the costs of advertising, promotion and prints. Those are your fixed costs that have to be recouped. To get them back and turn a profit you can partner with other companies that will license your movie and produce toys, clothing etc from which you will earn royalties, which cost you nothing and which help to advertise your film. (Burger King and McDonald's tie-in meals for kids' movies do not happen by accident.) Then you sell the film overseas, either distributing it yourself or collecting a big check up front to let someone else distribute it. (And pay you a small additional royalty on each ticket sold.) Then there's the sales to pay per view, premium cable, network televison, basic cable and home video. In short, unless you're making a $100 or $200 million picture, you may be able to put yourself in a position where you have already broken even before the cameras start to roll.

B5 was getting anywhere from 500,000 to a million viewers on The Sci-Fi Channel, which not every American gets, when it was running in the early afternoon and every episode had been rerun at least 10 times over. Over the 10 years of its life so far, B5 has probably built up a fan base in the 10s of millions.
Even if only part of that base shows up in the theater, that's enough to "open" the movie. Then the film will depend on word of mouth - just like every other movie in the world.

Hype and fanatic fans can bring in enough bucks to keep a film in the theater for that first week or two, but good buzz and repeat business is what puts butts in seats. And precisely because only a fraction of the TV audience for a given show will make it to the theater, it is important that a film based on a TV show be accessible to folks who haven't seen the film.*

That's why a story like the Teep War would work, while many other fanboy notions wouldn't - the Teep War is fairly self-contained. In fact, in signifcant ways it resembles the "mutants vs. normals" themes of the very popular X-Men films, and wouldn't require significantly more explanation of its backstory than those two films did. (The essential information you need to have about the Shadow War and the IA to understand the Teep War could be conveyed in about 5 minutes of screen time - and not 5 straight minutes, either. The audience doesn't need to know every nuance of the whole five year story, or all the relationships. Relationships are established through actions and attitudes, not people standing around discussing their feelings. Sheridan encounters Ivanova, hugs her, she asks about Delenn and their son - we know that the two are friends, not lovers, that Sheridan is married, and has a son. Elapsed time, fifteen seconds. Garibaldi enters a room, sees Bester, decks him with one punch: Garibaldi and Bester are enemies. Elapsed time, five seconds.)

Regards,

Joe

Hey JDM! Just wanted to say long time no see and it's good to hear from you again.

Yes I completely concur with JDM here. He worded it very well. While in the past JDM and I have differed on what we thought TMoS might be about, we have always agreed that it would be a success and, correct me if I'm wrong here Joe, that it would probably be a feature. BTW, Joe, after watching S5 again now, I was reminded of a lot of story elements that I had let slide to the nether regions of my mind. You're right, there's a great deal of potential for TW film and for that to spawn a next film should TPTB decide on another one. One thing that I noticed that I thought was interesting. If you recall in "The Gathering", G'Kar told Lyta that the borrowing of her genetic material would result in possibly making a clone. We know in S5 she agrees to let the Narn have her DNA. Is there a possibility that the Narn are raising a Lyta clone somewhere? Just a fun speculation I thought I'd share right quick.

Remember, folks, WB wants to make a profit, period. B5 doesn't have to be a HUGE hit as long as it makes a profit. The bigger the profit the better obviously. But any profit will at the least ensure more B5 in the future. I have always believed that B5 has the potential to be a fantastic film success.

As for the person who made the point that LoTR was a pilot and thus written differently than a feature would be, thank you for saying that here....I've already made the same point over at B5tv. They are two completely different beasts. I have faith in JMS.

Yes, a B5 film with a decent budget has the potential to be a huge success for WB even if only the millions of B5 fans worldwide went to see it one time. B5 will definately make a profit...it can't but help to do so. How much of a profit? That's what we'll have to help ensure...that it's a large profit.

JMS is doing his part folks, and as G'Kar once said to Londo, "It's our turn now!"

That all for now from me...more later.

CE

[colonyearth]

Originally posted by RCmodeler
[B]It's the ratio for a *Cinescope* movie...which died out in the 60's. A modern Panavision movie is 1.85:1 (same as HDTV).

Sorry, RC, but while the official Cinemascope (not Cinescope) is gone, the ratio of 2.35:1 (or still called "scope" in the biz), is very viable and active. LOTR, SW, and about half of all Hollywood films are filmed and released in 2.35:1. 1.85:1 (or "flat") is the other half. And the 16:9 TV ratio is very close to 1.85:1 but is not exactly the same.

Filmmakers use scope when they really want a grand, epic feel and look. The fact that JMS is hinting that TMoS will be in scope gives me reason to celebrate, as it will give B5 an epic new appearance and feel.

[snodman]

Also, 2.35:1 tells you B5:TmoS project will be an epic movie. Todd AO and Panavision (as well as the now extinct Cinemascope) all have 2.35:1 processes and lenses.

[snodman]

Originally from an excellent post by Joseph DeMartino in another thread :

""Widescreen"

The Motion Picture Academy settled on a standardized frame aspect ratio for sound film (based on the fact that the optical soundtrack was carried on the same strip of film as the picture) in the 1920s or 30s and this remained the standard film ratio until the advent of Cinerama and its imitators in the 1950s. The "Academy Frame" was in the ratio 1.37 units wide to 1 unit high. When television switched from a round to a rectangular picture tube it went with the closest approximation of 1.37:1 that an electronic system could support, 1.33:1. Any aspect ratio (width to height) that is proportionally wider than 1.37:1 is "widescreen". And while many people don't seem to be aware of it, there are many widescreen aspect ratios

1.66:1 (popular in Europe), 1.85:1 (standard in American theaters for "small" dramas and comedies), 2.35:1 (for "epic" films, also expressed as 2.40:1) are all popular theatrical projection ratios today. (Although to save money and make it easier to sell films to television, many 1.85:1 films are shot "open matte" at 1.33:1 and simply masked off in the projector to the correct aspect ratio. The "dead" space at the top and bottom of the frame is never meant to be seen, and the director composes the shots with widescreen in mind, which is why you will sometimes see trash, or electrical cables or an actor with sneakers on his feet instead of shoes when a movie runs on TV, or spot jet contrails or overhead powerlines in a western. These "goofs" were never seen by theatrical audiences. They only show up in "full screen" TV airings and "full screen" home video editions.)


In the early, experimental widescreen days, films could be much wider. (I think Ben Hur clocks in at something like 2.70:1) But today 1.66, 1.85 and 2.35:1 are pretty much standard - in theaters."

[RCmodeler]

Originally posted by frulad
B5:TMoS has to be a movie. (2.35:1 is a film ratio.)

It's the ratio for a *Cinescope* movie...which died out in the 60's. A modern Panavision movie is 1.85:1 (same as HDTV).

Originally posted by iamsheridan
I am among those who believe that it was not really true that the Hand are more powerful than the Shadows, but if it were true, it could lead to some really interesting episodes when our heros venture beyond the Rim to find the Vorlons to get help

Vorlons: "See? We TOLD you you needed us. Now go to your room! We're moving back in."

Sorry no, the humans will never seek out help from First Ones. It would invalidate the entire premise of Babylon 5 (removing your parents and standing own your own).

[iamsheridan]

Originally posted by Dipper
Sure, but it seems kind of odd to introduce a race in the pilot and give nothing but false information.

I am among those who believe that it was not really true that the Hand are more powerful than the Shadows, but if it were true, it could lead to some really interesting episodes when our heros venture beyond the Rim to find the Vorlons to get help.

/IamS

[Dipper]

Originally posted by Jan
Well, considering what you saw was one of their 'minions' spouting propaganda which handily absolved him of responsibility, I'm not sure how reliable that data was.

Sure, but it seems kind of odd to introduce a race in the pilot and give nothing but false information.

The only cast member I've heard of cancelling an appearance is Bruce Boxleitner but the source stating why he cancelled is *not* reliable imo.

I have no opinion on whether it is true or not. Just remembered seeing this on the forum and if it was true, it could be significant.

The story of what happened on Centauri Prime was covered in the "Legions of Fire" trilogy. Very good story, I recommend it.

Jan

Yeah, I've read it and it was great (though still my favorite is the Technomage-trilogy) but it doesn't stop JMS from putting the story on screen.

IMO JMS gave birth to so many great ideas which he implemented to the show that could spawn an entire arc of itself. Feels quite impossible to figure out the movie before more info is released.

[Jan]

Originally posted by Dipper
And on a note I hated JMS's idea that The Hand was like kazillion times worse and more powerful than the Shadows. Give me a break, the at-the-time-younger-races barely held their own against the Shadows and the Vorlons .. what would they do now ? Leap 1000000 years in technological evolution in hmm .. few years ?

Well, considering what you saw was one of their 'minions' spouting propaganda which handily absolved him of responsibility, I'm not sure how reliable that data was.

I recall that some here noticed that B5 cast members were cancelling their appearances because of some "project". If that is B5 related it quite effectively sizes down the possibilites for the movie. And frankly I love the idea of seeing all the old guys back again. The movie could deal with the struggle of the Inter Stellar Alliance and the fall of Centauri Prime, since it was so well introduced in the series but never dealt with.

Just my 0.02Ç =)

The only cast member I've heard of cancelling an appearance is Bruce Boxleitner but the source stating why he cancelled is *not* reliable imo.

The story of what happened on Centauri Prime was covered in the "Legions of Fire" trilogy. Very good story, I recommend it.

Jan

[Dipper]

Just have to hope that JMS has learned his lesson from LoTR. The movie that had all the potential, but didn't hit it off because of bad acting, post-production .. everything.

And on a note I hated JMS's idea that The Hand was like kazillion times worse and more powerful than the Shadows. Give me a break, the at-the-time-younger-races barely held their own against the Shadows and the Vorlons .. what would they do now ? Leap 1000000 years in technological evolution in hmm .. few years ?

I recall that some here noticed that B5 cast members were cancelling their appearances because of some "project". If that is B5 related it quite effectively sizes down the possibilites for the movie. And frankly I love the idea of seeing all the old guys back again. The movie could deal with the struggle of the Inter Stellar Alliance and the fall of Centauri Prime, since it was so well introduced in the series but never dealt with.


Just my 0.02Ç =)

[Kevin]

Originally posted by The One to come
As for Bladerunner I don't really want to get in to an argument about it's success (this is a B5 board after all), but in short, you probably think it is a successful movie because more thank likely you like it and many people you know like it too (most people 'hang' with like minded people), but for the average movie watcher (now and then) didnÆt understand it and so hated it, there fore it only has cult statues, that give it endurance but no successes. I always felt that to true mark of success in movies it when a horrible sequel is made to capitalize on the original success (i.e. Jurassic park, the matrix)

Actually, to be honest, I hate Blade Runner

I didn't say it was a success, I said it made a profit because, well, it did ;P Check it out, I looked it up on a number of sources before I made the post, and they all returned the same figures: it did come out with a profit. It's no Jurassic Park or LotR or such, but few things are in Hollywood

[Ranger1]

Re: LotR vs. A real movie

Originally posted by thebaron
Let's remember one thing about The Legend of the Rangers, it was not designed to be a stand alone movie. It was for all intents and purposes a pilot for a series. I would think that is completely different from a full length movie since you are basically setting up characters and plot lines for a series.

I think that JMS knows how to do a movie especially with characters that were constantly talking to him while he was writing scripts for basically 5 years.

The Gathering = awesome
A Call to Arms = awesome +
LotR = lame

but yeah i guess youre right

[AaronB]

LotR vs. A real movie

Originally posted by Ranger1
Well i hope it will be a good movie,let us not forget LotR...(and i dont mean Lord of the Rings )

Let's remember one thing about The Legend of the Rangers, it was not designed to be a stand alone movie. It was for all intents and purposes a pilot for a series. I would think that is completely different from a full length movie since you are basically setting up characters and plot lines for a series.

I think that JMS knows how to do a movie especially with characters that were constantly talking to him while he was writing scripts for basically 5 years.

[Ranger1]

Well i hope it will be a good movie,let us not forget LotR...(and i dont mean Lord of the Rings )