Babylon 5 Movie through Studio JMS

[Ubik]

You don't want him to write the movie????? Or is it that you don't want him to BOTH write and direct?

Jan

I would not want him to take on BOTH writing and directing. I think it's a bit much for one person, and can lead to blind spots in terms of identifying your own weaknesses, or things that could be improved upon with small changes.

Of course I want JMS to pen the film! No one else should do that! But I think the writer and director should be separate parties, but with a good bond and understanding. I think JMS has mentioned before that he prefers to do the writing and let others direct.

[Jan]

I absolutely would not want to see JMS write and direct.

You don't want him to write the movie????? Or is it that you don't want him to BOTH write and direct?

Jan

[Ubik]

I could see someone like Christopher Nolan working well. However, this seems a bit ambitious!

I do think JMS, or anyone making a feature film, needs a foil, someone who can help iron out any kinks and bring different angles to that creative vision. Every creator has his / her weaknesses and it always helps to have someone on board who will call you on the things that don't quite work.

Just look at something like Empire Strikes Back, without people like Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan and Gary Kurtz on board, it wouldn't have been half the film it was. It helps to have those other voices to improve things.

I think JMS working with the Ws on Sense8 is a great example of how this works well, with them editing each others scripts to balance things out and get the best possible result. Not that I'd really want the Ws involved with a B5 move, but the idea of cross pollination between creators who respect each other is such an advantage.

I absolutely would not want to see JMS write and direct.

[Looney]

In some ways I'd prefer someone who wasn't too precious about the original series. This new B5 should be all about the NEW.

I disagree. Plus I know I've heard discussions in the past that mentioned some big directors out there who are fans of the show. I think I heard once that the guy who directed a current Star something: the something Awakens was a fan of B5 , but I don't know if he should get behind the wheel of ANOTHER SciFi franchise.

MY choice would be JMS hisownself or Mike Vejar though he doesn't look to be doing much directing anymore.

Jan

I don't think JMS would be a good choice from a financing stand point because I don't think money people want to hear, "I am writing, producing, and directing it all myself." Other names involved can give it more of a solid feel. I think a veteran or someone fresh who backers are willing to put money behind would be the best choice. I like the idea of Vejar, but I'm not so sure big money investors would.

I am going to go WAY out in left field and say I would love to see Kathryn Bigelow. I know she tackles very serious topics these days, but I think this would be a great outside the box project for her. If she and JMS worked well together I think it would be great for B5.

(I would also like to see Del Torro, but as I've said before I think he and JMS might not work well together . . . or it could be a match made in heaven.)

[Jan]

Another big point is getting a quality director on board who can bring something special to the table, and realise JMS vision, and add something unique to it.

MY choice would be JMS hisownself or Mike Vejar though he doesn't look to be doing much directing anymore.

Jan

[Ubik]

With the added bonus that they know and love the original series = PERFECTION!

In some ways I'd prefer someone who wasn't too precious about the original series. This new B5 should be all about the NEW.

[Looney]

Another big point is getting a quality director on board who can bring something special to the table, and realise JMS vision, and add something unique to it.

With the added bonus that they know and love the original series = PERFECTION!

[Ubik]

I want him to break form and REALLY focus. I don't want a B5 feature script to have been squeezed into his schedule. That is what I meant by saying B5 is the biggest thing he has ever done. If he is going to successfully breathe life back into it then it needs to be more than just another writing project. We all know some of his material is more "pay the bills" than "labor of love." Now I know that JMS puts B5 ahead of the "pay the bills" stuff in his heart. I just want him to be able to take time for the "labor of love."

Same here. I want it to be something really special, and I want it to be super focused and written over time. In some ways I won't mind delays, just as long as it's done right. B5 is no Ninja Assassin!

Another big point is getting a quality director on board who can bring something special to the table, and realise JMS vision, and add something unique to it.

[Jan]

I want him to break form and REALLY focus.

If it ain't broke, don't 'fix' it! It ain't broke!

Part of the whole point of Studio JMS is that 'if there are going to be stupid notes, they'll be MY stupid notes!' (paraphrased) This time he's not going to need to worry about TNT or Sci-Fi or anybody else trying to squeeze younger, sexier whateverer stuff in. I'm looking forward to that.

And it'll be whatever story he wants to tell and I'm betting it won't be any of those 15 million things people have said they want.

Jan

[Looney]

Even though that's nothing like his usual writing method at all. Why would you want him to change a method that works? Projecting again.

I want him to break form and REALLY focus. I don't want a B5 feature script to have been squeezed into his schedule. That is what I meant by saying B5 is the biggest thing he has ever done. If he is going to successfully breathe life back into it then it needs to be more than just another writing project. We all know some of his material is more "pay the bills" than "labor of love." Now I know that JMS puts B5 ahead of the "pay the bills" stuff in his heart. I just want him to be able to take time for the "labor of love."

Face it, with the amount of time he spend on airplanes alone last year he probably could have written 5 B5 movies.

Jan

I LOVE this point. If he can write on planes and tune out everyone around him I think that is a really great setting where he could have focused on B5. And we know he had LOTS of time on planes last year.

[Jan]

I believe he worked on a B5 script in 2015, but how great could it be if he tried squeeze it in between all of his "announced" projects and overdue projects? I don't mind waiting for updates, I just wish we'd stop getting other updates that make it sound like he's not had time to sit down and really focus on what he wants to do with B5. Yes it is great that he is making money and adding to his "street-cred", but I'm sure we all feel that hearing how busy he is also like hearing "I'll get to B5 later." and none of us are getting any younger.

Seriously? I mean...really??? You can actually say this about the guy who wrote 22 hour-long scripts in about 10 days each for three seasons of B5?? Maybe George RR Martin (just to pick a name out of the air...) would have trouble but not JMS.

JMS has described his writing method many times. He'll be chugging along on one script, reach a point where he needs to figure something out so he turns his attention to a different project while the back of his mind works on the first project and then he goes back to it when the first problem is solved.

Here's the post I remember:

http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-5235

Saying "...we all feel that hearing how busy he is also like hearing "I'll get to B5 later."" is you projecting something that there's no basis for.

(I know he writes all of the time, but I want to say he took a month or two writing a new B5 because I want him to have REALLY focused. )

Even though that's nothing like his usual writing method at all. Why would you want him to change a method that works? Projecting again.

Face it, with the amount of time he spend on airplanes alone last year he probably could have written 5 B5 movies.

Jan

[Ubik]

I agree with your observation about the 'street cred' thing, JMS is definitely more visible than ever before. This can only help any kind of potential B5 project. I was so happy when Sense8 turned out to be good, and also did well for Netflix. Long may this continue, and it absolutely raises the possibility that we'll get that return to B5 done right.

[Looney]

Hmmmmm . . . I have to disagree with some of what is being said. My opinion as a fan who has followed JMS' career since 1994 is that he does owe the fans something. I wouldn't say it is updates on a Babylon 5 project or even a Babylon 5 project itself. I think he owes the fans the best Babylon 5 project he is capable of creating if he is going to really do a Babylon 5 project. I mean I have invested much of my time and much of my money in Babylon 5 related fandom, so I think I deserve the best Babylon 5 he can produce if he is indeed going to produce it. It is like anyone you are emotionally and financially invested in, you want them to do their best. I believe he worked on a B5 script in 2015, but how great could it be if he tried squeeze it in between all of his "announced" projects and overdue projects? I don't mind waiting for updates, I just wish we'd stop getting other updates that make it sound like he's not had time to sit down and really focus on what he wants to do with B5. Yes it is great that he is making money and adding to his "street-cred", but I'm sure we all feel that hearing how busy he is also like hearing "I'll get to B5 later." and none of us are getting any younger.

SO now that I have that insecure negativity out of my system I will say that I fully recognize there probably were a couple of times in 2015 when JMS could have written the script. I am leaning toward just after Sense 8 premiered while he was delaying some comics. It seems like there might have been a month or so where he could have been focusing on B5 (I know he writes all of the time, but I want to say he took a month or two writing a new B5 because I want him to have REALLY focused. ) He could have a good first draft done and be waiting for the best moment to announce it. We only know what is put out there by JMS. We don't know how he spent all of his time in 2015. We know where a good portion of his time was spent, but there might be large gaps. He literally might have spent 2 months writing a B5 script and just kept it quiet. B5 is the biggest thing JMS has ever done so when he makes announcements about it possibly returning he is going to want to get the most bang for his buck. Pumping up that "street-cred" is only going to help that happen.

[Jan]

To my mind there's too much of the later going around, and I wish creators would just wait until it was a bit more than a glimmer in their eye.

That's the thing. To my mind, active contract negotiations are genuine news and worthy of being announced.

Now, whether options should be part of that, I'm less certain. Many things have been 'fast-tracked' and that track went to never-never-land.

But if you've ever seen JMS at a con and seen the genuine fun he has in talking about so much cool stuff he gets to work on, I think it would be easier to understand why he may sometimes announce things that we might think is prematurely.

Jan

[Ubik]

Thing is, "confirmed and going ahead" can be pretty meaningless, too. After all:

http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/red-mars-spike-series-order-1201656112/

So Red Mars ended up going from just a pilot to a series after this, it seems.

So it's kind of a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't'.

Jan

I take your point, things are indeed very changeable.

But, I dunno, there's a big difference between having something in the can (fully written or a full season ordered, or even fully filmed and ready to screen) to 'we are going to do this, but nothing is really confirmed yet'. To my mind there's too much of the later going around, and I wish creators would just wait until it was a bit more than a glimmer in their eye.