I'm kind of up against it right now on an assortment of deadlines, so this'll be quick, but I did want to address some of the questions that have been asked.
Yes, we're shooting this HD, so this is going to be quite a learning curve for me as a director, since I've never shot HD before. There's also a HUGE amount of green-screen involved, so again, lots of learning to be done.
For those who are getting the B5 scripts books -- and eventually the B5:TLT scripts will be released -- you'll notice a substantial difference between them and these scripts in that I decided to kind of direct them on the page more than usual: calling out specific angles and camera directions, locations and setups more than in any prior B5 script. It probably resembles an animation script more than a standard TV script, because it incorporates my directorial notes, shot for shot, as we go.
The first three-segment DVD is called "Voices in the Dark." We've narrowed down the cast, and hope to have their deals closed this week. There are already ten crew members working on this thing up in Vancouver, pulling together stages, offices and other prep work. The first day of shooting will likely be either November 13th or 14th (due to a Canadian holiday). The last twiddlings to the script should be done by this coming Monday. Storyboarding starts the end of this week.
It's balls-to-the-wall right now, but it should be fun in the end.
jms
message content (c) 2006 synthetic worlds, ltd. permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
In article <1159859855.840954.223...@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>, jmsa...@aol.com says...
>I'm kind of up against it right now on an assortment of deadlines, so >this'll be quick, but I did want to address some of the questions that >have been asked.
>Yes, we're shooting this HD, so this is going to be quite a learning >curve for me as a director, since I've never shot HD before. There's >also a HUGE amount of green-screen involved, so again, lots of learning >to be done.
Thanks for the update. I've wondered how you manage to keep up with the advances in technology.
>For those who are getting the B5 scripts books -- and eventually the >B5:TLT scripts will be released -- you'll notice a substantial >difference between them and these scripts in that I decided to kind of >direct them on the page more than usual: calling out specific angles >and camera directions, locations and setups more than in any prior B5 >script. It probably resembles an animation script more than a standard >TV script, because it incorporates my directorial notes, shot for shot, >as we go.
That's probably particularly important for such short stories, right? I'll be *very* interested in seeing those script books.
>The first three-segment DVD is called "Voices in the Dark." We've >narrowed down the cast, and hope to have their deals closed this week. >There are already ten crew members working on this thing up in >Vancouver, pulling together stages, offices and other prep work. The >first day of shooting will likely be either November 13th or 14th (due >to a Canadian holiday). The last twiddlings to the script should be >done by this coming Monday. Storyboarding starts the end of this week.
>It's balls-to-the-wall right now, but it should be fun in the end.
>jms
>message content (c) 2006 >synthetic worlds, ltd. >permission to reprint >specifically denied to >SFX Magazine
Sigh...Vancouver. On a strictly personal, very selfish note...Crud! I've never managed to snag any set-used script from up there. I know, I'll have the script books, but I love seeing the notes that crew/cast members write. It really shows the attention to detail.
Have fun, JMS!
Jan
-- We are the voice of the universe, the soul of creation, The fire that will light the way to a better future. We are One. IA Declaration of Principles (J. Michael Straczynski)
jmsa...@aol.com wrote: > I'm kind of up against it right now on an assortment of deadlines, so > this'll be quick, but I did want to address some of the questions that > have been asked.
> Yes, we're shooting this HD, so this is going to be quite a learning > curve for me as a director, since I've never shot HD before. There's > also a HUGE amount of green-screen involved, so again, lots of learning > to be done.
> For those who are getting the B5 scripts books -- and eventually the > B5:TLT scripts will be released -- you'll notice a substantial > difference between them and these scripts in that I decided to kind of > direct them on the page more than usual: calling out specific angles > and camera directions, locations and setups more than in any prior B5 > script. It probably resembles an animation script more than a standard > TV script, because it incorporates my directorial notes, shot for shot, > as we go.
> The first three-segment DVD is called "Voices in the Dark." We've > narrowed down the cast, and hope to have their deals closed this week. > There are already ten crew members working on this thing up in > Vancouver, pulling together stages, offices and other prep work. The > first day of shooting will likely be either November 13th or 14th (due > to a Canadian holiday). The last twiddlings to the script should be > done by this coming Monday. Storyboarding starts the end of this week.
> It's balls-to-the-wall right now, but it should be fun in the end.
> jms
> message content (c) 2006 > synthetic worlds, ltd. > permission to reprint > specifically denied to > SFX Magazine
Awesome. I can't wait to see them. So strange to hear that people at this moment are working on stories about these characters again, after all these years. 'Voices in the Dark' certainly sounds evocative.
And thank you for answering my HD question about TLT. The AV nerd in me is happy. ;) I wonder if this means if it will be shot on film and then telecined to HD resolutions (usually to 1080p24), or shot with digital HD cameras (1080i60 or otherwise)? Just curious.
jmsa...@aol.com wrote: > The first three-segment DVD is called "Voices in the Dark." We've > narrowed down the cast, and hope to have their deals closed this week. > There are already ten crew members working on this thing up in > Vancouver, pulling together stages, offices and other prep work. The > first day of shooting will likely be either November 13th or 14th (due > to a Canadian holiday). The last twiddlings to the script should be > done by this coming Monday. Storyboarding starts the end of this week.
Wow..JMS always has the best titles. I wish I was as good at thinking up titles as he is. And they always cause me to speculate. Glad that stages are going up too!
Oh! Before I forget...being a big music nerd, and thinking that the B5 music is a big part of what made the show special. Can you announce anything about who will be working on that aspect of the show?
Jon wrote: > Wow..JMS always has the best titles. I wish I was as good at thinking > up titles as he is. And they always cause me to speculate.
And they bring out the creativity in German translators! ;>
OK, probably Polish titles had been not-so-good - luckily I do not remember them. But judging from "Crusade" it's nothing like morphing "And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place" into "Death of the Schemer" or something like that...
Jo'Asia
-- __.-=-. -< Joanna Slupek >----------------------< http://esensja.pl/ >- --<()> -< joasia @ hell . pl >------< http://bujold.fantastyka.net/ >- .__.'| -< Better a mutie than a moron! {Lord Mark Pierre Vorkosigan} >-
Carved in mystic runes upon the very living rock, the last words of Jon of rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated make plain:
> jmsa...@aol.com wrote: >> The first three-segment DVD is called "Voices in the Dark." We've >> narrowed down the cast, and hope to have their deals closed this >> week. There are already ten crew members working on this thing up in >> Vancouver, pulling together stages, offices and other prep work. The >> first day of shooting will likely be either November 13th or 14th >> (due to a Canadian holiday). The last twiddlings to the script >> should be done by this coming Monday. Storyboarding starts the end >> of this week.
> Wow..JMS always has the best titles.
I've always thought Harlan had cool titles; I wonder if he's made title suggestions to Joe over the years.
> Glad that stages are going up too!
Definitely! It would suck to get the scripts done and the actors and crew together to shoot, and no stages! :)
-- Methuselah "A merchant who approaches business with the idea of serving the public well, has nothing to fear from the competition." -- J. C. Penney
>> Wow..JMS always has the best titles. I wish I was as good at thinking >> up titles as he is. And they always cause me to speculate.
> And they bring out the creativity in German translators! ;>
> OK, probably Polish titles had been not-so-good - luckily I do not > remember them. But judging from "Crusade" it's nothing like morphing "And > the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place" into "Death of the Schemer" or > something like that...
Now don't forget "The End of the Markab" and "Captured within the Cybernet".
> And thank you for answering my HD question about TLT. The AV nerd in me > is happy. ;) I wonder if this means if it will be shot on film and then > telecined to HD resolutions (usually to 1080p24), or shot with digital > HD cameras (1080i60 or otherwise)? Just curious.
The latter. I figure if I'm gonna learn this stuff, I may as well dive in at the deep end.
jmsa...@aol.com wrote: > I'm kind of up against it right now on an assortment of deadlines, so > this'll be quick, but I did want to address some of the questions that > have been asked.
> Yes, we're shooting this HD, so this is going to be quite a learning > curve for me as a director, since I've never shot HD before. There's > also a HUGE amount of green-screen involved, so again, lots of learning > to be done.
> For those who are getting the B5 scripts books -- and eventually the > B5:TLT scripts will be released -- you'll notice a substantial > difference between them and these scripts in that I decided to kind of > direct them on the page more than usual: calling out specific angles > and camera directions, locations and setups more than in any prior B5 > script. It probably resembles an animation script more than a standard > TV script, because it incorporates my directorial notes, shot for shot, > as we go.
> The first three-segment DVD is called "Voices in the Dark." We've > narrowed down the cast, and hope to have their deals closed this week. > There are already ten crew members working on this thing up in > Vancouver, pulling together stages, offices and other prep work. The > first day of shooting will likely be either November 13th or 14th (due > to a Canadian holiday). The last twiddlings to the script should be > done by this coming Monday. Storyboarding starts the end of this week.
> It's balls-to-the-wall right now, but it should be fun in the end.
> jms
> message content (c) 2006 > synthetic worlds, ltd. > permission to reprint > specifically denied to > SFX Magazine
> > And thank you for answering my HD question about TLT. The AV nerd in me > > is happy. ;) I wonder if this means if it will be shot on film and then > > telecined to HD resolutions (usually to 1080p24), or shot with digital > > HD cameras (1080i60 or otherwise)? Just curious.
> The latter. I figure if I'm gonna learn this stuff, I may as well dive > in at the deep end.
> In for a penny, in for a pounding, I say....
> jms
This should be interesting; digital still has a pretty distinct look. Especially with regards to the light sensitivity of CCDs versus film. Better get a good DP. <g>
Might make the special effects pipe line a bit easier though. It is my understanding that various special effects heavy shows, and some movies like the last two Star Wars ones, switched over to digital because it, among other things, made things a bit easier in that department.
And I'm guessing this in part would explain the million dollars plus effects budget that was quoted by Dreamwatch. Putting enough extra detail in CGI models so that they hold up at HD resolutions, and other issues like the extra rendering time needed, can add a good deal of cost, from what I understand.
>>> Wow..JMS always has the best titles. I wish I was as good at thinking >>> up titles as he is. And they always cause me to speculate.
>> And they bring out the creativity in German translators! ;>
>> OK, probably Polish titles had been not-so-good - luckily I do not >> remember them. But judging from "Crusade" it's nothing like morphing "And >> the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place" into "Death of the Schemer" or >> something like that...
That new title certainly gave away the ending of the episode.
Angelika Tobisch wrote: > Jo'Asia schrieb: >>> Wow..JMS always has the best titles. I wish I was as good at thinking >>> up titles as he is. And they always cause me to speculate. >> And they bring out the creativity in German translators! ;> >> OK, probably Polish titles had been not-so-good - luckily I do not >> remember them. But judging from "Crusade" it's nothing like morphing "And >> the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place" into "Death of the Schemer" or >> something like that... > Now don't forget "The End of the Markab" and "Captured within the Cybernet".
Hey, may be we could make a new guessing game out of this!
"Guess the German title!"
Not knowing what the content would be makes it a little hard, but would we let such trivial thing to stop us? ;)
Christoph Erichsen wrote: > will the Audio edit be made in DD5.1 Sourround? I was a bit dissapointed > when B5:LR was only DD2.0 Stereo.
IANJMS, but I'll take a stab at this one:
B5:LR was mixed in matrixed stereo because that is all that analog TV channels like Sci-Fi in the US can transmit. Only digital channels, typically those transmitting in HD, use Dolby Digital. Given that B5:LR was the least successful of the TV movies Warner Home Video probably didn't think it worth the expense to remix it for the DVD release.
Since "B5:LR" is shooting in HD video for direct-to-DVD release and obviously with an eye towards eventual HD broadcasts and/or syndication I would be stunned if this weren't mixed in DD 5.1 and then downmixed (if need be) for analog SD-TV.
>> On Wed, 4 Oct 2006 14:18:47 -0400, Joseph DeMartino wrote
(in article <1159985927.193808.202...@m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com>):
> Christoph Erichsen wrote: >> will the Audio edit be made in DD5.1 Sourround? I was a bit dissapointed >> when B5:LR was only DD2.0 Stereo.
> IANJMS, but I'll take a stab at this one:
> B5:LR was mixed in matrixed stereo because that is all that analog TV > channels like Sci-Fi in the US can transmit. Only digital channels, > typically those transmitting in HD, use Dolby Digital. Given that > B5:LR was the least successful of the TV movies Warner Home Video > probably didn't think it worth the expense to remix it for the DVD > release.
> Since "B5:LR" is shooting in HD video for direct-to-DVD release <<
Joseph DeMartino wrote: > Christoph Erichsen wrote: > > will the Audio edit be made in DD5.1 Sourround? I was a bit dissapointed > > when B5:LR was only DD2.0 Stereo.
> IANJMS, but I'll take a stab at this one:
> B5:LR was mixed in matrixed stereo because that is all that analog TV > channels like Sci-Fi in the US can transmit. Only digital channels, > typically those transmitting in HD, use Dolby Digital. Given that > B5:LR was the least successful of the TV movies Warner Home Video > probably didn't think it worth the expense to remix it for the DVD > release.
Negative; we delivered a 5.1 mix on Rangers to WB. What they did with it is anybody's guess.
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