Attn JMS: Production of Jeremiah
The Nuclear Marine
A quick question on Jeremiah's production.
With B5, it was a five day shoot, that almost always ended around 5pm. The
cast and crew found it an enjoyable atmosphere that was in danger of not
being called work. Also, the budget was handled in a way that was one of
the best kept records in Warner Brothers (all from your posts).
The question is how is/was the Jeremiah production. Were the hours more
chaotic due to outside shooting. Was the budget more difficult due to a
larger payroll and more dynamic shooting environment?
Ok, three questions, and about your least favorite part of the job.
Nuke - who loves the faith shown at www.landoverbaptist.com
--
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"Potential is nothing if not realized." Charles Applin
Jms at B5
Not correct. It was a 7 day per episode shoot, with the exception of one
season that went to 6 days, and we usually went 7 to 7 p.m.
>The
>cast and crew found it an enjoyable atmosphere that was in danger of not
>being called work. Also, the budget was handled in a way that was one of
>the best kept records in Warner Brothers (all from your posts).
Correct. We came in under budget every year for 5 years, at one point handing
back a million bucks, which they couldn't (and still can't quite) believe.
>The question is how is/was the Jeremiah production. Were the hours more
>chaotic due to outside shooting. Was the budget more difficult due to a
>larger payroll and more dynamic shooting environment?
It was more daunting because whereas B5 was shot entirely indoors, Jeremiah has
been primarily a road show, such that we're shooting outdoors, rain, snow, mud
or yuck, as much as 6 days out of 7 (with some 7 days out of 7).
As for budget, everyone kind of expected we'd go over our first season, since
it was such a big show, and all freshman shows tend to do that. But I don't
allow such things. 20% of any budget usually is wasted on lack of preparation.
By always having our scripts in on time, and well ahead of schedule, we were
able to plan ahead and, as with B5, we came in under budget for our first
season.
>Ok, three questions, and about your least favorite part of the job.
Getting up early when I've been writing until 3 a.m. or later.
jms
(jms...@aol.com)
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The Nuclear Marine
news:20020824211900...@mb-df.aol.com:
>>With B5, it was a five day shoot, that almost always ended around 5pm.
>
> Not correct. It was a 7 day per episode shoot, with the exception of
> one season that went to 6 days, and we usually went 7 to 7 p.m.
*knocking head* Doh! That's right, season five had TNT wanting the week
shortened to six, not extended. Man, that and Robert Townsend. I need
stronger coffee.
> As for budget, everyone kind of expected we'd go over our first
> season, since it was such a big show, and all freshman shows tend to
> do that. But I don't allow such things. 20% of any budget usually is
> wasted on lack of preparation.
> By always having our scripts in on time, and well ahead of schedule,
> we were
> able to plan ahead and, as with B5, we came in under budget for our
> first season.
>
Coolness. First time I heard of this. News on the Jeremiah production has
been slim. It needs the equivalent of Lurkers site made for it. Anyone
know a good site besides Mike Alba's?
Question: What has been the benefit of producing shows under budget from
the higher ups? Is it like the military and you get less funding or more
funding as you can be trusted with it? That B5 was always on the wire
suggests neither and that its all about the ratings.
>>Ok, three questions, and about your least favorite part of the job.
>
> Getting up early when I've been writing until 3 a.m. or later.
>
> jms
I was talking about the producing side of the house but thanks for the info
:^D
Nuke - You know you're getting old when you wake up at the time you used to
come home.
Monica Hübinette
> Coolness. First time I heard of this. News on the Jeremiah production has
> been slim. It needs the equivalent of Lurkers site made for it. Anyone
> know a good site besides Mike Alba's?
You mean Mike Helba? :p While I don't necessarily go into the
production details on my site, I did try to base some of it off of the
Lurker's Guide:
http://abyss.hubbe.net/jeremiah/
Always looking for ideas, suggestions, offers to help, etc. :D
--
Monica Hübinette AKA Lyta at B5LR (now B5TV.com)
http://abyss.hubbe.net/b5/ | http://abyss.hubbe.net/jeremiah/
I'm a spirit of vengeance, and I'm a spirit of justice, and I will
kick the asses of the unrighteous! --Jeremiah
Jms at B5
>the higher ups? Is it like the military and you get less funding or more
>funding as you can be trusted with it? That B5 was always on the wire
>suggests neither and that its all about the ratings.
The key thing is, if you can prove yourself fiscally responsible, they have a
greater tendency to leave you alone creatively.
>>>Ok, three questions, and about your least favorite part of the job.
>>
>> Getting up early when I've been writing until 3 a.m. or later.
>>
>> jms
>
>I was talking about the producing side of the house but thanks for the info
>:^D
That IS the producing side of it.
Iain Rae
>>Question: What has been the benefit of producing shows under budget from
>>the higher ups? Is it like the military and you get less funding or more
>>funding as you can be trusted with it? That B5 was always on the wire
>>suggests neither and that its all about the ratings.
>
>
> The key thing is, if you can prove yourself fiscally responsible, they have a
> greater tendency to leave you alone creatively.
>
This is apparently the same track that Robert Altman took when Filming
MASH, there were 2 other "big budget" war films going on at the same
time (Patton and i think Tora Tora Tora). He thought that if MASH came
in on or under budget the suits would be spending more time worrying
about the money issues on the other films to worry about the messages he
was sending with his film and he'd get a free hand.
About the only complaints he got on the content of the film was that the
uniforms were too dirty, when he pointed out that the troops were in the
field for months at a time with limited laundry facilities the suits
started complaining that the troops on Patton were too clean.
I love DVD's with commentaries.
David Williams
"Iain Rae" <ia...@dcs.ed.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:3D69F2F3...@dcs.ed.ac.uk...
> About the only complaints he got on the content of the film was that the
Which is quite surprising, considering the general anti-war message of the
film. It was set in Korea, but you didn't have to be a PhD of Lit to see
the anti-Vietnam message it contained.
IIRC, he did however catch a lot of flak over his directorial style. People
talking over each other was one of the biggest, but it worked! I've always
loved that about many of the scenes because it is so much more real.
-David W.
Iain Rae
> "Iain Rae" <ia...@dcs.ed.ac.uk> wrote in message
> news:3D69F2F3...@dcs.ed.ac.uk...
>
>>About the only complaints he got on the content of the film was that the
>>uniforms were too dirty...
>
>
> Which is quite surprising, considering the general anti-war message of the
> film. It was set in Korea, but you didn't have to be a PhD of Lit to see
> the anti-Vietnam message it contained.
>
> IIRC, he did however catch a lot of flak over his directorial style. People
> talking over each other was one of the biggest, but it worked! I've always
> loved that about many of the scenes because it is so much more real.
>
> -David W.
>
>
The other fun thing to come out of the commentary was that his son wrote
the lyrics to the theme song and ended up making more out of the movie
than Altman did.
Matthew Vincent
>The key thing is, if you can prove yourself fiscally responsible,
>they have a greater tendency to leave you alone creatively.
Your determination and perseverance past all the obstacles has been
very impressive. It seems that this is what one has to do in life:
work out what it is you have to achieve, and make sure that it happens
that way, no matter how hard it is. Keep standing up and doing what
you have to do, knowing that you can't afford to fail.
Matthew