Text 74, 247 rader
Skriven 2005-10-22 16:20:26 av Kay Shapero (1:102/524.0)
Ärende: [3 of 4] JMS posts to moderated b5 newsgroup
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I went into the directory and found literally hundreds of memos that
I'd written during the course of producing and writing B5...from the
first presentation up through Crusade.  We've already put the first two
volumes of the script books to bed, but they can certainly be quoted
starting with volume 3 and thereafter, and I may pop some of the most
formative memos concerning season one and the Gathering into volume 15.


The cool thing is that there's stuff in there that I'd competely
forgotten...the list of other actors I put forth for Captain Sheridan,
a new regular character I'd wanted to insert starting with season two
but didn't have the funds for, early discussions about Minbari
culture...it's pretty nifty stuff.

So there's an extra starting with volume 3...quotes and excerpts from
the memos that flew back and forth that led to the design of the B5
universe and the behind-the-scenes production world.

Now I'm going back to read some more of this stuff...boy, talk about a
flashback....

jms



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Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 04:27:59 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: JMS: Re: Babylon 5 Universe Novels?
From: jmsatb5@aol.com
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated


And by the by...just to keep some measure of perspective on all
this...for as much as I may grump about the profit situation, and the
DVDs, the ones who *really* get screwed the most on this are the
actors.  Their reoyalty formula is even worse than the WGAs, and when
it comes to making the DVDs...

Back when they were doing the first season or so, WB called me in for a
meeting.  Very important, they said.  So I go in and sit with them.

"We have a problem," they said.  "Andreas and Peter won't do
commentaries or interviews, and Walter doesn't want to let us use his
footage from the documentary."

"Why not?" said I.

"They want to get paid."

"Then pay them," said I.

"That's not our policy," said they.

"Then change it."

You would think I turned to the Pope and said, "Who farted?"

"We can't change our policy, it's our policy."

"Of course you can," I said.  "It's not as if Your Policy exists
outside the natural realm, like some kind of Greek perfect ideal.  You
made the policy, and you can change it."

"If we pay THEM, then EVERYONE is going to want to get paid."

"And that's bad how?" I asked.  "You're putting actors on camera or
behind a mike.  Asking them to perform.  They should be paid for that."

"Well, we want you to talk to them, tell them it's important to you
that they do this."

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because they're right and you're wrong."

"Doug has said he'll talk to them."

"That's not my problem.  I won't do it."

"We're asking you as a personal favor.  Talk to them."

So I talked to them.  I called the actors in question, who said, in
general, "They won't pay me."

"I know.  So don't do it."

"You're okay with that?"

"Absolutely."

"So...why are you calling?"

"I promised I'd call, so this is my call, to say good for you."

"Oh."

And that, as they say, was that.

Which is also, incidentally, why Harlan wouldn't do the DVDs.

jms



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Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 04:07:41 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: JMS: Re: Babylon 5 Universe Novels?
From: jmsatb5@aol.com
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated



Jan wrote:
>
> Hopefully if any of this contradicts what JMS has seen on his statements,
he'll
> let us know.  At any rate, this concludes the 'more than anybody *ever*
wanted
> to know about Accounting' portion of tonight's entertainment. ;-)
>

Your analysis is essentially correct.  WB can take 30% of all B5 income
right off the top as "overhead," and subject the remaining 70% to their
net formula, which is constructed such that if a set on a small movie
burns down in Botswana, they can bill the costs against B5...so that
the series will never, ever show a profit.

I ain't the first in this position, and sadly, I won't be the last.

jms



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Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 04:05:43 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: JMS: Re: Babylon 5 Universe Novels?
From: jmsatb5@aol.com
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated



Carl wrote:
> <jmsatb5@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:1129763371.988536.28150@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > As a producer, my revenue from the DVDs is tied to the overall profit
> > of the show, which is still showing $50 million in the red (thanks to
> > creative accounting), so I get zero off the sales of the DVDs as a
> > producer.
> >
> > As a small potted plant, I get even less.
>
> So the accountants (who are apparently fiction writers in their own right)
> make
> money on the DVDs and you don't.
>
> After so many years of this I would have thought that the various guilds and
> unions would have found away to make the process more honest.
>
> I'm not a big fan of unions, but this makes a case for some.
>

The history of this is...back in the 80s, the WGA had the chance to go
after a percentage of VHS sales, or push for something else (a handful
of magic beans, as I recall)...and they basically gave away the VHS
stuff on the theory that it would never be much of a market.

In the years since then, the video market has exploded, but the formula
has stayed the same, and the studios insisted that they also apply to
DVDs.  The Guild should have struck over this a long time ago, but the
last fifteen years or so in particular the Guild leadership has been
remarkably cowardly, and has not done what's necessary to correct this.
 (Won't change the B5 situation, because it wouldn't be retroactive.)
Now, I think there's a somewhat bolder bunch of guys who just got in,
and we'll see what they can do with it.

jms



------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 04:00:00 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: JMS: Re: Babylon 5 Universe Novels?
From: jmsatb5@aol.com
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated



kruegerb76@hotmail.com wrote:
> Andrew Swallow wrote:
> > jmsatb5@aol.com wrote:
> > [snip]
> > >
> > > But in any event...it's a moot point.  I've never received a dime off
> > > the DVDs and likely never will.
> > >
>
> I sincerely hope he never regrets doing B5.  Such a monumental effort.
> Such a disappointing business reward.

No, not at all.  I went into this situation with my eyes open...I knew
that I would never see a dime off B5.  Doesn't mean I can't tweak them
about it, because it's emblematic of the problem faced by lots of
people in Da Biz, but I regret nothing.

Well, maybe that evening with the two sailors and the taffeta
outfit....

jms



------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 23:10:13 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: JMS: Re: Babylon 5 Universe Novels?
From: jmsatb5@aol.com
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated



Andrew Swallow wrote:

>
> As a scriptwriter and/or producer are you getting residues for each DVD
> sold?
>
> Getting paid 3 times for the same piece of work is rare.  Some times you
> just have to get a bigger second payment.
>

As a scriptwriter, my residuals is tied to the WGA's formula for
residuals off DVDs and VHS tapes...which were thrown away a long time
ago, before the market broke...meaning that I get zero off the sales of
the DVDs as a writer.

As a producer, my revenue from the DVDs is tied to the overall profit
of the show, which is still showing $50 million in the red (thanks to

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