From: Edward_Lee_Whiteside@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv,rec.arts.tv
Subject: B5: FAQL Babylon 5 Frequently Asked Questions List (Section I o
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 92 22:30:48 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

The BABYLON 5 Frequently Asked Questions List (Section I of II)

Updated 11/4/92

Compiled by Lee Whiteside

Portions of this file are copyright by J. Micheal Straczynski with 
compilation copyright by GEnie. Copyright for the completed FAQL
is by Lee Whiteside.

Section I:  Behind the Scenes info:

1.  What is Babylon 5?

Babylon 5 is a new science fiction television series that will be part
of a new Warner Bros. Television Consortium, called the Prime Time
Entertainment Network, much like the Fox network when it started.  
It is set on a Space Station in the mid 23rd Century.  It will premiere 
with a two hour movie, "The Gathering", in February, 1993.  It is 
currently only a pilot movie, but a series order is expected from 
Warner Bros. once the pilot movie has been completed.

2.  Who is behind Babylon 5?

The show was created by J. Michael Straczynski (JMS), who will be co-
executive producer on the show along with Doug Netter.  It has been in
development for over four years, the last few with Warner Bros.

J. Michael Straczynski has been involved with genre television for many 
years, as story editor and writer for the Twilight Zone TV series 
(syndicated version), Captain Power, and the animated The Real 
Ghostbusters.  He has also written for Jake and the Fatman and is
currently a producer/writer on Murder She Wrote.  JMS has also had many
published short stories, an anthology, and two fantasy/horror novels.  
Until recently, he was co-host of Hour 25, a Los Angeles area 
science fiction radio talk show.

3.  What makes JMS think he can do a good science fiction TV show?

JMS set several criteria for developing a science fiction TV series:

     1) It would have to be good science fiction.

     2) It would have to be good TELEVISION, and rarely are SF shows both
good SF *and* good TV; they are generally one or the other.

     3) It would have to take an adult approach to SF, and attempt to do
for television SF what HILL STREET BLUES did for cop shows.

     4) It would have to be affordable, done on a reasonable budget.

     5) It would have to look unlike anything ever seen before on TV, and
present not just individual stories, but present those stories against
a much broader canvas.

    For years, at conventions, I have heard fans lament, and even sat in
on panels entitled WHY CAN'T THEY GET IT RIGHT?  This, I firmly believe,
is a chance to do exactly that...to Get It Right, to take SF seriously,
to build characters for grown-ups (not a Wesley in the bunch), to
incorporate real science but keep the characters at the center of the
story.  Over the next 11 months, they will have ample opportunity to
voice their desire to finally Get It Right.  And I hope they will.

4.  Who else will be working on Babylon 5?

Richard Compton, Director: Richard is an *extremely* well-regarded
director from both film and TV, who has just fallen in love with the
project. For television, he's directed such TV movies as "Desperado"
(very nice stuff there), ST:TNG ("Haven"), a whole *bunch* of episodes
of "The Equalizer" (which is close in some ways to the look we want for
B5), "Hill Street Blues" (lots of those, too) and other shows and movies
and TV movies.

        The production team assembled for work on Babylon 5 consists of
the best and the brightest, including EFX experts and others who have
worked on such projects as TERMINATOR 2, HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS, THE
ABYSS, TOTAL RECALL and other films.  Heading up the effects and
production elements are Ron Thornton (computer EFX) and John Iacovelli
(production designer).  Ron, one of the country's foremost experts in
computer-generated graphics, will be working with NewTek -- creators of
the Video Toaster, a company on the cutting edge of computer EFX
technology -- to create images never before seen on television. John
Iacovelli, from HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS, is bringing a range of
innovative new techniques to give the everyday scenes of Babylon 5 in
action a vastly different and futuristic look.

     Director of Cinematography: Billy Dickson.  Billy has an amazing eye
for color and shadow and composition that many of you may have seen on
the Desperado programs.  First-class.

     Production Manager/Line Producer: Bob Brown.  Previously producer
or production manager on War of the Roses, Indiana Jones & the Temple of
Doom, Return of the Jedi, Iceman and the three Childs Play movies.

     Casting Director: Mary Jo Slater.  Mary Jo has cast untold numbers
of movies and TV programs, from the revived Dark Shadows to the recent
Intruders mini-series to Star Trek VI.

Composer: Stewart Copeland, formerly of The Police.  He has done music 
for The Equalizer TV series as well as the Francis Ford Coppola movie 
"Rimblefish".

     Plus others we've nabbed from James Cameron's company, Steven
Spielberg's company, George Lucas' company, Jim Henson's company, and
others.  

        Most importantly, every person thus far associated with Babylon 5 
is a fan of the SF genre, and wants to join in the excitement of
creating a brand new universe.  Every effort will also be made to keep
the SF as "real" and rigorous as possible.

        In addition to good SF going into the production side, quality
SF will also play a role in the creative vision of the project.  When
Babylon 5 goes into series in 1993, it will draw upon the talents of
leading SF writers for its stories, much in the tradition of the original
Trek series.  One of them is Harlan Ellison, who is writing "The 
Babylon 5 Manifest" which will compliment the Babylon 5 writers guide
and discuss how to write science fiction for television.

5.  Who has been cast for the show?

Commander Jeffrey Sinclair will be portrayed by Michael O'Hare, a
classically trained NY actor, a Juliard graduate, who's done a lot of
Broadway work, all mainstream drama, a number of movies (By A Thread,
Into Thin Air, Pursuit) and TV shows (Rage of Angels, Adams Chronicles,
Equalizer, LA Law, Case of Deadly Force miniseries, and others).

Tamlyn Tomita has come aboard Babylon 5 as Lieutenant-Commander  Laurel
Takashima.  She has appeared in the movie Come See The Paradise, starring
Dennis Quaid, for which she received rave notices for her performance. 
She has had major roles in Orange Curtain, Hawaiian Dream, The Karate Kid
II, and such television projects as Quantum Leap (episode Temptation
Eyes), The Trials of Rosie O'Neil, Tour of Duty, Santa Barbara (where she
was a series regular), and such TV movies as Hiroshima, and To Heal A
Nation.

Londo Mollari of the Centauri Republic will be played by Peter Jurasik, 
who has appeared in films like Problem Child, Enemy Mine, Tron, Straight 
Time, Mr. Jones and others, and in TV shows such as Columbo, Hill Street 
Blues (as Sydney the Snitch), Beverly Hills Buntz, Civil Wars, 
Remington Steele, MacGyver and others.

Ambassador G'Kar of the Narn Regime is Andreas Katsulas (best known as
the Romulan Tomalak on ST:TNG).  His film work includes the latest Woody
Allen film, Blake Edwards' Sunset, as well as Someone To Watch Over Me,
Communion, Next of Kin and many others.  On television, he has appeared
in ST:TNG, Alien Nation, The Equalizer, Max Headroom, The Human Factor
and many more.

Carolyn Sykes will be played by Blaire Baron, most recently seen as 
the daughter in the opening sequence of A League of Their Own.

Dr. Benjamin Kyle is played by Johnny Sekka, an African actor who has
appeared in films such as The Fever, Ashanti, Southern Star, Khartoum,
Woman of Straw, and in TV such as Roots Second
Generation, Master of the Game, and others.

Security Chief Michael Garibaldi is played by Jerry Doyle.  Films include
Kidnapped and Being in Time.  TV appearances include Reasonable Doubts,
Homefront, Bold and Beautiful, Moonlighting, and others.

Minbari Ambassador Delenn is played by Mira Furlan, a Yugoslavian
performer who has been working exclusively overseas, and is a major star
there, who is going to be entering American TV via Babylon 5. Mira is a
featured star at Cannes, having been nominated for many awards.

Lyta Alexander is played by Patricia Tallman.  Film roles include Night
of the Living Dead (remake), Army of Darkness, Sweet Justice,
Knightriders, and Monsignore. Television roles include Generations, Tales
from the Darkside, and Miracles.

And since the Vorlons will be wearing Encounter Suits when we see them,
there is no actor cast for the role of Vorlon Ambassador Kosh Naranek.


6. How much of the series is planned out already?

In preparing Babylon 5 for production, a comprehensive five year arc has
been created.  Though stories will stand on their own in each episode,
the series overall will gradually tell a story on a much grander scale,
a tapestry of falling and rising empires in which one or two individuals
may mean the difference between a new dark ages on one side and a future
of hope on the other.  In that respect, Babylon 5 will be treated as a
five-year miniseries, with a definite beginning, middle, and end, with
each year equalling one "chapter" or book in the saga.  In that respect,
it has been likened by some to going for the broad tapestry of a Lensman
or Foundation series of books.


7. How has Babylon 5's development progressed?

Spring/Summer 1987: BABYLON 5 treatment created by J. Michael
Straczynski, also writer's bible.

May 1988: artist Peter Ledger hired to design a BABYLON 5 logo, 
and to do a series of paintings based on the treatment and bible, 
which were then used for various presentations.

Summer/Fall 1988: BABYLON 5 pitched to CBS, HBO, ABC and others.

March 1989: BABYLON 5 pitched to Chris-Craft Television, a 
consortium of stations.  CCT pledges support of B5, and attempts are 
made throughout 1988 and 1989 to create co-production deals with 
foreign investors.

June/July 1989: BABYLON 5 submitted/pitched to Paramount.

December 1989: BABYLON 5 receives additional pledge of support 
from Warner Bros., which begins working with CCT to form fifth network 
at same time.

November 1991: BABYLON 5 announced as one of three flagship 
projects for the Primetime Network (Warners and the TV Consortium).  
The trades carry the story extensively.

June,July, 1992 - Casting for the pilot movie.

August 10th, 1992 - Filming on the pilot movie begins.

September 4th, 1992 - Filming ends on the pilot movie.

Currently, post production is well in progress.

February, 1993 - Scheduled TV debut of the pilot movie.

Fall, 1993 - Start of weekly series?


8. Which TV stations will air Babylon 5?

Most of the the stations that are part of the Prime Time 
Entertainment Network are independent stations or part of the 
Fox Network.  A few stations are major network affiliates.  
For a detailed list of stations, refer to the Babylon 5 / PTEN
station list posted separately.

8.  Where can I find out more about Babylon 5?

a) On the GEnie Science Fiction RoundTable, there is a Babylon 5 category
where JMS talks with the fans about the show, both production and story
info. Most of the information in this FAQ came from this topic. It is
located at Page 471, Category 18.  Archives of past messages are availabe 
in the GEnie SFRT files areas.  In honor of the fans who are involved with 
this group, the specific location of Babylon 5 corresponds to the original 
location of the GEnie topic (470,18,22).  A split of the GEnie SFRT in
November, 1993 created a Babylon 5 category, moving the original topic 
into the new category.

b) Available on GEnie and Compuserve, in their respective science fiction
file areas, are various text files and two GIF files, one of the Babylon 5 
space station and another of a Vorlon ship.

c)  The Official Babylon 5 Newsletter

If you would like to get on a mailing list for a Babylon 5 Newsletter
(being produced with the cooperation of J. Michael Straczynski),
send a POSTCARD with your name and address to Christy Marx, 
Editor - BABYLON 5 NEWSLETTER, P.O. Box 2325, Oakhurst, CA  
93644.  The first issue is free and was published in mid-October.

d) Call NewTek at (800) 765-3406 and request a copy of their latest demo 
tape.  This tape contains a moving Babylon 5 station, and a starship 
that is also used in the first part of the B5 demo itself,
though the two are shown in reverse order.  This is animation from
the early stages of development.

e) Broadcasting Magazine: July 13th issue has an article on Babylon 5
including a nice color photo of the Babylon 5 station.  Check your local
libraries.  A later issue has an article on the special effects being done
for the show.

f) Starlog Magazine Articles:

Starlog Spectacular #4, March 1992, page 54. Article on NewTek's Video
Toaster. The photo that fills the bottom half of the page is an early version
of the Babylon 5 station.

Starlog :September, 1992 Has a feature article on Babylon 5.  
NOTE: The pictures with the articles are either outdated or have
little, if anything, to do with Babylon 5.

Starlog Spectacular, Jan 1993 :  Feature article with many pictures from
the computer animation done for the show. 

g) Science Fiction Conventions: J. Michael Straczynski has been attending
science fiction conventions when possible to promote Babylon 5.
Appearances so far have included LosCon, Galllifrey One in 3D, 
WesterColt .45, and the San Diego Comic Con.   Upcoming con 
appearances planned by J. Michael Straczynski include:

Wishcon, Springfield, Mass - November 7
LosCon, Los Angeles - Thanksgiving Weekend, 1992
Gallifrey One Goes Forth, Los Angeles - Late February, 1993

Also, Arne Starr, Artist on the DC Comics Star Trek series has been
making Babylon 5 presentations at cons he has appeared at.  
Creation Entertainment  is currently showing a Babylon 5 
promotional tape at their conventions.

h) Cinefantastique Magazine Articles:

December 1992 issue has a two page article on Babylon 5.  A 20 page
feature article is planned for their next issue.

i) E! Televsion is producing a "Making of Babylon 5" special which will
air on E! Television soon and will also air on the TV stations carrying
Babylon 5 early in 1993.

j) USENET/INTERNET sources:

rec.arts.sf.tv is the main newsgroup for posts regarding Babylon 5.
Cross-posting to rec.arts.tv and rec.arts.startrek.misc should only
be done when necessary.  An effort to create a separate newsgroup
may happen once the series is underway.

Babylon 5 Mailing List - Send email to b5-request@iastate.edu 
to request addition to the Babylon 5 mailing list.  

FTP site:  ftp@coe.montana.edu has a Babylon 5 files area in
/ftp/pub/TV/Guides/babylon-5

k) Other Lists:

The Babylon 5 / Prime Time Entertainment Network Station list.  
Posted occasionally to rec.arts.sf.tv and rec.arts.tv.

The Babylon 5 Actors Other Roles list. (Currently in development)



*****************************************************************

The Babylon 5 Frequently Asked Questions List

Compiled mostly from posts by J. Michael Straczynski on the Babylon 5
topic in the GEnie Science Fiction Roundtable
(Page 470; Cat 18; Topic 22).

Compiled by Lee Whiteside     L.WHITESIDE (GEnie)
            76044,502 (Compuserve)
            elw@cup.portal.com (USENET)
            P14942@email.mot.com (INTERNET for e-mail)
            Sysop of the Magrathea/SEVAC BBS (602)833-9216
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv