'B5: The Legend of the Rangers' series

\'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

Now I'm not sure but I believe that I recall something about JMS working on a new series for Showtime. If he's wrapped up in that then how can he make a series for 'The Legend of the Rangers'?

Oh... and, ah... by the way... I still think that they should finish 'Crusade' before they start 'The legend of the Rangers' series. I don't like unfinished things. Even though we know that they find a cure(otherwise Franklin couldn't have been in Sil) I would still like to learn the story about how they find it.

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You can not create history... You can only hope to survive it. -G'kar

[This message has been edited by HockeyPlayer47 (edited August 31, 2001).]

Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

For the new shows, both Showtime and Rangers (and Crusade whenever that gets started up again), JMS will be directing the Overall story, setting direction and keeping everyone on their toes. There are several Executive Producers in Hollywood who have been doing the same with multiple shows for years now. Very Successfully.

Now, if JMS were to try Writing every episode again, he'd only be able to handle one show at a time.
But he's learned his lesson.

JMS will be providing the rough outlines to people he has worked with before and can trust to do things right.
He'll also show the New people how to do it the "Babylon 5" way.
High Quality, Good Stories & Characters.



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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?

Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by HockeyPlayer47:
how can he make a series for 'The Legend of the Rangers'?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It is also necessary to remember that as of now there is no series, only the one movie which all of us here Hope will become a series. SC FI channel hasn't committed to one yet.

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The avalance has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.

Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

JMS should be capable of working on several projects at once, ecpecially if he's not writing all the scripts for each. remember a typical series only comes to 22 45 minute episodes a year, and as I understand it, eash takes up to a week to write, a week to shoot and a variable abount of time in post - production. Even if he were to write all the scripts, he wouldn't have to be present for all the filming (though it'd be nice).

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Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

I don't believe JMS will try to write every script again, no matter what he tackles. He has said it nearly killed him, and it definitely reduced the effectiveness of year 5 in Babylon 5.

It may be possible to do two shows at a time, depending on what his responsibilities are. He is already committed to Jeremiah, and after that I'm sure he'll want to turn his attention elsewhere. Director, Producer, Writer, Showrunner, these all take a certain amount of time. JMS can only do so much.

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Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

Shooting on Jeremiah was scheduled to start this week. Figuring about three weeks shooting the pilot, one week per episode and taking two weeks off around the holidays, they should be finished in mid-February. If Sci-Fi doesn't greenlight Rangers until after the telefilm airs in January, Jeremiah will scarcely be a factor.

By the time they could ramp up production on Rangers, Jeremiah would be finished except for post-production on the last few episodes. JMS could easily handle writing and pre-production for one show while wrapping up post-production on a second, especially if, as he's hinted, he uses much of the same crew for both projects.

Regards,

Joe

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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

I really don't know much about Jeremiah, but as a series wouldn't it be expected to run more than one year? Granted the first year would be finished in February, and there would no doubt be a 3 or 4-month break, but if it does run a second year it would be starting again by May/June.

If Rangers does become a series I have no idea how long it would take to get it up and running. Not too long, I suspect because they already have the sets and costumes and I believe most of the actors would be available. So there would be a window there between February and May where JMS could get it up and running. After that, who knows?

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Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

I think what Joe meant, and please don't shoot me if I am wrong, Joe, is that it will take about 5 1/2 months to shoot the first season of Jeremiah. If Rangers gets a go, it will probably start after when Joe said and go for about 4 1/2 to 5 months. Jeremiah wouldn't start S2 filming until after Rangers was done. And if he uses the same crews for aspects of both there may be even more time saved. But I read it as basically 5 months to shoot each series alternating between the two. And if things run very smoothly there won't be any overlaps. Potentially he could Exec Prod even more if he wanted to. This is just my guess though.

SmG


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The Truth IS.....

OUT of fashion.

Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>...but if (Jeremiah) does run a second year it would be starting again by May/June.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What makes you assume this? If the first season shoots from August to February, with the first episode airing in January, why should the second season switch over to an entirely different schedule. The show is airing on Showtime, not a broadcast network, so they are not tied to the "new season starts in September" mentality of NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>If Rangers does become a series I have no idea how long it would take to get it up and running. Not too long, I suspect because they already have the sets and costumes and I believe most of the actors would be available.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fine, you've got a cast, props and sets. What don't you have? Contracts. With anybody. You need time to negotiate all new deals for the series. You need scripts to shoot. You need to book studio space and re-assemble all those sets that have been sitting in storage. You have to print stationery, rent office space, make a deal with the phone company and about a million other things. Setting up a new series production is a little like starting a new business. There's lots of stuff to do, and most of it takes time. Having your sets and props built mostly saves you a little time and money, but not that much in the grand scheme of things.

Even if there is some overlap between the crews of the two shows, the production companies and ownership would remain separate, which means a lot of the infrastructure has to be kept apart, or a complicated sublet arrangement has to be worked out. (Rangers would be a Warner Bros. show, Jeremiah is owned by MGM.)

So any way you slice it it will take months from the time Sci-Fi gives the OK to the time the director of the first episode says, "Action" for the first time.

Regards,

Joe


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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

Moving to the appropriate board...

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Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

Joe, you're a Vorlon.

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Channe, Freelance Writer Extraordinaire and The Next JMS
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B5 Synchroninity of the Day: I just found out that the new dorm I'm living in next year has been named Breen Hall.

Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

I don't pretend to know all the details about making a series, or starting a new one. The main point of my comment about Jeremiah was that as a series it would surely run more than one year.

Since both series are slated to be made in Vancouver it probably wouldn't matter if they overlapped by a month or two now and then. However by judicious planning JMS could get them alternating each year. That doesn't leave much room for Crusade.

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Re: \'B5: The Legend of the Rangers\' series

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR> That doesn't leave much room for Crusade. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


You are assuming that, as Executive Producer, JMS would have to be on set every day, all day. He doesn't and wouldn't. That's why he has a Staff. He'd be providing the overall guidance, reviewing scripts, double checking the directors cuts, etc.

Remeber that, on Babylon 5, JMS actually held down Exectutive Producer, Writer & Supervising Editor jobs, all at the same time. 3 "full time" jobs.

Once he gets the people on each show moving in the right direction, I'd bet he could cut his time down to about 1 1/2 days per week per show.
Which, should he decide to push it, means he could do 4 shows at once if he wanted to.

Although I doubt he'd want to.

There are executive producers working in Hollywood now who keep 5 or 6 shows going at the same time. Admittedly with a lot less attention that JMS would be giving his shows, but it is something that is very feasable.




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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?