The British and Oz Job

These are JMS’s quotes about his coming work in England. These do not sound like a short stay to talk to the composer of the music for TMoS.

From: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated Date: 6/15/2004 5:58:58 AM

On the Crusade DVDs, there's one commentary I did on the original pilot (once WB and I came to a meeting of minds, to wit, "I'm gonna say what happened to the show, what *really* happened...you got a problem with that?"). There's a second commentary track with Fiona, Janet, Peter Woodward and Carrie Dobro.

(We interrupt this message with a coded message for our friends in England and Australia: keep your eyes on the horizon.)

One oddity...constant readers will remember a while back when I was asked what TMoS was, and I provided a list of things it *wasn't*. The aforementioned oddity is...one of those things has come up as an adjunct to TMoS.

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From: alt.babylon5.uk Date: 7/1/2004 6:37:00 PM

Not knowing the area very well...if one were going to be spending a great deal of time in Hertfordshire, which is apparently near London (pity please on a geographically unenlightened American), would it be better to get a small flat in London for that time and commute, or get something in Hertfordshire itself?
How long is the trip? Or is there somewhere in-between that would be salutory?

jms

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From: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated Date: 8/23/2004 7:06:26 PM

{snip}
Starting sometime in October, in an unrelated project, our friends in Britain can expect to see me hanging about on-and-off in the general vicinity of London. Just, y'know, workin', doin' stuff.

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6/15 mentions a coded message and eyes. Sound enters through the ears.

7/1 mentions a great deal of time. It is difficult to rent a flat for less than a month and for a short stay a hotel is much less fuss. So we are talking of a stay of several months. This is sufficient time to produce a film or TV series.

8/23 gives a start date in October. If the first message is in code the third one probably is too. Assuming it has two meanings.

“General vicinity of London” that sounds like a police report.

London – home of Britain’s TV and film industry, also a popular location to set shows. The Common Market runs an anti-Hollywood quota system, which the unions enforce. If the money is coming from a British TV station there will be strong pressure for the actors and crew to be British, even if it is expensive.

“Just, y'know, workin', doin' stuff.” This is a weird way of writing, JMS does not forget his “g”s. It could be an attempt to represent an accent. Upper class accents lose the “h”s which points towards a working class accent.

This feels like a cops and robbers story. The eye in the first message could be a private eye.

As stated elsewhere in response to this, Andrew, I really believe you're overthinking this whole thing.

And there's already a thread about JMS' latest post, can someone please merge this one to that one?

Andrew, JMS clearly said "on-and-off", meaning he will be there...well...on-and-off...which means not consistently.

No one really knows his reason for being in the UK...but you're reading a lot from nothing. JMS never said anything about working on a British show. In fact, he clearly states that neither show he's been offered has been given a green light yet by "the networks."

The best reason for him being there is still TMoS, and I still do NOT think it's shooting there...it is, no matter what you say...way too expensive to shoot in the UK.

Chances are, some portion of design or other element is being done there.

Again, this does not mean I'm firm in my conviction that TMoS is the reason he'll be there...but your thoughts are way off.

Bottom line is we don't know and won't until JMS tells us.

But you're reading a simple post and getting E=MC2 out of it.

CE

As stated elsewhere in response to this, Andrew, I really believe you're overthinking this whole thing.

And there's already a thread about JMS' latest post, can someone please merge this one to that one?

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Sensible if the UK work is TMoS. Silly if it is a fourth show.

Andrew, JMS clearly said "on-and-off", meaning he will be there...well...on-and-off...which means not consistently.

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But sufficient time be be worth renting a flat. JMS always delegated the music so a flat would be a waste of his own money.

This sounds like he is doing two shows at the same time.

Also what do the hyphens mean? Not a normal JMS writing style.

No one really knows his reason for being in the UK...but you're reading a lot from nothing. JMS never said anything about working on a British show. In fact, he clearly states that neither show he's been offered has been given a green light yet by "the networks."

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"Starting sometime in October, in an unrelated project, ". What ever is going on in London is nothing to do with the two US network shows. So it is either TMoS or a fourth show.

The best reason for him being there is still TMoS, and I still do NOT think it's shooting there...it is, no matter what you say...way too expensive to shoot in the UK.

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That depends how much the BBC charges the makers of BBC programs for using studios/stages owned by the BBC. This could be very different to the amount the two independent studios in Hertfordshire charge Hollywood.

In 6/15 JMS does mention Australia.

Chances are, some portion of design or other element is being done there.

Again, this does not mean I'm firm in my conviction that TMoS is the reason he'll be there...but your thoughts are way off.

Bottom line is we don't know and won't until JMS tells us.

But you're reading a simple post and getting E=MC2 out of it.

CE

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We will find out in about 2 months time.