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Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might Help?

I really like the idea of the B5 Bucks. I'd have sent some off already if I weren't in need of a new ink cartridge for my printer. I may get one today so I can still send some off by the end of the week. I've already sent in a letter a week ago before the B5 Bucks came around.

Is there anything else we can do? Anything else we can include with a letter? There is an article about the B5 Bucks campaign over at IGN, and they list some of the best known non-B5 roles of each of the main B5 actors. It's almost like a little mini resume for the cast. So, it gave me an idea, but not necessarily a good one, you tell me...

When we send in our letters saying how much we think the original cast is irreplaceable, would it help if we had as a 2nd page a very concise and well-constructed list of each actor's best scenes in the run of B5? The list could include at least one scene per actor and the exact time, exact episode, and exact disc it's on so they can load up their own DVDs that they're distributing and see for themselves.

I know that's a long shot because some of the people at WB receiving these letters may not take the time to do so, but part of my brain thinks it may take more convincing than just saying, "we love the original actors so much." Would it help if we pointed out to them the examples why only the original cast could do it?

One reason the B5 Bucks is such a great idea is because the suits obviously only think in terms of money. But what if there's one or two people at WB reading our letters that sees more than dollar signs? Are the suits really the ones reading our letters? I don't know.

Somehow I'm thinking this would be a copyright violation (and I'm *not* encouraging this if it is), but if anyone is good at editing and can extract from DVDs, could a compilation of best scenes be edited back-to-back and burned on a DVD to send to WB. I really like that idea, but I'm right, that's a copyright violation isn't it. :( If so, never mind.

Even if these are bad ideas, let's list out some of those best scenes just for the fun of it. I'll start off with G'Kar because he's the easiest. It's Andreas Katsulas's excellent voice that makes G'Kar, so *any* one of his voiceovers would do. I also love the moment that my avatar comes from, when he makes the deal with Londo to free his world. The automated message he left to Ta'Lon in Objects at Rest isn't bad (but maybe not as exciting as the others).

I just think we need some way of telling WB, "Here, right there, look at that, that's what we're talking about. We're not crazy. Nobody else can do this, that way, and it still be the same character..."

Any better ideas than this?
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Cracking idea, providing evidence of the actor's best scenes. It could help with the casting process...

I'd stop short of actually ripping a DVD (although you could...) but a simple list with two to three scenes with time indexes for each actor would be great.

Maybe address this letter to the casting department?

As for other ideas, i don't know. Drawing attention to the web campaign might help, and is a lot easier now sites such as Cinescape and IGN are running the story. I mentioned keepb5alive.com in my last letter, noting it had got 15,000 hits in December, its first month of operation.
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Should we be a little careful about pointing out the web campaign? If we do, we should probably do as you say, and be very specific towards keepb5alive.com and sites that are carrying the info as nothing more than a news story.

We probably wouldn't want them to come here. In our letters, we are polite and professional, but online, we tend to be a little less tactful, if you know what I mean. ;) We need our safe harbors in which we can .

Also, there's a minority of people over at JMSnews.com saying B5 should rest altogether. I'd rather that happen than it getting screwed up, but that attitude is counter-productive to the hopes of the campaign.
 
<snip great ideas>
Any better ideas than this?

Those are great thoughts, Ninja_Squirrel! The main reason why we hit on the 'Bucks' is because the word we have is that the ones wanting the 'name' actors are financiers. Still, if somebody were to make up a list of some of the best scenes by particular actors (Mira as Delenn in Severed Dreams anybody?) I'm sute it wouldn't hurt!

Jan
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Should we be a little careful about pointing out the web campaign? If we do, we should probably do as you say, and be very specific towards keepb5alive.com and sites that are carrying the info as nothing more than a news story.

I agree that keeping the focus on KeepB5Alive.com is the best idea.

There's always a possibility that there are people peering over our shoulders but I think they're more likely to pay attention to the mail.

Still, JMS's participation online is well known so there may be some reading what people are saying online. Hey, eavesdroppers seldom hear good of themselves so too bad if they see attitudes they don't like.

Jan
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Has anyone contacted whoever it is that runs the Galactic Gateway site. That's the official fan club site for Pat Tallman, Jeffrey Willerth, and several other B5 performers. If you dig enough on the site, you do find a small blurb announcing that casting has begun on the movie, but there are no details as to whether our regulars have signed on or "auditioned".
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Either the Babylon 5 tv actors have not been contacted or they have been ordered to say nothing. Either way emailing them will not return an answer.
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

I actually mentioned a couple of memorable scenes in my letter. In particular, I picked out the council scene in "The Long Twilight Struggle" - highlighting Andreas and Peter's amazing performances. I think that scene proves how amazing these actors are, and is probably my favourite moment from the whole 5 year run. I end up with tears in my eyes every time I watch that, G'Kar's few words are so well delivered, coupled together with Chris Franke's excellent score.

Hang on...Chris Franke!? No-one has mentioned him - perhaps it's something to stick into letters too. They may not be thinking about a score yet, but we could pre-empt them on that, and put in a good word for him now. Is that a good idea? Or maybe that would over-burden the campaign. Either way, he's someone I want to see on-board too...
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Hang on...Chris Franke!? No-one has mentioned him - perhaps it's something to stick into letters too.
Dunno, I think we need to stick to whats important. Not to say that his music wasn't a big part of B5, but still. I'm not going to skip out on seeing the B5 movie if all the TV stars are in it, but the sound track is made by someone else. Its just not that big a deal to me, where as the tv actors issue is.
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Haven't heard anything about Chris Franke either.

That's almost as important to me as the casting. Though in a way I guess since this plot is supposedly rumored to be tieing up the Crusade story line, and he didn't do the music for Crusade anyhow, I guess it's less of a let-down of sorts since it was always a possibility that he wouldn't be doing the music, while the re-casting is straight out of the blue.
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Is that a good idea? Or maybe that would over-burden the campaign. Either way, he's someone I want to see on-board too...

I thought about Christopher Franke too, but I kept forgetting to mention it. It may not hurt to drop a line about it in a letter, but I also agree with Recoil... A different musician won't ruin the movie. Even though most people like CF's music, there are musicians that may be just as good if not better. For instance, if The Lord of the Rings' Oscar-winning Howard Shore were a possibility, I doubt a letter-writing campaign for CF would be taken seriously.

Also, Crusade wasn't bad even if you didn't like Evan Chen's music. If you didn't like the music, you didn't like the music, but the show was still okay. The actors drive the characters, and the characters drive the show. They're more crucial.
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

I love Franke's music, but I agree -- if Howard Shore or John Williams were available, I'd raise no fuss. And honestly, there are loads of good composers these days.

I'd only put my foot down over James Horner; his scores all sound the same.
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Also, Crusade wasn't bad even if you didn't like Evan Chen's music. If you didn't like the music, you didn't like the music, but the show was still okay. The actors drive the characters, and the characters drive the show. They're more crucial.

Honestly I think I would've liked Crusade A LOT more with better music, and I don't know that I'd like B5 as over-the-top much as I do now if the music were bad. I guess that's just something that's important to me.

As for the suggestions as to "what if it were the LoTR composer" among others. Considering this is a relatively low budget film being broadcast to a relatively small fanbase, I doubt they'll land any big name musical composers...
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

I love Franke's music, but I agree -- if Howard Shore or John Williams were available, I'd raise no fuss. And honestly, there are loads of good composers these days.

I'd only put my foot down over James Horner; his scores all sound the same.

Horner's Troy score was terrible...

But I would like Franke...
 
Re: Fighting For Original Cast: What Else Might H

Christopher Franke can please Warner Brothers accountants by making his Berlin Orchestra legally a German (or British) organisation. If his royalties are paid to an address in the European Union, even better.
 

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