I'm very glad that cast members already feel enough devotion to show to come here and interact with us fans. However, I don't know if you're entirely aware of what you're getting yourself into. I sorta feel like a party pooper for bringing this up, but it's something I feel has to be said, and I guess being the resident evil alien that task falls to me.
Basically, I want to warn you that by coming here you are making yourself targets. Currently, that isn't noticeable, because the only ones that know or care about the show is the hardcore B5 online community. But as PR steps up, the movie is aired and hopefully the series is commissioned, that will change. People with varying degrees of dislike for the show will show up, and as direct representatives of the series, a lot of that negativity will be directed at you.
There will be people who have legitimate complaints about your performance, and decide that it is The Most Important Thing In the World, and has to be beaten into everyone with all the subtlety and tact of a wrecking ball. There will be people who see Rangers as a "threat" to "their show" (sadly, this might include devoted B5 fans), and will rabidly attack anything that doesn't conform to that vision or takes attention away from it. There will be people who resent your presence here because they see you as wallowing in "mindless fanboy worship". There will be people who get completely hung up on one statement they don't like, and decide that you are a stuck up no-talent egomaniac, and interpreting anything you say in a way that supports their opinion.
And then there will be the people whose lives are so sad and patheic that they can only find validation in the anger they cause in others. They're the trolls, and they will post whatever they think will make you pissed off enough to reply to them (baseless lies and accusations are common, utilising people's natural tendency to distrust). The more "important" you are the better.
Now I'm sure Antony and the moderators will try their best to keep things plesant, but unless they start moderating with an iron fist, things will get through. Things that can get to you. And unless you prepare yourself mentally for that, those things pile up pretty quickly until you can't take it anymore, and leave with the unpleasant memories of online fandom foremost in your mind... like far too many others who've tried to openly interact with their fans.
So, welcome, and enjoy the peace while it lasts. And if you decide to stay beyond that, do so knowing what awaits. If you don?t, I for one won't blame you (I'm just a nobody, and get to pick my online battles - even then things sometimes get to me), because I'd rather you left with good memories rather than bad ones.
I'll end of with part of a message written by some smart guy named Straczynski, who has been online since the early/mid 80s. It was his advice to another showrunner who was thinking of joining fans online. You?re not writers, but I think much of the same applies: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>How you deal with criticism is up to you. We all react differently. Online fans are bracingly blunt in their opinions; this is generally a good thing, except where sometimes some of them forget they're talking to a real person, not a computer screen. But it's a good thing overall. If someone's being unfair, say so, but other than that...you're in for quite a ride.
The good thing about the nets is that it's the great social equalizer. The bad thing about the nets is that it's the great social equalizer. Anyone with a modem has equal access, equal say. Which is terrific. We can be tall, short, fat, skinny, old, young...what matters is the quality of the thoughts and the clarity of their expression.
The flip side of this...if someone came toward you with a bright orange fright wig, dead cats strapped to his chest and a live parrot up his ass, you'd have sufficient warning that this may be a Loony, and thus avoid the person. On the nets, you don't get that kind of advance warning. There are some loonies here. They get the same access as everyone else, they can get on because they bought a modem, but they live for the singular purpose of making your life a living hell, because you have created something, they have created nothing, and they can only live with that contradiction if they tear you down. Some of them are literally psychologically disturbed, and potentially dangerous. And you won't have any notion who they are until one day, after exchanging private or public mail, the dog satellite goes by overhead and they turn on you viciously, start spreading rumors, attacking you in public...and you realize that yep, this person has a parrot up his ass.
Happily, those folks remain the exception rather than the rule. The remaining 99% are fun, and intelligent, and can teach you things about your own show you didn't know were there.
Jump on in...the water's fine.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
[Just a litte note - please ignore the question mark in the subject... I copied this from Word, and forgot to remove the formating first.]
[This message has been edited by drakh (edited August 03, 2001).]
Basically, I want to warn you that by coming here you are making yourself targets. Currently, that isn't noticeable, because the only ones that know or care about the show is the hardcore B5 online community. But as PR steps up, the movie is aired and hopefully the series is commissioned, that will change. People with varying degrees of dislike for the show will show up, and as direct representatives of the series, a lot of that negativity will be directed at you.
There will be people who have legitimate complaints about your performance, and decide that it is The Most Important Thing In the World, and has to be beaten into everyone with all the subtlety and tact of a wrecking ball. There will be people who see Rangers as a "threat" to "their show" (sadly, this might include devoted B5 fans), and will rabidly attack anything that doesn't conform to that vision or takes attention away from it. There will be people who resent your presence here because they see you as wallowing in "mindless fanboy worship". There will be people who get completely hung up on one statement they don't like, and decide that you are a stuck up no-talent egomaniac, and interpreting anything you say in a way that supports their opinion.
And then there will be the people whose lives are so sad and patheic that they can only find validation in the anger they cause in others. They're the trolls, and they will post whatever they think will make you pissed off enough to reply to them (baseless lies and accusations are common, utilising people's natural tendency to distrust). The more "important" you are the better.
Now I'm sure Antony and the moderators will try their best to keep things plesant, but unless they start moderating with an iron fist, things will get through. Things that can get to you. And unless you prepare yourself mentally for that, those things pile up pretty quickly until you can't take it anymore, and leave with the unpleasant memories of online fandom foremost in your mind... like far too many others who've tried to openly interact with their fans.
So, welcome, and enjoy the peace while it lasts. And if you decide to stay beyond that, do so knowing what awaits. If you don?t, I for one won't blame you (I'm just a nobody, and get to pick my online battles - even then things sometimes get to me), because I'd rather you left with good memories rather than bad ones.
I'll end of with part of a message written by some smart guy named Straczynski, who has been online since the early/mid 80s. It was his advice to another showrunner who was thinking of joining fans online. You?re not writers, but I think much of the same applies: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>How you deal with criticism is up to you. We all react differently. Online fans are bracingly blunt in their opinions; this is generally a good thing, except where sometimes some of them forget they're talking to a real person, not a computer screen. But it's a good thing overall. If someone's being unfair, say so, but other than that...you're in for quite a ride.
The good thing about the nets is that it's the great social equalizer. The bad thing about the nets is that it's the great social equalizer. Anyone with a modem has equal access, equal say. Which is terrific. We can be tall, short, fat, skinny, old, young...what matters is the quality of the thoughts and the clarity of their expression.
The flip side of this...if someone came toward you with a bright orange fright wig, dead cats strapped to his chest and a live parrot up his ass, you'd have sufficient warning that this may be a Loony, and thus avoid the person. On the nets, you don't get that kind of advance warning. There are some loonies here. They get the same access as everyone else, they can get on because they bought a modem, but they live for the singular purpose of making your life a living hell, because you have created something, they have created nothing, and they can only live with that contradiction if they tear you down. Some of them are literally psychologically disturbed, and potentially dangerous. And you won't have any notion who they are until one day, after exchanging private or public mail, the dog satellite goes by overhead and they turn on you viciously, start spreading rumors, attacking you in public...and you realize that yep, this person has a parrot up his ass.
Happily, those folks remain the exception rather than the rule. The remaining 99% are fun, and intelligent, and can teach you things about your own show you didn't know were there.
Jump on in...the water's fine.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
[Just a litte note - please ignore the question mark in the subject... I copied this from Word, and forgot to remove the formating first.]
[This message has been edited by drakh (edited August 03, 2001).]
