The Lost Tales

From The Great Machine

For the first release in this series, see Voices in the Dark.

1 Overview
2 Initial DVD Info
3 It's Official
4 Related Links

[edit] Overview

an anthology television series set in the Babylon 5 universe. It was announced by J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5, at the San Diego Comic Con in 2006. The project is intended to be a series of Direct-to-DVD productions, although interest for television broadcast exists. Straczynski has described the stories as ones he had for the Babylon 5 television series, but never had the time to produce back then. Each story would be worked around a single established character.[2] The production will be using cast members from the original television show.

[edit] Initial DVD Info

On 24 July 2006, Straczynski stated they were looking at a first DVD containing 3 half-hour episodes, with the project and its budgets greenlit. These would add up to around 75-90 minutes in total of story material. He also stated that there will be additional material, adding up to a two hour DVD. Straczynski is set to write, produce, and direct them.

The initial production schedule given at Comic Con for the first DVD was to start shooting in September 2006, do post-production in the fourth quarter of 2006, and release them in the second quarter of 2007. Due to certain members of crew and others not being available until October, this schedule got pushed back.

Straczynski had started writing the first of the Lost Tales scripts by 26 August 2006. He has stated that the exact nature of the stories is dependant on who exactly can be signed on, since original cast members are being used.

Straczynski's role as director of this initial batch of three episodes comes after only having directed the Babylon 5 series finale Sleeping in Light before. He has stated that, with new tools available and more room for experimentation in television directing now, six years after Babylon 5, he wants to slightly redesign how Babylon 5 is shot. "... nothing major, just the feeling of the shots and the CGI and to set a tone for the films." After the tone has been set, he intends others to take over for future installments.