Press Releases

"NASA Teams with CRUSADE Producers to Put the Science Back into Science Fiction" 17/08/98

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/

Babylonian Productions, producers of the acclaimed television series Babylon 5 and the new science fiction television series CRUSADE, for Turner Network Television debuting in January 1999, announced today the first-ever strategic alliance on an on-going basis with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Technology Affiliates Program. JPL will provide the Crusade producers with the newest technology and assist them in portraying science and astronomy to create the most accurate vision of the future ever attempted for television.

"It's exciting for us to be able to share knowledge from the space program in order to help ensure the realism and accuracy of popular science fiction programming," said Joan Horvath, a business alliance manager with JPL's Technology Affiliates Program.

"We want Crusade to have its own unique footprint just like we did with our series Babylon 5," says Crusade and Babylon 5 producer, John Copeland. "We have a very challenging task before us on the production side, visualizing and creating different planets and planetary bodies complete with civilizations, flora and fauna. The scientists at JPL will be advising us on how to properly depict future technology and accurate planetary and astronomical realities."

In Crusade, the threat of the Shadows gone, the intergalactic force of evil, all is quiet on Earth -- too quiet. An alien race vows revenge for the loss of the Shadows and aims its wrath at humans, unleashing a deadly biogenetic plague. Only five years remain for the inhabitants of Earth unless an Alliance ship, the Excalibur, succeeds in its quest to find a cure for the mutating plague.

"JPL's involvement is massively exciting for all of us associated with Crusade," says J. Michael Straczynski, show creator and executive producer. "Viewers will see distant worlds never before attempted on any other TV series; worlds around twin stars, bizarre and strange environments, and alien life forms based on the best available scientific research from JPL. We want to bring the sense of wonder back into this kind of storytelling, and put the science back into science fiction."

Crusade and the Babylon 5 television series are produced in association with J. Michael Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds, Ltd. and Netter Digital Entertainment, Inc. under Babylonian Productions. Douglas Netter, Chairman, CEO and President of Netter, and series creator J. Michael Straczynski are executive producers of Crusade and Babylon 5 and John Copeland is producer. Both series air on the TNT Network.

Turner Network Television, currently seen in more than 73 million homes, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s 24-hour, advertiser-supported service offering original motion pictures and miniseries; contemporary films from the world's largest film library, the combined Turner and Warner Bros. film libraries; exciting NBA sports action; popular television series; and timeless cartoons.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.

SOURCE Netter Digital Entertainment, Inc.

and I will include them on the next update.

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