"Official" Star Trek

It has come to my attention that "Star Trek Continues" is using the word "official" in their title on their Facebook. I have also been told that a certain individual in that production has said that they are working with CBS to get licensed.

I can tell you, being that I work with CBS on the Star Trek Archive and have been a Star Trek licensee and talk with the head of licensing for Star Trek on a regular basis, that this production has no "official" status and has had no discussions with CBS. I had a phone conversation with the head of Star Trek licensing last week on this and I am sure they will take appropriate action.

I have had numerous discussions with CBS on fan films, and the head of licensing for Star Trek is not only a huge Star Trek fan but one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. However, CBS expects fan films to act in a manner that does not infringe CBS Intellectual Property and when one production does so, as in this case, it imperils every production.

Alec Peters

 

Yawn

 

Well, technically they can say they are the "official" fan film series using the title "Star Trek: Continues", because no other fan series is using that title at this time. Same claim could be made by any other fan film series ("Official" Star Trek: Phase II, "Official" Star Trek: Excalibur, "Official" Star Trek: Orions Gone Wild, etc.) They are not claiming to be licensed by CBS, so I don't see an issue here. I can't speak for the filmmakers personally, but I imagine they are using the word "official" to differentiate themselves from the new Trek films, which takes place in an alternate timeline. I'm betting this is their way of saying it takes place in the PRIME timeline.

Should a fan film series use the word "official" to describe their series? Probably not, but they probably shouldn't use the words "Star Trek" in the title either, and yet most fan films do. If CBS has an issue, they will be the first to let them know, so I wouldn't make an issue out of this. We don't need to be policing each other.

 

Which would be a definition of "official" so idiosyncratic as to be meaningless. One might as well use the word "gorblast" or something.

Aside from which, we're not nearing the day when much of anyone is going to confuse fan films with big budget studio product.

Actually, I think the explanation is somewhat simpler: when the Facebook page for this production was on the radar, variations of the title "Star Trek Continues" were cloned by at least four other FB groups all devoted to another fan film production. The description immediately following the "Official Star Trek Continues" title therefore makes the intended usage pretty clear:

Neither the minimal website at www.startrekcontinues.com or any of the other publicity materials I've seen refer to the show as anything other than simply Star Trek Continues.

 

That sounds like a very logical explanation for their use of the word 'official'.

If they are trying to get licensed by CBS, I say power to them! It wouldn't be the first time a fan film/fan series has tried this, and there is no harm in trying. For now though, this is nothing more than gossip, and I prefer facts over gossip. If people who work at CBS are "looking into it", then let them look into it. No need to be bringing this up on the forums.

 

@Legion, you are dead wrong. Maybe you didn't actually go to their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Official-Star-Trek-Continues/333296680037188

Since it uses the word "Official" in the title. I guess you missed that.

Actually, using the word "official" connotes approved or licensed. And since the head of CBS licensing wasn't happy about the use on the Facebook page and referred it to the CBS attorneys, whatever you may think is appropriate is quite irrelevant. Unless you are an IP attorney and have some insight you'd like to share.

And I bring it up because the production is making false representations about their status with CBS. I just heard about two more fans who were told that they were licensed.

And the point is, since nobody is licensed, and CBS is not in talks with anyone to license any fan films, and since we all exist at the pleasure of CBS who could shut these ventures down in a heartbeat, playing by the rules is essential, or else we all could suffer.

I think that is a pretty simple concept to grasp.

Alec

 

I did go there, I read it, and I described it accurately. But thanks anyway.

Alec, you're a nice enough guy but you ought to rein in the urge to make authoritative declamations as if pronouncing the final word. I don't have a dog in this fight.

 

So I guess you are insisting that "Official" isn't in the tile? I guess I am just confused why you make a statement like above and then give me crap for correcting you.

And the fight here is to prevent one group from pissing CBS off and making ALL of our lives more difficult.




Now if they would just remove "Official" from the title, then all would be good.

Alec

 

Since "Star Trek Continues" and "Star Trek: Continues" have already been taken on Facebook, that's not possible -- which is probably why they chose the name in the first place. Since the sum total of the rest of their publicity doesn't ever use the "Official" terminology, nor mention any intention towards monetizing or licensing the series, I don't see what the big deal is.

If CBS genuinely has an issue with the fan film, then they should issue a cease and desist letter and be done with it. Issuing vague threats by proxy on a forum only tangentially related to the project strikes me as rather pointless.

EDIT: Beat to it by multiple others.

 

As another person devoid of dog, what Legion is describing as regards the multiple Facebook pages is accurate. But hey, that's the limit of my knowledge on this.

 

Agree with Legion.

It's the official facebook page of STAR TREK CONTINUES. Now, if they were saying they were the "official continuation" of Star Trek, that would be a different story.

As Qui-Gon Jinn says: "Remember: Your focus determines your reality."

 

For all of you who think CBS doesn't pay attention to what fan films do:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/a...-unused-star-trek-script-by-spinrad.html?_r=2

Phase 2 is just smart enough not to step over the line and dropped the script as soon as requested to by CBS.

And my point is, what you guys think isn't really relevant. It is what CBS, the rights holder thinks.

 

Dude, no one is saying CBS doesn't pay attention and we all know about the Spinrad script. What does that even have to do with this?

Why don't you show us where STAR TREK CONTINUES is saying they are the official continuation of TREK? You have the burden of proof in this discussion.

And don't cite the facebook page again, because it is not helping your case.

 

In fact, I specifically posted:

I also noted that the group's website, www.startrekcontinues.com, does not use the word "official." If you read my post hastily, you may have misunderstood.

Read, think, respond - that's a good order in which to do things, if one wants to have a conversation.

And I suppose that, at some point in the near future, we may find out what that is through whatever actions they choose to take.

To be fair, I don't think CBS has done this.

 

I don't believe anyone suggested otherwise. I also don't think you'll find many people in the fanfilm community who don't have more respect for CBS/Paramount than the average BBS posting fan.

 

In fact, the link to the NY TIMES piece only shows that CBS is aware of what fan films are doing and will take action where they see fit.

Will they take action if, as Loken claims, STAR TREK CONTINUES says that they are officially sanctioned? Let us wait until the NY TIMES reports on this before coming to any conclusions.

 

I'm a great fan of the NYT. It consumes about three hours every Sunday morning...except if I have to be out in a clay pit somewhere.

 

It was shown to CBS, and they felt it stepped over the line, and their opinion is the only one that matters.

Will let them deal with it, just like they did with Spinrad's script.

 

It will certainly be a stunning blow for the forces of justice if these guys are required to take the word "official" down from their FB page.