CBS's "Rules of Engagement" for Star Trek Fan Films

Discussion in 'Fan Productions' started by Ian Keldon, Sep 11, 2012.

  1. PattyW

    PattyW Commander Red Shirt

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    Last I knew, Farragut Films also had a shop up selling Farragut merchandise to help fund the production. They've had it up for years and no one has said anything. (I'm assuming, because it's still up.) Don't they sell stuff at the Farragut Fest as well?
     
  2. PattyW

    PattyW Commander Red Shirt

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    They actually have provided guidelines to almost every fanfilm individually. The ones they gave to us at Phase II while I was involved are posted at the beginning of this thread. Speaking to other fanfilms at the time, each one seems to have gotten a modified version of them...and they didn't all match. For instance, on fanfilm I am aware of was told they could not sell uniforms or anything else to fund the project. Phase II was not told that at all, and folks at Farragut and Excalibur are selling uniforms etc so it seems they weren't told that either.

    So, yes, it's better for CBS to not issue a public document for everyone to follow. That way, at any time, they can suddenly declare that their licenses are being violated and shut an action or a production down.
     
  3. USS Intrepid

    USS Intrepid Commodore Commodore

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    I'd completely forgotten about that, probably because it's something they don't really go out of their way to advertise. That said, they don't appear to be selling anything explicitly copyrighted, so maybe CBS is more willing to turn a blind eye.

    I remain uncomfortable with the concept.
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2014
  4. SeerSGB

    SeerSGB Admiral Admiral

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    Seems a bit...dangerous (to use the wrong word) to be doing that. Is it one single contact person cherry picking who can do what and how or a dept where you've got multi people giving differing opinions?

    At some point, couldn't it come back as "well you let "A" do it so we assumed it was allowed." or "If "B" can do it, then why can't "C" and "D" do it too?"

    Wouldn't the smarter approach be to simply either shut it all down, or say "Don't make money, period, don't care what it's for or what you're selling, don't sell, don't charge subscriptions, don't run ads, don't make a single cent or your ass is grass."

    It's fascinating (no pun intended) cause so much of what goes on behind the scenes in fan-films (personal drama aside) is a good primer for folks looking to get into online content creation; whether it's original or fan content. Sort of "YMMV, but he's some of the BS you could get yourself into."
     
  5. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Project: Potemkin's directives from CBS are no doubt due to the fact that our series is set in the post-Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country time-frame rather than the original series or Modern Trek time frame. Even though we rarely use them, I noted with interest that Anovos recently came out with the "monster maroons" from our time frame: http://www.anovos.com/collections/star-trek-the-wrath-of-khan
     
  6. PattyW

    PattyW Commander Red Shirt

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    From contact with other fanfilms, it's one person. The head of CBS legal in New York. When that person came on board a couple years ago, they went through every fanfilm one at a time, reviewed what they were doing, and sent them a message.

    Before this new person came on board there really was no one keeping track of what fan films were doing. Phase II often got contacted by various people out in LA before that, but usually by people that wanted to somehow license the show in some form or another. (such as including the episodes as bonus features on licensed DVDs). Though they did get a C&D way back for "Come What May" when you could get a free DVD copy of it if you donated to the Shuttle charity. ("we don't want no dead astronaughts kids making money off Star Trek!" - or something to that effect.)


    What seems to be "simpler" and "makes most sense" is not necessarily what CBS wants to do at this point in time. And, for the record, they HAVE said the second paragraph. They just aren't ENFORCING it at this point in time.

    What or when or why they are waiting to enforce it can only be guessed at.
     
  7. PattyW

    PattyW Commander Red Shirt

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    I came looking for this thread because several people have asked for the link to it. I had forgotten how much discussion was in it among filmmakers. It's pretty darn interesting in hindsight now seeing what's going on with Paramount's suit against Loken/Linnear et al.
     
  8. SuperSpaceMan

    SuperSpaceMan Captain Captain

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    Necrothread....

    Yup, I read through this entire thread back when the story broke...

    What I find most interesting, is that basically the rules all come down to, Don't make money, and don't take credit....
     
  9. lurok

    lurok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Fascinating retro read in light of current developments.
     
  10. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    That was on April 1, 2014, 02:43 PM. It took a while, but sho nuff...
     
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  11. Zaminhon

    Zaminhon Captain Captain

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    Some really great information and a lot of prescience in this thread. CBS was handed that one case they needed on a silver platter.
     
  12. Serveaux

    Serveaux Fleet Admiral Premium Member

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    andriech also told stories about having sold a script to Chico And The Man during early adolescence - she wrote it out longhand on a legal pad, mailed it to the producer who then filmed it but put the name of another established writer on it.

    Make of that what you will.
     
  13. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    I spoke to that writer. :) "Took [me] about six seconds" to find him.
     
  14. Serveaux

    Serveaux Fleet Admiral Premium Member

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  15. Karzak

    Karzak Commodore Commodore

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  16. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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  17. SeerSGB

    SeerSGB Admiral Admiral

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    Holy shit, I said that over a year ago and it's what's happening now. Maybe I need to get a crystal ball and set up shop telling fortunes.
     
  18. PattyW

    PattyW Commander Red Shirt

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    Thanks for his name! I'm going to get him to sign my yellow legal pad script next time I'm in LA!
     
  19. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    You want his email address? He's easy to find.
     
  20. PattyW

    PattyW Commander Red Shirt

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    He can't really sign anything via email, but maybe I can set up a meeting that way. You have my email.

    (that this is still being repeatedly brought up is ridiculous. I wrote a script called "Chico's Father". I sent the script handwritten on it's yellow legal pad to Jack Komack. I received cash and a thank you note back from him. Later, an episode named "Chico's Padre" aired with nearly the same plot and dialogue. To me and my family and friends, that meant he produced my script. Could Ron have written an almost identical script and Komack just figured sending me cash would stop me from suing? Probably. And to elevate this whole thing to the level of witch hunt it has been is just bizarre.) But I think it would be pretty cool for Ron to sign my script.