On the really off chance CBS accepts your idea. Would they shut down releasing the fan movie? I could see them doing that. If so, what about all the people (like me) who donated and don't get to see it? Not trying to start an argument, just wondering.
Good question, we would have to see what happens, but rest assured, we will make effort to make sure fans who donated will get taken care of.
Different question and apologies if this has been asked and I missed it, but what if you approach CBS, they say no, and then they decide to prevent you from releasing the film as well?
Sorry if this has been posted before or the information is out there in Cyberspace already, but how much will the Blu-ray be sold for (in USD$)? According to the Renegades website, I would have to shell out $60 to pre-order, but I'm not interested in the other perks at that price point (digital poster download, exclusive web content). Any idea how much just the Blu-ray will be sold for? Thanks
We can NOT sell the DVD (when available) since CBS owns the rights to Star Trek. What we are allowed to do (as with other films you see here) is give away the DVD as perk for a donation to the production of STR. Direct sales of products with Star Trek in them is a NO NO unless authorized by CBS. Highly unlikely, why would they prevent the release of STR when they would allow other film productions (Axanar, P2, Continues, etc..). The only way the release of STR would get stopped is if they accepted the concept and want to develop it into a series. It would still be a win for the fans as they get a whole series rather than a one-off movie.
For argument's sake, that's hardly a basis for this kind of assumption. CBS has been pretty friendly with the fan film world, but they've also been far from consistent with the stipulations they've put out for each of the fan films they work with. If Patty, Alec, et al are to be believed, there are different guidelines for each production, so it would stand to reason that just because they like Phase II or Farragut, it does not neccessarily follow that they couldn't also just as well be of the mind to block the release of another film (as would be their right) for whatever reason they see fit. I'm not trying to dissuade anyone nor am I specifically trying to call out Renegades for anything. Just pointing out this one messy bit of the world of messy bits in fan film vs. intellectual property owner back and forth that I've observed over the years. I'm happy to be proven wrong though and will gladly eat my words if I am.
Thing is, CBS knows all about STR, Axanar, P2 & Continues and some of the other better know productions. We have always intended to pitch STR, that was clear from day one, and they know that. So why would they say now "We will pass on your pitch, oh, and by the way, you can never release it to the public" when they could have stopped it anytime over the past 2 years. Now, if they accept the 'concept', they probably would not want the original pilot shown, as I'm sure they would want to re-shoot it under there own industry conditions (unions, contracts, etc..) . That would still work because you would still be getting a product as a result. I don't believe there are different guidelines for each production, there are a general set of rules from CBS legal which can not be broken (profiting on the finished product etc..). One new development in the past few years is we know that crowd-funding is allowed to fund independent Star Trek productions. Axanar has reached a high of 600k + (with more to come). With that, there is speculation as to if CBS has a ceiling of how much money a single production can take in. So far however, there does not seem to be any limit to this. It may be that CBS is content because we are keeping the flame burning for them, by producing Star Trek related entertainment and keeping it in the public eye. If CBS should green-light a new official series, I then wonder if they would crack down a bit on the fan films, to keep the concentration on their own current series.
I wasn't suggesting that CBS doesn't know about the fan films; merely that from what I've read on this board over the years, it's been apparent that there are (or were, anyway, for a time) different guidelines issued out to various fan film productions. Now, this could all be my own failing to interpret what the people involved have said, or it could be that at least one source was exaggerating (something this memeber does quite regularly) or lying (something this same member has been proven to do so before on another issue) or it could be that what was once decree from CBS is no longer so. Either way, I doubt very much Renegades would find itself in a situation as I described above, but again -- speaking purely hypothetically, CBS wouldn't even really have to give a reason if they chose to withhold one production over another. It's their playground and their toys. They can do whatever they want.
PROJECT POTEMKIN has been told told we cannot do any fund raisers, and that we had to remove the PAYPAL DONATE button from our websites. We can accept donations, give away DVDs as percs to donors, but under no condition can we solicit donations. There are other restrictions that don't apply to other fan films, but considering that they've allowed us to continue filming a production based on their property for four years now, we certainly don't consider their restrictions a hardship.
I haven't kept up on Renegades for a while, and so I finally got around to watching the two video trailers and reading the synopsis. The story and setting doesn't really interest me, and there seems to be a lot of fan, um, service in the cast roles, if Wikipedia's list is correct, but that being said, I do hope it's a success, and I will watch it with an open mind, though I won't lie, I have some real doubts.
To my knowledge no one on Exeter was ever contacted by Paramount/CBS for any reason, and they did do fundraising (just look at the many screens of donors in the end credits). So, why different standards for different fan productions?
Could be all kinds of reasons - changes in management/politics - rubbing someone the wrong way - the fact that Potemkin is "movie" era, compared to most TOS based fan productions. I bet even CBS wouldn´t know the answer...
That's our supposition as well. *chuckle* We certainly agree on that. And that's fine. It's not as though there's anything we can do about it.
I just had to put these three together. Here's a totally nutty theory: Most fan films are either produced by pro artists (some not in the film industry, see, e.g., RoTV http://startrekreviewed-goanimate.blogspot.com/2011/10/rotv.html who makes his living in advertising ), or fans with no art background. Randy is a professional business man in an art-related (graphics) business. He is more like the 'suits' in Hollywood than any of the other fan film producers. Could it be that the suits truly believe that they are the essential element of a successful film, that the writers, actors, directors, editors, producers, and all that support staff isn't what makes for success, it's the suits? Another theory: It's totally random.
Since they are plenty of pros (or various kinds) working on other productions, I doubt that has any great bearing on it.
How many productions reach out to CBS instead of vice versa? Maybe HOW you are in contact with them (if at all) influences what they say.
1) I've never contacted CBS, Viacom, Paramount, Gulf+Western, Norway Productions, NBC-TV, CBS-TV nor any other legal holders of Star Trek copyrights. CBS/Law contacted me out of the blue. 2) Barbara, I sold the printshop in May 2013, and while I have been doing professional videography for the local CBS, FOX, and independent TV stations in the Albany area since that time, CBS/Law contacted me long before I started the videography. I doubt my experience in the printing/copying field would have raised any red flags with them. 3) Further, it's also true I've been publishing fanzines since 1979, I've generally had no contact with the Star Trek franchisers. It's true I had an unfortunate encounter with FASA over their publication of a magazine which was remarkably similar to my own publication, that resulted in my having to change the name of my fanzine. However, I doubt that had anything to do with their contacting me over PROJECT: POTEMKIN. Most folks fail to realize that I am also the senior editor and publisher of Orion Press. 4) Lastly, I have always figured that CBS/Law may have been put onto me by someone who had a bone to pick. Or it could've been that they determined that I was doing "Movie Era Trek" and equated that with "Nu-Trek." Or it could've been my marketing campaign was a little too successful with the wrong people. But it's all irrelevant to RENEGADES which I'm interested in seeing. Like many others, I feel it's very much a pipedream to think it would pique the interest of CBS, but if Tom and them want to do it, and want to call attention to their production, and get folks to donate to their production, who am I to call foul? I say go for it.