Exactly - it is as if some fans almost wish for CBS to take action. Wild speculations without any substantial actions to back them up. So far CBS has not done anything -and I hope they won´t. I guess with the new series the Fundraiser money will just dry out and the problem will solve itself.
Deadline reporting new Trek series, what about fan productions?
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Exactly - it is as if some fans almost wish for CBS to take action. Wild speculations without any substantial actions to back them up. So far CBS has not done anything -and I hope they won´t. I guess with the new series the Fundraiser money will just dry out and the problem will solve itself.
I don't think anyone is saying that Professional Films and fan films can't exist along side... I think what is being said, is that the era of high budget (Which Star Wars Fan films haven't had) fan films (ala Axanar, and Renegades) is coming to a close with Star Trek 2017 on the horizon.
And I don't think anyone necessarily Wants CBS to take action, so much as we expect it... I personally expect it, and I personally hope that when it does, it just impacts the high budget fan films, and fan films like Potemkin Prod's stay unscathed....
One does get the distinct impression that CBS' apparent lack of interest in any of this is super-frustrating to a few people who are counting on the lawyers to smite productions they have grudges against, or whatever is going on there.
"we" do not expect anything - you might for yourself. I do not expect CBS to take any action. And I am pretty sure, should they decide to do it, then it will affect all fan movies - because there is no way to decide where to draw the line. 10K? 50K? 100K? 500K? They would have to monitor that, and they won´t want to do that.
Right, and that's why I don't think CBS will necessarily go after the fan films themselves, but rather the fundraising platforms, who DO profit off of the unlicensed use of CBS IP....
Just a matter of expecting it to happen because of all the legal stuff.
I hope that fan productions can continue on without problem, but I also that copyright is a sensitive issue, and can't help but some see the potential issues.
I've done the whole Star Wars fan film thing for much longer than Star Trek, and know its a delicate balance.
He isn't. He's actually a pretty decent, open, helpful and likeable guy in my experience.
I've generally found most people don't particularly resemble their online personas, good or bad.
That's good to know.
To further elaborate, I'd like to make it clear -- I do not wish to see any fan film shut down or have its hands tied production-wise or in how they may be funded. I just worry that now with the new show coming, CBS may choose to re-evaluate how much they're going to let the fans get away with. I would be utterly delighted though if CBS allowed all the fan films to continue as they have, provided that the fan film productions continue to produce their films. I'd be lying if I said I didn't agree with the posters above who forecast that the fundraising heights some of the fan films have reached may be coming to an end and that it would probably be in everyone's best interest if they just started shooting and getting their projects done (specifically, Axanar) but as I am not involved with those projects nor have any wish to be, its just my lone opinion on the matter. As ever, best wishes to all involved.
On that note, I have really only found myself enjoying Star Trek Continues, and Project Potemkin.. With that said, I donated to Axanar ($15.00) back with last summer's Kickstarter.
I do believe that since then, I have seen a pattern of over promising and under delivery, and I am skeptical that the film will be released.
Am I rooting against it? Not so much rooting against, as much as I am hoping that my intuition is correct (Because everyone wants their intuition to be correct)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140802054811/https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/194429923/star-trek-axanar
Look at it this way, is the new trek series fails (it is risky because it on there streaming service after all) then fan productions will be popular as ever.
It's only going to be streaming here in the U.S. - CBS management has stated they'll be selling it as a TV series internationally (and expect to recoup 1/2 of the production costs that way) - and in the event they see the streaming service aspect not live up to their expectations, NOTHING is preventing them from taking it to air in some form in the U.S. later (on CBS, the CW, or a cable network) - or selling the series on Blu-Ray and DVD <-- which will most likely happen at some point regardless.
Most fan films are low budget productions. The best of the low budget productions have good writing, but could NEVER be confused with Hollywood Product.
The total number of hours of high-end fan films from all sources is not all that large, and it grows at perhaps 5 or 10 hours a year at most. (probably less) This is NOT a challenge to CBS's bottom line.
While I personally love the enthusiasm fans bring to Fan Trek, and I admit that I do not like what I regard as the first of what will probably be dozens of reboots, they are apples and golf balls.
The success or failure of CBS Access Trek (my name for it until it gets a real name) will not turn significantly on what happens in Fan Trek. There will be folks like me who skip the releases and buy the pro's Blu-rays for collector/friends who have home theaters which they, in turn, will let me use to watch their copy, and there will be those who yell they won't subscribe to CBS Access and secretly do because they can't wait. Some will subscribe openly. There will even be those who truly skip the pro stuff. By August of 2017, we'll know a lot more about the financial viability of CBS Access Trek. I just can't imagine it will turn on fan Trek, even those with Kickstarters.
The total number of hours of high-end fan films from all sources is not all that large, and it grows at perhaps 5 or 10 hours a year at most. (probably less) This is NOT a challenge to CBS's bottom line.
While I personally love the enthusiasm fans bring to Fan Trek, and I admit that I do not like what I regard as the first of what will probably be dozens of reboots, they are apples and golf balls.
The success or failure of CBS Access Trek (my name for it until it gets a real name) will not turn significantly on what happens in Fan Trek. There will be folks like me who skip the releases and buy the pro's Blu-rays for collector/friends who have home theaters which they, in turn, will let me use to watch their copy, and there will be those who yell they won't subscribe to CBS Access and secretly do because they can't wait. Some will subscribe openly. There will even be those who truly skip the pro stuff. By August of 2017, we'll know a lot more about the financial viability of CBS Access Trek. I just can't imagine it will turn on fan Trek, even those with Kickstarters.
Let’s play what if for a moment.
What if instead of turning a blind eye to fan productions, CBS were to embrace them? Here is my take on some ideas of what CBS could do to possibly make this work as a win-win situation for both parties.
1. Offer a reasonably priced, but limited, Star Trek license to fan productions. Not too cheap, though, so there would need to be a certain level of dedication on the productions part to be willing to part with the money to attain it.
2. Establish a loose set of rules and guidelines for licensed fan productions to abide by to keep their license. This would enable CBS to exert some quality control over their property while not unduly hindering the creativity of the productions.
3. Promote quality of licensed productions by offering a library of digital cgi assets they are able to access and use in their final product at no additional cost.
4. Not only allow productions to raise money through fan-funding, but promote it by offering to match, dollar for dollar, any and all funds raised through official campaigns.
5. Once a production is completed, it is presented to CBS for viewing. At this point…
1. If the finished product violates the license, CBS can pull the license and ban the production from being distributed by any means.
2. If they dislike the finished product but it doesn’t violate the license, they do nothing and the production group can move forward distributing and making the project available for viewing the same fan productions have been over the years with no further profit being made on it.
3. If they like the finished production…
6. Create an outlet, online, via their All Access streaming service, or any other method they wish, for the production to be viewed by audiences. They can insert a notice that the product is a licensed Star Trek fan production but is not to be considered as Official Star Trek nor taken as canon (or some such).
7. By whatever means they gauge the success or failure of the production during its viewing, they could then choose to offer some sort of deal to the production for either more episodes of said project or new projects. Here I am not sure how this or anything more could be handled.
This is by no means thorough, just a beginning of a thought on my part of how CBS could make fan productions work for them while still allowing them to be made and not stopping their production just because of a new official series. Would enjoy hearing others thoughts on this.
Also, I haven't posted on any forums for years now, so if I have made any mistakes or done anything frowned upon or not allowed, please tell me so I may keep from doing it in the future.
What if instead of turning a blind eye to fan productions, CBS were to embrace them? Here is my take on some ideas of what CBS could do to possibly make this work as a win-win situation for both parties.
1. Offer a reasonably priced, but limited, Star Trek license to fan productions. Not too cheap, though, so there would need to be a certain level of dedication on the productions part to be willing to part with the money to attain it.
2. Establish a loose set of rules and guidelines for licensed fan productions to abide by to keep their license. This would enable CBS to exert some quality control over their property while not unduly hindering the creativity of the productions.
3. Promote quality of licensed productions by offering a library of digital cgi assets they are able to access and use in their final product at no additional cost.
4. Not only allow productions to raise money through fan-funding, but promote it by offering to match, dollar for dollar, any and all funds raised through official campaigns.
5. Once a production is completed, it is presented to CBS for viewing. At this point…
1. If the finished product violates the license, CBS can pull the license and ban the production from being distributed by any means.
2. If they dislike the finished product but it doesn’t violate the license, they do nothing and the production group can move forward distributing and making the project available for viewing the same fan productions have been over the years with no further profit being made on it.
3. If they like the finished production…
6. Create an outlet, online, via their All Access streaming service, or any other method they wish, for the production to be viewed by audiences. They can insert a notice that the product is a licensed Star Trek fan production but is not to be considered as Official Star Trek nor taken as canon (or some such).
7. By whatever means they gauge the success or failure of the production during its viewing, they could then choose to offer some sort of deal to the production for either more episodes of said project or new projects. Here I am not sure how this or anything more could be handled.
This is by no means thorough, just a beginning of a thought on my part of how CBS could make fan productions work for them while still allowing them to be made and not stopping their production just because of a new official series. Would enjoy hearing others thoughts on this.
Also, I haven't posted on any forums for years now, so if I have made any mistakes or done anything frowned upon or not allowed, please tell me so I may keep from doing it in the future.
Interesting. But I think the simplest approach would be to continue with their present approach of "hands off" while keeping a watchful eye that certain lines are not crossed.
Also how many fan productions might fold of their own accord with an official series in production, particularly if it's something they like?
Also how many fan productions might fold of their own accord with an official series in production, particularly if it's something they like?
Let's play what if for a moment.
If CBS did this, why the hell would they involve a bunch of fan-wannabe-filmmakers in the first place when they could just farm it out to experienced professionals with proven track records, like, ahem, one Mr. Alex Kurtzman?
Fair enough. But then there would be professional level costs involved. Since fan productions will always be around, then why not support them for peanuts and make some money off of them. It may not provide the same returns as professional ventures, but I bet in the long run they would turn a profit.
Just the way I was looking at it.
Edited to add: Granted, it will never happen, but if they wanted to be innovative, this could be one way to do it. If it didn't work, it probably still wouldn't have cost even half of what one pro pilot episode would have cost.
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No, all it would cost would be the possible future precedent that would weaken CBS/Paramount's ability to shut down any unlawful use of their IP because they had colluded with same in the past. That's why it won't happen, and why projects like Axanar, New Voyages, and Renegades will always be relegated to the "fan film" category.
Part of why they can't do that is because of their workers/employees. Those CGI files, ship designs, characters etc were made by people who own some rights and have unions along side them. In some cases the fan film could be shorting a writer a royalty. (Think of the Nic Lacero issue) Imagine what SAG would think of CBS letting amatuers produce works without SAG actors and then picking up those shows and distributing them.
Let's take Axanar, if it became popular their be a form of Trek where CBS doesn't own the ship, or design styles, and doesn't have rights to some of the characters. If they wanted to bring it into the fold Alec Peters could charge them millions.
And then the infamous; if they hear of or read something by a fan production they can almost never do it for real, out of fear that the fan production would sue them for stealing the idea. That's why they have blanket policies to shred all outside submissions without reading them
Let's take Axanar, if it became popular their be a form of Trek where CBS doesn't own the ship, or design styles, and doesn't have rights to some of the characters. If they wanted to bring it into the fold Alec Peters could charge them millions.
And then the infamous; if they hear of or read something by a fan production they can almost never do it for real, out of fear that the fan production would sue them for stealing the idea. That's why they have blanket policies to shred all outside submissions without reading them
Karzak, haven't they already, to an extent,done this with allowing the Strange New Worlds fan fiction anthology?
Fair points all around. Like I said, just some thoughts without a thorough plan of all the implications and how they may or may not be worked out.
Fair points all around. Like I said, just some thoughts without a thorough plan of all the implications and how they may or may not be worked out.
Right, for a specific example, Garth was not created by Alec Peters, he was created by Lee Erwin and Jerry Sohl. If CBS gave Axanar a license, both of those men would be (and quite honestly they should be anyway) receiving royalties for the character.
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