I am sorry people decided to make you part of the story. I understand your point, about your own risk, and respect that. I will miss your insight into this case as it continues to unfold.
CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar
- Thread starter Richard Baker
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Thanks, oswriter - you did more than any other person to make what's going on here, how it works and the people involved, clear to interested observers. You've informed people. You're going to be very much missed in the coming weeks (probably particularly this Thursday and Friday). Godspeed!
And anyone who truly believes that silencing any critic or observer of the Axanar boondoggle is going to make one iota of difference in the outcome of this case is delusional and bound to be disappointed very shortly.
And anyone who truly believes that silencing any critic or observer of the Axanar boondoggle is going to make one iota of difference in the outcome of this case is delusional and bound to be disappointed very shortly.
A while back I contributed to a fund for David Gerrold's son to get serious needful surgery done. He apparently does not have the financial resources one might think. It was just before Obamacare started. Two years ago? I have since then had a little dispute with him re religion, and he actually apologized, then a week later I got mad and unfriended him. (I'm a really nice sweet person, but just a very few people really piss me off.)
I think my biggest frustration with this incident right now is that there has been very little to talk about since it was first brought up beyond Peter's bizarre social media comments.
I'm ready for some progress with this case so we can finally have an idea as to what actions will be taken a) to stop Axanar and b) that might affect works beyond Axanar.
I'm ready for some progress with this case so we can finally have an idea as to what actions will be taken a) to stop Axanar and b) that might affect works beyond Axanar.
I'm curious: what risks do you see? I know you won't reply publicly, but I would appreciate the info if you're willing to give it (and yes, I know it's none of my business - I'm just morbidly curious if you're willing to talk). I'd PM you, but I don't seem to have enough access to do so. Ahhh, the joys of n00bdom.
And with that out of the way...
It's always disappointing to see a sane, level-headed, knowledgeable individual leave. The thread will certainly notice the loss. I wish you luck in your future endeavors, and please do consider sticking around the BBS, if not this thread.
And if not, it was nice knowing you. Seriously.
Oh, and thanks for setting the record straight. Conspiracy theories were getting a bit outlandish there for a while, and it's better to have facts.
Even if you are done with this particular subject, I'd like to see you stay on this BBS. You have been a good addition to our ranks.
I honestly don't see this at all. Maybe productions will be more cautious, maybe CBS will keep a closer eye - but the ONLY thing I can see changing is people being a little more reluctant to take the piss.
Whether by arrogance and ego or just misguided stupidity, Axanar was presenting itself as a professional production and crossed a lot of lines. Unless other fan films want to do the same, I think it's pretty clear that they're all fine.
The argument of brand confusion won't match either as no one in their right mind would think Continues New Voyages with their upgraded replication of a 1960's world would be a current and modern piece of output from CBS.
Thats not confusion. Thats just bad research.
To be fair - that means absolutely nothing. News outlets aren't exactly paragons of perfection. They're all about getting the content out as fast as possible (before anyone else does) and have more time to fill with news constantly being pushed out - even when there's nothing to say or there's a situation that they watch for hours trying to turn something into nothing.
It's not just the content thats downgraded, but the staff. Cheap staff and quick results - particularly within entertainment news - are more important than putting the homework in and mistakes have been made all across the board especially with genre shows and brands.
Put it this way - I've done professional reviews for a national audience on behalf of one of the top broadcasters in the UK. I do have some training (not really, a year before I switched degree's and I spent 90% of the time substituting the pub for the classroom) but they didn't know that. They never asked that. They never questioned me, or discussed much with me. But a researcher read my blog (in the days I could be bothered updating it) and considered me an expert.
Gods knows who CNN decided was their expert that day; but I have the feeling the poor soul was given the task for some stupid reason and no one questioned the results.
I don't necessarily disagree with this, but it's also bad research that may well have brought Renegades (and high-budget fan films in general) to the attention of the wrong someone at CBS who didn't know before...
Not saying I think that happened (I'm guessing they knew about Renegades long before then), but it's a simple example of how that sort of thing could potentially have a negative impact.
They were using Alexander Bornstein to compose - one of Bear McCreary's former students. He did some interesting stuff for Prelude and they were having him develop themes and motifs while barely referencing Courage/Goldsmith. I wonder what the crew fallout will be, if the unnamed John Does are people like the composer/sound mixers?
Sadly.
The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if they're waiting to see if suing Axanar will get the message across to the involved industry peeps. If they decide their warning wasn't heard and go nuclear on the entire cast and crew (for contributory infringement or some such maybe, not to mention blacklisting?), it would probably make it far less likely that any professional Hollywood type would ever work on a fan film again.
That would be a very sad day, and I hope that it really is just an extremely silly conspiracy theory.
I mostly agree here. I don't think this is the end of the fan-film industry. There is a clear separation between Axanar and everyone else despite what their defense being "we're only doing what those guys did." I can understand the temptation to assume CBS will just say "fan-films are out of hand, so let's shut them all down." It's a valid concern I guess, but I see no evidence of that stance so far.
This is where we disagree. Call it whatever you want, it still has the potential to mix up the two properties in the minds of the less knowledgable, however briefly.
I think brand confusion is a legit concern for CBS, particularly with the new show being broadcast online. I think some folks here give the average viewer too much credit. Particularly when much of the Trek audience is unaware of fan films. They hear about a new Trek show, stumble upon a fan film, and don't know what to believe. Not everyone has the patience or wherewithall to do that research.
Look, if you put the two side by side and i'm sure nobody would have a problem telling them apart, but having fan films out there at the same time, marketed to the same group, in the same channel of distribution can definitely lead some of the more casual, mass audience members to confusion.
That said, I don't think the solution here is to "shut everyone down." A possible answer might be to remove them from Youtube, and limit fan film distribution to dedicated websites (newvoyages.com, eg.) where it can be clearly labeled as a fan-made film, with prominent disclaimers. Maybe they could be barred from using "Star Trek" in the titles and URL's moving forward to increase the separation.
I've always wondered why established professionals-- writers, actors, directors-- got involved with these productions at all, given the always-murky legal status of the productions. Particularly those who might have hopes of working on Trek again.
Absolutely! There are plenty of topics we would love you to be a part of.
I don't see how 'it's CNN's fault' is relevant to CNN confusing Renegades with a real Star Trek production - the point is not that Star Trek experts versed in the distinction between professional and fan productions would make the mistake, but that the general public might make the mistake. If it's sufficiently confusing that news outlets might make the mistake, even if they shouldn't, it's sufficiently confusing that audiences might do the same thing.
Irrelevant. Never said it was my copyright. Never said there was no confusion. Just saying it doesn't matter. After all, Time magazine reported that Khan was a cyborg.
Of course it matters. Any time some "other" Trek gets publicized over legitimate Trek it matters to the people who have a stake in it - and that's CBS and Paramount.
If I stare at your wife's rack, I could say it "doesn't matter" because ultimately nothing will come of it. You'll probably get pissed though as it's "your" wife's rack.
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