• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar

Status
Not open for further replies.
Admiral Cain said:
It's my understanding that in order to get your SAG card, you have to do paid work on a production that is covered by a SAG collective bargaining agreement.

http://www.sagaftra.org/content/steps-join

Could that have been one of the motivations to pay Alec a salary? Assuming Axanar paid Alec's SAG initiation fee (there is a line item for "Union Fees" of $3,099.00 on the Annual Report), doing paid work and being able to provide pay stubs from a qualifying production would get him his SAG card. Another "direct financial benefit", perhaps?
Click to expand...
I don't think so. Producers have their own union (PGA). The salary he was paying himself wasn't for being an actor. He would have to have an agreement with SAG to pay the union actors, but I don't think he would have to have any sort of agreement with SAG to pay himself if he isn't acting in the film.
 
Last edited:
Captain Atkin said:
I don't think so. Producers have their own union (PGA). The salary he was paying himself wasn't for being an actor. He would have to have an agreement with SAG to pay the union actors, but I don't think he would have to have any sort of agreement with SAG to pay himself if he isn't acting in the film.
Click to expand...

Ah, so perhaps the "union fees" line item expense was for PGA fees?
 
Dennis said:
Is Axanar Productions signatory to the current SAG agreement?
Click to expand...

I believe they would have to be to be using SAG actors, like Graham, Todd, Hatch, etc. Though, there are ways to work around that... like make the actors producers, etc. But, SAG frowns on union members doing non-union work.
 
jespah said:
We covered it; here's the YouTube video. Coverage starts about 24 minutes in (delays are due to my own technical issues).
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
Thank you all again for your kind support.
Click to expand...
Holy crap! After listing to the 'Axanar' portion of this Podcast (and I too Backed Axanar) I 110% agree and applaud Terilynn's 'post' that she decided not to post, but instead read on the Podcast. -- Bravo!
 
Professor Zoom said:
I believe they would have to be to be using SAG actors, like Graham, Todd, Hatch, etc. Though, there are ways to work around that... like make the actors producers, etc. But, SAG frowns on union members doing non-union work.
Click to expand...
I could ask some actor buddies of mine, I know you could get a waiver of some sort from Actors Equity the theater union, and for AFTRA/SAG you can get scale which would be literally the minimum wage for ANY actor, again an actor / agent can ask for millions but only get the min
 
YJAGG said:
I could ask some actor buddies of mine, I know you could get a waiver of some sort from Actors Equity the theater union, and for AFTRA/SAG you can get scale which would be literally the minimum wage for ANY actor, again an actor / agent can ask for millions but only get the min
Click to expand...
There is no scale/minimum for Internet productions.
 
GSchnitzer said:
There is no scale/minimum for Internet productions.
Click to expand...

Correct. All of that falls under New Media. Basically, you have to pay something. But, that could be like 1 cent.

Though, when we did our project, and we were SAG signatories, we paid a daily rate of 100 bucks. Not much per hour, but...

And as a side note: SAG is a pain in the ass to deal with. The people handling paperwork there... UGH. You would think they would make it as easy as possible to encourage people to work with SAG actors... but, damn.
 
Looks like the shades are slowly being drawn on the various Axanar pages. Perhaps the firm of Pro&Bono is finally getting through to those they represent?
 
Jedi_Master said:
Looks like the shades are slowly being drawn on the various Axanar pages. Perhaps the firm of Pro&Bono is finally getting through to those they represent?
Click to expand...

Yes, the Vulcan scene has been made unavailable for private reasons now too I see.
 
Captain Atkin said:
It could be from PGA, if he is a member of that union. I believe that Alec is a SAG member, from having acted in "Prelude to Axanar". All of the actors in that film were SAG members.
Click to expand...

Producers guild initiation fees for New Media producers are far less than the ~$3K SAG-AFTRA requires from actors. The Axanar annual report pegs the amount spent on "union fees" right at that $3K. BTW, having the production pay for his union fee/dues is another direct financial benefit Alec Peters received using money raised of CBS' intellectual property. Normally, actors pay union dues themselves, so you can add the $3K to the salary Peters paid himself, too.
 
Albinator said:
That's how Youtube works. The copyright holder has to file a takedown request. ... As long as they aren't doing that, some will get through, but a good first step would be a clear notice to all project creators that they cannot start projects using someone else's IP, unless it falls clearly under fair use.
Click to expand...

YouTube's protection from legal action for copyright infringement isn't an automatic thing under copyright law. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 specifically created a "safe harbor" exemption for platforms like YouTube that might inadvertently host infringing content. It placed the burden for identifying infringement on the rights holder through a formal notice to the website.

Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo can also claim "safe harbor" protection for any infringing material that appears on their platforms. Their terms of service place the onus on the people seeking funding for ensuring they have secured the rights to produce/distribute whatever products are part of the projects' proposals. However, I don't believe safe harbor would apply in instances where the platform knowingly engages with projects — as Indiegogo did in its recruitment of Axanar —that make it crystal clear in their proposal they do not have a license from the relevant copyright holders.
 
carlosp said:
YouTube's protection from legal action for copyright infringement isn't an automatic thing under copyright law. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 specifically created a "safe harbor" exemption for platforms like YouTube that might inadvertently host infringing content. It placed the burden for identifying infringement on the rights holder through a formal notice to the website.

Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo can also claim "safe harbor" protection for any infringing material that appears on their platforms. Their terms of service place the onus on the people seeking funding for ensuring they have secured the rights to produce/distribute whatever products are part of the projects' proposals. However, I don't believe safe harbor would apply in instances where the platform knowingly engages with projects — as Indiegogo did in its recruitment of Axanar —that make it crystal clear in their proposal they do not have a license from the relevant copyright holders.
Click to expand...

Safe harbor. Good deal for Kickstarter. I wonder how much money they have made from all of the unlicensed products that have raised money there.
 
Professor Zoom said:
Safe harbor. Good deal for Kickstarter. I wonder how much money they have made from all of the unlicensed products that have raised money there.
Click to expand...
Interestingly, safe harbor is a specific area of expertise for Axanar's attorney, Erin Ranahan.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top