CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar
- Thread starter Richard Baker
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Its certainly odd...
Oh well, I'm off to dance drunkenly round my house at 02:44 UK time to Aqua's "Barbie Girl" and sing the lyrics - see you later guys
Or he wants to be entertained by the avalanche about to hit Alec Peters?
Well i'm not privy to the exact arrangement but I don't believe he was an employee, just a contractor. And as such, he couldn't be the "CBS Archivist". That title would go to a CBS employee. That being said - he did work for CBS for example shutting down the Experience and such. So they know him well.
You may note they're suing him anyway - read into that what you will.
This is a typical way for judges to point parties towards settling, CBS has really no incentive to settle unless it seems that the court case will be more up hill than they want.
Hey, everyone ... after a long wait and plenty of threats, 1701News has posted both our story on the "Axanar" script leak, as well as a review of the script by independent filmmaker Jody Wheeler ...
'Axanar' Script Leak Reveals Early Concept Of Trek Story: http://1701news.com/node/1059/axanar-script-leak-reveals-early-concept-trek-story.html
Boldly Going Nowhere Near: http://1701news.com/node/1061/boldly-going-nowhere-near.html
'Axanar' Script Leak Reveals Early Concept Of Trek Story: http://1701news.com/node/1059/axanar-script-leak-reveals-early-concept-trek-story.html
Boldly Going Nowhere Near: http://1701news.com/node/1061/boldly-going-nowhere-near.html
Clarify something here. Was there just one script being reviewed? Because the kids and picnic opening sounds exactly the same as the script reviewed on reddit, which has a date from 2011. If that's so, it can hardly be a locked script. It wouldn't be the same 4 years later.
So, the verdict is, it would have made a predictably plotted, averagely written but quite visually polished......fanfilm.
Alec visiting CBS. "I'm gonna take this CBS pen."
CBS: "You are not allowed to steal from us."
Alec: I'm gonna take these trays from the cafeteria.
CBS: "You are not allowed to steal from us."
Alec: "Oh, these costumes are perfect! I will take them."
CBS: "You are not allowed to steal from us."
CBS: "Mr. Peters, You stole pens, trays, and costumes."
Alec: "You didn't tell me I couldn't take pens, trays or costumes. And I saw Vic taking paper clips! People walk off with magazines from the lobby all the time!"
I will probably be in the minority here but I thought that the general story of the script sounded good.. whether or not the actual scenes or dialogue are any good, well I don't have the ability to know. A shame that it'll never be made. Heck, by the sound of it, the movie could have been made with far less money. They should have gone the sure route instead of waking up the dragon.
That's what turns me off the most about the entire thing.... the fact that they flat out admit they could have had an "average" fan film completed and released a year ago or more, before they "expanded" there goals.
Alec Peters and his team could easily have solved their concerns about this leak by simply not commenting on it. They could have avoided all of this and left us speculating as to whether this was a legit draft of their Axanar masterpiece by not acknowledging the leak.
Instead, we've had Peters doing what Peters always does -- kick and scream and threaten litigation, including this little pearl from an email sent to Wheeler:
More's the pity, dear Alec... allow me to retort:
What’s done is done and in this case, it cannot be undone. I lament that you did not consider the moral consequences of your doxxing me, you piece of shit.
Instead, we've had Peters doing what Peters always does -- kick and scream and threaten litigation, including this little pearl from an email sent to Wheeler:
More's the pity, dear Alec... allow me to retort:
What’s done is done and in this case, it cannot be undone. I lament that you did not consider the moral consequences of your doxxing me, you piece of shit.
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Great posts. I have to chuckle at the 'vendetta' part though - someone inside that twisted cabal has to know that the negative external reactions/public opinion are due purely to the arrogant and completely unprofessional manner in which they've conducted themselves (then again, if everyone is like Lord Alec.......)
Lord Alec, speaking of 'moral consequences' ??
Perhaps he should take five minutes and consider the whole way in which he and his.........associates have conducted themselves. Hope C/P bends him over a barrel and really makes him squeal........
If you ever make it to NC (to where Alec went to lawyer-training school ironically enough), I'll buy you a beer and you can tell me about said threats.
Let's assume that Paramount/CBS just outright win this thing: production is halted and the judge orders damages based on each infringement.
How many are we talking? Can they count stuff in a script that was never produced? Does it then just fall on the "Vulcan Scene"? Or is Prelude included?
Because as damning as the script is in terms of infringement, it's still just a script. Can a judge order damages based on infringements from an unproduced script?
How many are we talking? Can they count stuff in a script that was never produced? Does it then just fall on the "Vulcan Scene"? Or is Prelude included?
Because as damning as the script is in terms of infringement, it's still just a script. Can a judge order damages based on infringements from an unproduced script?
I don't know what script that was reviewed on Reddit. And if you have looked back, this script has been locked at least a few times now.
I'm working with somebody on that right now - I count at least 11.
I was thinking about the date the script was first done... As it first came out in 2011 at the same time that Into Darkness was being produced, could CBS/Paramount also say that the Axanar script was a competing one?
Simply put, as many as they can allege and prove. Not to be vague, but if we assume that the copyright in a Star Trek episode or film encompasses copyrights in the visual design (including ships and appareance of characters), characters, dialogue, etc., then there are potentially many infringements. Reproducing a Klingon image or set on a coffee label. Creating a derivative work of existing ST ship design elements by creating a new ship that "fits in" with the accepted ST design ethos. Using characters and settings created. It's a bit mind-boggling how many separate infringements C/P could claim (but that's not the same as saying they could prove them all for purposes of copyright liability.)
Yes, they can. Copyright covers several distinct types of copyright works, and "literary" (written) works are distinguished from "audovisual works" (movies.) The copyright owner has the exclusive right to create derivative works from his subject matter, including the exclusive right to recast that subject matter in a different type of work - for example, the owner of a film script has the exclusive right to make a movie from the script, and the author of a book has the exclusive right to create a film from that book. (This is why you hear authors talk about "selling the film rights" to their book to others).
Assuming the Axanar script is in fact infringing, then it is an infringing "literary work", even if the script is never turned into a film (an "audiovisual work"). Once the film is produced, then that film constitutes a second separate infringement (the creation of an unauthorized audiovisual work.) This is why, in addition to arguing that suing on the film is premature because the film hasn't been made, Ranahan is also repeatedly noting that the script is still in flux as well, so she can make similarly "premature" (but much weaker) arguments with respect to the script that is already likely an infringement.
M
I count way more than 11 just based on the review:
Klingons
Vulcans
Andorians
Federation
Starfleet
Garth of Izar
Captain Pike
Captain April
Captain Robau
USS Enterprise
D-7 Cruiser
Q'onos
Orions
Vulcan (planet)
Soval
Sarek
Kirk
Mitchell
Chang
602 Club
And I would not be surprised if there are many more name drops and walk-ons. Additionally, are"phasers," "transporters" and "tricorders" copyrighted? What about the insignias such as the Starfleet Delta? What about the "distinctive look and feel" of Star Trek ships, technology and uniforms?
Again though, these are just within an unproduced script. Maybe they could get an injunction on production, but could they really get damages for infringements that didn't happen yet?
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