I'm a professional observer by training.
CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar
- Thread starter Richard Baker
- Start date
- Status
Sure, but the balance of probability would weigh in favour of him being involved right up to the hinge.
It is my opinion that Alec has been squirreling money away in his various entities since August of 2015, when he - again in my opinion - was told by CBS that he better stop or else.
As he needs the physical space to store his props - although Propworx is rumored to be in trouble as well - and he desperately wants to cling to the notion that he is a big-time producer, he has to preserve the studio.
To do that he needs funds that can't be touched, and he has been actively shuffling them into hidey holes for some time.
As he needs the physical space to store his props - although Propworx is rumored to be in trouble as well - and he desperately wants to cling to the notion that he is a big-time producer, he has to preserve the studio.
To do that he needs funds that can't be touched, and he has been actively shuffling them into hidey holes for some time.
He's done it before. (For those who don't want to click a link: Peters claimed that props from the BSG auction would be shipped by Collectible Shipping Service, a company that he presented as being third party. One of the prop buyers did some digging and it turned out that CSS was owned by Peters and run by a business associate of his. He 'fessed up after the information came to light.)
It will be interesting to see how long they can keep their escrow balance a state secret.
Mr. Bawden said they have an accountant sorting things out... which results will get picked over by outsiders if/when published. Behind that will be anything the IRS might wish to audit. Discovery reviewing books to see where funds/benefits might have accrued to individuals. Potentially, state review of whether labor laws were followed. And maybe even a consumer protection probe.
And publishing all them, AxaMonitor.
Not the most ideal hidey hole
Last edited:
Link?
Look for Dean Newbury's first comment... the pictures are in the replies.
Well I read the thread and see that Dean Newbury, the fellow who was a production manager and who is being so reasonable, is selling the line "nothing was wrong about building a studio because it was all spelled out in the kickstarter and fans knew they were giving their money to it". But he tries to present it as having the intention of being a west coast Trek fanfilm site, not a business.
To me, any person like him thinking of getting involved with the project, and reading that pitch on KS, would have to say "hey, wait, WTF, make non-Trek productions with a permanent studio facility built off the fundraising, isn't that money diverted from the fan film and isn't that trading on studio IP for profit?".
Instead he argues "what do you expect should be done with resources after the film is done? How would it be responsible to not use them?"
Hey, lets rob the bank. Then build a store with the proceeds. Why can't we make a profit off that? Once the store is built, what do you expect a person to do with it?
DON'T TAKE WHAT YOU CAN PLAINLY SEE IS STOLEN MONEY. DON'T BUILD THEIR STORE FOR THEM. DON'T SAY YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE MONEY AND HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY TO JUDGE ITS ORIGINS. That's what.
The same goes for all the Axanar staff. Once the Kickstarter made it clear that a permanent business doing non-Trek for-profit productions was to be built (a fact Axanar staff constantly cite) by trading on Trek IP value in this project (a fact they omit), there was no way any Axanar participant could plead total innocence. Trapped, even blindsided, yes. But then staying on and claiming they were only part of the "clean" parts making the fan film, no. Staying on meant supporting all the objectives, as plainly stated in the KS.
Its a very small project with a clear statement of objectives seeking public money, including a goal clearly not ethical in the context. Responsibility for the whole cycle attaches individually to everyone who stayed after the change was made to tack on the for-profit future. Building sets directly advanced the for profit studio. Not a paper's width between them.
Last edited:
Indeed. Though I still maintain the opinion that the supporter fans are also of no interest to W&S outside of usefulness as it would directly pertain to their Case, their Client, and the Firm/Attorneys agenda of the chance to effect IP law, which the defendant mentions on the production website.
Last edited:
Okay, how is Mike Bawden a spokesperson for Axanar? He doesn't know anything. That whole discussion he was like "I don't know, I'll ask Alec," "I don't know, Alec hasn't gotten back to me yet," "I don't know, Alec doesn't tell me anything," "I told Alec he needs to do that, but he didn't."
Seriously, this guy needs to quit on principle or learn to lie effectively, especially if LOOOORDFIM is going to keep having hissy-fits and throwing him to the wolves that way.
Okay, how is Mike Bawden a spokesperson for Axanar? He doesn't know anything. That whole discussion he was like "I don't know, I'll ask Alec," "I don't know, Alec hasn't gotten back to me yet," "I don't know, Alec doesn't tell me anything," "I told Alec he needs to do that, but he didn't."
Seriously, this guy needs to quit on principle or learn to lie effectively, especially if LOOOORDFIM is going to keep having hissy-fits and throwing him to the wolves that way.
He's not a spokesperson, he's a PR rep. He just flummoxed an edition of a show that has effectively skewered his client in the past.
That's how.
Certainly anything he has is discoverable and I suspect that a conversation with the folks from Loeb has happened or soon will. But that only goes toward the causes of action in the lawsuit not toward any criminal activity.
Not actually true. The coffee was offered for sale to the general public through a website published by Hansa Coffee. The story behind the coffee, mostly in the Hansa guy's own words, is on AxaMonitor here.
Okay, how is Mike Bawden a spokesperson for Axanar? He doesn't know anything. That whole discussion he was like "I don't know, I'll ask Alec," "I don't know, Alec hasn't gotten back to me yet," "I don't know, Alec doesn't tell me anything," "I told Alec he needs to do that, but he didn't."
Seriously, this guy needs to quit on principle or learn to lie effectively, especially if LOOOORDFIM is going to keep having hissy-fits and throwing him to the wolves that way.
Mike Bawden is the worst PR representative I've encountered. And in my time as journalist, I've encountered plenty.
- Status