As I understand it guest performers might have their food and lodging covered. And perhaps travel fare.
BREAKING: Official Fan Film Guidelines Issued
- Thread starter Danlav05
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Could you elaborate? I really don't know what that means. I wouldn't want to work on a fan film, if I might have to testify in a court of law about whether someone in the production was literally hired versus being figuratively hired. Finessing points of view in order to get around the guidelines doesn't seem like a worthwhile endeavor.
Exactly.
"This fellow was hired to work in our fan film." could be taken literally. Or it could also be an expression that really means, "This guy agreed to participate in our fan project and we're covering his food and lodging."
This is essentially someone working for room and board. Their "reward" or "profit" isn't financial but rather the experience of participation.
Gotya. Dunno.
It might be interesting to see what officials at CBS say about that sort of thing. I'd suspect that if such a group were giving food and lodging to all the participants then it might fly better. Otherwise, one is differentiating between the "hirees" and the "volunteers," when everyone is supposed to be on the same plane there of volunteering. It wouldn't really look like an amateur production if there was a special guest star who got perks that nobody else did, would it? Or is it common practice to make exceptions for special guest stars? What's lodging in this case, anyway? Are we talking hotels, motels, or someone's living room floor?
If I had to hazard a guess: if someone was getting REASONABLE room and board for volunteering their time to do a fan film CBS would probably look the other way. In other words, not a luxury resort package, but, a stay in a Holiday Inn. Maybe a Marriott.
But, one would have to ask: do you REALLY need a celebrity in your fan film? If they are your friend, sure, that's different, but, getting a celebrity to do a day or two on our fan film... why? What's the motivation?
But didn't you all read what Robert Meyer Burnett said the other day? Film sets are too dangerous to allow volunteers to work on, so you have to hire professional, paid actors and crew to keep people from getting hurt! I mean, how dare CBS come up with guidelines that violate SAG union rules and OSHA standards?
Recognition?
The special guest star is a draw to view the film. That has the potential to turn the production of fan films into an arms race, though, of who can get the most popular guest stars. Frankly, that's the sort of arms race that partially led to this situation we're in now.
But an arms race to what end? Especially in light of the current guidelines?
Hopefully, because of the guidelines, things can turn back to quality rather than, "Hey, ya'll we got the guy that played Hawk in Buck Rogers!" (This is, of course, not meant to be a dig at anyone who DID use the guy that played Hawk nor a dig AT the guy who played Hawk).
I honestly feel like the efforts here to find all the loopholes are efforts to keep the arms race going. That's basically my concern. Some productions are no doubt comfortable with their amateur status. For others, it seems to be about finding an edge or gimmick. Getting a special guest star on an amateur production is, generally speaking, very much like a gimmick. Like you were suggesting with your Hawk example, I believe.
It would be beneficial for the community to cool it with the pushing of the boundaries. It'll last longer.
I don't mean artistic boundaries. I meant the legal boundaries. But, hey, whatev.
"Are you being paid to appear in this fan film?"
"No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night."
People push legal bounderies all the time.
When you do a steady 115-120 kph when the posted limit is 100 you are in a tolerable zone as far as the cops are concerned, but you are pushing the legal bounderies.
People will flaunt laws they consider unfair, unjust and unrealistic.
The guidelines state that if you stick with amateurs and stay within all the posted guidelines they promise not to take any action against you. However, they don't say they will immediately shut you down if you venture beyond those guidelines.
Consider what CBS/P tolerated before Alec Peters went too far. Their tolerance was pretty broad. Now the landscape has changed, but really by moderate degree. I suspect they still will still be reasonably broad even f not by former standards.
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Incorrect. Several attorneys have commented on that regard; TLR is that copyright is forever until it expires, or is actively transferred over to another party - no need to defend it constantly.
CBS has had discussions with fan films in the past, ranging from "don't do that" to "cool, nice flick!" to "this is your last warning before we sue your pants off". I've heard that CBS has sued fan productions prior to Axanar.
Trademarks need to be defended however.
I've heard that they have asked for certain scripts not to be filmed, and asked the Horizon guy not to make another movie, but I haven't heard anything about an actual court case proceeding where anyone has gotten sued before now. What are you referring to?
Weighing in as a long time Trek fan (me and my dad are celebrating our 50th year as fans) I'd like to say that although CBS has every right to do what they are doing, I feel they are sticking it to the hard core fans a little bit. I think the fan films address a niche in fandom that gets overlooked ( except maybe by the vast array of novels). Look, I absolutely love the JJ films, but let's face it - they are made to appeal to a mass audience, and of course they have to. They throw the hardcore fan a few bones, but understandably they must fill a wider spectrum and be spectacles. Gotta make money after all. The fan films are able to appeal to the hardcore fan. I love me some fan wank! But that audience isn't big enough to merit sole attention from the pros. By shutting down the fan productions they're leaving the hardcore in the cold. And that's not cool.
Solutions? Well, maybe Cawley and his gang and the crew making Trek Continues could get together and sit down with CBS. These days there are other venues - animation, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Crackle, etc. hell, they could end up getting PAID for their efforts, just by giving CBS creative control. In fact, when I first saw "AXANAR", I knew trouble was brewing and I wondered why the producers hadn't approached one of these entities with their ideas. Heck, they might have even gotten financial support and not have had to hit up Joe Trek Fan for dough.
Well, I hope they work something out. With no TV Trek, it would be unfortunate if all we would be left with is the big budget movie.
Here's to another 50 years of Trek!
Solutions? Well, maybe Cawley and his gang and the crew making Trek Continues could get together and sit down with CBS. These days there are other venues - animation, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Crackle, etc. hell, they could end up getting PAID for their efforts, just by giving CBS creative control. In fact, when I first saw "AXANAR", I knew trouble was brewing and I wondered why the producers hadn't approached one of these entities with their ideas. Heck, they might have even gotten financial support and not have had to hit up Joe Trek Fan for dough.
Well, I hope they work something out. With no TV Trek, it would be unfortunate if all we would be left with is the big budget movie.
Here's to another 50 years of Trek!
Honestly, between the lines this reads like you are urging productions to flaunt [i.e., flout] some or all of the guidelines, because you consider them to be unfair, unjust, and unrealistic.
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PMFJI, but: flout. Not flaunt.
Indeed. Fixed.
I'm not "urging" anyone to do anything. I am offering my opinion of how things stand.Honestly, between the lines this reads like you are urging productions to flaunt [i.e., flout] some or all of the guidelines, because you consider them to be unfair, unjust, and unrealistic.
