JAMES CAWLEY SPEAKS!
- Thread starter HerbFlynn
- Start date
Soooo not surprised...... smh. 
Amazing. If Star Trek is all about the fans, then other fans shouldn't be trying to ruin the fun.
I like what Cawley has done. I appreciate his work. And I get his point. But at the same time--he's not CBS, and if CBS is ok with this, then so be it. He should worry about his own stuff, and not that of other people.
I think that the STC production was absolutely terrific--almost as good as the real thing. I could see those scripts and stories, slightly tightened up, shot in the 1960s and some were as good or better than the real thing.
The acting was better too.
Cawley was a pioneer in this field and he did some amazing things too, but even if his beef with STC is legit, and even if Cawley is 100 percent right, and I'm not saying he is or isn't, I honestly don't care because STC entertained me.
The event above was free, and it was nowhere near Cawley's sets. Barring some super hard core fans that travel, there is no conflict due to sheer distance alone.
This should be a non issue.
I like what Cawley has done. I appreciate his work. And I get his point. But at the same time--he's not CBS, and if CBS is ok with this, then so be it. He should worry about his own stuff, and not that of other people.
I think that the STC production was absolutely terrific--almost as good as the real thing. I could see those scripts and stories, slightly tightened up, shot in the 1960s and some were as good or better than the real thing.
The acting was better too.
Cawley was a pioneer in this field and he did some amazing things too, but even if his beef with STC is legit, and even if Cawley is 100 percent right, and I'm not saying he is or isn't, I honestly don't care because STC entertained me.
The event above was free, and it was nowhere near Cawley's sets. Barring some super hard core fans that travel, there is no conflict due to sheer distance alone.
This should be a non issue.
Yes thanks Ray! I will never make it up to NY. It's just too far and this was a good way to show my wife the STC sets. I was a little disappointed in the new wall in Engineering. It takes away from the "grand" scale of it by not being able to step back and look at it. But, I understand and hats off to Ray for his hard work. Seeing filming going on in Engineering while we were there was a plus. James' sets seem fantastic and the complete bridge set is probably worth the admission if you live any where close. But for most people its just too far.
Wow - that's VERY hypocritical of Mr. Cawley considering HOW he finally happened to become an official licensee.
There's a lot of misdirected bitterness there, I think. NV was good for its time. There is no need to feel some kind of competition. Continues was on a completely different level. It really was that good, and honestly I hope one day CBS finds a way to canonize it. Visiting those sets isn't hurting Cawley's business.
Star Trek Continues, New Voyages, Exeter, Farragut, and the lot were fan films. Period.
Oh, yeah. And I enjoyed them.
I continue to enjoy many fan films coming out.
There's really not much more to it than that.
Oh, yeah. And I enjoyed them.
I continue to enjoy many fan films coming out.
There's really not much more to it than that.
There's always that star trek theme park opening in Jordan. Maybe they'd want it.
CBS might not have a choice in it, oddly. James might have an exclusive right to the set tour thing. At least for a bit of time. And if they allow two, why not three? Why not four or five? Then that would really start cutting in James's business. Sure, CBS has the lawyer power to find away around it, but, why spend the money?
It's interesting that the man who could be considered a Founding Father of fan films is now being portrayed as a petulant whiner.
I wonder how many of the folks who are now complaining about him were helped by him in some way (large or small) when they started working in the fan film community?
I wonder how many of the folks who are now complaining about him were helped by him in some way (large or small) when they started working in the fan film community?
To be honest (and partly because of what he's been through with SOME other fan film groups - and ;people like Alec Peters) - he's always been somewhat vocal and protective believing he was the first to do fan films at this level; and others just started copying his style, and taking credit for something he feels he started.
I have found James C. to be honest and forthright, direct as to what he wants to do and what he does not want to do. Lately, within what remains of the Star Trek fan film world, there are individuals who court controversy and are eager to nip and pick at the IP holders any way they can, including nipping and picking at people who hold licenses, such as Mr. Cawley.
It's a strange situation, and a disheartening one.
In essence you have one media outlet, Fan Film Forum - operated by a man who is not afraid to cast shade on anyone who has been on his buddy's "bad person" list - that regularly and without invitation inserts itself into any real or imagined dispute between veterans or newcomers in the fan film world.
Sadly it seems that @TREKZONE.org (at least in this instance) rashly jumped into the dispute, before asking some actual journalistic questions of Mr. Cawley.
Let's briefly discuss the issue at hand: The sets in Kingsland, GA. and the free FAN EXPERIENCE that was recently held there....
While Mr. Tesi repeatedly claims that these sets will be freely (minus costs incurred) available to fan film makers and that he is "discussing" the matter with CBS, what is left out is that when you have a free item that is ALMOST the same as the item you have to pay for, and then you host an event that promotes said almost the same free item, people will be inclined to use the FREE item, instead of paying for the one with a price tag.
If you are the person who PAID FOR THE RIGHT TO SELL the item, you will naturally be quite frustrated by the appearance of a knock-off being offered for almost-free.
In addition, a PAID service (the Fan Film school) is also directly impacted by the (almost) FREE service provided by Mr. Tesi.
Why is anyone upset that James is upset? A competitor has arisen who is NOT shelling out a penny in fees to CBS, who does not have to take any of the (expensive) steps that Mr. Cawley has to take to protect guests, including insurance, etc. as well as the logistics and scheduling costs. There is also a Patreon that Mr. Tesi has had in place for a few months that reduces his costs even further, and the Patreon page specifically states that (in the event of an excess) monies collected be used to make further improvements. So Mr. Tesi has the potential to create a well funded and continually improving competitor to Mr. Cawley's LICENSED venue.
Can you see why that might make someone who has given a significant amount to the fan film community a bit grumpy?
It's amazing to me that a few shady comments here and few gripes there has turned a natural reaction to an open competitor into something inappropriate and worthy of criticism.
It's a strange situation, and a disheartening one.
In essence you have one media outlet, Fan Film Forum - operated by a man who is not afraid to cast shade on anyone who has been on his buddy's "bad person" list - that regularly and without invitation inserts itself into any real or imagined dispute between veterans or newcomers in the fan film world.
Sadly it seems that @TREKZONE.org (at least in this instance) rashly jumped into the dispute, before asking some actual journalistic questions of Mr. Cawley.
Let's briefly discuss the issue at hand: The sets in Kingsland, GA. and the free FAN EXPERIENCE that was recently held there....
While Mr. Tesi repeatedly claims that these sets will be freely (minus costs incurred) available to fan film makers and that he is "discussing" the matter with CBS, what is left out is that when you have a free item that is ALMOST the same as the item you have to pay for, and then you host an event that promotes said almost the same free item, people will be inclined to use the FREE item, instead of paying for the one with a price tag.
If you are the person who PAID FOR THE RIGHT TO SELL the item, you will naturally be quite frustrated by the appearance of a knock-off being offered for almost-free.
In addition, a PAID service (the Fan Film school) is also directly impacted by the (almost) FREE service provided by Mr. Tesi.
Why is anyone upset that James is upset? A competitor has arisen who is NOT shelling out a penny in fees to CBS, who does not have to take any of the (expensive) steps that Mr. Cawley has to take to protect guests, including insurance, etc. as well as the logistics and scheduling costs. There is also a Patreon that Mr. Tesi has had in place for a few months that reduces his costs even further, and the Patreon page specifically states that (in the event of an excess) monies collected be used to make further improvements. So Mr. Tesi has the potential to create a well funded and continually improving competitor to Mr. Cawley's LICENSED venue.
Can you see why that might make someone who has given a significant amount to the fan film community a bit grumpy?
It's amazing to me that a few shady comments here and few gripes there has turned a natural reaction to an open competitor into something inappropriate and worthy of criticism.
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They are on opposite sides of the country. One is not taking a penny out of the other's product. They are not competition and they offer different agendas. Not even close to understanding. Just because Cawley does something first, does not make it HIS. He has always been a baby like this. Its why he packed up his toys and went home the second there was superior competition. He pocketed money for films he never released and turned it into a for-profit business venture.... not cool, man, not cool. But I'm not going to go there.
I actually vividly remember (but can find no links) concerning him working WITH Alec Peters to expand the focus of NV, get new sets, new actors, new branding, relocated everything, started doing kickstarters...... Peters was a part of his downfall, part of how NV/P2 over-reached; they were not enemies......
I actually vividly remember (but can find no links) concerning him working WITH Alec Peters to expand the focus of NV, get new sets, new actors, new branding, relocated everything, started doing kickstarters...... Peters was a part of his downfall, part of how NV/P2 over-reached; they were not enemies......
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Licensees pay money for their licenses. They expect the copyright and trademark holder to protect the property, enforce exclusivity and support the value that they get for their fees. That makes this whole thing go around, and Cawley is certainly within his rights to complain.
As a matter of geography the two sets are not "on opposite sides of the country" (I can reach either in less than a day's drive) and that's not a relevant standard in any case.
As a matter of geography the two sets are not "on opposite sides of the country" (I can reach either in less than a day's drive) and that's not a relevant standard in any case.
Chuckle. “I’m not going to go there, I’ll just abandon an argument that I can’t substantiate”
So if you want to make a Fan film you can schedule the sets in NY or your are just screwed? Also, I don't consider a 17 hour drive "less than a days drive" for a normal person. If Ray does not allow any fans to visit the sets but does let people make Fan films there is there still a problem?
