It IS a shame that the overall tone of discussion in the fan film world has changed.
It is also a shame that so many new fans were introduced to that world BECAUSE of the high-dollar fan projects like Renegades and Prelude. I think it colored what people expect in a negative way, because it was an unsustainable trend.
That came about because of a sorta perfect storm of:
- Trek being off the air for decade and not being sure what CBS was going to do with it. People wanted to make there own version of trek that was close to what they lost in 2005 when Enterprise ended.
- Crowd-funding sites that came in to prominence at the beginning of this decade. There was actually some precursors to online crowdfunding before this, like Trekunited in 2005
- Updates to computers hardware and software that made it easier for the average person to create decent VFX and a much cheaper cost.
- People in the industry getting involved that made it easier to get well know actors involved and thus boost the promotion of their respective projects.
- Sites like Youtube and Vimeo that let producers put trailers that reached a more massive audience.
I was involved with all these aspects above (to one degree or other), and was even there helping Alec to get going (then the one-upsmanship started) before Prelude. Unfortunately, Alex got to much money, and got greedy, and basically screwed the who thing up for a lot of us. If Alec had started his production after his first big funding drive, Axanar would be done, and we would not be here in this thread talking about it. He had to try and get his own studio, when he should have just rented one and got the film done. What he failed at, and still fails, to understand is, its not his money! When people donate, they put there TRUST in you to deliver. I hate that these early donors got screwed, if goes against my core values of delivering what you promised.
As far as big fan films go, their dead, the guidelines killed them. Maybe its a good thing, Star Trek is back and there is more to come. I have also enjoyed some of the more recent small fan films. Keep it up guys!