Couple things, Rod does not have any rights to Star Trek as mentioned, he does still get royalty checks from CBS though, so money but not rights. The purpose behind Renegades is to make a 90 minute pilot, that will be presented to CBS as a pitch for a web series (not a TV series, but hey, who knows ). You can call it a fan film but given that many professionals will be involved we prefer 'independant production' . If the film does not work as a pitch to CBS is will simply be a film for all to enjoy on the internet. This project is primarily being made by the Star Trek: Of Gods and Men team but will have many new and professional additions to the production team. One of the main goals is raise the bar on the production values (full HD, better VFX, etc..) as compared to the Star Trek: Of Gods and Men that was done on a shoe string budget. This is not a sequel to Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, it is completely different. It is set 12 years after the return of Voyager and is set in the prime universe timeline. Walter Koenig will play a 140ish Admiral Chekov, which should not be to much of a surprise since we saw and old Mcoy in TNG, Tim Russ also reprises as Tuvok. Garrett Wang has just joined the cast, more actors to be announced.
Good to have a few more details - at least a 90min movie will happen; it's DEFINITELY our Chekov, and a higher quality than OGAM. it'll be interesting to see how you do sets since a 24th Century ship set isn't as known to exist as Kirk's Enterprise (aren't there about 3 now?!) I guess there is no time travel or parallel universes here, and since Russ, Wang and Intiraymi are all confirmed to be playing their old parts, could one call this a Voyager movie/series? Has filming already started or was that just a trailer shoot?
As for the official/fan label... who cares? It's a label, and you're arguing over minutiae just to be contradictory. It's almost as bad as all the ego waving that goes on about what is and isn't canon. OGAM was an entertaining, quality product that fits into the Trek verse nicely. Even the cheesy low budget graphics had a nice retro scifi feeling to them. No telling what kind of work this is going to be, but I'd say that teaser trailer is just that, a teaser. They probably have a script and a story concept by now, but being they're still announcing actors and cast I don't think they've started shooting. So this one could be awhile, but I'm looking forward to it.
When someone tries to claim its "official" they're trying to add an air of credibility the production and it's dishonest. Rod Roddenberry has no rights to produce "for profit" Trek, so call it what it is, a fan film. For me, it sets the whole project off on the wrong foot from a publicity standpoint.
Quite a few so-called Star Trek fan films out there already have benefited from the contributions of professionals.
I figure an independent production is when the rights owner greenlight's a movie/series, but then tells the production company that the condition of approval is that they pay their own way, use their own equipment, etc. A fan production is when no rights have been granted, but the production company uses the license to create a work based on that franchise. Renegades is a fan production, just as OGAM was a fan production. That doesn't make it good or bad, but it certainly doesn't make it an independent work, since that would imply they have received the rights to create something from the license. What they're hoping is that this fan production catches the eye of Paramount/CBS, and that said license holder decides to greenlight that work, and then fund it as a "for profit" venture. No offense against Tom intended, just stating my own opinion.
That is as good as an interpretation as any. It is what it is, fan film or independant production, either way it is not a product made by CBS. As mentioned by an above poster, other fan films (like Phase2) certainly have had professional help. Beyond Lighthammer's post, nobody is calling this official. It is only 'official' if CBS wants to run with it. The only thing that makes it different is that it is a filmed product made to be a pitchable pilot, and if that does not work it will be released as film for fans to enjoy. So either way the goal is to put out an entertaining product for Star Trek fans.
I only learned of Of Gods and Men from this thread, and I enjoyed it. It's a really nice fanwanky addition to the Star Trek Universe. Only problem I had with it, is, it was all characters actors, no Leading Actor carrying the movie. I'm looking forward to the Sequel, and with that one little extra of having a Lead Actor that can carry it with Charisma, the Sequel could be awesome.
There is no sequel planned for STOGAM at this time. In some aspects, Renegades could be a sequel only where Chekov's character is concerned but thats it.
Yet more pointless splitting hairs over official/fan/independent films? Can anyone honestly answer what difference does the label make? Outside of one's perception of how things "should" be? As if they get to decide? Since this is on the future of Trek board, people really need to open up to the concept that sure CBS owns rights to Trek, but they're not doing anything with it and likely won't. The majority of the TV audiences would rather watch Survivor. Paramount seems ready to milk the JJverse for all it's worth, so we might be able to look forward to a film every 3 or 4 years assuming interest doesn't wane, but the fact of the matter is unless something drastic happens to create interest in the franchise as a whole, the future of the franchise as it stands is going to be in the novels and the fan productions. If you worship at the altar of canon, which by all accounts is as inconsistent as any religion, you're in for disapointment. To the above post, no this isn't exactly a sequel. It likely won't even tie in to the previous movie save that Chekov and Tuvok are in it. Though I suppose it's possible this "new threat" is somehow related. Though being they're secretly assembling a crew, I'd have to imagine that the threat is somehow an internal problem being "they will be hunted down as outlaws." But who knows?
Threat is not related to STOGAM's Gary Mitchell or Charlie Evans or anything related. That film was done as a tribute to the 40th anniversary of Star Trek, so it purposely contains several fanboy nods to TOS and it's characters. Beyond some returning characters (Chekov, Tuvok, Kim, etc.. so far) Everything will be all new. It is important to try to be as original as possible and not seem like a tribute to past Trek as STOGAM was meant to be. Established characters help establish give us the a familiar tie-in to the Star Trek universe but it is more important to establish many new characters to achieve a more compelling narrative going forward.
I haven't poked in this thread for a while because I absolutely agree with R. Star's sentiments. I get really frustrated when people who are able to get enough legal nods to make something really awesome in the Trek world and everyone pounces on it screaming "THIS ISN'T OFFICIAL, ITS NOT WORTH MY TIME". You *HAVE* to give to get and underground attempts like this are making big splashes, but not enough of a splash to get a real series on the air. This new project (that's a pilot btw) looks like a really good culmination of everything they've been playing with over the years. The work James Cawley has done has really pathed the way for a lot of things, such as the new Star Trek movies. Sadly he's been more of a footnote in history then anything =(.
You misrepresented what this project is and continue to do so, unless CBS commissioned this pilot. It is what it is.
Doesn't the Trailer Specifically say "Sequel"? Chekov was promoted to Admiral at the end of Of Gods and Men, so, that seems pretty Sequel-ish to me. Sure, the Stories may have nothing in common other than characters and what's gone before, but, I don't think the ST09 Sequel (STID) is going to have much in common with ST09 other than the characters and what came before
An independent movie is one produced and financed outside of the major film studio system. That's all it means.
Because this is not how you get TV shows made. And who involved with this is "able to get enough legal nods to make something"? Tim Russ? He may be able to get himself an audition for a roll in a future show, and might even be able to direct an episode, but as a producer he would be laughed out the door by CBS. And Russ probably has the most impressive resume of the people involved. You want to know who can get the legal nods to make a new TV show? Abrams, Orci, and co... Or Singer. Fuller may not even be able to get a show off the ground, but at least he wouldn't be laughed out the door. And if/when any of these guys tries to get approval it won't be with a filmed pilot in hand. It will be with a pitch, to be followed by a pilot script, and only then an actual pilot. If you think CBS is going to respond to these guys with anything besides a Cease and Desist, then you don't understand how business works.
If I had a dime for everytime somebody on this board thought CBS would give STOGAM and the producers a C&D during the past 5 years, I would be a pretty rich guy. lol
As long as you're not trying to generate a profit off of it, CBS is content to leave you alone. But it also isn't them encouraging you to make a pilot they didn't commission.