Regarding Fan Films set in the Abramsverse

Discussion in 'Fan Productions' started by Captain Jed R., Oct 26, 2013.

  1. DCR

    DCR Commander Red Shirt

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    Can I give you a +10 for understatement? I'm utterly thrilled that they're as open as they are. I really can't think of any other franchise that's as generous.
     
  2. Loken

    Loken Lieutenant Commander

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    Actually Lucasfilm is the gold standard of how to treat the fan film community. They set rules for all to follow, encourage fans to make films and then actively promoted a film contest.

    If you know anything of the Star Wars franchise's treatment of fan films, CBS can't hold a candle. I have spoken to the key people at CBS asking them to adopt such practices but unfortunately they don't want to deal with fan films unless absolutely necessary. Not that they don't care. I love the people at CBS, but they just don't get paid to deal with fan films.
     
  3. PattyW

    PattyW Commander Red Shirt

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    I can confirm there is such a ban. The head of CBS legal gave it to me personally.

    And, personally I think it's damn fair. The reason is simple: they will not allow any direct competition to the franchise's current money maker. They give us so much and ask so little. "Don't take away any of the money we can make from what we own and are making money from now"

    It works this way. Say a fan loved Star Trek, but then thought Star Trek Into Darkness sucked big time and didn't agree with how JJ handled the characters. Well, in steps BigJJFan Productions with THEIR sequel Star Trek Into Light. Fan then starts pumping his money into BigJJFan Productions and promoting it all over the web. Well...there's a bunch of cash and PR and talk not going to CBS's cash cow.

    We're pretty lucky that CBS legal considers all other fan films as adding to the interest in JJ Trek.

    If you really want to do/see a JJverse fanfilm I am sure you will get to see one. You just have to wait until CBS gives up on the cash cow and lets Trek go into hibernation again. Then it won't be competition.

    (And to clarify: CBS owns Star Trek and the merchandising. They "gave" the license to Paramount (for the time being) for the feature films. So...it all kicks back to CBS. And, well, all the toys, glasses, uniforms, etc that is sold because of the feature films is by CBS and they are the ones profiting from it. ALL Paramount makes money from is the films themselves.)
     
  4. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    Then how come it was Paramount/Bad Robot that were able to stop the Abramsverse novels that were going to be produced by Pocket and they seem to control the Abramsverse comics produced by IDW?
     
  5. jamesmc

    jamesmc Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Patty is in Error. There is no such ban form CBS or anyone regarding the Abrams stuff. I think everyone just assumed that because those films were the" it thing" right now not to do something with them, when in reality there is no ban on doing a fan film set in that universe! The only BAN is on making money and you can bet the hammer will fall on the crowd funding stuff very soon. I think J.J. and Bob Orci and those guys would be flattered if someone paid tribute to their stuff! They are very cool guys. I have spoken to CBS legal about several different issues over the years and they have always been very helpful in what to do and what not to do. I am sure they don't draw a distinction between which eras of Trek to do a fan film about!
    James Cawley
     
  6. David.Blue

    David.Blue Commander Red Shirt

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    In Star Trek: Hidden Frontier there's an interesting nod to the JJAbramsverse. A wormhole opens up near Romulus and the USS Odyssey manages to shut it down before it destroys the whole system. Then they mention a mining ship is nearby.
     
  7. captainkirk

    captainkirk Commodore Commodore

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    I feel that I should explain what I meant. Whether a story is set in the Prime universe, the JJverse, or the Mirror universe, it won't make a single difference to the average movie goer. No fan film will unless it was given massive amounts of media attention. So to just discriminate based on the universe it's set in would be pointless. It has nothing to do with entitlement as I'm not making a fan film (I did have an idea for a JJverse story, though).

    But given James Cawley's post, I don't think it's an issue.
     
  8. Captain Jed R.

    Captain Jed R. Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Curious that this "ban" has become something that comes up even though it doesn't exist.

    Having said that: it would be very difficult to do the JJVerse. The CGI isn't a problem, but the sets?
     
  9. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    Ok...so how to account for this discrepancy given the first quote?
     
  10. Kruezerman

    Kruezerman Commodore Commodore

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    Does it mean JJVerse completely? Or just the crew of the Enterprise in the new timeline?
     
  11. PattyW

    PattyW Commander Red Shirt

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    uh...what? Mallory told us years ago that they would consider it direct competition. And you, yourself, told Star Trek Origins of that so they changed their plans on using the JJverse.

    Did they change the rule since then?
     
  12. jamesmc

    jamesmc Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    No, Mallory did not. At the time there was a lot of hub bub over merchandising and my personal opinion and
    recommendation was not to do it. I have all my emails.
     
  13. JarodRussell

    JarodRussell Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Abramstrek is so bad that fan films become competition?

    Why, you only have to film in Apple stores and breweries, using IKEA furniture.
     
  14. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    So, did the head of CBS legal do this or not?
     
  15. Barbreader

    Barbreader Fleet Captain In Memoriam

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    This thread should be used in every discussion of eyewitness testimony in the country. Wow. This wasn't even a quick, high adrenaline event, it was a corporate meeting, and folks can't agree on what happened.

    It should also serve as the value of PUTTING AGREEMENTS IN WRITING. It really shows how people can hear things differently. Think you've an agreement to do almost anything involving time and money to be put out in the future? PUT IT IN WRITING AND AGREE ON THE TERMS. I am not going to back-reference some of the fights in this community in recent years, but here's the outcome: PUT IT IN WRITING.

    We should all be glad we live in the age of 1001 cameras recording everywhere. I'm confident there will be many fewer innocent people convicted.

    And no, I am not saying if James or Patty heard what they thought they heard... or even if something entirely different was stated. I have not a clue!
     
  16. Kruezerman

    Kruezerman Commodore Commodore

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    So can we make fanfilms in the JJverse or not?
     
  17. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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  18. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    Except I don't think there was such a meeting where both of the posters were involved. At least that's not how it reads.
     
  19. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    <crickets>

    That's the response I expected.
     
  20. Tom

    Tom Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I would suspect that CBS would hold the same policy towards 'anything' Star Trek, JJ or classic universe. But.. when we delve into JJ's universe we have more company's involved, mainly Paramount (Viacom) and Bad Robot and as such, that can complicate things more on a legal matter in terms of fan usage. Star Trek is unfortunately a complicated property.