Could a Kickstarter Campaign Help Start a New Series?

[Tom]

Right C.E.. Even before the 2005 split Les Moonves was the top dog overseeing TV properties including Star Trek, and still is today. CBS wholly owns Star Trek and Paramount (as owned by Viacom) pays a licensing fee to make the Star Trek films. Because Summer still had his hands in both companies after the split, contracts between the 2 were a little lighter. Now the companies are growing more distant from each other. It may be conceivable that someday another film studios would pay CBS for the rights to make Star trek films.

back to tv... Kickstarter is not going to help, it is a minimum 3 million for each episode, fans could barely fund one episode, forget an entire season. Star Trek does does fit well into CBS's dynamic, it could never be shown on the CBS network itself because I could never sustain the high enough ratings. The best option is for CBS studios to film the show and then have a cable network (rather on they own network or license the broadcast rights out) show it.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Thanks C.E. Evans - and Tom! Everything's much clearer on that subject. Well, at least STAR TREK seems to be in good hands, regardless of whether or not it's in the "right" hands.

 

[mythme]

Isn't this what Tim Russ and the gang at ST Renegades are trying to do? Every step of their production is basically financed by kickstarter-type donations and the final product is to be submitted to various venues in the hopes of becoming a series

 

[Amaris]

If that's what they're doing, it's likely to fail. The moment they try to shop around a series based on Star Trek, CBS will put the kibosh on them tout suite.

 

[BillJ]

If that's what they're doing, it's likely to fail. The moment they try to shop around a series based on Star Trek, CBS will put the kibosh on them tout suite.

Yeah. The only place they can "shop" it, is to CBS. When CBS is ready to create a new series, they are going to decide the who, what, when, where and how. It won't be a fan or actor pitch.

 

[mythme]

Not naysaying that but I would expect the actors (Russ, Picardo, Koenig, etc) and the behind-the-scenes folk like Doug Drexler know that. They must have a plan for that contingency.

 

[BillJ]

Not naysaying that but I would expect the actors (Russ, Picardo, Koenig, etc) and the behind-the-scenes folk like Doug Drexler know that. They must have a plan for that contingency.

I think it's sad that they mislead people by claiming that they are making a pilot for CBS (which one of them was on here claiming last year).

 

[Mudd]

Not naysaying that but I would expect the actors (Russ, Picardo, Koenig, etc) and the behind-the-scenes folk like Doug Drexler know that. They must have a plan for that contingency.

I think it's sad that they mislead people by claiming that they are making a pilot for CBS (which one of them was on here claiming last year).

Yep.

 

[Amaris]

Not naysaying that but I would expect the actors (Russ, Picardo, Koenig, etc) and the behind-the-scenes folk like Doug Drexler know that. They must have a plan for that contingency.

Then what are they doing? CBS is the only game in town.

 

[trekker670]

Star Trek: Renegades is doing the same thing "Of Gods and Men" did and "Axanar" (and Phase II, to a lesser degree) are doing. They're using the names of the people involved (actors and production staff from the actual Star Trek shows) to give their productions clout and appeal to their audience.

In actuality, they're simply another fan film. Plain and simple. Their production values may be a bit higher than someone filming themselves in front of a greenscreen in a spare bedroom, but they're not close to being official, have little (read: no) chance of being "picked up" by CBS, and CBS could turn around and shut them down in a moments notice if they wanted to.


(Note: No disrespect intended to any fan productions or anyone involved. I enjoy watching them as much as the next guy, but that doesn't legitimize them)

 

[Shaka Zulu]

Star Trek: Renegades is doing the same thing "Of Gods and Men" did and "Axanar" (and Phase II, to a lesser degree) are doing. They're using the names of the people involved (actors and production staff from the actual Star Trek shows) to give their productions clout and appeal to their audience.

In the case of Phase II, it's a little bit a of a major degree; David Gerrold is now the showrunner on it.

 

[Tom]

Not naysaying that but I would expect the actors (Russ, Picardo, Koenig, etc) and the behind-the-scenes folk like Doug Drexler know that. They must have a plan for that contingency.

I think it's sad that they mislead people by claiming that they are making a pilot for CBS (which one of them was on here claiming last year).

Yep.

It's being made as a pilot, it can only be pitched to CBS since they own Star Trek (J Allen). I don't see how its misleading, it's presented as a pilot (for a web or TV series) that will either be accepted or rejected by CBS. Even if rejected, it still was pilot that was pitched.

Now, if someone said it is a new series that CBS will show, then that is very much false! (and I will shoot anyone in the production that says otherwise ).

I do see fans (on Facebook etc..) get a bit over zealous and say its a new series and I often have to correct them and say its a pilot to pitched and if it fails it will be just be a film that fans can enjoy on the internet.

 

[BillJ]

It is being made as a pilot, it can only be pitched to CBS since they own Star Trek (J Allen). I don't see how its misleading, its presented as a pilot (as a web or TV series) that will either be accepted or rejected by CBS. Even if rejected, it is/was pilot to be pitched.

But from everything I've ever read on the subject, that simply isn't how the pilot process works. The idea is pitched, tweaked by the network, then they invest in the production of said idea?

1. Have you guys pitched Renegades to CBS?
2. Does CBS have any input on the creative process?
3. Has CBS invested in the production of the pilot?

You guys are still misleading people about what this project actually is (a fan film).

 

[Tom]

It is being made as a pilot, it can only be pitched to CBS since they own Star Trek (J Allen). I don't see how its misleading, its presented as a pilot (as a web or TV series) that will either be accepted or rejected by CBS. Even if rejected, it is/was pilot to be pitched.

But from everything I've ever read on the subject, that simply isn't how the pilot process works. The idea is pitched, tweaked by the network, then they invest in the production of said idea?

1. Have you guys pitched Renegades to CBS?
2. Does CBS have any input on the creative process?
3. Has CBS invested in the production of the pilot?

You guys are still misleading people about what this project actually is (a fan film).

1. Have you guys pitched Renegades to CBS?

- No because its not done yet

2. Does CBS have any input on the creative process?

- If they view it and like the idea then yes of course they will have input, because they will be taking ownership of the concept.

3. Has CBS invested in the production of the pilot?

- Similar to the above question, but basically, if they view the pilot and like what they see, then they would have to completely re-film the pilot (or commission a second pilot, or go straight to episodes) under there own studios with union labor, re-contracting the cast so it conforms with industry standards.

Most pilots are pitched on paper and (if accepted) are then filmed using network funding, studios and union labor. There are also pilots that are individually filmed then presented to various networks, all though it is not as common as it was past.

CBS has taken paper presentations for potential Star Trek series before. What we are doing here goes one step further and actually produced a pilot to visually present the idea to CBS. If they do accept it, they will either commission a second pilot or episodes.

If they reject it, then it does end up a film for Star Trek fans to enjoy on the internet.

Even if rejected, it shows CBS how far people are willing to go to get a Star Trek series on TV (or even on the web) . We would be happy if it was even just a internet series. For the fans it is win/win because if CBS does want it, they get a series, if they reject then they get a great film. Either way it is going to be pitched.

 

[Mudd]

You guys are still misleading people about what this project actually is (a fan film).

Exactly so.

This project does not, BTW, resemble pitching in any way. In order to pitch, the potential buyer must have enough interest in what you're selling to agree to meet with you. There is no such relationship between the folks behind this project and any buyers at CBS.

This is more like the submission of a spec script, but not really.

 

[BillJ]

For the fans it is win/win because if CBS does want it, they get a series, if they reject then they get a great film. Either way it is going to be pitched.

So you guys are in contact with an actual decision-maker at CBS and they've agreed to view your film?

 

[Amaris]

If I'm piecing it together correctly, how it works is like this:

1) Raise the money to film a pilot
2) Complete Pilot and show it to CBS
3) CBS will either love the pilot, and invest time and money into it; reject it, due to whatever reason; or they will ignore it outright.

Is that the gist of it?

 

[BillJ]

...or they will ignore it outright.

I'm guessing that this will be the outcome.

It already looks like CBS has rejected pitches by Dorn, Frakes, Shatner, Singer and Orci.

 

[Amaris]

...or they will ignore it outright.

I'm guessing that this will be the outcome.

It already looks like CBS has rejected pitches by Dorn, Frakes, Shatner, Singer and Orci.

I wish them the best, but yeah, CBS doesn't seem interested in any Trek TV ideas at the moment.

 

[Mudd]

It already looks like CBS has rejected pitches by Dorn, Frakes, Shatner, Singer and Orci.

Again, assuming that in every case these folks actually got meetings with someone at the studio who was in a position to develop such a project. If any of them accomplished that much, they accomplished more than these folks will have when they've finished their movie.