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CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar

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Update from http://www.axanarproductions.com/mythbu ... oductions/

After AXANAR is produced, we will still have a roughly $ 250,000 liability on the books for two years’ rent. Someone needs to pay that rent.

As a result, a small group of backers and fans have developed a plan to set up a separate company to take over the management the sound stage, pay the rent and reimburse Axanar Productions for the cost of the build-out. That company will assume the $250,000 liability for the remainder of the lease. To do that, the new company will need to be a for-profit entity and raise investment dollars for capital.

We consider this to be a win-win for everybody. The new entity will reimburse Axanar Productions all the money that was spent on upgrading the building and those funds will go into the production.

Well this is FUN!

Wonder how much Alec Peters will be associated with this new company. Or what his position will be in it, if any. Does he really think this will absolve him from any scrutiny for trying to profit off an IP?
 
We consider this to be a win-win for everybody. The new entity will reimburse Axanar Productions all the money that was spent on upgrading the building and those funds will go into the production.

So, are they broke? Or have the attorney's told them they are screwed?
 
^^^
From that link:
MYTH # 1 – AXANAR IS MAKING A PROFIT

Axanar Productions is operated as a non-profit corporation and we are currently working toward being recognized as a 501(c) 3 federally tax exempt non-profit entity.

Some people claim that the fact that we pay some staff a modest salary makes us for-profit. That is not the case. According to the IRS and every standard business practice, a non-profit can pay employees salaries. Donors know about these expenses and almost unanimously approve of the expenditures as the donors have seen the tremendous amount of work that Alec, Diana and the team have done over the past 18 months.

Alec Peters must be a wholesale idiot. Why? RIGHT NOW 'Axanar Productions' is listed as a for profit company. Until he (and if he ever does) get 501(c) 3 non-profit entity status; THEN he can claim Axanar Productions is a non-profit entity; until then, it's just not and CANNOT claim Axanar Productions is 'non-profit'.

Next is the tired Axanar claim that they "are not making any profit"; but while that could be seen as part of what CBS is against any Star Trek fan film groups doing - what CBS seems to have said (and no they're never put this out on paper or e-mail for good reason but it seems all other fan film groups are aware of this); and it's:

As a fan film group (outside of those employed by Hollywood Unions) NO ONE can see/receive ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL OR MATERIAL GAIN. <--- Yes, profit would be one form of financial gain; but paying yourself as a Producer (while NOT a member of the PGA); or CEO, or whatever title you want to call yourself while paying yourself and other non-Hollywood union members ANY SALARY for work done IS 'financial gain'. Plus being able to use pledge/donor funds to even only pay for a full year of rent on your studio up front is material gain.

So, as usual Mr. Peters is misstating what CBS (and others) have an issue with - that he (and others connected to Axanar who are also not Hollywood union members do work related to their particular unions) are experiencing financial gain (Yes, please go to the IRS and tell them a salary you were paid is not financial gain - and see what they say. I'm pretty sure the answer will be "it is". That said, whether you might or might not owe taxes to the IRS from said salary depends on how much was paid, and what type of organization paid it. In Mr. Peters case - at the time he drew said salary, 'Axanar Productions' was, and still is, listed as a 'for profit' entity. You cannot get around that by saying "Well, we want to be non-profit..." <--- Business in the U.S. doesn't work that way.

Next we have:
Investor Group Plans to Buy Axanar Studio Assets
http://axamonitor.com/doku.php?id=investor_group
^^^^
I don't know how Mr. Peters believes this will change anything with regard to the lawsuit as since 'Axanar Productions' will be reimbursed for the funds used in building out the space; the original money (which Axanar is being reimbursed for spending) was STILL RAISED BY THEIR USE OF THE STAR TREK IP. It's still 'financial gain' and it just means that money may (if C/P receive a Judgement with damages) be paid to C/P in the form of damages. Mr. peters does get effectively a $250K windfall by being relived of any responsability for future rent (which could also be seen and construed as 'financial gain'); and if one of the 'investors happens to be Mr. Peters himself, or a company he still owns (like say Propworx); the waters get even muddier. But, all that said, there's no getting around the fact that with this deal, Mr. Peters (and Axanar Productions which paid Mr. peters and others salaries) will still be seeing 'financial gain'; and will still have monetary assets that can be paid to C/P by a judgement that awards C/P damages for copyright infringement.

The only group truly screwed by this no matter how it turns out ARE the Axanar Pledgers/Backers/Donors.
 
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Investor Group Plans to Buy Axanar Studio Assets
http://axamonitor.com/doku.php?id=investor_group

It may give them money, but it admits they were squirreling away an asset of real value bought with fan money and Trek IP.

The flaw it seems to me in all this "win-win" is that CBS ain't gonna let them do any Trek. A group of Axanar-hot investors are gonna have a studio that's only a rental, and a principal customer who is banned from doing what the investors want and has in all likelihood lost most all its professional staff by the time some face saving alternative story is bought from someone. Donors are gonna demand whatever money C/P doesn't take, and Axanar Productions likely will go bankrupt.

Wow. THIS has a dry ice sliver's chance in hell of being a happy marriage between AP and yet another set of business associates.
 
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Neil

Ok, so now I have seen this clip, and thanks to Indy and whomever else, for the Posting!
The most casual and minimal of Star Trek fans could not possibly help but notice the more-than-similarities in this clip, to the Original. In fact, in my opinion, many would not necessarily know they were not watching original Production material, if it stood without the Axanar logo and such. Many of you know how "human" (emotional) I can be, and I am again emotionally torn between wondering why Axanar is even fighting this thing, and wanting someone to finish this thing!!! As I said, after viewing the other clip, no wonder C/P got on to this, with the "duplication" to the original! It probably took the "Star Ship Sweep Pass and Orbit Insert" Lawyers about 2 minutes of viewing...

But, Damn! As to my feeling - purely from what I see on the "screen" - too bad this "movie" could not have been done in a less controversial, and soon-to-be-judged illegal (IMHO) way!
 
^^^
From that link:


Alec Peters must be a wholesale idiot. Why? RIGHT NOW 'Axanar Productions' is listed as a for profit company. Until he (and if he ever does) get 501(c) 3 non-profit entity status; THEN he can claim Axanar Productions is a non-profit entity; until then, it's just not and CANNOT claim Axanar Productions is 'non-profit'.

He has been saying they have been "working toward" 501c3 status for most of the last year at least. It isn't that difficult, unless you are resistant to the idea that the firm becomes governed by a board of directors rather than a crown. Anyone who really believes this has only been about building a true public service organization hasn't been listening to the podcasts, or, really, anything Axanar has said.
 
I believe @Karzak said it best a few pages ago......but after making my eyes bleed reading the garbage his brain dead followers have posted, I'm going to come right out and say it - Alec is full of shit. So is Terry and so is Robert.

The fans are so taken over by Stockholm Syndrome it's crazy. I can understand the appeal of the kind of FASA based Trek Axanar attempted to emulate, but after so long, with no progress whatsoever and the facts of the case piling up and becoming even more obvious, the only logical thing to do is just admit to yourself that its done and just walk away - no harm, no foul. Anyone who keeps arguing for Axanar with the kind of blind arrogance that's been shown, is nothing more than a tool - plain and simple.
 
Maybe we SHOULD be taking passports from people!

Perhaps, but i know this morning I filed a petition to have Alec banned from entering the UK based on his theft of money, property (both physical and intellectual) and real and serious threats of harm to people that disagree with his position

He wants to play dirty, well so can I... *put pipe in mouth and smokes it in a cunning manner*
 
Has anyone ever seen the "Hitler founds out" meme videos? If not, it is a clip from some WW2 movie of Hitler getting some bad news and throwing a temper tantrun, and people will replace the actual subtitles from the movie with whatever subject they are making fun of. Example:

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I would love to see someone make one of these on the subject of AP getting the response from CBS of all the different items that Axanar had infringed on :lol:
 
This latest 'venture' is either an attempt at an insanity defence, or a diversionary tactic to try and confuse Loeb & Loeb (as if!)

You know, ever since the 'World Tour' was announced, I keep seeing the scene from Law and Order, where the female ADA asks that the accused surrender their passport as she considers them a flight risk!

I'm begining to think that maybe we SHOULD be taking passports from people!

EDIT: Ooops, I deleted and reposted this to insert my quote, but I see HMS Ark Royal quoted from my original post! Sorry!
 
Has anyone ever seen the "Hitler founds out" meme videos? If not, it is a clip from some WW2 movie of Hitler getting some bad news and throwing a temper tantrun, and people will replace the actual subtitles from the movie with whatever subject they are making fun of. Example:

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

I would love to see someone make one of these on the subject of AP getting the response from CBS of all the different items that Axanar had infringed on :lol:

People have...
 
Has anyone ever seen the "Hitler founds out" meme videos? If not, it is a clip from some WW2 movie of Hitler getting some bad news and throwing a temper tantrun, and people will replace the actual subtitles from the movie with whatever subject they are making fun of. Example:

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

I would love to see someone make one of these on the subject of AP getting the response from CBS of all the different items that Axanar had infringed on :lol:

Someone already posted a 'Downfall' video on this a few days ago in this very thread:
http://www.trekbbs.com/threads/cbs-paramount-sues-to-stop-axanar.278077/page-581#post-11501702

And here is a direct link to said video:
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Update from http://www.axanarproductions.com/mythbu ... oductions/

[...]
As a result, a small group of backers and fans have developed a plan to set up a separate company to take over the management the sound stage, pay the rent and reimburse Axanar Productions for the cost of the build-out. That company will assume the $250,000 liability for the remainder of the lease. To do that, the new company will need to be a for-profit entity and raise investment dollars for capital.
[...]

Looks to me like they're trying to shelter the profit from the lawsuit. For one thing, "reimbursement" could be less than 100%.

Something tells me that's not going to work -- and it might get the judge rather annoyed with them.

Can they even get away with effectively selling property that's currently under dispute in a legal case? I'd think that would be a no-no... ...and then there's the fact that much of that property contains CBS IP; can't really sell that for a profit, can ya? Not legally anyway.

Jespah or any of our other resident lawyers, can you sort out the legal possibilities here?

[edit: I suppose if they don't include the sets and whatnot, they *might* be able to get away with it... but I'm just not clear on this. Besides, didn't 'tainted money' or whatever buy all the equipment in the sound stage?]
 
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