CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar

[Mudd]

Of course they sued. Because Axanar is looking better than the stuff CBS / Paramount is putting out.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Building your own studio to make your own for-profit productions off the back of fan donations is absolutely crossing the line. Without a doubt.

Amen. Especially when said studio is designed to appeal to others who want to make Star Trek fan films. So not only did they build a for-profit studio off of someone else's IP they also built the structure to charge OTHER production groups who are also using the same IP.

Of course they sued. Because Axanar is looking better than the stuff CBS / Paramount is putting out.

I really hope this case goes all the way and CBS is ruled to have insufficiently defended their copyright and it's declared public domain. Give the franchise to the fans and let them play in the sandbox. Half of the fan productions are better Trek than the Abrams stuff anyway.

Seriously? "Looking better"? A bunch of talking heads and quick action shots that look like cheap imitations of nuTrek is better than anything CBS/Paramount is putting out.

Holy cow.

 

[KennyB]

Too close to the direction CBS have just approved for the New Series perhaps?

I was thinking the same then took it further to, they LIKED the idea and want to use it too. Could it wind up like this:

1) Sue Axanar

2) Settle out of court

3) Use the ideas in ST 2017

4) Axanar Team gets paid.........Doners get screwed.

Just passing evil thoughts in my head.......

 

[Squiggy]

Of course they sued. Because Axanar is looking better than the stuff CBS / Paramount is putting out.

I really hope this case goes all the way and CBS is ruled to have insufficiently defended their copyright and it's declared public domain.

Give the franchise to the fans and let them play in the sandbox. Half of the fan productions are better Trek than the Abrams stuff anyway.

 

[BillJ]

There’s as petition. I signed it, but I am not kidding myself in thinking it will make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/cbs-suppor...utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

Good to know that Change.org is used for such important matters.

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

Why would CBS have communications with AXANAR only to shut them down later? This must mean they where on 'good' terms at one stage but at some point those relations turned sour or went silent... ?

Do CBS communicate with the other productions? What are they saying to them?

Perhaps CBS had some red lines that were crossed? I can't see CBS allowing anything unofficially or officially because when it gets to the lawsuit stage they are undermining their own arguments or something... I suggest there has been no communication with CBS at all..

From my understanding CBS doesn't have "official" conversations or communications with ANY of the fan films. Some times, they get notices from CBS Legal.. New Voyages got one from a script they were considering... Star Trek Continues got one about their logo, which they changed... but overall, any suggestion that CBS had previously"Approved" axanar are GROSSLY misleading.

 

[JoeZhang]

Why would CBS have communications with AXANAR only to shut them down later? This must mean they where on 'good' terms at one stage but at some point those relations turned sour or went silent... ?

Do CBS communicate with the other productions? What are they saying to them?

Perhaps CBS had some red lines that were crossed? I can't see CBS allowing anything unofficially or officially because when it gets to the lawsuit stage they are undermining their own arguments or something... I suggest there has been no communication with CBS at all..

Yes I was wondering the same thing - will be interesting to see what emerges in the court transcripts might be a bit of a gap between previous claims and what is said under oath...

From my understanding CBS doesn't have "official" conversations or communications with ANY of the fan films. Some times, they get notices from CBS Legal.. New Voyages got one from a script they were considering... Star Trek Continues got one about their logo, which they changed... but overall, any suggestion that CBS had previously"Approved" axanar are GROSSLY misleading.

I might be mixing this up with another production but I am sure Axanar claimed it had conversations with unnamed CBS figures about what was permissible or not.

 

[Firebird]

Do CBS communicate with the other productions? What are they saying to them?

I know that the Star Trek Continues team has maintained an amicable relationship with CBS Legal. When one of their episodes was pulled from YouTube earlier this year, I believe CBS quickly helped STC get the episode put back online.

 

[Maurice]

For STR we did have pay for the actors and some crew that had specialties that we did not have volunteers for.

EDIT: ^^^I got the wrong quote here previously. Corrected.

Then someone(s) are in fact profiting, as I'm sure any entertainment lawyer worth her salt would argue.

But I guess some productions work on an Animal Farm basis

{APPLAUSE SIGN HERE}

Of course they sued. Because Axanar is looking better than the stuff CBS / Paramount is putting out.

Okay, put down the Tranya...

Whilst this lawsuit was prompted by Axanar promoting themselves as a professional Independent Star Trek production, I am still left wondering if there could be other mitigating factors. After all, Axanar have been promoting their film in this way for a long time now. Why did CBS not act sooner?

Here's the thing: it takes time to mount a legal case. A legal department can toss out a C&D like that, but if you're actually going to file suit your legal team has to assemble a case that they are certain they can win. You don't rush that. I'm certain they've been building this case for months.

 

[Philip Guyott]

There’s as petition. I signed it, but I am not kidding myself in thinking it will make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/cbs-suppor...utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

Good to know that Change.org is used for such important matters.

You should see some of the other petitions they have on there at times.

 

[Campe]

Here's the thing: it takes time to mount a legal case. A legal department can toss out a C&D like that, but if you're actually going to file suit your legal team has to assemble a case that they are certain they can win. You don't rush that. I'm certain they've been building this case for months.

Very true. Also interesting, since Peters was dropping info in their podcast about having lunch with CBS Legal in August, if I recall correctly. There are several possibilities:

1. Peters was lying out of his ass and didn't meet with CBS Legal.
2. Peters knew about the pending lawsuit and was attempting to sweet talk his way out of it.
3. CBS Legal was attempting to get some info on Axanar to see how deep it was going.
4. CBS Legal and Peters are, or rather were, really close friends prior to this.
5. CBS Legal had no qualms with Peters prior to this (or any other) lunch meeting and decided maybe they needed to look into it.

 

[Squiggy]

There’s as petition. I signed it, but I am not kidding myself in thinking it will make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/cbs-suppor...utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

Good to know that Change.org is used for such important matters.

You should see some of the other petitions they have on there at times.

I eagerly await Obama's opinion on the matter.

 

[BillJ]

Interesting, since Peters was dropping info in their podcast about having lunch with CBS Legal in August, if I recall correctly.

http://www.axanarproductions.com/axanar-and-cbs/

I wonder what was actually said in that meeting?

 

[Mudd]

Here's the thing: it takes time to mount a legal case. A legal department can toss out a C&D like that, but if you're actually going to file suit your legal team has to assemble a case that they are certain they can win. You don't rush that. I'm certain they've been building this case for months.

Well now, there's a point: CBS could have ended this with a C&D but they're choosing instead to spend a great deal more time and money to prosecute.

Ouch.

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

Here's the thing: it takes time to mount a legal case. A legal department can toss out a C&D like that, but if you're actually going to file suit your legal team has to assemble a case that they are certain they can win. You don't rush that. I'm certain they've been building this case for months.

Especially when you are coordinating between two different plaintiffs, (CBS, and Paramount)

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

Interesting, since Peters was dropping info in their podcast about having lunch with CBS Legal in August, if I recall correctly.

http://www.axanarproductions.com/axanar-and-cbs/

I wonder what was actually said in that meeting?

Considering that there were rumors this was coming that far Back, that had Alec issue a statement says something.....

 

[lurok]

Of course they sued. Because Axanar is looking better than the stuff CBS / Paramount is putting out.

Okay, put down the Tranya...

Whilst this lawsuit was prompted by Axanar promoting themselves as a professional Independent Star Trek production, I am still left wondering if there could be other mitigating factors. After all, Axanar have been promoting their film in this way for a long time now. Why did CBS not act sooner?

Here's the thing: it takes time to mount a legal case. A legal department can toss out a C&D like that, but if you're actually going to file suit your legal team has to assemble a case that they are certain they can win. You don't rush that. I'm certain they've been building this case for months.

Plus they (CBS) can do what they like, when they like. Though as you rightly say, if they're going to the trouble of taking it to court, you can bet your bottom dollar they're not doing it on a whim.

There’s as petition. I signed it, but I am not kidding myself in thinking it will make a difference.

https://www.change.org/p/cbs-suppor...utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

Good to know that Change.org is used for such important matters.

You should see some of the other petitions they have on there at times.

I have.

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

Here's the thing: it takes time to mount a legal case. A legal department can toss out a C&D like that, but if you're actually going to file suit your legal team has to assemble a case that they are certain they can win. You don't rush that. I'm certain they've been building this case for months.

Very true. Also interesting, since Peters was dropping info in their podcast about having lunch with CBS Legal in August, if I recall correctly. There are several possibilities:

1. Peters was lying out of his ass and didn't meet with CBS Legal.
2. Peters knew about the pending lawsuit and was attempting to sweet talk his way out of it.
3. CBS Legal was attempting to get some info on Axanar to see how deep it was going.
4. CBS Legal and Peters are, or rather were, really close friends prior to this.
5. CBS Legal had no qualms with Peters prior to this (or any other) lunch meeting and decided maybe they needed to look into it.

Scenarios 2 & 3 seem the most likely to me...

 

[Shikarnov]

OT, but I wonder how this will affect Phase II... Isn't James Cawley's Captain Kirk replacement a paid actor? I wonder if we'll see him back in the center seat again...

 

[SeerSGB]

Of course they sued. Because Axanar is looking better than the stuff CBS / Paramount is putting out.

I really hope this case goes all the way and CBS is ruled to have insufficiently defended their copyright and it's declared public domain. Give the franchise to the fans and let them play in the sandbox. Half of the fan productions are better Trek than the Abrams stuff anyway.

Yeah...copyright doesn't work that way. Trademark? Maybe. But copyright? Nah, it's CBS's baby till they sell it to Disney.