I'm not confused about it at all.. Most casual fans don't bother with this stuff. They just don't.
CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar
- Thread starter Richard Baker
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I sometimes wonder-- what fun new sci-fi series we might see if the people behind New Voyages, Continues and Axanar put their efforts into a new idea rather than a Star Trek fan film. Where would we be if George Lucas made a Flash Gordon movie like he'd intended instead of Star Wars when he couldn't get the rights?
Where would we be if Gene Roddenberry hadn't created Star Trek, and just decided to write more episodes of other people's TV shows? Or if Robert Kirkman hadn't created the Walking Dead and just wrote for Spider-Man?
The people behind these fan films are clearly very talented and passionate; perhaps it's time they graduate to creating their own stories. I'm not criticizing their choice to make these films, but rather offering an exciting alternative possibility than "doomsday for fan-films" should CBS decide to shut everyone down.
Where would we be if Gene Roddenberry hadn't created Star Trek, and just decided to write more episodes of other people's TV shows? Or if Robert Kirkman hadn't created the Walking Dead and just wrote for Spider-Man?
The people behind these fan films are clearly very talented and passionate; perhaps it's time they graduate to creating their own stories. I'm not criticizing their choice to make these films, but rather offering an exciting alternative possibility than "doomsday for fan-films" should CBS decide to shut everyone down.
Do you realize that's CNN, a major news outlet, reporting on the new Star Trek television series while showing an unauthorized fan film and crediting it to CBS? It proves the point that there is confusion. It's not about fans, who may not be quite as savvy as you think judging by the Axanar-faithful, but about the general public, who definitely can't tell the difference. This video proves that.
Consumer confusion is already happening. And CBS/Paramount are coming down on Axanar, which promised to be a professional production.
Neil
Problem being, it is much tougher to get financial support for a property without wide spread mass penetration. Gerrold's Starwolf only did like $88,000 of the $650,000 asked for.
I equate it to being in a cover band.. Sure you can whip out a rousing rendition Hound Dog, but that still doesn't make you Elvis.
Also, some people have turned to fan films because it's the only work they can get. It's also fun.
I would hope that these guys get over themselves and get something good done.
I do realize it's CNN. I also notice that ANY time a major network news program talks Star Trek, they almost always get something wrong, and I'm not talking about the usual "Star Trek will be warping to the big screen so set your phasers to awesome" kind of stuff. Some intern was probably looking for some content and that's what they got. Not everyone who works in TV is a Trekkie/Trekker/Trekkist.
Then thank you for proving my point! You said, "I don't think anyone is going to be confused about Axanar." but clearly people would be confused by it. This isn't Mayor Quimby saying "May the force be with you" to Leonard Nimoy (oh how I miss @oswriter), this is a major news network crediting CBS with an unauthorized fan production. There should be no confusion in the marketplace.
Neil
It's a puff piece on CNN. It is exactly Mayor Quimby saying "May the force be with you" to Leonard Nimoy.
Still, it would be nice to see them try. Maybe one of them has the next Star Trek in them somewhere.
No doubt about that. But the good thing is, at this point the creators of NV and Continues have built up a strong fan-base. Axanar too. I'd wager that if they kickstarted their own concepts they'd have a built-in fanbase many of whom could be convinced to pitch in. Particularly because they've SEEN what these guys are capable of. They could still hire the likes of Gerrold and Snodgrass to do the scripts, the same actors and directors-- maybe even the likes of Tim Russ and Gary Graham to star.
Just trying to illustrate that a shutdown of fan films (which i am still not convinced is coming) could have a positive outcome.
No one said YOU are confused. The point IndySolo is making is that to Joe Q. Public, the people out in the world who don't pay any attention to this kind of thing, they can't tell the difference.
THEY are confused.
You know, like the asshole at CNN who thought adding a clip from Renegades to a report about the news of the new series coming next year.
People outside of fandom don't know the difference. The fan films are getting to the point that Joe Q. Public can't tell the difference. WE know the difference, but that's because we watch and we read and we dissect every last detail. Joe Q. Public simpy ain't got time fo' dat.
And that's why CBS and Paramount are suing Alec Peters. Not just because he made some money off their IP, not just because he blatantly violated their copyright by mass-merchandising for his fan film using their IP, and not just because he's a colossal dick to anyone and everyone. It's because with his pet project, Axanar, CBS and Paramount are now finally concerned enough about this BRAND CONFUSION to do something about it.
I think the danger here is that, if CNN, a major news outlet, could be make that mistake, then the "brand confusion" -- that looms as a shadow over every fan film's fear of shutdown-- has already begun.
If CNN could be confused, how might viewers who are now going to be watching a REAL Star Trek show online, right "next to" the likes of New Voyages and Continues on Youtube.
Nothing worth having is going to be easy to get. Fan filmmakers have chosen to pursue these projects, with high-cost items involved like sets, make-up, wardrobe, effects, etc. I almost loathe crowdfunding being bastardized as it has been to support these projects because I agree, people should dedicate their time, energy and resources into original content and we as fans should be more willing to support those projects.
That being said, a lot of the people doing these kinds of projects also simply don't know what they're doing when they start out. Example #1: Alec fucking Peters. Star Wolf was a joke, too. Certainly projects like New Voyages have benefited from having the time to hone their skills and bring on more talent to improve their presentations, but at the same time -- that's why these people aren't cutting it in actual Hollywood. It's cutthroat out here.
You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig. I find it hard to believe the premise that anyone will confuse a a fan film (regardless of how shiny it looks) with the real deal.. Some intern grabbing some footage off the internet for a CNN puff piece isn't a lot of proof to go on.
Oh please....we're not friends DoubleohFive...
Puff piece or not, it aired on a globally televised, major news network. That's pretty damning if you ask me if we're talking about the plausibility of brand confusion.
...except it wasn't a puff piece on CNN. It was legitimate entertainment news about the first new television series based on Star Trek being produced by the actual people who, you know, own the right to do so and it was being broadcast by CNN, arguably one of the top major news outlets in America, if not the world.
It's an embarassment to their research team (who did that research anyway? Marc Cushman?) that they even got as far as WATCHING any of Renegades for that story.
All of which is simply due to how far fan films have come in the last fifteen years. This kind of brand confusion is precisely what CBS wants to quell.
I believe CNN knew exactly what the footage was, and figured "What the hell?" and used it in their announcement of the new series. This is a non-issue for me.
Plus it's CNN. It's not the first time they got something wrong.
Well it's not your copyright. But to say there's "no confusion" is obviously wrong.
Neil
While i'll agree that the difference between real Trek and Fan-Trek is huge, the average viewer is easily confused.
With new Real Trek being broadcast online, it's not difficult to imagine someone who doesn't know it's on All Access googling "New Star Trek series," stumbling upon "New Voyages" on Youtube and being VERY confused.
With new Real Trek being broadcast online, it's not difficult to imagine someone who doesn't know it's on All Access googling "New Star Trek series," stumbling upon "New Voyages" on Youtube and being VERY confused.
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