CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar

[Search4]

Alec's history of collecting a large amount of very valuable props could be of interest to C/P should there be significant damages awarded. I'm guessing they comprise the bulk of his net worth at this point, and may well be worth far more than the studio assets.

So what's interesting is that CBS/P is suing both Axanar AND Alec. They could sue the former, only, and shut down the production. Why sue Alec? To "Pete Rose" him out of Star Trek, including Axanar, the studio doing further Trek productions, and very very likely the prop business, where after all he held a "Star Trek Auction" not two weeks ago. They are clear on what they want - no movie and no Alec.

 

[BillJ]

So what's interesting is that CBS/P is suing both Axanar AND Alec. They could sue the former, only, and shut down the production. Why sue Alec? To "Pete Rose" him out of Star Trek, including Axanar, the studio doing further Trek productions, and very very likely the prop business, where after all he held a "Star Trek Auction" not two weeks ago. They are clear on what they want - no movie and no Alec.

He lived the good life for a couple of years off of the fruit of something that didn't belong to him. Now, he's getting smacked down... hard. I really don't feel bad for him at this point in the game.

 

[ThankYouGeneR]

So what's interesting is that CBS/P is suing both Axanar AND Alec. They could sue the former, only, and shut down the production. Why sue Alec?

Huh. I never thought about that before you mentioned it.

 

[jespah]

So what's interesting is that CBS/P is suing both Axanar AND Alec. They could sue the former, only, and shut down the production. Why sue Alec? To "Pete Rose" him out of Star Trek, including Axanar, the studio doing further Trek productions, and very very likely the prop business, where after all he held a "Star Trek Auction" not two weeks ago. They are clear on what they want - no movie and no Alec.

It's also that there is the possibility of commingling. Get to AP and you can potentially also get to Propworx, as he is the sole owner (treasurer, etc., too, per Calif. AG's office). Not saying that's the motivation; it could just be a side benefit thereof.

 

[Admiral Cain]

It's also that there is the possibility of commingling. Get to AP and you can potentially also get to Propworx, as he is the sole owner (treasurer, etc., too, per Calif. AG's office). Not saying that's the motivation; it could just be a side benefit thereof.

Considering there is a question of whether or not Axanar donations were initially sent to Propworx's bank account, I would think C/P would want to be able to look at Porpworx's books and bank statements.

 

[Mytran]

I seem to vaguely recall the Axanar Principal explicitly stating that Indiegogo made them a better offer, thus the switch from Kickstarter for the last fundraiser.

Both his extolling of how awesome the Kickstarter rep was and his subsequent admission a few months later that he was going with Indigogo (following a very persuasive meeting with their own rep) are on the official podcasts (sorry I can't remember which ones)

 

[muCephi]

EDIT: On second thoughts a LucasFilm type agreement/contest could be done for one good reason: as a practical way to get all those worms back into the can; basically saying, "THIS is the only permissible way to do make fanfilms, short, free, etc., and we'll C&D to death anyone who steps outside those boundaries."

yes clearly this is as corporate-cynicism as it gets, make your fan film, and all your ideas belong to us. work for hire, without pay. but its the inevitable outcome when you back a bunch of VPs and attorneys into a corner and invite them to consider the prospect of "let a thousand Axanars bloom" atop ever evolving technology.

So what's interesting is that CBS/P is suing both Axanar AND Alec. They could sue the former, only, and shut down the production. Why sue Alec? To "Pete Rose" him out of Star Trek, including Axanar, the studio doing further Trek productions, and very very likely the prop business, where after all he held a "Star Trek Auction" not two weeks ago. They are clear on what they want - no movie and no Alec.

I didn't think I saw the idea of reselling Trek objects in the list of prohibited activities requested in the injunctive relief. However, if discovery reveals Propworx being significantly entangled in all this, then I guess they might demand he leave that too, as part of negotiations.

Only a very few props/costumes (my guess about 1%) cross over the $10k range. And I don't see it would make any sense or even be legal for CBS to target them. They sold the things, after all. I think they'd just want cash.

 

[Maurice]

Frankly, if fans want to make movies, let them make their own original IP in the same genre. Those heartless corporations don't have to allow ANY of this.

As to the props, if they end up settling CBS/Paramount can ask for whatever terms they want so long as those terms are legal. They could say, "In lieu of damages you give us X, Y and Z and agree to not sell Star Trek related anything for n years" or whatever.

 

[muCephi]

Now everyone who expects this to happen, raise your hands.

 

[BillJ]

Frankly, if fans want to make movies, let them make their own original IP in the same genre. Those heartless corporations don't have to allow ANY of this.

I like fan films. I just don't need exact recreations of fifty year old sets and costumes, along with state of the art CGI that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Somewhere along the way, it feels like some people lost track of what a fan film is suppose to be. It took you guys a long time to finish the second Exeter episode, but it was clearly a labor of love. As was the early New Voyages stuff.

The newer stuff made possible by crowdfunding just don't feel like fan films for the most part. But that is my hangup.

 

[muCephi]

Frankly, if fans want to make movies, let them make their own original IP in the same genre. Those heartless corporations don't have to allow ANY of this.

As to the props, if they end up settling CBS/Paramount can ask for whatever terms they want so long as those terms are legal. They could say, "In lieu of damages you give us X, Y and Z and agree to not sell Star Trek related anything for n years" or whatever.

I am still thinking there could be a place for fan films doing retreads of existing characters in times already covered by the IP holder. It would have the least risk of preempting the future value of the IP holder's expansion of the franchise.

I agree CBS/P could ask for props in exchange for cash. I just don't think its very likely they would target them. Rubber guns are going to deteriorate relatively soon. Many props value is dependent on the desires of a handful of collectors, and so would be hard to justify as some particular cash value on anyone's bookkeeping. If Alec should have to bankrupt, he'd have to liquidate some assets.

I wonder if all this is going to have an impact on the Propworx Trek auction which I hear is supposed to happen at the 50th in Vegas.

 

[Maurice]

I like fan films. I just don't need exact recreations of fifty year old sets and costumes, along with state of the art CGI that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I'm with you. I'd rather see a good script well acted on limbo set than expensive museum pieces with amateur hour scripts that say nothing. I don't get the thrill some people seem to get from elaborate sets and effects in lieu of a well told story.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

What are people's reactions to RMB stating he is not the Director and, at least to me, explicitly saying there WILL BE NO Axanar?

 

[Noname Given]

What are people's reactions to RMB stating he is not the Director and, at least to me, explicitly saying there WILL BE NO Axanar?

I thin it's more a case of RMB worrying about being named as a 'Doe' and if/when he is, his defense will be: "Why am I being sued? There never has been/never will be a film for me to direct..."

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I thin it's more a case of RMB worrying about being named as a 'Doe' and if/when he is, his defense will be: "Why am I being sued? There never has been/never will be a film for me to direct..."

I'll have to go through and find the tweet, but he was clearly ticked off at something and said "There is no Axanar any more" and that he'd moved on to other things

 

[ThankYouGeneR]

Since the first of January when discovering the suit [and] finding out wth was going on, [we found ourselves] unexpectedly .......... becoming sort of skiddish; delaying [continued] donations for other films (and a studio).
.......................................
I, well the two of us, just can't possibly be the only fan film donors out there who are experiencing this feeling of not knowing how to address this funding thing anymore.

Ah. I just read "There are a lot of scared folks out there, afraid to donate to a fan production due to the climate now," in today's 1701 article. "some fans who have freely given to such campaigns in the past are being much more cautious."

It's not just the two of us experiencing this.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Ah. I just read "There are a lot of scared folks out there, afraid to donate to a fan production due to the climate now," in today's 1701 article. "some fans who have freely given to such campaigns in the past are being much more cautious."

It's not just the two of us experiencing this.

No, two ensigns on deck 39 do not know about the trouble either

 

[CRM-114]

What are people's reactions to RMB stating he is not the Director and, at least to me, explicitly saying there WILL BE NO Axanar?

Either RMB has found himself one of the Does and is trying to protect himself, or maybe the project is finally dead in the water.

 

[Admiral Cain]

Only a very few props/costumes (my guess about 1%) cross over the $10k range. And I don't see it would make any sense or even be legal for CBS to target them. They sold the things, after all. I think they'd just want cash.

I'm thinking about Alec's unsold personal collection. Star Trek props are among the most sought after and fetch high prices at auction. A reputable auction house could easily appraise them. C/P may want to target Alec's personal collection because it is a significant asset - and my be worth more than the cash on hand, real estate, or business assets he owns if there are significant damages awarded.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Trek_auctions

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Either RMB has found himself one of the Does and is trying to protect himself, or maybe the project is finally dead in the water.

I think it is the second option... The reason for that was that some tweets (still looking for them) mentioned there was no more Axanar, no more production work and that some top people had moved on