It was nice of him to mention us. I have no problem with it. Project: Potemkin has been discontinued until further notice. We have, as pointed out in Jonathan Lane's article, four other productions in progress. And we're having fun. To us, that's all that matters.
CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar
- Thread starter Richard Baker
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Yeah!!! To the Bat Cave!
Is Axanar already assuming a loss at trial? Alec Peters' Q&A at Second Life conference reveals a long-term legal strategy, and how the film may change in the lawsuit's wake.
Winston & Strawn represented Chapterhouse Studios against Games Workshop in that copyright and trademark infringement case up through the appeal, from 2010-2013.
I expect that Winston factored a possible appeal into their decision to take the case, since it appears most significant copyright cases aren't really resolved at the district court level.
I expect that Winston factored a possible appeal into their decision to take the case, since it appears most significant copyright cases aren't really resolved at the district court level.
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In principal, I wouldn't have a problem with the whole thing becoming a Prelude-style documentary. They would have to re-do that of course unless they're happy for Part III to look substantially different to all the others, not just in terms of running time but also the aesthetics and, erm, the cast too.
But sadly this whole thing has tainted Prelude for me, I liked it initially, but everything that's followed means I can't watch it again and I wouldn't go anywhere near anything else this cabal could produce. I could never watch Alec Peters act again and keep a straight face.
But sadly this whole thing has tainted Prelude for me, I liked it initially, but everything that's followed means I can't watch it again and I wouldn't go anywhere near anything else this cabal could produce. I could never watch Alec Peters act again and keep a straight face.
Between W&S's own ambitions (Ranahan's desire to set precedent), their tenuous Chinese connections (not sure there's really anything too this, sounds 'mysterious' though lol) and then these 'native advertisements' that I'm sure Bawden is deeply plugged into, I'm starting to get the feeling that LFIM is himself, getting played by multiple people for multiple reasons.
If you want to indulge in a little tin-foil-hat-like speculating, I think once LFIM & Axanar crossed an invisible line, various parties swooped in, started encouraging his behavior and quietly began trying to shape it so as to provide the perfect sort of cover for whatever schemes they were (and still are) trying to advance.
If any of this is true, then its all the more amusing that LFIM doesn't even realize he's being toyed with.
There are also these for your amusement..........
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Is Axanar already assuming a loss at trial? Alec Peters' Q&A at Second Life conference reveals a long-term legal strategy, and how the film may change in the lawsuit's wake.
Every single thing Alec plans here is based on the assumption that he will keep his studio and that he can keep operating it and making a profit from it through the appeals process.
Given all the openly non-Trek ambitions he is expressing for the studio, I think aggrieved donors now have much clearer evidence to go after Axanar through the California government.
'Scuse me... "our studio"?
The studio that never existed?
The studio asset that was to become "their" asset of the investor group, no longer "our" asset of Axanar Productions, with the money put back into Axanar and the studio asset irreversibly handed over to an external third party, so that no one could accuse Axanar of diverting movie funds to a for profit non-Trek business?
The asset built on stolen C/P IP value and donors who did NOT donate to GIVE a FREE studio to "us" for "whatever" purpose?
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So they will "document" and "transform" the licensed Four Years War board games? Do a commentary on a war gamer entertainment? Without a license?
Transforming the original work, or transforming a derivative work, seems the same battle to me.
'Liberal' does not equal 'Libertarian'. My point? If Mr. Peters thinks the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court is just going to effectively strike down IP Copyright protection by setting such a precedent with this case (assuming it is adjudicated, and goes to appeal) - I'd really like to get what he's smoking because it must be some good sh*t.Is Axanar already assuming a loss at trial? Alec Peters' Q&A at Second Life conference reveals a long-term legal strategy, and how the film may change in the lawsuit's wake.
I put this latest prediction of in the same vein when he stated his motion to dismiss was going to get some portions of (or even the entire thing) dismissed; and further he believed the Judge would take a few weeks of read it over to make a ruling. What happened was that the Judge made a ruling in under 24 hours; and it was to DENY Axanar's motion to dismiss in its entirety - and the Judge even did include a subtle Star Trek in-joke with a portion of the way he worded his ruling.
In the end, an appeal won't save Axanar or Alec Peters. I suppose though, he's just interested in seeing if he can keep the donations coming and get those gullible enough to think he actually has some chance of prevailing on an Appeal, to send his more money.
The man truly is a determined Grifter.
The longer everything is delayed, the less chance angry donors will go to the government for relief rather than just walking away.
Well like I said if they decide to go down the route of Prelude style fictional documentaries they'll have to start from scratch anyway due to, for one, the time limits. It sounds like they're preparing their supporters for a production that will in no way resemble what they've hooted and hollered about for years and they're probably trying to think of the best way of asking people who paid for something to look like Star Trek to now pay for something that will not look like Star Trek. At all.
The longer they wait, the closer the statute of limitations gets. Then they'll have no recourse at all
With as blind as most of the Axalytes are thanks the to the lawsuit, I have no doubt a nice chunk of em won't hesitate to open their wallets for Big Daddy Alec.
RMB doesn't seemed to have changed one bit either
https://twitter.com/BurnettRM/status/779446401579098112
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I suppose it won't. Except to the bruised egos of the Marines.
But you know, consumer protection offices have a way of getting past whether there are lots of people who don't care enough, and saying "this is BS, you can't do it, says *us*". Maybe by pushing so hard to turn a recurring non-Trek profit off of the donation-funded studio, and openly claiming ownership of the studio, Axanar will really kick a tripwire of some sort of fraudulent appeal for funding.
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I hate to bring this up but I can't help but wonder whether Continues deciding to plow ahead with long running times, etc... in disregard of the guidelines on the basis of "they're guidelines, not laws" will somehow play into Axanar's future strategy. There's no way Alec would want to bind himself to rules that aren't even being consistently honored by other productions.
Cash makes no enemies
CBS/Paramount are the final arbiters in regards to who they'll decide to take legal action against. Again, no where in those guidelines does it say:
"if you deviate from these guidelines we will sue you..."
it's more:
"If you stick within these guidelines you are pretty much safe; but we still reserve ALL our rights - grant you NO RIGHTS to our material - and will do what we see fit..."
Again, the Guidelines issued have NOTHING to do with CBS/Paramount's case in chief. Axanar couldn't use them as any sort of defense; as the Guidlines were issued AFTER the lawsuit was filed. Even if Axanar tried to - it can be shown they violated EVERY ONE of them (including run time as "Prelude to Axanar" is over 15 minutes in length.)
The Guidelines are NOT a Contract, confer no rights to fan groups producing material using the Star Trek IP - and thus would be immaterial to any legal case as written. That said, if some group who claims they followed them all still gets sued - the Guidelines would most likely be challenged <--- And THAT would indeed be a precedent setting case. Until that happens the Guidelines exist as the are and again, confer no rights to use Star Trek for anything.
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