CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar

[muCephi]

I'm guessing the 90 minutes breaks down to two 15-minute episodes of Axanar, the Axanar: Heroes vignette and the Battle For Axanar documentary (which is sure to be the most imaginative thing they produce)

Publishing an official explanation of their conduct and budget seems futile these days. Anything they "officially" issue can be reissued on youtube as commentary, intercut with evidence that the claims are false, and links to extensive contradictory information. Axanar just can't control the narrative about their past conduct, much as their beliefs and desires tell them otherwise. "Getting the word out there" can only survive the test of time if the word is true. So that's pointless. The ONLY thing they can do is stfu and create real value without ego being imposed on any of the content choices going forward. The chance of this idea sinking in, though, seems miniscule.

 

[HerbFlynn]

To be fair to Alec, there's been a lot of rationalizations of late from fan-film producers along the lines of "they're guidelines, not laws".

No one has OPENLY challenged the guidelines - Continues may be doing something quietly behind closed doors - but they have yet to openly challenge the rules by releasing anything.

 

[muCephi]

To be fair to Alec, there's been a lot of rationalizations of late from fan-film producers along the lines of "they're guidelines, not laws". The most notable is Continues who is taking an attitude of "we'll just proceed as if there's no guidelines until told not to." If there's one thing Alec won't want is to see any other fan production get away with more than he does. So expect there to be a lot of "we can do this since they got away with it" going on.

If this happens, expect CBS to start issuing more C&Ds than they would otherwise.

I should think that Alec is the last person on the planet right now who could stand in front of a judge and say the guidelines he stipulated to follow don't apply to him because of the unrelated conduct of others. This would make the day of anyone at L&L.

 

[BillJ]

To be fair to Alec, there's been a lot of rationalizations of late from fan-film producers along the lines of "they're guidelines, not laws". The most notable is Continues who is taking an attitude of "we'll just proceed as if there's no guidelines until told not to." If there's one thing Alec won't want is to see any other fan production get away with more than he does. So expect there to be a lot of "we can do this since they got away with it" going on.

If this happens, expect CBS to start issuing more C&Ds than they would otherwise.

I thought CBS said that everyone that had stuff already in motion prior to the guidelines being issued could finish their projects?

In the settlement, Peters agrees to make Axanar according to the guidelines, so I think what other fan film are doing wouldn't represent an excuse for him to circumvent the settlement.

 

[mos6507]

Continues may be doing something quietly behind closed doors - but they have yet to openly challenge the rules by releasing anything.

During the lawsuit they criticized Alec for poisoning the well. But rather than submit to the well having been poisoned they simply decided to follow a tactic of selectively complying with the guidelines on the basis of "It's Better to Beg for Forgiveness than to Ask for Permission." We haven't seen the fruits of this yet, but that's where things stand with them unless there's been some C&D behind the scenes we don't know of.

 

[muCephi]

During the lawsuit they criticized Alec for poisoning the well. But rather than submit to the well having been poisoned they simply decided to follow a tactic of selectively complying with the guidelines on the basis of "It's Better to Beg for Forgiveness than to Ask for Permission." We haven't seen the fruits of this yet, but that's where things stand with them unless there's been some C&D behind the scenes we don't know of.

Its really hard for me to believe that CBS/P will bend on guidelines at the moment. Its part of the lawsuit settlement. Any bending will take the PR teeth out of enforcing their win, even if they could hold Axanar to the signed stip.

 

[carlosp]

There are times when I like to put 20/20 hindsight to work and pontificate how everything LFIM attempted to do, might have been done without pushing any "Red Alert" buttons.

I've actually given that a lot of thought myself.

 

[CaptGrumpy]

I've actually given that a lot of thought myself.

I guess that's the problem with a narcissist. He has to constantly blow his own horn without the thought that he is bound by rules or laws

 

[carlosp]

To be fair to Alec, there's been a lot of rationalizations of late from fan-film producers along the lines of "they're guidelines, not laws". The most notable is Continues who is taking an attitude of "we'll just proceed as if there's no guidelines until told not to." If there's one thing Alec won't want is to see any other fan production get away with more than he does. So expect there to be a lot of "we can do this since they got away with it" going on.

If this happens, expect CBS to start issuing more C&Ds than they would otherwise.

CBS has made it quite clear that they are dealing with any potential guideline problems on a case-by-case basis. They will not willy-nilly begin issuing C&Ds to other productions just because Axanar messes up.

 

[ThankYouGeneR]

I thought CBS said that everyone that had stuff already in motion prior to the guidelines being issued could finish their projects?

That is also what I understood to be the case back in the day when this Thread was discussing the new guidelines and listening to Mr. van Citters speak on the podcast. And also maybe some word from someone (so much information to process since then that I'm not certain on this) confirming the planned for end of the Continues series, one maybe two last episodes already planned & possibly/probably in the works, had met the criteria for 'before the guidelines were posted'.

In the settlement, Peters agrees to make Axanar according to the guidelines, so I think what other fan film are doing wouldn't represent an excuse for him to circumvent the settlement.

Agree



btw--- what does CFPB stand for?

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I've actually given that a lot of thought myself.

That might make a good "how this could've been avoided" article for Axamonitor.

 

[BillJ]

That might make a good "how this could've been avoided" article for Axamonitor.

Peters making it back when he collected the $300,000 dollars originally. 2014 BC (Before Carpet).

 

[CaptGrumpy]

Its really hard for me to believe that CBS/P will bend on guidelines at the moment. Its part of the lawsuit settlement. Any bending will take the PR teeth out of enforcing their win, even if they could hold Axanar to the signed stip.

I don't see that as a problem. This isn't about PR. They've let other productions skate. Remember what we've learned here about copyright law: They are and always be the sole arbiter as to who they go after; anybody, nobody, and all points in between. How much of a PR disaster was this? Not much, I think.

 

[ThankYouGeneR]

I just read on a Facebook page that Axanar will be "supplying 90 minutes of content" according to Alec Peters himself.

Huh. "content" That could afford a clever workaround couldn't it. And you guys were mentioning 'documentary' along with the two 15 min films. I can see that. Interesting. I won't be able to watch it because it would be too disturbing to me given what I know about the defendant and thiswholething now. But as for a solution for those interested, I can see it as workable. At this time at least.

 

[dmac]

I've actually given that a lot of thought myself.

In the 70's - mid 80's I worked with a venture capitalist group that mostly bought up bankrupted companies (for a penny on the dollar). Then put a team together to figure out why it didn't work and rebuild it from the ground up. It was something I really enjoyed but once you realize it means relocation every few years, well that part wasn't me.
In general it comes down to people not being able to see the trees through the forest, so that vision they have for the end product blinds them to the pitfalls right in front of them. Alec sold a movie he didn't own or have the rights to while his real product was a film studio that wasn't affordable or sustainable to make "free products" in. Seems terribly backwards to me.

 

[CaptGrumpy]

In the 70's - mid 80's I worked with a venture capitalist group that mostly bought up bankrupted companies (for a penny on the dollar). Then put a team together to figure out why it didn't work and rebuild it from the ground up. It was something I really enjoyed but once you realize it means relocation every few years, well that part wasn't me.
In general it comes down to people not being able to see the trees through the forest, so that vision they have for the end product blinds them to the pitfalls right in front of them. Alec sold a movie he didn't own or have the rights to while his real product was a film studio that wasn't affordable or sustainable to make "free products" in. Seems terribly backwards to me.

It seems a shame, if you look at it from a certain angle. This was meant to be a calling card to the industry for Alec. Now it seems to be a Do Not Touch card. Not that I sympathize with him. I thought he went way too far. And then when you thought he couldn't go further, he contacts Netflix to try to sell Someone Else's Stuff. Alec deserves to be a pariah.

 

[dmac]

It seems a shame, if you look at it from a certain angle. This was meant to be a calling card to the industry for Alec. Now it seems to be a Do Not Touch card. Not that I sympathize with him. I thought he went way too far. And then when you thought he couldn't go further, he contacts Netflix to try to sell Someone Else's Stuff. Alec deserves to be a pariah.

I wouldn't be surprised if he's contacted Alibaba who owns one of the media companies that was part of the billion dollar investment in Paramount last week. I'm sure they could get it green lit to be made with a single request.

 

[Noname Given]

In the 70's - mid 80's I worked with a venture capitalist group that mostly bought up bankrupted companies (for a penny on the dollar). Then put a team together to figure out why it didn't work and rebuild it from the ground up. It was something I really enjoyed but once you realize it means relocation every few years, well that part wasn't me.
In general it comes down to people not being able to see the trees through the forest, so that vision they have for the end product blinds them to the pitfalls right in front of them. Alec sold a movie he didn't own or have the rights to while his real product was a film studio that wasn't affordable or sustainable to make "free products" in. Seems terribly backwards to me.

Was the guy you worked for named Gordon Gekko by any chance?

 

[dmac]

Was the guy you worked for named Gordon Gekko by any chance?

No but he owned a Canadian football team, Touchdown magazine, some type of credit card phone company and probably bunch of stuff I never needed to know about.

 

[Sgt_G]

This isn't about PR.

It wasn't when it was a legal case. But now that the case is settled, it should be PR's turn to handle things.

How much of a PR disaster was this?

More than you suggest. CBS sat back and let Alec Peters run the narrative without any comment or public rebuttal. Not only did he have free reign on Facebook and Twitter, nobody challenged his spin on the facts with sci-fi bloggers. And worse, when mainstream media (Newsweek and others) picked up the story, CBS remained oddly silent, again allowing Alec Peters' side to be the only side told. In short, they conceded many early PR battles to Axanar. It's time they take it back.

There has long been a history of competing and conflicting agenda between the legal department and PR department for every business company and government agency going back the beginning of time. CBS listened to their lawyers and said nothing publicly, for fear it could harm the legal case. Okay, that's valid and sane advice and worth following. But that time is over now. I believe that once the dust settles, they need to have their PR team go public and explain in vivid detail why Axanar was sued and why no other fan-film productions warranted such action. The legal team seems to feel it's okay to let Axanar off the hook. The PR team should nail his hide to the wall. They can still win this in the court of public opinion. They can still win this PR war.