Anybody got any information about this? James Cawley evidently Facebooked last night that it's being shut down, but I haven't seen anything else.
Phase II shutting down?
- Thread starter syberghost
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I just looked at the facebook page, but didn't see that it said anything specific. There was one post about him "loving being stabbed in the back" and another about being "done," but I don't know if this pertains to Buck Rogers, Wild Wild West, Star Trek Phase II or something personal. We should wait and see before we jump to conclusions.
It would be really weird for them to suddenly shut Phase II down after giving Cawley a little background role in STXI.
Cawley has been upset because of personal attacks some Trekkies have directed at him. There has been a group at TrekMovie.com which have taken to attacking him at every opportunity. Even when some post isn't related to Phase II at all, they start attacking him if they can think of some weird way to bring him or Phase II into the subject. These attacking people seem to be idiots, but the world is full of idiots.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1530489018&v=wall&ref=ts
Here is his wall. He doesn't lack people consoling him. Patty Wright decided to treat it as 'done packing' for the Con.
Here is his wall. He doesn't lack people consoling him. Patty Wright decided to treat it as 'done packing' for the Con.
It would be a true shame if Phase II ended. They've been cranking out some excellent material lately and hit a good stride.
I really doubt the entire production would shutdown overnight, unless it was due to tax evasion or something.
I doubt Cawley is going to shut down production over bashing on the internetz. If you're going to tackle anything iconic, from Superman to Star Trek (as well as the mundane, like online erotica), you're going to get bashed by people who don't like what you're doing.
And anyway, the real Trekkers whose opinions matter post here, not at Trekmovie.com.
And anyway, the real Trekkers whose opinions matter post here, not at Trekmovie.com.
That's so far from true it's not funny.
Which is a separate issue from James and whatever's going on at Facebook...and as others have noted, he hasn't posted a word to indicate that his current frustration involves Phase II or his other movie projects.
I'm still wondering if that "stabbed in the back" line might have something to do with a stunt that went bad and he wound up getting poked by accident.
doubleohfive
Fleet Admiral
This isn't the first time there's been a shake-up with the New Voyages/Phase II people that gets made public but without any explanation. Back when Jack Marshall left, a big pomp and circumstance was made about how he was leaving but no explanation offered publicly. When posters inquired why, Jack got super defensive about it.
On a somewhat related note, I wish fans and friends would stop going nuts every time an obscure Facebook status appears. Clearly Cawley is having some issues with some people, and if it's because of the a-hole Trekkies out there, that's unfortunate. He's been doing this show for all these years as a labor of love and he's been kind enough to share it with us. That people are unable to offer their commentary in a constructive way is saddening and it's why I find myself hating Star Trek. Not because of the productions but because of the many, many assholes that call themselves 'fans.' Besides, even if Cawley were shutting down production, I have no doubt that there would be a PR announcement from him or at the very least a (lengthy, informed) post from GSchnitzer about same.
However, I will also agree with Maestro's point and expand it further: Cawley is re-interpreting a famous, beloved franchise. This isn't Exeter or Farragut or Hidden Frontier where most of the characters are all original creations, Cawley specifically resurrected the original big boys from the show. And more power to him for doing it successfully... but people disagreeing with your take on things, people not liking what you do, from Elvis hair to goatees to modern visual effects ... it's part and parcel for the entire endeavor.
But this same issue is also why I'm a little irritated that Cawley is trying to do same with the Wild Wild West and to a certain, lesser extent, Buck Rogers. Certainly I'm not against the guy doing what he wants to do, and I love that there will be new product out there ... but if the negative fan reaction is to the point that it's getting him down (and I admit I am totally filling in the gap there) then I kind of have to wonder why he'd be setting himself up for even more of it? I mean, clearly the resources are there to do pretty much anything the P2 guys want to do ... and licenses and rights aside, while Buck Rogers is at least something they can make some money off, it's not exactly venturing in to original territory for them.
On a somewhat related note, I wish fans and friends would stop going nuts every time an obscure Facebook status appears. Clearly Cawley is having some issues with some people, and if it's because of the a-hole Trekkies out there, that's unfortunate. He's been doing this show for all these years as a labor of love and he's been kind enough to share it with us. That people are unable to offer their commentary in a constructive way is saddening and it's why I find myself hating Star Trek. Not because of the productions but because of the many, many assholes that call themselves 'fans.' Besides, even if Cawley were shutting down production, I have no doubt that there would be a PR announcement from him or at the very least a (lengthy, informed) post from GSchnitzer about same.
However, I will also agree with Maestro's point and expand it further: Cawley is re-interpreting a famous, beloved franchise. This isn't Exeter or Farragut or Hidden Frontier where most of the characters are all original creations, Cawley specifically resurrected the original big boys from the show. And more power to him for doing it successfully... but people disagreeing with your take on things, people not liking what you do, from Elvis hair to goatees to modern visual effects ... it's part and parcel for the entire endeavor.
But this same issue is also why I'm a little irritated that Cawley is trying to do same with the Wild Wild West and to a certain, lesser extent, Buck Rogers. Certainly I'm not against the guy doing what he wants to do, and I love that there will be new product out there ... but if the negative fan reaction is to the point that it's getting him down (and I admit I am totally filling in the gap there) then I kind of have to wonder why he'd be setting himself up for even more of it? I mean, clearly the resources are there to do pretty much anything the P2 guys want to do ... and licenses and rights aside, while Buck Rogers is at least something they can make some money off, it's not exactly venturing in to original territory for them.
I am arrogant enough to disagree, however wise enough to know that you would have been insight than I. Would you be kind enough to explain to me. And, PM would be fine.
The notion that your or my opinion is of any more value than that of someone who posts at Trekmovie.com is arrant nonsense, that's all. It's not complicated, and you shouldn't have any difficulty with it. I won't be PMing you anytime soon.
That, of course, isn't even getting into the amount of overlap there is between the readers and posters there and here.
Anthony runs a damned good news site, has been very supportive of Phase II in the sense of providing ongoing publicity for it, and has been rewarded for all of that by tremendous traffic over there - one reason that James, or anyone, receives more criticism there than here is that far more people become quickly aware of the existence of a video release there than because it's posted here in the Fan Productions forum of TrekBBS. You get more attention, you get more criticism as well.
Say it with money... Phase II is trying to fund raise. Like everyone else, they have been hit hard by the recession. It's been my top headline at Star Trek Reviewed since August 7... the longest I've ever left a headline as my top headline.
To read about giving, read this: http://www.startreknewvoyages.com/Donate.html
For more ways to give, read this: http://forums.startreknewvoyages.com/index.php?topic=4808.msg68286#msg68286
Nothing shows more sincere support than a check or paypal payment. They are facing major real estate tax and utilities bills they need to meet. If you'd have felt good about paying $25 to see their stuff, send that. If you love them more than the price you'd happily have paid to see their stuff, send that.
Lowes cards are also helpful, but they don't pay utilities or taxes.
To read about giving, read this: http://www.startreknewvoyages.com/Donate.html
For more ways to give, read this: http://forums.startreknewvoyages.com/index.php?topic=4808.msg68286#msg68286
Nothing shows more sincere support than a check or paypal payment. They are facing major real estate tax and utilities bills they need to meet. If you'd have felt good about paying $25 to see their stuff, send that. If you love them more than the price you'd happily have paid to see their stuff, send that.
Lowes cards are also helpful, but they don't pay utilities or taxes.
James has been a professional entertainer for a long time. It underestimates him to worry that a difficult audience would discourage him to the extent of shutting down a project that he's committed to.
What he said.
James is an amazing person. I have had a few interactions with him, thanks to STR. In every case, I have walked away blown away by him... totally apart from his impressive films.
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