Can I give you a +10 for understatement? I'm utterly thrilled that they're as open as they are. I really can't think of any other franchise that's as generous.
Regarding Fan Films set in the Abramsverse
- Thread starter Captain Jed R.
- Start date
Can I give you a +10 for understatement? I'm utterly thrilled that they're as open as they are. I really can't think of any other franchise that's as generous.
Loken
Lieutenant Commander
Actually Lucasfilm is the gold standard of how to treat the fan film community. They set rules for all to follow, encourage fans to make films and then actively promoted a film contest.
If you know anything of the Star Wars franchise's treatment of fan films, CBS can't hold a candle. I have spoken to the key people at CBS asking them to adopt such practices but unfortunately they don't want to deal with fan films unless absolutely necessary. Not that they don't care. I love the people at CBS, but they just don't get paid to deal with fan films.
I can confirm there is such a ban. The head of CBS legal gave it to me personally.
And, personally I think it's damn fair. The reason is simple: they will not allow any direct competition to the franchise's current money maker. They give us so much and ask so little. "Don't take away any of the money we can make from what we own and are making money from now"
It works this way. Say a fan loved Star Trek, but then thought Star Trek Into Darkness sucked big time and didn't agree with how JJ handled the characters. Well, in steps BigJJFan Productions with THEIR sequel Star Trek Into Light. Fan then starts pumping his money into BigJJFan Productions and promoting it all over the web. Well...there's a bunch of cash and PR and talk not going to CBS's cash cow.
We're pretty lucky that CBS legal considers all other fan films as adding to the interest in JJ Trek.
If you really want to do/see a JJverse fanfilm I am sure you will get to see one. You just have to wait until CBS gives up on the cash cow and lets Trek go into hibernation again. Then it won't be competition.
(And to clarify: CBS owns Star Trek and the merchandising. They "gave" the license to Paramount (for the time being) for the feature films. So...it all kicks back to CBS. And, well, all the toys, glasses, uniforms, etc that is sold because of the feature films is by CBS and they are the ones profiting from it. ALL Paramount makes money from is the films themselves.)
Then how come it was Paramount/Bad Robot that were able to stop the Abramsverse novels that were going to be produced by Pocket and they seem to control the Abramsverse comics produced by IDW?
Patty is in Error. There is no such ban form CBS or anyone regarding the Abrams stuff. I think everyone just assumed that because those films were the" it thing" right now not to do something with them, when in reality there is no ban on doing a fan film set in that universe! The only BAN is on making money and you can bet the hammer will fall on the crowd funding stuff very soon. I think J.J. and Bob Orci and those guys would be flattered if someone paid tribute to their stuff! They are very cool guys. I have spoken to CBS legal about several different issues over the years and they have always been very helpful in what to do and what not to do. I am sure they don't draw a distinction between which eras of Trek to do a fan film about!
James Cawley
James Cawley
In Star Trek: Hidden Frontier there's an interesting nod to the JJAbramsverse. A wormhole opens up near Romulus and the USS Odyssey manages to shut it down before it destroys the whole system. Then they mention a mining ship is nearby.
I feel that I should explain what I meant. Whether a story is set in the Prime universe, the JJverse, or the Mirror universe, it won't make a single difference to the average movie goer. No fan film will unless it was given massive amounts of media attention. So to just discriminate based on the universe it's set in would be pointless. It has nothing to do with entitlement as I'm not making a fan film (I did have an idea for a JJverse story, though).
But given James Cawley's post, I don't think it's an issue.
But given James Cawley's post, I don't think it's an issue.
Curious that this "ban" has become something that comes up even though it doesn't exist.
Having said that: it would be very difficult to do the JJVerse. The CGI isn't a problem, but the sets?
Having said that: it would be very difficult to do the JJVerse. The CGI isn't a problem, but the sets?
Does it mean JJVerse completely? Or just the crew of the Enterprise in the new timeline?
uh...what? Mallory told us years ago that they would consider it direct competition. And you, yourself, told Star Trek Origins of that so they changed their plans on using the JJverse.
Did they change the rule since then?
Abramstrek is so bad that fan films become competition?
Why, you only have to film in Apple stores and breweries, using IKEA furniture.
This thread should be used in every discussion of eyewitness testimony in the country. Wow. This wasn't even a quick, high adrenaline event, it was a corporate meeting, and folks can't agree on what happened.
It should also serve as the value of PUTTING AGREEMENTS IN WRITING. It really shows how people can hear things differently. Think you've an agreement to do almost anything involving time and money to be put out in the future? PUT IT IN WRITING AND AGREE ON THE TERMS. I am not going to back-reference some of the fights in this community in recent years, but here's the outcome: PUT IT IN WRITING.
We should all be glad we live in the age of 1001 cameras recording everywhere. I'm confident there will be many fewer innocent people convicted.
And no, I am not saying if James or Patty heard what they thought they heard... or even if something entirely different was stated. I have not a clue!
It should also serve as the value of PUTTING AGREEMENTS IN WRITING. It really shows how people can hear things differently. Think you've an agreement to do almost anything involving time and money to be put out in the future? PUT IT IN WRITING AND AGREE ON THE TERMS. I am not going to back-reference some of the fights in this community in recent years, but here's the outcome: PUT IT IN WRITING.
We should all be glad we live in the age of 1001 cameras recording everywhere. I'm confident there will be many fewer innocent people convicted.
And no, I am not saying if James or Patty heard what they thought they heard... or even if something entirely different was stated. I have not a clue!
So can we make fanfilms in the JJverse or not?
Maybe.
Except I don't think there was such a meeting where both of the posters were involved. At least that's not how it reads.
I would suspect that CBS would hold the same policy towards 'anything' Star Trek, JJ or classic universe. But.. when we delve into JJ's universe we have more company's involved, mainly Paramount (Viacom) and Bad Robot and as such, that can complicate things more on a legal matter in terms of fan usage. Star Trek is unfortunately a complicated property.
Similar threads
- Locked
