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So...what happend to the fan film rules?

FreddyE

Captain
Captain
I´m pretty much out of the loop when it comes to fan films. The fan film rules have been in effect for a while now. What´s been the experience with them since they got published? Have projects tried to bend or break them? How did CBS/Paramount react in those cases? For example: Is the "no ongoing series" rule really enforced? Or do projects generally get away with that as long as they adhere to the rest of the rules?
 
First, they are Guidelines not rules. As far as i know CBS has not done anything (beyond settling the Axanar case) in regards to someone breaking the the guidelines.
 
I´m pretty much out of the loop when it comes to fan films. The fan film rules have been in effect for a while now. What´s been the experience with them since they got published? Have projects tried to bend or break them? How did CBS/Paramount react in those cases? For example: Is the "no ongoing series" rule really enforced? Or do projects generally get away with that as long as they adhere to the rest of the rules?
Post Guidelines...
  • The Star Trek Renegades team hastily rebranded and did a superficial job of changing the most obvious Trek elements in their sequel film, renaming all the characters and races and superficially altering uniforms and sets
  • CBS strongly suggested that Tommy Kraft not pursue his Star Trek: Federation Rising sequel to Star Trek: Horizon. He didn't.
  • CBS allowed Continues to finish films they had in the pipeline even though those technically violated some of the Guidelines
  • CBS was unhappy with aspects of Temporal Anomaly and maker Samuel Cockings worked with them to get the film released
  • Most fanfilms complied with the naming guidelines and removed "Star Trek" from their film titles
  • A number of fanfilms folded up shop, including Farragut
  • Alec Peters continues to not make his endlessly promised pair of Axanar shots and we all wish he'd just go away and STFU
 
I´m pretty much out of the loop when it comes to fan films. The fan film rules have been in effect for a while now. What´s been the experience with them since they got published? Have projects tried to bend or break them? How did CBS/Paramount react in those cases? For example: Is the "no ongoing series" rule really enforced? Or do projects generally get away with that as long as they adhere to the rest of the rules?

Read for yourself, direct from the current source:
https://www.startrek.com/fan-films
 
It looks to me like they're working very well. The ridiculous crowd funded efforts to make "professional" fan films has stopped. The quidelines are allowing groups like Intrepid and Potemkin to carry on even though they may be in some minor areas not in total compliance. The main thing they've done is make it really clear that CBS/Paramount is/are serious about protecting their intellectual rights and anyone who ventures into fan production territory should realize that there are things they can do, things they can't do and things they might be able to get away with provided they are discreet and they're clearly not trying to make money off that IP.
There also is the (possibly) unintended side effect of killing any trace of sympathy all but the most devoted Axanites would have for Alec Peters.
 
Axanar recently received a letter from CBS about their constant violations of the settlement agreement, which is what begat the rules in the first place.
 
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