Star Trek: Axanar

[Noname Given]

That's certainly true to some extent. However, there is an old saying "you can't steal a million dollars from a million dollar picture".

Remember we're talking about a system that tried to claim the film Forest Gump was a financial disaster when the author of the Novel came looking for payment from his contact's profit sharing clause..



Yet:

Winston Groom was paid $350,000 for the screenplay rights to his novel Forrest Gump and was contracted for a 3 percent share of the film's net profits. However, Paramount and the film's producers did not pay him, using Hollywood accounting to posit that the blockbuster film lost money. Tom Hanks, by contrast, contracted for the film's gross receipts instead of a salary, and he and director Zemeckis each received $40 million. Additionally, Groom was not mentioned once in any of the film's six Oscar-winner speeches. The dispute was later resolved.

It's why many things are done as 'non-union productions' (right or wrong); as the Hollywood unions have high fee costs and strict procedures (not related to safety) as to exactly how certain things need to be done, usually meaning swelled production crew numbers, etc.

Blaming costing expenses that have to be carried no matter what to a picture to make it appear like it lost money has nothing to do with unions. But thanks for saying what political party you are a devotee of, Foxahalic.

Um, I've been a Democrat my entire voting career; and find anything FOX News says full of crap (to put in nicely). Hell just look at my posting history.

All that said, Hollywood production is what it is, and there's a reason many (if not the majority) of production these days is done in Canada, Florida, and Australia -- to cut costs and go where they get various breaks in costs. The poster I replied to was wondering why Axanar (and other non-union productions) can put much more 'on the screen' for less.

I'm not anti-union by any means, but that doesn't change why many production companies go elsewhere to film these days.

(Sorry for the de-rail.)

 

[MikeH92467]

I'm not anti union either. I just think it's a question that should be raised and addressed.

 

[Maurice]

Not to derail the subject, but the economics of filmmaking are complicated. The current mess in the visual effects biz proves why going to the cheapest place isn't always the best solution for either the workers or the films.

 

[Ithekro]

The first goal of $100,000 has been reach. The end goal of $650,000 is out there, but the "stretch" goals are lower than that.

 

[Serveaux]

Looking at the quality of production the Axanar crew is going to put out for such a paltry (by Hollywood standards) sum does raise the question of where the zillions of dollars that go into productions from mainstream studios really end up.

The studios have layers upon layers of people who must be paid for their work. Not to mention state of the art effects, costumes, travel, and other expenses. A huge business with these kinds of investments require huge returns to stay in business and to create more product for their audiences.

Exactly so.

There's simply no comparison between the financing and "employment" practices of fan films and professional television and film production. The entertainment industry is in the business of providing actual career livelihoods for untold numbers of people - some of them very, very good and, thanks to the guilds and unions, at least decent for most.

 

[MikeH92467]

Looking at the quality of production the Axanar crew is going to put out for such a paltry (by Hollywood standards) sum does raise the question of where the zillions of dollars that go into productions from mainstream studios really end up.

The studios have layers upon layers of people who must be paid for their work. Not to mention state of the art effects, costumes, travel, and other expenses. A huge business with these kinds of investments require huge returns to stay in business and to create more product for their audiences.

Exactly so.

There's simply no comparison between the financing and "employment" practices of fan films and professional television and film production. The entertainment industry is in the business of providing actual career livelihoods for untold numbers of people - some of them very, very good and, thanks to the guilds and unions, at least decent for most.

Quite right. The unions and guilds only exist because of the abusive and exploitative habits of the studios. It's still an interesting situation when independents can do something so good for such a small budget.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

But again, people aren't paying their bills by working on fan films, are they?

 

[Ithekro]

Nope, just spending enough to pay for the things they need for the film.

 

[Kruezerman]

NITPICK! Why are the torpedoes red?

 

[urbandefault]

NITPICK! Why are the torpedoes red?

Because nobody is afraid of pink torpedoes?

Whoa, Spinal Tap deja.

 

[Ithekro]

Maybe they are weaker than the later Constitution's blue torpedoes.

 

[aalenfae]

NITPICK! Why are the torpedoes red?

I think it's because they're red in almost every version of Star Trek except the re-used effect from Balance of Terror, which was kind of pinkish/blue anyways.

My bigger question is why TOS-era phasers are ALWAYS blue in fan films, but are every shade of the rainbow in TOS. Green, blue, red, purple, etc. Why single out blue?

 

[Kruezerman]

White phasers? Definite 50s look!

 

[Ithekro]

Interestingly enough, USS Ares does not fire her phasers during the documentary. Some of the other Federation ships do, though we don't see any of the other Federation ships, aside from Ares, use torpedoes.

The Klingons seem to only use photon torpedoes in ship to ship combat in these actions.

 

[Maurice]

BTW, the BOT effects were NOT torpedoes. The script calls for "phaser blips" and that's what we saw.

 

[DEWLine]

Sidebar re: the labour costs sub-thread of this discussion? Canada's film/TV sector is as unionized and guild-organized as the States, but some of the "runaway" productions keep coming here anyway. Even in spite of the continuing currency exchange rate fluctuations. Not sure what that means, and maybe someone in Toronto or Vancouver who knows can explain it.

Anyway, back to Axanar...and I'm hoping to see Prelude as soon as my regular computer gear's back up to snuff.

 

[KennyMadison]

So...Prelude to Axanar's out.

The game's changed, everyone. Game got changed.

 

[Borgminister]

Link?

 

[Bixby]

I think it was said we could only see it on their Kickstarter page for now...

 

[Borgminister]

Oh never mind brain fart. Waits patiently.