Star Trek: Renegades

[Captain Atkin]

Union actors get paid for the work they do on these films. The union would most likely not allow them to be in the films otherwise. The rate of pay would be on the low end, as these are non-profit 'indie' films.

Sorry...you are making an assumption that is completely wrong. The current SAG union contract's requirements for members being employed by SAG signatory "new media" (on-line), whether new or derivative (based on another property), is pretty clear...and simple. The contract says it is up to the union member to negotiate what or if they will get paid. They are free to work for free if that is what they are willing to do. (For the production, there are paperwork requirements whether they get paid or not (because all hours worked count toward the member's benefits...believe me, I know... )

If this is a television pilot, as implied, that is entirely different...they would hit the "low scale" union contract level.

However, if the production is also a WGA signatory, well, the WGA contract is much more specific and the writer's have to get a pretty penny for any and all work!

I'm a member of ACTRA - The Canadian actors union. I am well aware of the "new media" policies, which even today, are still not well defined by SAG or ACTRA. Unions tend to frown on the idea of their members working on new media projects for free, and for obvious reasons. The actor can negotiate their salary, but there are still certain expectations as to what they should be paid. Although union actors can work for free on these fan films, to my knowledge, not many of them do. Professional actors tend to not want to tick off their agents or union reps.

 

[Tom]

It's not a TV pilot, it is a web series pilot, that was always the goal. If the pitch for the web series is not successful, it simply becomes a a free 90 minute movie like STOGAM was. Patty is correct about SAG. Also the WGA is not involved with this.

DVD's can not be directly sold, period, no matter the cost. DVD's can be made for as little at $3 depending on how much print you want to use. Still, even if we sold it for $3 directly CBS would come down on us.

 

[Tom]

Yes CA, the Union and agents always want to get the most amount of money for the actors. But consider that some of these actors also take on these low paying roles to raise there profile in hopes to even get bigger (and better paying) roles in the future. Being in a Star Trek production, even an independent one, could catch some producer or casting agent's eye. We have had several requests from lesser known actors to be in the production at no compensation, just because they want it in there credits or thought it would be cool experience.

 

[doubleohfive]

Union actors get paid for the work they do on these films. The union would most likely not allow them to be in the films otherwise. The rate of pay would be on the low end, as these are non-profit 'indie' films.

Sorry...you are making an assumption that is completely wrong. The current SAG union contract's requirements for members being employed by SAG signatory "new media" (on-line), whether new or derivative (based on another property), is pretty clear...and simple. The contract says it is up to the union member to negotiate what or if they will get paid. They are free to work for free if that is what they are willing to do. (For the production, there are paperwork requirements whether they get paid or not (because all hours worked count toward the member's benefits...believe me, I know... )

If this is a television pilot, as implied, that is entirely different...they would hit the "low scale" union contract level.

However, if the production is also a WGA signatory, well, the WGA contract is much more specific and the writer's have to get a pretty penny for any and all work!

That's fascinating. A friend of mine was up for a role in Renegades, but ultimately turned down because they weren't a member of SAG or AFTRA (yet.) At least, that's what they were told.

On topic: I had huge issues with Of Gods and Men, mostly with story but also some with the production itself. I will say though I give the production props for getting finished as that must have been quite the herculean task, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with Renegades.

 

[Linnear]

The Star Trek: Renegades facebook page was taken down because of a complaint filed with Facebook by CBS. Apparently they "Stepped over the line" according to my source.

The same is true for making prop replicas. CBS isn't going to go after you if you make a few replicas and sell them to your friends, but put up a storefront and you will get a letter from CBS legal.

Alec

 

[boobatuba]

The Star Trek: Renegades facebook page was taken down because of a complaint filed with Facebook by CBS. Apparently they "Stepped over the line" according to my source.

It's coming up just fine for me.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004556494028&ref=ts&fref=ts

 

[Harvey]

Works for me, too.

 

[USS Intrepid]

That's a Facebook profile, not the Facebook page in question. There's a even a post on there about the actual Facebook page being taken down, though it attributes it to Facebook policy.

 

[boobatuba]

That's a Facebook profile, not the Facebook page in question. There's a even a post on there about the actual Facebook page being taken down, though it attributes it to Facebook policy.

Thanks. I guess "the Star Trek: Renegades facebook page" wasn't specific enough for me to figure it out.

There's even a thread on the page I linked about how "Facebook" took down their film page. I'm betting any comments about how Paramount was behind that would be quickly deleted.

 

[Linnear]

It isn't Paramount, but CBS who handles these things.

 

[boobatuba]

It isn't Paramount, but CBS who handles these things.

Yeah, meant to say CBS. Old guy slip.

In any case, it's interesting that they're claiming that "Facebook" took down their page and the comments on the profile page are all anti-Facebook.

 

[Tom]

Facebook did take the that page down but our other account remains active.

 

[Captain Atkin]

Facebook did take the that page down but our other account remains active.

It wouldn't surprise me if CBS (or even Paramount, who are busy promoting their movie) did ask Facebook to shut it down. They probably wouldn't have to send a C&D to do it either. Case in point: for 4 years, I helped run a Facebook fan page for the 1987 "Masters of the Universe" movie. We posted tons of stuff from the movie, from pictures to interviews, and never got any flack for it. In October of 2012, the same week that the MOTU Blu-ray was relased, our fanpage got shut down. No reason was ever given to us, but Warner Brothers did put up a MOTU 87 Facebook page to promote their movie. Our guess was that someone at Warners asked for our fan page to be taken down, so that they wouldn't have a fan page competing with their $$$ page $$$. (which was kind of silly, cause we would have promoted the hell out of the Blu-ray for free).

Fan films that have "Star Trek" in the title and have Facebook pages could be seen as competiton to people who work on 'official' Star Trek, in the sense that it could divert peoples attention to what it is that the studio is trying to promote. If they are trying to promote a multi-million dollar movie, they proably don't want people surfing through various Star Trek groups to find their film page.

 

[Tom]

We have received nothing from Facebook as to why it was taken down. Until there is some clarification on that, everything remains speculation. Our other Facebook page is still there, perhaps they thought it was duplicated, we don't really know.

 

[PattyW]

Speculation...except for those folks in conversations with CBS themselves of course...

 

[lurok]

On topic: I had huge issues with Of Gods and Men, mostly with story but also some with the production itself. I will say though I give the production props for getting finished as that must have been quite the herculean task, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with Renegades.

Like . In the absence of any TV trek (and long gaps between movies), I'm grateful that anyone is willing to continue legacy. And I've seen far worse TV and movies I've paid for than OGAM

 

[F. King Daniel]

Of Gods and Men was a sweet little epilogue to classic Trek, IMO. A far, *far* better send off than Enterprise's finale, "These are the Voyages"

 

[Tom]

That's what it was designed to be, an anniversary film packed with fun things from TOS.

 

[Tom]

Grant Imahara will take a break from inventing cool robotics and blowing up stuff to join the cast of Renegades!

Grant is one of the hosts of Discovery Channel's Mythbusters. Before that, he spent nine years as an animatronics engineer and model maker for George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic. Grant worked on many blockbusters including The Matrix sequels, Galaxy Quest, Terminator 3, and Star Wars: Episodes 1-3 (although he is NOT responsible for Jar Jar). He put the lights in R2-D2's dome and gave the Energizer Bunny his beat. He also created the often rude and irreverent robot skeleton sidekick for late night talk show host Craig Ferguson.

Grant will play an aide to Admiral Chekov.

 

[Linnear]

So it has been independently confirmed that it was NOT CBS that took down Star Trek: Renegades web page. Still not sure who did but this makes it even more concerning that a non-rights holder could instigate something like this!

I hope it gets resolved. And good news on Grant!

Alec