STC Ep. 7: "Embrace The Winds" speculation and discussion....

[9gs]

Vic has already stated that if CBS tells him to stop he would do so without a fuss, so any possibility of a lawsuit is highly unlikely.

Lets consider. STC came up short on their last crowdfunding drive with a target to cover production of the remaining episodes they had planned, Eps. 8-13. However, it was said that a private donation had made up the difference they didn't secure with their Indiegogo drive. If true then they have the funds to complete their planned production of Eps. 8-13.

I was not sure about how much the private donation made up. Here are the goals from Indiegogo:

OUR GOAL:
We're asking for $350,000 to...

• Complete post-production on Episode 7
  
• Produce three more episodes!
  
• Cover rent and utility costs at "Stage 9" over the next 18 months (which have increased substantially due to our set expansion and the sole acquisition of "Stage 9" by Trek Continues Inc.)
  

STRETCH GOAL:
We're setting a STRETCH GOAL of $450,000... which would enable us to produce an ADDITIONAL episode (and cover studio expenses long enough to do so)!

They raised $199K. Did the private donation bring them to the 350K goal? If so, they only have enough to make episodes 7-10 and not 7-13. Of course my guess is pretty much worthless as we have not heard from STC as to how much they raised but considering they wanted $450K to make it to episode 11, They would have need a private donation of around $400K to make it to episode 13.

 

[DavidAntman]

I remember them posting (or maybe I heard it in an interview) that they "passed" their IndieGOGO goal of $350K with private donations. They didn't say by how much. Seems likely that they'll do another 4 episodes, therefore. I'd be surprised if they did 6 more, though.

It might look odd to everyone else that STC is putting out 45-50 minute episodes while everyone is limited to 15-30.

Nobody's limited to anything, any more than they have been for the past 10 years. CBS never said or implied that they'd shut down fanfilms that don't adhere to the guidelines. All they've said is that they guarantee they WON'T shut down films that DO adhere to the guidelines. Anything else, they can shut down or not shut down as they please. Which is the EXACT same situation that all fan films have been in for the past 10 years!!!!!!!

NOTHING has changed.

 

[Warped9]

Nobody's limited to anything, any more than they have been for the past 10 years. CBS never said or implied that they'd shut down fanfilms that don't adhere to the guidelines. All they've said is that they guarantee they WON'T shut down films that DO adhere to the guidelines. Anything else, they can shut down or not shut down as they please. Which is the EXACT same situation that all fan films have been in for the past 10 years!!!!!!!

NOTHING has changed.

That might well be. Nonetheless it will be interesting to see who will try to push the envelope and how.

 

[DavidAntman]

But my point is, I disagree that ST:C completing its final episodes as planned would in any way constitute "pushing the envelope." They'd simply be doing the same thing they've been doing all along - infringing on CBS' IP - just as they (and every other fan film ever) have always infringed on CBS' IP.

 

[Warped9]

But my point is, I disagree that ST:C completing its final episodes as planned would in any way constitute "pushing the envelope." They'd simply be doing the same thing they've been doing all along - infringing on CBS' IP - just as they (and every other fan film ever) have always infringed on CBS' IP.

CBS might well give STC a pass. What I meant was whether anyone else will try to go beyond the guidelines.

If STC continues beyond Ep. 7 in its present form that may well embolden others to go beyond the established guidelines and fans will wait to see what CBS will or will not do.

 

[Potemkin_Prod]

I believe the studios will allow STC to finish episode 7, but I'm not sure about any production afterwards. Mr. van Citters seemed very insistent that the studios make episode and movie-length productions. But who knows? Vic may be able to rework his next few scripts into 15 min vignettes.

 

[Warped9]

I can believe a good and complete Star Trek story can be told in 30 minutes, but I doubt what STC has been doing can be crammed into 15 minutes. If thats the case I could see Vic calling it a day and turning off the lights. And I wouldn't blame him.

Whatever nits I may have with STC it is an extension of the Trek that captivated me so many years ago. It isn't exactly the same, but it's close enough. I still get a rush seeing the TOS E cruise across the screen accompanied by that awesome music. I genuinely look forward to each next STC episode and thats something I cannot say about official Trek for decades.

Regarding Trek STC is presently it for me given I will not be seeing the next film and I'm wary of the next series albeit with a sliver of hope they do something sufficient to interest me.

 

[DavidAntman]

They already announced on IndieGOGO a week or two ago that they're in production on episode 8.

If you believe they're "calling it a day" or that they're "reworking their scripts," I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

From Vic's latest update on Indiegogo:

"Episode VII will premiere at Salt Lake Comicon on Friday, September 2. It will then have an international screening at Fan Expo in Toronto the following day. ...

"I also want to assuage any concerns you may have about the current climate. We fully intend that your kind donations will be used for the exact purpose for which they were donated. As you know, STC is the only official 501c3 non profit Trek fan production out there. We are awaiting further clarification, but I am optimistic about completing our planned series and I would like to ask you, as our biggest supporters, to remain optimistic with us."
...
"P.S. In the spirit of that optimism, our Planet Set is nearing completion! We at STC keep our promises."

 

[Warped9]

From Vic's latest update on Indiegogo:

"Episode VII will premiere at Salt Lake Comicon on Friday, September 2. It will then have an international screening at Fan Expo in Toronto the following day. ...

"I also want to assuage any concerns you may have about the current climate. We fully intend that your kind donations will be used for the exact purpose for which they were donated. As you know, STC is the only official 501c3 non profit Trek fan production out there. We are awaiting further clarification, but I am optimistic about completing our planned series and I would like to ask you, as our biggest supporters, to remain optimistic with us."
...
"P.S. In the spirit of that optimism, our Planet Set is nearing completion! We at STC keep our promises."

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

I was not sure about how much the private donation made up. Here are the goals from Indiegogo:

OUR GOAL:
We're asking for $350,000 to...

• Complete post-production on Episode 7
  
• Produce three more episodes!
  
• Cover rent and utility costs at "Stage 9" over the next 18 months (which have increased substantially due to our set expansion and the sole acquisition of "Stage 9" by Trek Continues Inc.)

STRETCH GOAL:
We're setting a STRETCH GOAL of $450,000... which would enable us to produce an ADDITIONAL episode (and cover studio expenses long enough to do so)!

They raised $199K. Did the private donation bring them to the 350K goal? If so, they only have enough to make episodes 7-10 and not 7-13. Of course my guess is pretty much worthless as we have not heard from STC as to how much they raised but considering they wanted $450K to make it to episode 11, They would have need a private donation of around $400K to make it to episode 13.

There's a passing reference to a number of episodes in this USA Today article. Not a direct quote, though.

 

[Warped9]

There's a passing reference to a number of episodes in this USA Today article. Not a direct quote, though.

What Vic says near the end of that article basically points to what we might get in STC's finale: why Kirk steps away from his command.

It could be interesting, but it also step away from maintaining the illusion that it's still 1969/70. This would be the fannish compulsion to do something TOS would probably never have done given there is no way they would have known TMP would happen.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

What Vic says near the end of that article basically points to what we might get in STC's finale: why Kirk steps away from his command.

It could be interesting, but it also step away from maintaining the illusion that it's still 1969/70. This would be the fannish compulsion to do something TOS would probably never have done given there is no way they would have known TMP would happen.

I think we'll definitely get that. Still, in a project that pretends to revive a prematurely cancelled series, you'd either have to continue it indefinitely (inherently impossible, but especially so in this post-Axanar climate) or find a satisfying way to end it (because otherwise why not just leave it with Kirk saying "if only..."?). I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

 

[Nightowl1701]

I'm looking forward to seeing it too. Kirk giving up his command as a series finale in '70 does make sense, thematically coming back full circle to Christopher Pike mulling over the same thing in 'The Cage.'

 

[Warped9]

From what we're hearing we might not get the 13 episodes initially planned for, but we might still get 10 episodes to finish things off.

If 10 then the run could conceivably be completed within about a year and a half.

 

[Firebird]

From what we're hearing we might not get the 13 episodes initially planned for, but we might still get 10 episodes to finish things off.

If 10 then the run could conceivably be completed within about a year and a half.

I would have no problem with STC getting up to 10 episodes and calling it good. That's plenty of story to implement and carry out the character arcs that bring the five year mission to a close.

 

[DavidAntman]

What Vic says near the end of that article basically points to what we might get in STC's finale: why Kirk steps away from his command.

It could be interesting, but it also step away from maintaining the illusion that it's still 1969/70. This would be the fannish compulsion to do something TOS would probably never have done given there is no way they would have known TMP would happen.

IMHO the compulsion isn't "fannish"; it's logical. If Ron D. Moore or Manny Coto were brought back now to produce the "missing final season" of TOS, they would damn sure tie it into TMP (as well as probably use a bunch more canon references and shout-outs). Many audience members dislike that stuff; but many (probably more) do like that stuff.

The idea that ST:C's sole and unwavering goal is to "maintain the illusion that it's still 1969/70" is a myth. I've never seen any of them say that. In interview after interview, the producers and writers and actors always talk about how they try to split the difference between doing wholly-original stories, and also doing episodes that are sequels and/or canon-referential to the Trek universe as its developed over the past 50 years.

I understand that you like the former but not the latter. And that's fine. But that's not strictly what they're making.

 

[Warped9]

^^ Vic Mignogna has indeed said he wanted STC to feel like it was 1969/70. But he destroyed that idea right off by including a Counselor and making callouts to other post TOS productions. In fairness, and thankfully, he has been mostly sparse with those references, but we can fairly call them on it when they're done in contradiction to his stated intentions.

I can see a way they could leave the possibility open for Kirk stepping away from his command without seeing him actually do it. I think that would be more in keeping with with a TOS sensibility where everything was not always tied up cute-and-tidy.

 

[DavidAntman]

Again...

a.) Where did he say this? Link? Direct quote?

b.) I submit that ST:C does feel like 1969/70, even with those things you mentioned. So even if he indeed said that, I choose to interpret "feel like" to mean "generally look like." Your interpretation may differ, of course - it's a free country - but when you start using terms like "fannish" and "destroyed," methinks you might wanna consider dialing back the rhetoric a bit. Opinions are not facts (though I freely admit that is a nuance which is largely lost on many members of this BBS...).

 

[Astra]

From Vic's latest update on Indiegogo:

"Episode VII will premiere at Salt Lake Comicon on Friday, September 2. It will then have an international screening at Fan Expo in Toronto the following day. ...

"I also want to assuage any concerns you may have about the current climate. We fully intend that your kind donations will be used for the exact purpose for which they were donated. As you know, STC is the only official 501c3 non profit Trek fan production out there. We are awaiting further clarification, but I am optimistic about completing our planned series and I would like to ask you, as our biggest supporters, to remain optimistic with us."
...
"P.S. In the spirit of that optimism, our Planet Set is nearing completion! We at STC keep our promises."

Can I please ask where I can see these updates? Do I have to go to the Indiegogo site for it? I looked but I couldn't find it, and I haven't gotten any e-mails recently.

Okay, trying to stay optimistic then, if the captain says so!