Where are fanfilms headed?

[Danlav05]

This is not a Chiken Little thread but do you think crowdfunding will wind down with the recent Axanar and Federation Rising crackdowns?

Continues, Farragut and New Voyages have all used Kickstarter/IndieGoGo to raise funds over the years, for the major productions it has become the norm, but do you think we've been spoiled by these near-professional quality projects? And will they be asked to calm it down?

And if they can only rely on crowdfunding will they be forced to close shop - it is possible that some 'nearly there' projects like Renegades will be victims?

On the otherside there are groups like Intrepid who have not asked for a penny but produced stellar work, always top quality. Maybe some projects have too big to be as humble.

I love many a fan film but it's time to face the reality people, I think even those with relationships with CBS that have gone on for years could be at risk.

 

[BillJ]

Dumpster thanks to Alec Peters?

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

Could be they'll have to shelve some plans, but I hope that would only be a temporary modus vivendi until the Axahole is patched.

 

[Phoenix219]

I think its about the setting. I'm guessing the new production may just be set in the past somewhere, putting both Axanar and Horizons directly in the time period Paramount/CBS wants to play in. They aren't trying to make anything in the movie era, or TOS, or post TNG, so the small TV show style productions are just fine.... but full length movies set in a viable past setting is getting too close to comfort.

 

[BillJ]

I think its about the setting. I'm guessing the new production may just be set in the past somewhere, putting both Axanar and Horizons directly in the time period Paramount/CBS wants to play in. They aren't trying to make anything in the movie era, or TOS, or post TNG, so the small TV show style productions are just fine.... but full length movies set in a viable past setting is getting too close to comfort.

Or it could be about every single one and CBS plans on picking them off one at a time...

 

[Phoenix219]

Ignoring STC the last few weeks, but going after Tommy right after he announced his movie? Potemkin and Farragut are still out there, too... NV, Renegades.... the two common things between the only two productions that have been targeted have been

1) Feature movie length productions
2) Setting of those productions.

They are both between ENT and TOS and attempting Movies.

Either the setting is no good, or the feature film aspect is bothersome. I'm choosing the time period as the factor in question. I could be wrong, but it makes sense to me.

 

[steam235]

I think it will be a situation where people who publicize that they are making them will be shut down. I think people who quietly make them and release them will be ok. But no more spending time on the circuit making a name for your self as you make a fan film.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

Or it could be about every single one and CBS plans on picking them off one at a time...

It doesn't fit a pattern like that so far. They've sued one financially dodgy production and warned one more production not to start up. I'm not seeing the terror tactic of picking everyone off one by one.

 

[Danlav05]

I think it will be a situation where people who publicize that they are making them will be shut down. I think people who quietly make them and release them will be ok. But no more spending time on the circuit making a name for your self as you make a fan film.

Eh? There are dozens making them out loud

 

[Danlav05]

There's some food for thought here - you would think Continues and NV would be most at risk if CBS had a vendetta against fan films in general being very very accurate recreations of one of their most universally recognised properties, with some episodes apart from recasts they are near indistinguishable.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

Somehow I feel this thread would be a bit more satisfying if it were titled "Whither fanfilms?"

 

[nx1701g]

Looking at this thread I'm reminded of one of the early posts on reddit when the lawsuit was announced. The commentator said that he had approached CBS/Paramount regarding a virtual recreation of the Enterprise he and friends had been creating. He said they weren't authorized to move forward and that Paramount and CBS planned to start cracking down on fan projects in 2016.

Maybe it was true?

 

[HIjol]

Not to be the Supporter of the Evil Corporate Empire, here, but, if you wrote a book or song, or created a piece of art, and someone came along and "copied" it to the point that you could recognize your original work, wouldn't you have some feelings about that? And, if your creation made money or brought you some other "profit", wouldn't you want to protect that creation? I realize we are talking about two different "fan-imals", here, with the Fan Film label. One of them is for the simple enjoyment of Fans, and the other, masquerading as a FF, but more as a moneymaking venture. But, I think the comparison holds. And, like it or not, we have copyright and trademark laws that protect and preserve creations. It seems like CBS and the 'Mount are taking an "All or Nothing" approach to the Bigger Picture of the Fan Film genre. Where can the line be drawn between a "real" Fan Film, and a production deemed an Infringement?

 

[Maurice]

Personally I think this has long since gotten out of control in terms of financing. It's a very bad space legally to be raising money using someone else's I.P. no matter what you plan to do with the bucks. I was already a little dubious of this practice in the pre-crowdfunding days. Frankly, I won't be sorry if the crowdfunding rug gets yanked out from under all of these fanfilms.

 

[STEPhon IT]

This is not a Chiken Little thread but do you think crowdfunding will wind down with the recent Axanar and Federation Rising crackdowns?

Continues, Farragut and New Voyages have all used Kickstarter/IndieGoGo to raise funds over the years, for the major productions it has become the norm, but do you think we've been spoiled by these near-professional quality projects? And will they be asked to calm it down?

It can if fanfilms attempt to build studios and start paying actors. It will ruin and spoil my interests in donating money; sorry, I don't like to feel used. I would like an oath or a promise if any shenanigans happen, I get my money back.
I'm hoping their will be more projects with enthusiasts like Exeter Studios; which has made me happy.

 

[dmac]

Social funding certainly pushed the envelope for what could be called a fan film. The reason to raise sums in the plus side of a hundred thousand dollars for a fan production is to pay someone else to recreate some owned intellectual property allowing the "fan studio" to create a more authentic production quicker than another fan film. Somewhere Fair Use is probably getting trampled upon with that scale of funding.
It is a shame that the definition of "fan films" seems somewhat fluid and I wouldn't doubt that even the IP holders are a bit taken back at the leaps in production quality social funding has brought to fan films.
Still the license holders need to be really thoughtful here with their fan base. The creators of fan films are very creative, talented groups of people. They have kept Star Trek in the public eye during the lean times and the IP holder might have the right to declare a halt to all recreations of their product but they don't have a right to stop people from being creative, if not for Star Trek, I'm sure they'll find something else.

 

[Maurice]

I disagree with the notion that fan film makers have "kept Star Trek in the public eye during the lean times". Most people I know who like Star Trek aren't even aware of these fanfilms, and even of those who are a lot can't get past the (often) weak scripts and (frequently) bad acting. There's a certain hardcore level of fan that engages in these productions, but let's not kid ourselves.

 

[Karzak]

Much as I respect some of the people I've had the distinct pleasure of getting to know and the work they've done with their fan films, I'd not be sorry one bit if this was the end of all fan films.

1) The people making fan films have each demonstrated they can complete their projects. I'd much rather see them tackle original content.

2) The egos and the bickering and the entitlement of some (SOME!) in the fan film community have simply become unbearable. The purpose of making fan films has become diluted and tainted in many cases. It's robbed the joy and wonderment from the entire process. With the exception of three or four productions still in active production, almost all have been touched by this nasty developing trend and it's been most disappointing to behold. Fan films have kept STAR TREK in the public eye? Give me a fucking break. As much as some of you might despise him and his films. JJ Abrams has done more to keep Trek alive with Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness than every single last fan film ever made.

3) Even when the films are made, many of the people making them simply refuse to learn from their mistakes or their missteps. Nobody's perfect right out the gate, but these films aren't being produced in a vaccuum. There's plenty of information, resources, and people freely available to guide and offer insight and perspective that too easily get dismissed, ignored, and blatantly and inexplicably refuted. Sorry, but the onus is on you to keep me interested in your work, not the other way around.

Finally, if this is truly the end of fan films, it would give us all one, unifying reason to remember Alec Peters -- the pathetic villain of this piece, he who shall not be named but who will hopefully go on to be largely forgotten for the inept, ineffectual, and mostly unmemorable cockroach that he is.

 

[dmac]

When CBS announced a new Star Trek television series last year, did it not create an instant social media buzz?
Each new movie doesn't ripple across the social network and discussed in great detail. True the fan films are a more current part of the entire fan base but I doubt it impacts CBS'S funding for promotional ads negatively.

 

[Karzak]

The sad thing about the announcement of the new TV series is that the "instant social media buzz" was just as much about people being excited for the show as it was about the spoiled whiny crybaby nerds who have no problem collecting every action figure ever made but refuse to spend $6 a month on the subscription service the new show would be released on.

That said, even the positive interest in the new show was still more widespread than the interest in fan films. And I say that as someone who genuinely likes a lot of the fan films.