Monday, January 30, 2017

PARAMOUNT AND AXANAR END LAWSUIT OVER STAR TREK FAN FILM

Axanar Productions, the kickstarter production company have settled with Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios in the Star Trek copyright infringement lawsuit. The trouble began in 2015 after filmmaker Axanar shared some movie plans giving a Star Trek teaser shown at San Diego Comic Con in 2014. News of the "four year war" erupting between the Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire is exciting news in Star Trek. All the rest is in the video.

Its hardly surprising Paramount and CBS Studios found out. So now speculation is mounting over at Deadline.com pointing to the CBS All Access series Star Trek: Discovery covering the same material.



On January 4th a Federal judge denied "FAIR USE" as a defense and scheduled January 31st as the trial date. One mans creation - Star Trek's Creator Gene Roddenberry said to Johnathan Frakes (Commander Riker TNG) many year ago.

"In the 24th century there will be no hunger, there will be no greed, and all the children will know how to read.

So Trekker to Warrior - Lets rejoice. Star Trek isn't over! Gene Roddenberry, Paramount, Axanar and theres us, the Fans we're all friends here. Star-Trek-Lives (1975) on in each of us. So it was coming down to the jury on the 31st Jan but then Alec Peters settles out of court. Why? Legalize folks, fan film guidelines and tests - extrinsic and intrinsic. All words, rhetoric and copyrights. Thankfully Keenser must have been hiding somewhere because a warpcore breach was happily contained.



Axanar Productions was created by lifelong Star Trek fans who raised $1.4 million to celebrate their love for Star Trek. However there is another side to this lawsuit. Fan-film Guidelines have been revisited. It would appear two 15-minute episodes are the maximum amateurs can produce now as a combined "Part 1 and 2" on Youtube! not to mention a cap of $50,000 per film in fundraising donations.


The Editor’s note on Trekmovie States It’s been over a year since a lawsuit was brought against the never made Star Trek fan film Axanar (including the previously released Prelude to Axanar) and its creators, namely producer Alec Peters. The suit, which was brought about after an unprecedented $1.4 million was raised from fan donations and Axanar store purchases (and subsequently spent, much of it allegedly not on the film itself), has changed the landscape of Star Trek fan films. The lawsuit prompted the creation of specific and restrictive fan film guidelines by CBS and Paramount, causing many fan film makers to pivot (removing direct references to copyrighted Star Trek works) or end production altogether.

STARFLEET FIRST STRIKE SQUADRON


On the 20th January 2017, both sides settled out of court. I guess trekkers, we'll never see the like of Star Trek New Voyages again and these rules will be an adjustment for all fan film-makers.

Have you got any favorite, celebrated Star Trek feature length fan films worth watching again? If so, which ones do you like most?

 Feel like fighting with Starfleets First Strike Squadron in the "Four Year War"

Live long and Prosper, trekkers.


5 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I understand copyright laws. And shame the funds were spent elsewhere. But sad so many Star Trek shorts will now never be made.

SpacerGuy said...

Thats showbiz I guess Alex. But how will History remember Axanar in the end? Gene Roddenberry and lots of hollywood actors, fans have spent a lifetime building. Paramount Pictures too has produced lots of movies over the last century. So Axanar and Paramount go to court but history only remembers what entities did last, good or bad.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Never knew things got that serious

SpacerGuy said...

It really was a case of Axanar vs Paramount Pictures/CBS- David vs Goliath which never got to trial.

Susan Kane said...

Too much disappointment for one day here. Big man vs. little man. Never turns out well.

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