CBS, Paramount suing team behind Star Trek film that raised over $1M in crowdfunding

[Gemini]

CBS, Paramount suing team behind Star Trek film that raised over $1M in crowdfunding

A group of filmmakers may have raised over $1M to create a fan-made Star Trek film, Axanar, but CBS is trying its hardest to make sure the project never sees the light of day.

The television network teamed up with Paramount Studios to officially sue Axanar Productions and director Alec Peters for direct, contributory and vicarious copyright infringement, according to Variety. Essentially, because Peters and his team not only used characters from the franchise, but also alluded to other aspects of the series in their film, the entire production is one giant ripoff, according to CBS Studios and Paramount's lawyers.

Peters posted a quick post to Axanar's official Facebook page, but confirmed there would be a longer and more detailed response to the lawsuit later today. He did insist, however, that production was still going on and the studio had no plans of stopping anytime soon.

"While Team Axanar will have a response shortly, know this DOES NOT deter us from what we are doing," he wrote. "Delivering to fans exactly what you want. Goliath, meet David (and his thousands of screaming fans)!"

In the FAQ section of the film's website, Axanar states that it is an "independent project that uses the intellectual property of CBS under the provision that Axanar is totally non-commercial."

Peters' argument is that because the team won't be making any profit off of the film, including off of any merchandise that they sell, they have the right to use the characters, setting and themes.

CBS could argue, however, that despite Axanar's claims that it hasn't made any profit off of the film, Axanar hasn't provided a full accounting of where exactly the backer-contributed funds went and how the company is using the money.

The next official Star Trek installment, Star Trek: Beyond, is scheduled for next July.

• Source
• Variety

http://www.polygon.com/2015/12/30/1...-behind-star-trek-film-that-raised-over-1m-in

 

[shaddyvillethug]

Damn they raised 1 million and don't want it

God bless thm

 

[Tha Great Muta]

I bet this will/would end up being better than Star Trek Beyond.

 

[largebillsonlyplease]

I bet this will/would end up being better than Star Trek Beyond.

they KNOW IT WILL which is why they're suing
I saw the trailer for Shit Trek in the showing for star wars and it was literally the only trailer you felt like...there's no way I'm going to see this. Even the animated movies had better moments than that bullshit filled with uninteresting characters and uninteresting villains and uninteresting peril

let the shit die.

 

[EPDC]

All that money, and they chose to make a film about someone else's property. Make your own shit!

 

[DjMorpheus]

All that money, and they chose to make a film about someone else's property. Make your own shit!

It being someone else's property is what generated the money. The outcome of this will be interesting because tech is available to indy artists that can make better product than major studios.lol. THat's what they fear the most. THis suit is gonna bring more visibility to the project but they wanna shut em down so....If CBS "wins" I bet that shit somehow get's leaked on the net anyway.

 

[EPDC]

It being someone else's property is what generated the money. The outcome of this will be interesting because tech is available to indy artists that can make better product than major studios.lol. THat's what they fear the most. THis suit is gonna bring more visibility to the project but they wanna shut em down so....If CBS "wins" I bet that shit somehow get's leaked on the net anyway.

True. Thing is though, if they are as professional as they claim they are, why not focus on creating their own IP, instead of focusing on a "fan film" they can't make money on?

I dunno, they could have created their own thing, inspired by Star Trek.

 

[fonzerrillii]

I don't understand why networks don't support this shit, this is free advertising. Mutherfuckers need to learn from Lucasfilm. They had always strongly supported fan made star wars films. As long as they don't take a profit who cares.

 

[donwuan]

They will lose their money and film fucking with CBS. They don't have the money to fight it. CBS just wants it shut down and have a team of lawyers they pay anyway.

 

[tical]

Sad...

 

[EPDC]

I don't understand why networks don't support this shit, this is free advertising. Mutherfuckers need to learn from Lucasfilm. They had always strongly supported fan made star wars films. As long as they don't take a profit who cares.

Not anymore. I doubt Disney allows that to continue

 

[praetor]

I bet this will/would end up being better than Star Trek Beyond.

yup

 

[Winslow Wong]

If they add some jokes and call it a parody - nothing CBS or Paramount can do to prevent them but if its the use of the characters as the copyright owners intended then he has no grounds to stand on.

FYI - 50 Shades of Grey started off as Twilight Fan Fiction but copyright laws prevented the author from using the Twilight characters so she changed some names, scenes and voila and multi-million dollar hit and she doesn't have to share it with anyone.

 

[hayesc0]

A decent lawyer can beat this suit in a heartbeat there have been about 10 different fan made series and movies like this what is the difference between the others and this one?