Boycotting CBS/Paramount's Star Trek Beyond and ongoing productions

[palitoy]

That movie would be the exception.

I would say past WOK Scotty became comedy relief, it peaks in five.

[sprytel]

I can understand the reluctance for the reboot movies, although I think they have been completely watchable.

I'm not sure I understand the corporate backlash. While I'm disappointed, it seems completely understandable that they would want to get control back for their IP. What about all the other companies that were proactive and clamped down hard on such infringement long before a Star Trek Continues et al. got made? Should we boycott them too?

[SKotK]

.........and with that statement you add credence to their decision to stop the fan films and infringement on their copyright.

I didn't say *how* I was going to do it. I just said it wouldn't involve giving the studio money.

The breach of copyright you imply involved in my viewing the film for free doesn't have anything to do with fan films infringing copyright, regardless. Unless you have an explanation for how it does?

--SKot

[SKotK]

I can understand the reluctance for the reboot movies, although I think they have been completely watchable.

I'm still in favor of the reboot movies, even if I thought the second one failed.

I'm not sure I understand the corporate backlash. While I'm disappointed, it seems completely understandable that they would want to get control back for their IP. What about all the other companies that were proactive and clamped down hard on such infringement long before a Star Trek Continues et al. got made? Should we boycott them too?

It's understandable they want to protect their IP, and I do feel that Axanar took it too far. But I also feel that CBS/Paramount didn't have to use a sledgehammer to kill a gnat in this case. They could have resolved this without killing off other existing and totally non-threatening fan films and series.

Actually, Paramount were pricks even early on regarding website content. They really should have taken a lesson from Lucasfilm, who learned quickly (after some initial heavy-handedness) that turning a blind eye to non-monetary-based fan efforts could actually benefit them greatly, and make the fans even more devoted and happy. Lucasfilm established rules for fan films, but those rules only applied to ones that would be officially entered into competitions and so forth. They didn't try to enforce those for fans just doing it for themselves, or try to shut them down, unless a profit was going to be made. The Star Wars/Lucasfilm fan film community continues to thrive happily.

All the other companies should learn from Lucasfilm's treatment of their IP.

--SKot

[SKotK]

I went to see the original Planet of the Apes on the big screen tonight...and since Star Trek Beyond started right after POTA ended, I slipped in and saw the new movie for free.

And it was really, really enjoyable. Not perfect, but more classic Star Trek than the first two films were.

I'm still upholding my pledge not to give CBS/Paramount my money until they come up with a better solution to the fan film problem. But despite my initial doubts about ST:Beyond, it makes a great 50th anniversary year film.

Here's to hoping CBS/Paramount get smarter about their policies.

--SKot

[johnmiic]

Trek is on its way to critical mass again. If it doesn't collapse there may be enough Trek out there to pick and choose what you want to watch.

I wasn't going to see the new film but the reviews coming in were too good, (I mean who the hell mentions Rotten Tomatoes in their commercials!?!?! It motivated me and I have to sa-it was very good), and indicated the film was faithful in many ways to the things that made Prime Trek a favorite.

It's a shame what happened with the fan productions. Everyone keeps reverting to the same argument, "IP! IP! IP!". No sheeet! No one ever said it wasn't Paramount/CBS's IP. The main issue here is profit-not ownership. The money started coming in and they got nervous and threw a monkey-wrench in so almost no-one could make a fan production.

What they should've done is bring those productions into the club, support them, authorize them, fund them, permit authorized merchandising and take a percentage. That's how stuff like the USS Enterprise blueprints got published in the dark days of the 1970's. New movies in theaters, new series on TV and subsidized fan productions on the web. I guess Paramount/CBS just isn't smart enough to think of that.

[SKotK]

Well, it looks like what I was originally gunning for has actually happened - Star Trek Beyond is looking to be largely unprofitable and a failure, with fan ire at CBS/Paramount mentioned as one of the likely factors:

http://trekmovie.com/2016/10/03/star...he-box-office/

Trouble is, I'm now kind of torn on this because while I want CBS/Paramount to fail for being so arrogant and doing what they did to fan films this year, I also want the filmmakers to be rewarded for making a decent film. I actually liked Star Trek Beyond, and I wanted them to be encouraged to make more in that vein...more of the 5-year-mission, character developing Star Trekky films that we've been wanting to see.

It's a real conundrum...a Pyrrhic victory of sorts.

And will CBS/Paramount actually learn from this? Probably not. I don't see them rescinding their mandates on fan films, or apologizing to the fan community for their mistakes. Instead, they'll either shut the franchise down (maybe), or (more likely) turn around and make another movie at a lower budget that's completely different from Star Trek Beyond...which is not necessarily a good thing. They can certainly do worse, and given half a chance, they will.

Kinda makes me sick.

--SKot

[LonnieFisher]

I'd like to see the cast of Star Trek Continues get hired to make a big budget movie. They are way more 'Star Trek' than the current franchise is.

[hedrap]

They pushed back the new series because they want to align it with the next film. It's a reboot tucked in a spinoff, wrapped in a sequel.

[SKotK]

They pushed back the new series because they want to align it with the next film. It's a reboot tucked in a spinoff, wrapped in a sequel.

That's odd...I was under the impression the new series was not going to be part of the Kelvin universe. Have they changed their minds now?

--SKot

[Sideshow Spock]

That's odd...I was under the impression the new series was not going to be part of the Kelvin universe. Have they changed their minds now?

The new series is indeed in the Prime universe, and there is speculation that with Star Trek 4, the movie franchise will fold back into the Prime universe as well..

http://redshirtsalwaysdie.com/2016/07/18/star-trek-4-may-return-trek-to-original-timeline/

[SKotK]

The new series is indeed in the Prime universe, and there is speculation that with Star Trek 4, the movie franchise will fold back into the Prime universe as well..

http://redshirtsalwaysdie.com/2016/0...inal-timeline/

Interesting. And after the apparent financial failure of the last movie, maybe they're more than eager to make that change now.

Not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, a lot of fans would be happy to get back to the Prime universe, but on the other hand it was nice in a way to have a completely fresh slate/new sandbox to play in.

--SKot

[hedrap]

I think we talked about it in another thread, but this is all being set up for Hemsworth to take over the franchise.

[MIB41]

Anyone smell a Shatner cameo coming in a future installment?

[MRP]

Looks like the show lost its show runner according to EW..

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/10/26...v-bryan-fuller

Bryan Fuller is stepping down as show runner, but will remain as an executive producer.

from the article...

Another setback for the eagerly awaited Star Trek TV series revival. Bryan Fuller is stepping down as showrunner on Star Trek: Discovery.

The acclaimed writer-producer of Hannibal and Pushing Daisies has shepherded the project for months. Now Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts (who worked with Fuller on Daisies, as well as worked on ABC’s Revenge and The CW’s Reign) will serve as showrunners. Fuller will stay on board as an executive producer.

Wonder if this will push back its debut even farther?

-M