CBS/Paramount sues to stop Axanar

[Richard Baker]

Found on Hobbytalk this morning...

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...documentcloud.org/docume...eklawsuit.htmlCBS/

 

[Mudd]

According to Hollywood Reporter this lawsuit was filed last Friday. As of a few minutes ago Axanar still has an active IndieGoGo crowdfunder going.

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

Wasn't last friday Christmas? Were Federal Courts opened?

When you look at the actual document from Hollywood Reporter it is dated as filed 12/29

 

[Jedi_Master]

According to Hollywood Reporter this lawsuit was filed last Friday. As of a few minutes ago Axanar still has an active IndieGoGo crowdfunder going.

Have to pay those legal fees somehow...

I kid, I kid. It is common for parties being sued for various behaviors to continue those behaviors up to the last possible second.

 

[Q2UnME]

Yea, I just saw the article over at The Hollywood Reporter too. Looks like CBS just dropped the hammer. Not unexpected, given the new series in development. I wonder what this means to the production and also all the fans who contributed to the funding.

Q2

 

[Warped9]

Alec Peters just posted this on Doug Drexler's FB post on his page regarding this subject.

Actually, the studio is a separate venture, which we are raising money for in a separate Kickstarter.

Of course, he doesn't say why CBS is gunning for them beyond that.

He does add this.

Hey all, Alec from Axanar here. We just saw this and are dealing with our attorneys and team now. I can say this, Axanar is no different from Star Trek: Renegades or Star Trek Continues, we have just raised more money and are paying our cast and crew. This is a threat to EVERY Star Trek fan project. I can also tell you that we plan to fully defend this lawsuit. In the mean time, find out the latest info on our Fan Group.

 

[BillJ]

Alec Peters just posted this on Doug Drexler's FB post on his page regarding this subject:

Actually, the studio is a separate venture, which we are raising money for in a separate Kickstarter.

Of course, he doesn't say why CBS is gunning for them beyond that.

Does he not know how the internet works? Everything he's posted is out there. Including using Axanar funds to pay for a year of studio space.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Alec Peters just posted this on Doug Drexler's FB post on his page regarding this subject:

Actually, the studio is a separate venture, which we are raising money for in a separate Kickstarter.

Quite frankly - that's nonsense. Using Axanar Kickstarter funds to rent, renovate, and develop the EXACT same location that you plan on using for other productions then claiming that the 'studio is a separate venture with its own Kickstarter' is a statement that is almost disingenuous.

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

Alec Peters just posted this on Doug Drexler's FB post on his page regarding this subject:

Actually, the studio is a separate venture, which we are raising money for in a separate Kickstarter.

Quite frankly - that's nonsense. Using Axanar Kickstarter funds to rent, renovate, and develop the EXACT same location that you plan on using for other productions then claiming that the 'studio is a separate venture with its own Kickstarter' is a statement that is almost disingenuous.

it's beyond disingenuous it's a boldfaced lie. They used funds from the First Kickstarter, the one all painted over with CBS IP, to pay for the facility and studio buildout.

 

[Barbreader]

According to Hollywood Reporter this lawsuit was filed last Friday. As of a few minutes ago Axanar still has an active IndieGoGo crowdfunder going.

Wasn't last friday Christmas? Were Federal Courts opened?

When you look at the actual document from Hollywood Reporter it is dated as filed 12/29

I am not admitted to practice in California. Perhaps they have 24/7 e-filing? Otherwise, the Hollywood Reporter clearly got this wrong.

 

[Mudd]

I wonder if the CBS lawyers looked at the project's recent financial disclosure report and concluded that some of the information there either justified this move or provided part of the legal basis for it.

 

[Jedi_Master]

I wonder if the CBS lawyers looked at the project's recent financial disclosure report and concluded that some of the information there either justified this move or provided part of the legal basis for it.

There has to have been some invisible "line" crossed. I am sure the other productions are eager to figure out what exactly that line is so that they can avoid the same fate.

Up to 150k per copyright violation is what Paramount is seeking... yikes.

 

[lurok]

I wonder if the CBS lawyers looked at the project's recent financial disclosure report and concluded that some of the information there either justified this move or provided part of the legal basis for it.

I was thinking the exact same thing

 

[Michael]

Interesting thing about the lawsuit document linked here: On page 5 it says: “In addition to The Original Series, there have been five further Star Trek television series totaling thousands of episodes”.

Really, “thousands of episodes”?

All in all, I can't say I'm overly surprised or even upset about Axanar getting legal trouble. Sure, I hope everyone who donated will get their money back in the end, but the production itself didn't look too interesting to me, sorry.

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

I wonder if the CBS lawyers looked at the project's recent financial disclosure report and concluded that some of the information there either justified this move or provided part of the legal basis for it.

There has to have been some invisible "line" crossed. I am sure the other productions are eager to figure out what exactly that line is so that they can avoid the same fate.

Up to 150k per copyright violation is what Paramount is seeking... yikes.

Maybe I should ask for my money back now...

 

[Tom]

Good luck SuperSpaceMan

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

Good luck SuperSpaceMan

It was only $15.00.... but anyway... ? Tom.... some people on FB are saying Melinda is saying Renegades got some sort of C&D from CBS/Paramount as well... any truth to that you can confirm or deny?

 

[Zaminhon]

I wonder if the CBS lawyers looked at the project's recent financial disclosure report and concluded that some of the information there either justified this move or provided part of the legal basis for it.

There has to have been some invisible "line" crossed. I am sure the other productions are eager to figure out what exactly that line is so that they can avoid the same fate.

Up to 150k per copyright violation is what Paramount is seeking... yikes.

I know that some other productions have a good relationship with CBS legal and update them at every step and are basically green-lit , so I'm pretty sure this is specific to Axanar, unless there are major policy changes.

 

[9gs]

Axanar lawyers are going to argue they are not doing anything different that any other fan production. They just have more money. It will put all fan productions in jeopardy as they have crossed an invisible line for CBS/Paramount.

 

[Mudd]

And...Alec Peters, god bless him, has lost it. Just posted on the Axanar Facebook page:

CBS SUES AXANAR!

Well, it appears CBS knows that Axanar is exactly what fans want, because they are trying to shut us down! While Team Axanar will have a response shortly, know this DOES NOT deter us from what we are doing! Delivering to fans exactly what you want.

Goliath, meet David (and his thousands of screaming fans)!
‪#‎IstandwithAxanar‬