14 replies to this topic

[Gothneo]

It seems to me that Star Trek is (or already has) has moved from the offices of the big corporations to more and more in the hands of fans themselves.

Starting with Star Trek: Phase II, which was a really good fan made production, and then to others like of gods and men, which got the likes of Tim Russ and many other credible star trek actors involved, the reigns of the franchise seems to be taken up more and more by fans themselves.

The advent of computer technology has made making decent fan fiction films very viable, but I've kinda been thinking about how fans are stepping in, making and selling product too. Like the Klingon Chair I picked up from a forum member right here.

Sure we are still getting a movie now and then, and maybe some more professional product, but it got me wondering if we are going to be relying on fan production of items and media more and more.

[Destructor!!!]

It tends to happen in the absence of new material - people who would otherwise consume, create. You're right that new technology is making it easier to create credible Star Trek productions on a shoestring.

"World Enough and Time", an episode of Phase II (then called New Voyages), is one of the most moving Star Trek stories I've ever seen, and the production values are absolutely top notch.

[TheHSBR]

Theres a kickstarter for a new Tim Russ film...Star Trek Renegades. I intend to donate but havent yet...they are selling pretty much everything including walk on roles if you are pretty wealthy. I think that project is trying to hit $250000 and it seems like they may just do it if they havent already. But to answer your question...Id say yes. the studios/corporations seem to only want to give us TOS/JJ stuff which is great for those two fanbases, but I think theres a whole niche market wanting more that these big companies just cant take a risk on. look at the success of our resizing project (albeit mostly TOS inspired) and like you mentioned the klingon chair. I think for talented individuals/artists theres a world ripe for the taking. How many of us would continue to buy up captains chairs like the few weve already seen? I try to support indy artists as much as possible to give them more inspiration to do more stuff that I want.

[Destructor!!!]

I'm wary of Renegades. The initial Kickstarter trailers didn't really inspire confidence, and nothing fan made that Tim Russ has been a part of has impressed - least of all Of Gods And Men... I thought that was awful.

Still, I'll give it a watch when it comes out, and I'll keep an open mind. Renegades has picked up some interesting cast members along the way.

[TheHSBR]

I liked OGAM but Im not sure why. Maybe it was because its something Ive never seen before, maybe its because I loved Tim Russ on VOY, or maybe its because it had a bunch of quasi-Mirror Universe stuff in it that I thought was cool but I will admit that there was a bunch of hokey stuff in it and the story/presentation was a bit lackluster. Maybe with some real fundraising they can raise the bar a bit. I think Renegades will be important because if they dont deliver, it will be the last project many contribute to.

BTW, I was not a fan of the New Voyages fan series at all...I got through I think 1 episode and that was it.

[Gothneo]

I don't watch the fan made stuff like i do the regular stuff... and I think it does have a bit of "cheese" factor, but... considering they are fan produced I give them great props. I think Eventually, the right mix is going to come along and people may be saying "wow" that every bit as good as a TOS episode or something to that effect.

[Destructor!!!]

HSBR, New Voyages/Phase II is a very mixed bag. The first two or three episodes are pretty dire, and the Walter Keonig one drags like a constipated dog.

George Takei's episode is up there with The Inner Light and The Visitor, for me. It's amazing.

All the episodes released since then are watchable, although Enemy: Starfleet is terrible, despite some gorgeous effects work.

If Cawley's Kirk is what stung you, then know that he did improve over the years, but has now retired, and they've cast a professional actor in the role. Spock is actually now played by Brandon Stacy, who is Zachary Quinto's stunt double on the JJ Abrams Trek films.

[TheHSBR]

I'm interested in seeing how far the suits allow things like this to go on. With the new Renegades film they raised quite a bit of money and I wonder if the suits will eventually start coming down on stuff like this due to copyright also keeping in mind that no money needs to be made to protect intellectual property.

In general I've seen a bunch of stuff be let go like these fan films but also projects like teefury.com

[Gothneo]

Exactly TheHSBR, for example, Both Marvel and DC have cracked down on people making and selling custom action figures of their properties on more than one occasion.

Obviously, if the suite want to they can do a cease and desist, especially when money is changing hands and profit is being made. But these projects, so far, really aren't for profit, yet they are getting very sophisticated, and its more difficult to crack down on something like these free fan made films when there isn't profit in it.

And I guess the trend I'm seeing is that CBS isn't really doing much to promote the brand these days, it seems fans are doing more for the brand then CBS.

Merchandise is great and ok, but something like star trek, I think, really needs new media and (arguably) we seem to be in what may be the longest run w/o new media of some kind, Since TOS was canceled and TAS came out.

Enterprise's Last Episode aired in 2005, and there's hint that anything new for TV will be forth coming any time soon, which means that as of this year, for small screen media, the drought is a tie between when TAS aired and TNG aired. The difference back then was there always seemed to be talk of another show, and of course Roddenberry was alive to pitch it. But now, I think, for the small screen, its fan made features for the foreseeable future as the current hiatus that started with Enterprise will now eclipse the run between TAS and TNG.

I find myself interested and looking forward to these fan made films because there simply isn't anything else to look forward to.

[Gothneo]

I think that, these days, a certain amount of such fan produced things, including media, are a necessity in the information age. Fan produced media or items, at a certain level, promote and elevate a property.

But some properties seem like they may be better served by the fans... at least for a time.

[Gothneo]

Yeah... I honestly don't know... I guess thats why I was asking the question. thanks for your insight 1701, its appreciated! Re-releasing TNG and ENT on Blu-Ray is a far cry to actual new programming for me.

[TheHSBR]

Teefury.com seems to be able to get away with it because the designs submitted don't actually breach any copyright. If there was a tee with the words Star Trek on them then that would be in breach but if it's just Resistance Is Futile then there's no copyright issues with that.

I know that CBS met with James Crawley to discuss New Voyages and Phase II presumably to agree on what they could and could not do with Star Trek.

I would say the opposite with many of the things being listed on teefury as bltant copyright infringements sometimes even multiple copyright infringements. I look at some of the recent productions and its not the words but the images such as mario, stormtroopers, vader, and the like that are clear enough violations for me that if I were in charge I would crack down. im not saying they all are, but theres enough there that I am shocked by what they get away with.