What Happened?

CBS and Paramount Pictures producers posted, on the 23rd of June, a series of guidelines for filmaker's fans of Star Trek to follow, the next time they want to participate and create any short film related to this movie.

In addition, these two broadcast television networks also posted letters on their official Star Trek page, explaining the cause of the parameters. Then, the CBS’s vice president, for Product Development, John Van Citters was interviewed the 29th of June in the "Engage: The Official Star Trek Podcast", letting the fans know more clearly what were these new guidelines about.

Once these two broadcast networks published the guidelines, the press, the people and the news were all talking about it and of course, many of them were complaining.

The reason for these? Before this took over, there was no restriction for people who wanted to recreate some of the Star Trek characters, scenes, or even the story. This way, some of the fans started making full lenght films and pretending it was an original Star Trek movie.

Furthermore, it became a business for the creators, generating them some profits for the content that they continued posting on the media. A clear example for this is "Axanar". It is nothing but a fan film set in the Star Trek Universe, were it is common to generate and raise about 500 dolars for a production cathegorized as “fully proffesional” and that is being supported by people who have worked on the original movies of Star Trek, making them contributors.

Definitely this was one of the reasons that pushed the CBS and Paramount Pictures to take action. Eventhough it might seem punitive, producers of the original Star Trek film pronounced themselves and the companies, to make clear they were not intending to stop or end the fans passion and enthusiasm ways of expression towards the movie. They want to keep supporting innovation, creativity and imagination of this new phonomenon known as “fan films”, but avoiding the abuse and attempt of generating business from this, as well. It is very important for them and for the rest of the audience to protect it from things that are not appropiate.

They also claim that they know this phenomenon is "an expression of deep love" for Star Trek, allowing them to give shape to their own story and show the “true Star Trek Vibes”. 

This is a call for more fans to get involved.

The following, are the ten guidelines CBS and Paramount Pictures stablished:

1. The fan production must be less than 15 minutes for a single self-contained story, or no more than 2 segments, episodes or parts, not to exceed 30 minutes total, with no additional seasons, episodes, parts, sequels or remakes. 

2. The title of the fan production or any parts cannot include the name “Star Trek.” However, the title must contain a subtitle with the phrase: “A STAR TREK FAN PRODUCTION” in plain typeface. The fan production cannot use the term “official” in either its title or subtitle or in any marketing, promotions or social media for the fan production.

3. The content in the fan production must be original, not reproductions, recreations or clips from any Star Trek production. If non-Star Trek third party content is used, all necessary permissions for any third party content should be obtained in writing.

4 If the fan production uses commercially-available Star Trek uniforms, accessories, toys and props, these items must be official merchandise and not bootleg items or imitations of such commercially available products.

5. The fan production must be a real “fan” production, i.e., creators, actors and all other participants must be amateurs, cannot be compensated for their services, and cannot be currently or previously employed on any Star Trek series, films, production of DVDs or with any of CBS or Paramount Pictures’ licensees.

6. The fan production must be non-commercial:

CBS and Paramount Pictures do not object to limited fundraising for the creation of a fan production, whether 1 or 2 segments and consistent with these guidelines, so long as the total amount does not exceed $50,000, including all platform fees, and when the $50,000 goal is reached, all fundraising must cease.

7. The fan production must only be exhibited or distributed on a no-charge basis and/or shared via streaming services without generating revenue.

8. The fan production cannot be distributed in a physical format such as DVD or Blu-ray.

The fan production cannot be used to derive advertising revenue including, but not limited to, through for example, the use of pre or post-roll advertising, click-through advertising banners, that is associated with the fan production.

No unlicensed Star Trek-related or fan production-related merchandise or services can be offered for sale or given away as premiums, perks or rewards or in connection with the fan production fundraising.

The fan production cannot derive revenue by selling or licensing fan-created production sets, props or costumes.

The fan production must be family friendly and suitable for public presentation. Videos must not include profanity, nudity, obscenity, pornography, depictions of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or any harmful or illegal activity, or any material that is offensive, fraudulent, defamatory, libelous, disparaging, sexually explicit, threatening, hateful, or any other inappropriate content. The content of the fan production cannot violate any individual’s right of privacy.

The fan production must display the following disclaimer in the on-screen credits of the fan productions and on any marketing material including the fan production website or page hosting the fan production:

“Star Trek and all related marks, logos and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. This fan production is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made film intended for recreational use.  No commercial exhibition or distribution is permitted. No alleged independent rights will be asserted against CBS or Paramount Pictures.”

9. Creators of fan productions must not seek to register their works, nor any elements of the works, under copyright or trademark law.

10. Fan productions cannot create or imply any association or endorsement by CBS or Paramount Pictures.

The broadcast networks are no intending to chase people down in their houses, searching for the correct use of these guidelines. Those are instructions to treat Star Trek as the repect due. For example, they hope the music stands in most of all of the fan films, and if not, it has to be a justified reason. It doesn't seem logic to change elemental aspects that make Star Trek what it really is.

These are just adjustments that will frame the work of fans but will never limit them from showing their love for the epic movie.

Información tomada de:

Engage: The Official Star Trek Podcast. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www1.play.it/audio/engage-the-official-star-trek-podcast/
Star Trek Fan Film Guidelines Announced. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www.startrek.com/article/star-trek-fan-film-guidelines-announced
Star Trek Fan Films. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www.startrek.com/fan-films
The STAR TREK Fanfilm Guidelines Saved Fanfilms. (2016). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/06/29/the-star-trek-fanfilm-guidelines-saved-fanfilms
Engage Podcast Explores New Fan Film Guidelines. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2016, from http://www.startrek.com/article/engage-podcast-explores-new-fan-film-guidelines