star trek fanfilm axanar

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How 'Axanar,' The Ultimate Star Trek Fan Film, Led To The Mother Of All Lawsuits

There would be no Star Trek without the fans. In 1968, when the first series was nearly canceled after two seasons, a letter-writing campaign created by fan Bjo Trimble saved it. The final, third season of Star Trek allowed the series to be sold into syndication, which is where it found a massive audience. Because of that history, the owner of the franchise, Paramount Pictures, has usually been quite lenient with fan-created content, from short stories to elaborate filmed shorts.

All of that changed with Axanar , the most ambitious and expensive Star Trek fan film in history. Money was raised, professional actors (many of whom had appeared in official Star Trek content) were hired, and sets were built. A trailer wowed fans at Comic-Con 2014, but legal trouble, money woes, and controversy condemned the film to never see the light of day.

The world of fan films hasn't been the same since. Here is the story of what happened to the biggest fan film of all time.

Prior To 'Axanar,' CBS And Paramount Had A Long History Of Allowing 'Star Trek' Fan Films

Star Trek fan films have existed almost as long as Star Trek itself. Hobbyists and semi-professionals produced unofficial Trek content as early as the 1960s. In the '70s, fan films became especially important because of the lack of new Star Trek on TV following NBC's cancellation of the original series. Fans with the means and the resources happily filled the void with their own content. 

One of the earliest known examples of fan-made Star Trek  content is 1974's Paragon's Paragon , an adaptation of the official novel Spock Must Die! , first published in 1970. With the advent of digital video and the creation of the internet, the Star Trek fan film market grew significantly.

Higher-quality fan series like Star Trek: New Voyages became favorites of Trekkers around the world.

• Star Trek Into Darkness/Paramount Pictures

At The Time 'Axanar' Was Being Developed, There Was A Need For New 'Star Trek' Content

After the 2005 cancellation of Enterprise , Star Trek was absent from TV for more than a decade. By the time J.J. Abrams rebooted the series in 2009, it had been seven years since a  Star Trek film had appeared in cinemas.

Fan films filled the gap left by Paramount and CBS icing the franchise. At the time that the Axanar  project was developed, the three Kelvin Timeline Trek movies ( Star Trek , Into Darkness , and Beyond ) were the only new installments in the series.

'Prelude to Axanar' Is The Story Of Garth Of Izar During The Conflict Between The Klingons And The Federation

Into the void left by Enterprise 's cancellation came Prelude to Axanar , a short fan film released in 2014. Directed by Christian Gossett, Prelude to Axanar follows up on a storyline introduced in a Season 3 episode of the original series called "Whom Gods Destroy." In that episode, a mad former Starfleet captain named Garth of Izar attempts to steal the Enterprise so he can use it to take over the galaxy. 

Producer Alec Peters came up with the idea of exploring Garth of Izar's backstory, and enlisted Gossett to both direct and co-write the short film. The subject of the film would be the Battle of Axanar, which concluded a long conflict between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, and was won in large part due to the participation of Garth. The victory made him a legend in Starfleet history, but also contributed to him going mad.

The cast of professional actors included former Battlestar Galactica star Richard Hatch as Klingon Supreme Warlord Kharn, Candyman 's Tony Todd as a Starfleet admiral, and Kate Vernon (also from Battlestar Galactica ) as a Starfleet captain. The pivotal role of Captain Garth would go to none other than producer/co-writer Alec Peters.

'Star Trek: Prelude to Axanar' Debuted At Comic-Con In 2014 To Much Delight, Inspiring Peters To Make It Into A Full-Length Feature Film

The short received a gala premiere at Comic-Con 2014 and was met with rapturous critical acclaim from the Star Trek fan community, including former Trek writer David Gerrold . The positive response to the film led Peters to devise a plan to extend the world of Axanar into a complete movie. This was relatively unprecedented in the history of Star Trek fan films, at least on the scale Peters planned. 

With attention being showered on his project, Peters was able to raise $638,000 on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter to create a follow-up to Prelude to Axanar. The full-length feature film was called Star Trek: Axanar , and would complete the story of Garth and the end of the battle with the Klingons.

Almost $200,000 was raised in the final two days of the campaign, thanks to promotion from original series cast member George Takei. The film would be directed by Robert Meyer Burnett, a producer of DVD extras whom had achieved some notice in the late 1990s for his film Free Enterprise , which starred William Shatner as the love guru for two obsessed Star Trek fans.

• Wikimedia Commons

In December 2015, The Studios Invoked Their Rights As Copyright Holders And Filed A Lawsuit, And J.J. Abrams Tried To Stop It

By the time lawyers from both CBS and Paramount Pictures served Peters and his fellow producers with a lawsuit, Axanar had raised more than $1 million from its Kickstarter. At the heart of the disagreement was the question of whether or not Axanar was infringing on the copyrighted intellectual property of Star Trek , owned jointly by CBS (for television) and Paramount (for feature films). 

The lawsuit rocked the Star Trek fan community, which was used to playing with the Trek intellectual property as it saw fit. But all that drama was not ideal for CBS and Paramount, who were gearing up for the 50th anniversary of Star Trek 's premiere. Bad PR could have tanked the celebration, which included the release of Star Trek Beyond,  the third film in the Kelvin Timeline series.

J.J. Abrams, who produced Beyond , even got involved. During a fan event on the Paramount lot, he revealed that the lawsuit had been "dropped." Except, it hadn't been . 

In fact, the disagreement escalated, as Peters filed a counterclaim on behalf of the Axanar production . Peters and his director, Burnett, believed they were able to use the Star Trek intellectual property under the fair use doctrine that had governed so many fan films and other amateur works. But their own Kickstarter campaign material would be their legal undoing.

In 2016, A Judge Ruled That 'Axanar' Was A 'Derivative Work' That Infringed On The Rights Held By Paramount And CBS

By the  Axanar team's own admission, Axanar was not a "fan film." As they stated in their original pitch to investors ,

While some may call it a "fan film" as we are not licensed by CBS, Axanar has professionals working in front and behind the camera, with a fully-professional crew - many of whom have worked on Star Trek itself - who ensure Axanar will be the quality of Star Trek that all fans want to see.

While Peters believed Axanar could escape legal trouble by not profiting from the film, CBS and Paramount considered it potentially damaging to their brand. At the same time that Axanar was being developed, CBS was preparing its first Star Trek TV series in 11 years,  Star Trek: Discovery , which had more than a little bit in common with Alec Peters's fan film.

• Star Trek: Discovery/CBS All Access

'Star Trek' Returned To TV And The Rules For Fan Films Changed Forever

Discovery , originally developed by Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller and announced in November 2015, is set in the decade after the events depicted in Axanar  (and 20 years before the original series with Kirk and Spock). A professionally made, unofficial movie - distributed across the world via the internet - could have created the kind of consumer confusion that wasn't possible in the early days of fan films.

The director of Paragon's Paragon never could have imagined what was possible by the 21st century. Inexpensive equipment and post-production made quality filmmaking accessible, and the instant distribution of the internet democratized the commerce of art to a degree that was well beyond what the traditional fan film could offer. 

As part of the settlement around CBS and Paramount's victory over the Axanar team, new guidelines were established for Star Trek fan films . All fan productions would have to be non-commercial, non-professional, and family-friendly. Individual stories could be no more than 15 minutes. "Star Trek" cannot be used in the titles of the film, but the film must be clearly labeled "a Star Trek fan production." No one could be paid for their services, from actors to crew. All props would have to be officially licensed Star Trek merchandise and not bootlegs.

Perhaps the oddest rule of them all is rule No. 7:

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.

Why is this strange? Because the Star Trek universe on TV has grown significantly in the past two years with the numerous series on the CBS All Access streaming service. Most of these shows -  Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks , etc. - feature adult themes, profanity, depictions of substance use, and sexual content. 

The Creators Of 'Axanar' Still Want To Release Their Film

Fan film creators were forced to respond to these new guidelines. Established fan series like Star Trek: Renegades  carried on by removing all references to Star Trek from their work.

The creators of Axanar continue their attempts to make their film under CBS and Paramount's guidelines, but it hasn't been easy. Peters has been accused of fraud and defamation , among other issues. His director, Robert Meyer Burnett, was sued by Peters for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the production budget and refusing to return footage. 

The revised Axanar , now limited to two 15-minute installments directed by British video game creative Paul Jenkins, is now slated to arrive in the near future, per a trailer released in April 2020 .

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Prelude To Axanar

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Axanar (Star Trek fan film)

Axanar is a 2016 Star Trek fan film .

It was written by Christian Gossett and Alec Peters and directed by Christian Gossett. Funded through Kickstarter, production sought $10,000 in funding, but raised $101,000. The first part, [ Prelude to Axanar ] , was first shown July 26, 2014 at San Diego Comic-Con and has had over four million views on YouTube.

Set in the Star Trek universe, the film stars Kate Vernon , Tony Todd , Richard Hatch , Gary Graham (reprising his Star Trek: Enterprise character of Soval ), and J. G. Hertzler , in a documentary-style film recounting the events surrounding the Battle of Axanar, a major clash between the Federation and the Klingons.[7][8]

It raised over $1 million via crowdfunding.

In 2015, CBS and Paramount filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Central District of California, claiming copyright infringement. The film uses the Klingon language and "innumerable copyrighted elements of Star Trek, including its settings, characters, species, and themes". The lawsuit is discussed at Fansplaining: Lawsuit at Axanar .

On June 23, 2016, Paramount and CBS released new fan film "guidelines" [1] , which amounted to a crackdown on fan films . Axanar staff described these new rules as "disheartening" and "draconian." While some critics agree that fans creating amateur productions are fine but that fan-produced series featuring copyrighted characters are not, [2] , most fans and critics perceive Paramount/CBS as having killed off any chance for fan-produced Star Trek in any form. [3]

On January 20, 2017, the parties announced that the lawsuit had been settled, with Alec Peters and Axanar Productions promising to make "substantial changes" to Axanar and agreeing to abide by Paramount's and CBS' alleged guidelines. [4] Under the terms of the settlement, the filmmakers will be allowed to release two commercial-free 15-minute segments, instead of their planned 90-minute feature. [5] Updates can be found on the Axanar channel on YouTube .

• Why CBS/Paramount Lawsuit Against 'Star Trek' Fan Film Is Not Surprising , Archived version by Beatrice Verhoeven (January 8, 2016)
• Paramount lawyers call Star Trek fan film’s bluff in nerdiest lawsuit ever , Archived version by Sam Barsanti (March 13, 2016)
• Paramount Claims Crowdfunded 'Star Trek' Film Infringes Copyright to Klingon Language -- Hollywood Reporter , Archived version by Eriq Gardner (March 13, 2016)
• Paramount And CBS Clarify Copyrighted Elements In Axanar Lawsuit , Archived version by Erik Amaya (March 14, 2016)
• Justin Lin Weighs In On Latest 'Axanar' Lawsuit Development, Says That Star Trek 'Belongs To All Of Us' : CULTURE : Tech Times , Archived version by J.E. Reich (March 14, 2016)
• Helpful CBS Lawyers Explain the Many, Many Ways a Star Trek Fan Film Is Ripping Them Off , Archived version by Katharine Trendacosta (March 14, 2016)
• How $1.1 Million 'Star Trek' Fan Movie Escaped Studio Shutdown (So Far) , Archived version by Beatrice Verhoeven (August 25, 2016)
• Axanar and CBS , Archived version by Alec Peters (August 30, 2016)
• Axanar’s Peters Speaks About Lawsuit – TrekToday , Archived version by T'Bonz (sometime in 2016)
• ^ Fan Films at startrek.com
• ^ Devin Faraci, " How the Star Trek Fanfilm Guidelines Saved Fanfilms ." Birth Movies Death 2016-06-29.
• ^ Read the comments to Star Trek Fan Film Guidelines Announced at startrek.com, 2016-06-23.
• ^ "Paramount, CBS Settle 'Star Trek' Fan Film Lawsuit" . 20 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-05-19.
• ^ Mele, Christopher (21 January 2017). " 'Star Trek' Copyright Settlement Allows Fan Film to Proceed" . Archived from the original on 2021-10-20 – via NYTimes.com.
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Pop Mythology Pop Mythology: Movie, Book, Comic reviews & commentary

When fans lose sight of their fandoms: the battle for ‘axanar’.

Captain John K. Kirk July 27, 2021 Movies , TV

What does a fan film need with 1.7 million dollars ?

Axanar was a fan project that held great promise. An expression of Star Trek fandom that could have been an example of a fan film done right. Instead, it turned into a prime example of fandom toxicity , bloating itself on a steady stream of fan donations. Recently, the story behind Axanar has become a part of a documentary that examines toxicity within fandoms. Titled Into the Wormhole: The Battle for Axanar , the doc focuses on the exploitation of Star Trek .

What is a Fan Film?

Let’s begin with the concept of a fan film. Essentially, a fan film is a film project set in an existing popular IP with an original story created by non-professionals. It’s a fun, shared activity by fans who want to show their love for their particular fandom by producing an original creation. While a fan film could be a project an aspiring filmmaker puts on their resume, it is not meant to be a way into the film industry .

Fan film creators are usually just fans themselves. Some have filmmaking aspirations but others have professional accreditations, like Vic Mignogna of the high-quality Star Trek Continues who enjoys a career as an anime voice actor. With a fan film, fans can create the chance to direct or produce outside the constraints of a commercial project. Mignogna has said on record that his fan film was just a “love letter to Star Trek. ”

Star Trek Fan Films

While most fan films are small productions amongst friends, some fan films, like Axanar , can grow to enormous proportions and garner a great deal of attention in the process. This is especially true in Star Trek fandom, which is both massive and well-resourced.

One of the earliest examples of a large-scale Star Trek fan film was Star Trek: New Voyages (later renamed Star Trek: Phase II ) which set the bar and saw its pilot production, “Come What May,” released in 2004. This production was created by James Cawley, an entertainer in his own rights (a successful Elvis impersonator) and saw involvement of various Trek alumni like Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, George Takei, and the late Grace Lee Whitney. There was a great deal of acclaim for the accuracy of the film’s sets and props . This was probably the first of high-grade fan productions that initiated the trend of raising the production bar. However, Cawley funded most of the production himself, and the appearances of alumni were voluntary. Much later, Cawley re-purposed his sets and studio in Ticonderoga, New York for the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour and became a licensed partner with CBS.

He recently posted, on Facebook, an admonition to his fellow Star Trek fans: “STOP sending money to these fan film, flim-flam men. They are just preying on you and exploiting your good nature and the Trek franchise for their own personal gain.” He went on to say that fan films should pay for themselves.

Other high-value production companies included Star Trek: Continues and Star Trek: Renegades , which raised the bar further and helped pave the way for Prelude to Axanar . These films used professional actors to create authenticity and were fan-funded via crowdfunding campaigns. However, oversight was not strictly regulated. High-level CBS employees usually were invited to screenings which seemed to imply tacit acceptance. Even Gene Roddenberry’s son, Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, cameoed on an episode of Star Trek Continues adding to its authenticity and resonance with fans.

Prelude to Axanar , imagined by Alec Peters, a self-declared devout fan of the franchise, started off much the same way. An approximate 20-minute production that solicited money from fans via a $10,000 crowdfunding campaign, it featured Trek alumni and sci-fi actors. Like many of the other productions, it promised perks like patches and t-shirts. Exceeding fundraising expectations, it raised over $100,000.

With those funds, a documentary-style story was created about a heroic former Starfleet Captain, Garth of Izar, a character from a TOS episode “Whom Gods Destroy,” about his legendary defeat of the Klingon Empire at a pivotal battle over a planet named Axanar. It featured performances from Tony Todd, J.G. Hertzler, Gary Graham, Kate Vernon and the late Richard Hatch of Battlestar Galactica fame. With no technical production skills of his own, Alec Peters’ contribution to the film was to play the role of Captain Garth.

Early Troubles on ‘Axanar’

When released at Comic Con in 2014, Prelude to Axanar was an undebatable success. It subsequently won a plethora of fan film awards and was loved by fans, particularly the ones who supported it. Buoyed by this success and the demand for the rest of the story, Peters began another crowdfunding campaign to raise money for an ambitious full-length film production. By 2015, this initiative would manage to raise nearly two million dollars via Indiegogo and Kickstarter , all under the oversight of Alec Peters. Later that year, CBS/Viacom launched a lawsuit , expressing a number of concerns including violations of copyright and intellectual property.

Peters admitted in an interview with 1701news in early 2016 that he took a salary, paid actors, crew and that he violated CBS copyright, sparking a schism in the fandom. On one side were those fans who saw the lawsuit as a sign of the demise of fan films for all. Still, others accused him of improprieties with the money. Many fans vehemently criticized his subsequent activities on various social media, noting that to this day Axanar has not been made, and demanded to know about the whereabouts of the fan dollars raised for the project.

During the time span of 2016 to the present, Peters engaged in a number of commercial activities, including the sales of Axanar merchandise (cups, patches, models of the ships seen in Prelude, etc.) to raise money for the production, the attempted establishment of a coffee shop and even a dog rescue operation. These were ostensibly for the purpose of raising funds for the production or simply association of good will. However, the actual film project saw little progress, with frequent changes of studio locations and the maintenance of a YouTube channel dedicated to updates and raising more funds from Axanar supporters.

The proposed Axanar project saw a chaotic flurry of directorial leadership. While one segment, known as the “The Vulcan Scene (starring Gary Graham, reprising his role of Ambassador Soval who fans will remember from Star Trek: Enterprise ) was filmed, that was the extent of any actual filmmaking associated with the project. The directors all left, citing similar complaints of interference or incompatibility in their departures. These were not just fans but industry professionals who simply agreed to participate because it looked like fun and they wanted to learn how to make a film within existing Star Trek IP. They were fans who had the professional ability to make a high-quality fan film and Alec Peters wanted to learn from them and use their knowledge to get his story made.

For instance, the director of Prelude to Axanar , Christian Gossett , the only director who had completed a full Axanar production, left the production company when he was informed that the team he had put together for Prelude would not be the team for the feature. It seemed counter-intuitive given that the popular opinion in the fan community was that its success was all due to the work of Gossett and the team he put together.

“We were celebrating the night of the release at Comic-Con,” Gossett related. “We were in post-show glow and were at the celebration dinner. Then Alec told me that he wanted to get rid of Milton Santiago, he wanted to get rid of Scott Cobb in production. It was the understanding that we would go on to work on the feature with the same people. It’s the understanding when you’re working for nothing, on someone’s valentine. He showed complete opposite disregard for that. But he said, we’d be able to get more donations if we had someone like a John Iacovelli, who worked on Babylon 5 .”

Gossett had to tell these professionals that Peters simply didn’t want to continue with the same structure that had made Prelude to Axanar a success. Industry professionals who were ready to essentially volunteer their time to see a project made were told that they would not be allowed to continue their work because a fan producer simply didn’t get it.

“He didn’t know how to do things and that was the understanding,” Gossett explained. “I would teach him… it was like a student that you informed. It was a ‘hands-on’ classroom.”

Fortunately, Gossett never experienced any legal repercussions from Peters. However, Peters intimated on social media that Prelude to Axanar was his creation, reducing the importance of Gossett’s work on the production.

“He feels he has to,” Gossett commented. “But here’s how it can work for him. He needs to redeem himself by mea culpa. He needs to acknowledge the wrongs he has done. He needs to acknowledge that he was thrilled to work with the professionals on Prelude . He needs to say thank you to Carter who drove to get the Klingon chair that Richard Hatch wanted, with his father in the truck. The sacrifices… this is the kind of stuff that happens in the industry but the love that is present in the industry? Toxic fans that want to be a part of it do it a disservice when they approach it from an uneducated and willingly ignorant place in order to save themselves a lot of energy. He needs to apologize. He took this idea, like what Cawley did, and then to put out this narrative that it was all to get this money.”

This was supposed to be a project that was a proof of concept . Peters thought that this was a project he could put forward to CBS as something that could become part of the Star Trek franchise. However, according to Gossett, this was far from the truth.

“The only reason I speak about him is to counter the falsehoods he shares,” said Gossett. “And the falsehoods I can prove – I have them on video, allowing me to say to people on video, in public, that supposedly CBS asked him that if you make something, we’ll be interested in seeing it – that was not true. When I spoke to CBS, afterward, at the behest of [the late] Dave Galanter, it was the case that was never true.”

The next director to take the Axanar reins was Robert Meyer Burnett around 2017. Star Trek fans remember Burnett fondly as the director and co-creator of the cult film, Free Enterprise , in which a jaded William Shatner serves as a muse and source of frustration to two grown-up Star Trek fans who are reminded that the actor was a piece of their childhood. After months of Burnett loyally standing by Peters, the two had a falling out, in which Burnett had to also legally defend himself from Peters’ claims that Burnett owed him money. Both Burnett and Gossett were both industry professionals and actually had legitimate Star Trek media connections. Burnett talked about how he got involved.

“I’d known Christian Gossett for about two decades,“ Burnett said. “His comic magnum opus, The Red Star is a fantastic comic work about an alternate Soviet Union. He worked as a designer for Lucasfilm – he created the double-bladed lightsaber – and I really admire and respect him. He came to me in 2014 and told me he was going to be involved in a Star Trek fan film project called Axanar and as a Star Trek fan, I already knew the reference. He told me about this guy called Alec Peters and I knew about Peters from his involvement in the props world. He had put on the Battlestar Galactica prop auction but I did not know him.”

The project was interesting to Burnett. The documentary style of the project, a’ la Band of Brothers was appealing on a storytelling basis but also to Burnett’s professional experience, having worked on documentaries. The influence of both the 1980’s FASA Star Trek role playing game and the board game, Star Fleet Battles was also hard to overlook. To all appearances, this looked like a cool project to work on.

“Christian asked me to edit the project. I had just finished working on the Star Trek TNG and Enterprise Blu-Rays and I was deep into Star Trek . Christian introduced me to Alec. His favourite Star Trek character was Captain Garth of Izar, who was Kirk idolized in the show and that was the basis for his idea. They were going to produce this like it was an A-List Hollywood project.”

The project was clearly not a fan film any more. Peters clearly wanted it to be something more, a Hollywood style film, “the best Star Trek he could make,” as he put it in a 2016 interview. Burnett was the second professional director he hired. With the success that Prelude had shown, it was difficult for Burnett to refuse.

Burnett said he worked for two and a half months straight before taking on the director’s reins, editing the project. He was gratified to get a great deal of latitude and freedom from Gossett. He created narration, developed new shots and worked on the physical media that were perks for the crowdfunding campaign Peters had organized for the production.

“I was very proud of the work we did on Prelude,” he stated.

Burnett also offered this up about a producer’s role:

“A good producer provides the idea, the material, the people, and then stands back and takes credit.”

However, Peters was not content to just play Garth on screen or stand back.

“Alec Peters didn’t want to do that. He wanted to be the guy that everyone would come to and be the centre of it all. He wouldn’t let Christian work with the same people who did Prelude to Axanar , because he wanted the spotlight. Those were the people that made Axanar,  not Alec. That, in my estimation, was his fatal flaw.”

Gossett’s people were fired and replaced by others of Peters’ choosing. Gossett couldn’t deliver the same quality of filmmaking that he was able to do with Prelude and had to step down. Burnett added this:

“Alec didn’t know how to make Star Trek . He didn’t go to film school – he doesn’t know how to make a film. He talks like he’s the guy who wants to be a director, saying that ‘A-List people find other A-List people’, but he has no training, no understanding, or doesn’t even know movies. What films has he made?”

Burnett and Gossett both report a pattern of attention-seeking behaviour that showed the overwhelming desire to assert control over the fandom instead of simply being satisfied with the accomplishment of the work itself.

“The process is my reward,” Burnett said when asked why he got involved. “I like to make films. I like to work with talented, creative people who like to make films too. When I work on a project, I know it’s going to be good and I’m secure with my work. However, there’s a lot of people that want the accolades. They want to be the person in charge, the centre of attention because they don’t understand that at the end of the day, you’re only going to be the centre of attention for a few moments. Those people are bored by the process. A good producer would know how to keep that team together.”

Still, despite interference, Burnett thought it could be done.

“ Prelude to Axanar is a great piece of work,” he asserted. “I felt I had an obligation to stick around and see the project through. I never thought I’d be in a position to direct a Star Trek film, even though it was a fan film, and the proof-of-concept piece known as “The Vulcan Scene,” we shot in 2015 a few months later. Prelude to Axanar showed me that I thought Alec knew what to do! Prelude and “The Vulcan Scene” raised hundreds of thousands of crowdfunding dollars that I thought were going to be used to make a fan film.”

Peters eventually sued Burnett for alleged theft of materials and alleged unpaid loans. Burnett described the suit as “specious” and the case was eventually dismissed, but at personal expense to Burnett.

“Alec thought he was more important than the team that made the film,” said Burnett. “The work should be the thing, not the people. What satisfies my ego is when the project is good. That’s all that matters.”

Enter Paul Jenkins and ‘Into the Wormhole’

The final director of the unfinished project was Paul Jenkins .

“When you’re talking about the love of a fandom and what we want it to be? The worst is the tragedy of the destruction of our fandoms by toxic people,” Jenkins said. “Like, the love that people have for Star Trek is now defiled by that when you think Star Trek , now you have to go… oh, Axanar .”

Jenkins, a thirty-year veteran in entertainment media is an Eisner Award winner, one of the highest honours one can win in the comics industry, and has worked on the most well-known titles in comics: Hellblazer , Spider-Man , The Incredible Hulk . He was also the creator of  The Sentry . The first comic Paul wrote for Marvel was a story titled “Operation: Assimilation” for its Star Trek run . If there’s an expert in fandom, it’s this guy.

Jenkins related how he got involved with Axanar .

“I was introduced to Alec Peters by a guy in town who was trying to fund a production company and he said: go meet this guy who just came into town. I had just chaired an advisory committee for the governor of Georgia on digital interactive and filmmaking. I like to meet and mentor creators so I said, sure. He gave me a downtrodden story about how he created this Star Trek story.”

Jenkins continues.

“Of course, he didn’t tell me that it was Christian Gossett and his team who really made everything. But the problem my producer and I quickly realized was that we weren’t going to be able to make this story with this guy who didn’t know anything, and kept getting in the way. So that became our real challenge.”

Jenkins’ story is very similar to Burnett’s and Gossett’s. He wanted to make the film, but Alec Peters got in the way of his own creation. He was a fan who wanted to create something better than a fan film and hired professionals to help him achieve that standard. Though Peters had the original story (albeit set within the universe of someone else’s intellectual property), he was a fan with a fan mentality. Somehow that wouldn’t allow him to just let the professionals do their jobs.

“I’m not a fan-guy,” Jenkins explained. “I mean, I came up in comics and all that, but while I love Crystal Palace – my own little piece of fandom – I understand why people come together. That’s the whole piece of fandom. You can talk to someone about Doctor Who or Star Trek , and when they know the same episode as you, they know you. When you get bad people in that, it hurts.”

In the end, it couldn’t be done. Like Gossett and Burnett, Jenkins left the project – fired, according to Peters’ social media – but was also hit with a lawsuit, ironically over intellectual property issues. Jenkins responded to Peters’ lawsuit in a way that most professionals would understand: he decided to make a film about it.

In 2020, while the world was under virtual house arrest during a pandemic, Jenkins was inspired to document the Axanar phenomenon and answer the question of why Alec Peters would want to manipulate a franchise that wasn’t his. Jenkins saw that the world had been exposed to a strain of narcissism for some time and it had managed to find its way into fandoms . He saw those things like Comicsgate or The Fandom Menace had cruelly torn their way into the world of joyful things that are supposed to distract us from the world around us. While it would have been simple to dismiss the phenomenon as simply ego and profit, there was a psychology present in the Axanar saga that became fascinating to him to observe.

“It’s a very interesting case study on what damage toxic fandom can do to a beloved franchise.” Paul shares. “Our documentary is about what we can do to prevent the exploitation. Q-Anon, right-wing hate groups, we can see the same happening in the fan communities.”

Fans of Star Trek all have a shared characteristic in that they can cite the moment when Star Trek became a real value in their lives. This love of Trek fandom came out in fan films, which were to be ultimate expressions of love for this franchise. It was supposed to be about fun, sharing a love together by making goofy mistakes or learning about film production. Not about making a project that could rival anything created by CBS/Paramount or for making money.

Fandoms have great potential to bring joy to our lives. They can be restorative, sources of comfort and can have special roles in our lives. They are powerful influences. There is a desire for a sense of ownership attached to a love of a fandom that is expressed when making a fan film. In the case of Axanar , this love was expressed in Prelude but got lost when the subsequent film was not realized. Patches and other paraphernalia are poor substitutes.

Much of the talent distanced themselves from the Axanar project, and the studio dedicated to the film has changed locations at least twice. Peters still maintains his YouTube channel with over a hundred thousand followers, all generating viewing or solicited revenue. It seems like the goal of Axanar is to continue talking about the project rather than completing it.

Currently, Axanar is declared as a non-profit agency, Jenkins’ legal issues have not been resolved and after six years, the film still has not been made.

We must include some additions when revisiting the original question: what does a fan film need with three Industry directors, multiple lawsuits, a YouTube channel, a failed coffee shop, or a dog rescue as well as nearly 2 million dollars?

In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , Kirk asked what does God need with a starship? In this case, we have to return to the question: what does a fan film need with 1.7 million dollars? While there doesn’t seem to be an answer to these issues, what was clear in Star Trek V was that it wasn’t God who needed a starship.

In this case,  Axanar isn’t a fan film any more and I think Captain Kirk would agree it didn’t need 1.7 million dollars.

About Captain John K. Kirk

• Edit source

Axanar is a fan film starring Tony Todd , Richard Hatch , Gary Graham , J.G Hertzler , Michael Hogan , Kate Vernon , and Alec Peters . It is written by Alec Peters and Christian Gossett , produced by Alec Peters, and directed by Christian Gossett. Following legal issues, including several breaches of copyright law and allegations of financial misconduct on Peters's part, Axanar was delayed repeatedly.

Production [ ]

The film was set to go into production in October 2015, with a tentative release in the spring or summer of 2016. However, following a legal battle with CBS Studios, the film was re-written to be released as two short films as part of a 2017 legal agreement between Peters and CBS, and may have been permanently stalled as a result of further breaches of the agreement.

Summary [ ]

The film takes place 21 years before the TOS episode " Where No Man Has Gone Before ". It tells the story of Garth and the crew of the USS Ares during the fourth year of the Four Years War ; the war with the Klingon Empire that nearly tore the Federation apart. Garth's victory at Axanar solidified the Federation and allowed it to become the entity we know in Kirk's time. The stardate system is the same one used in the films set in the alternate reality.

It is preceded by the history documentary-style prequel Prelude to Axanar .

External links [ ]

• Axanar official website
• Axanar on International Movie Database
• Axanar on Facebook
• Axanar Productions on Instagram
• Axanar : "Why We Fight" by Jonathan Lane and Mark McCrary
• Interlude: A Star Trek Fan Production (2021) on YouTube
• Axanar: The new ‘Star Trek’ Fan Film Made by Trekkies at Geek Insider ; June 16 2015
• Sources: CBS Lawyers Inform Axanar it Has Breached the Copyright Settlement at AxaMonitor ; October 12 2019
• 2 Daniels (Agent)
• 3 Levex Ixen

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New Fan Film ‘Star Trek: Axanar’ To Tell Story of Garth Of Izar Battling Klingons Lead by BSG’s Richard Hatch

| December 23, 2012 | By: Anthony Pascale 81 comments so far

Garth Gets A Back-Story in Star Trek: Axanar

The new fan production "Star Trek: Axanar" will tell the story of Garth of Izar who was the main antagonist in the Star Trek episode "Whom Gods Destroy." That episode established that before being committed to the Elba II asylum for the criminally insane, Garth was a celebrated Fleet Captain in Starfleet and hero to a young James T. Kirk. His greatest acclaim came at the Battle of Axanar, the study of which was required at Starfleet Academy. Star Trek: Axanar will tell the story of that famous Federation/Klingon battle, which took place 20 years before the original Star Trek series.

"Axanar" is the brainchild of Propworx founder Alec Peters who has been thinking about this idea for 15 years. He tells TrekMovie that he has always felt there is "an amazing story to tell" about Garth who was Kirk’s hero before an accident lead to madness and attempted genocide. The project got a jump start two years ago when Peters, an avid collector, was showing Star Trek: Phase II series executive producer James Cawley his recently acquired original Garth costume. After expressing his fascination with the character, Cawley then had the Phase II writers add a part for Peters (as Garth) in the Phase II "Origins" flashback episode which shot last year. Cawley also supported the idea of creating an "Axanar" web movie and offered up the use of the USS Enterprise bridge set, which will be redressed to appear as the bridge of Garth’s USS Ares (a new ship created for Axanar). The Phase II "Origins" episode is expected to be released before Axanar, and so it will establish Peters in the role of Garth.

The Axanar project is currently in pre-production. Peters has partnered up with John Kelly (Dr. McCoy in Phase II ) and Star Trek novelist Dave Galanter to write the script, which is currently being finalized. Much of the design work for props, costumes and ships has been completed. Shooting will start in February of 2013 and run through (in different stages) to fall 2013. The goal is to release the first "bookend" vignette (set shortly after the events of "Whom Gods Destroy") in late 2013. The rest of the Axanar "web feature" will then be released as a series of webisodes starting in late 2013 and run through 2014. In all the goal is to have around 10 (or so) webisodes add up to a web feature of 75-90 minutes by the time they are all released. These will be followed by another post-script TOS era "bookend" vignette. 

Casting is still being finalized, but Peters did reveal that veteran Battlestar Galactica actor Richard Hatch will be playing Kharn, the leader of the Klingons at the Battle of Axanar. Peters of course will play Garth and John Kelly will be reprising his Phase II role as Dr. McCoy in a vignette set during the TOS era, but he does not appear in the main Axanar film. Other Phase II actors will appear in the two TOS-era vignettes including Cawley as James T. Kirk.

The Axanar team has a goal of making their web feature "epic" and they hope to include other important characters from Star Trek lore. Peter’s reveals that we will see Soval retiring and handing the reigns of the Vulcan embassy to a young Sarek. Other roles include a young Lieutenant Chang as well as Robert April. Peters didn’t reveal any more casting details for these roles, but he did say "fans will love" who they have in mind for the role of April. 

Garth’s ship the USS Ares was designed by Peters, Sean Tourangeau (who designed the USS Titan) and digital artist Tobias Richter. In addition Richter and his team are doing the visual effects for Axanar . Below you can see a test flyby video of the USS Ares.

Richter’s team has also designed (and rendered) a new Klingon D-6 cruiser, along with a number of other Federation and Klingon ships. Peters says that "The VFX will be important, not only because of the massive space battles, but because the ships are characters themselves in the story." Even though Axanar is set before the time of the USS Enterprise, Peters reveals we will see the big E in dry dock. 

While some shooting is being done on the Phase II sets in New York, most of the production will be done on new sets being built in Southern California (including a brand new set for the bridge of the D-6). Peters explains the advantages of working in LA area, saying "there is just so much talent in Southern California, and we need to tap into that. I study at the Howard Fine acting school in Los Angeles, which ironically, two other Phase II alums attend, and so we have a ready pool of talent there as well as directors and producers who I know in L.A. who have also signed on."

Axanar will be directed by Christian Gossett, who created The Red Star , which was recently optioned by Warner Brothers and is in development there. "Christian is an amazing artist, and one of those rare talents who is both a great writer and a great artist. He understands story and how to translate that to the visual media. His first short, "Only Child" has been recognized at several film festivals and is getting Christian a lot of attention."

Axanar has a funded budget of $50,000 so far. Peters says the show isn’t raising any money currently but they may do so in the future. He and his partners are committed to making Axanar "a very professional independent movie. " Axanar has new sets, new costumes, new ships, everything will be different, though very close to the original series."

The Axanar team has already started videotaping some behind the scenes features and those should be made available online soon. TrekMovie will provide updates on this project as it releases more materials.

You can follow "Axanar" on their Facebook page (where there are more design sketches and CGI ships) at: facebook.com/StarTrekAxanar .

I love the Hermes design. Awesome blend of Enterprise, TOS and the Kelvin.

The two ships are done very well. I would watch this.

video is now set to public, sorry about that

Actually, Alec was established as Captain Garth in the Phase II vignette “Going Boldly”, the first appearence of the “Phase II” Enterprise and Brian Gross as Captain James T Kirk

Very nice renderings. Love those nacelles.

Guess you can make a Jeffries style ship look cool without turning it into a hot rod.

I had the privilege of meeting Alec last summer and talking with him about Axanar since then. I’ll just say that *all* enthusiasm for Axanar is more than justified! Lots of very talented folks involved, as noted above. This is definitely something to look forward to!

Looks like the Hermes is based on the USS Newton from Trek 09 with TOS nacelles. Interesting, I like it!

Sounds interesting. Nothing against Mr. Peters, but after seeing the photo of Richard Hatch might he be a better choice for Garth of Izar? Even if it breaks continuity with Peters having previously starred in the role. Have Hatch do a reverse Just for Men hair application and there you go.

The Axanar were of course seen, in Enterprise “Fight or Flight”

Well I guess that’s it. John Harrison is not Garth!

Alec has a lot of beautiful energy and is as Star Trek manic as everyone involved with ST.p2. I had the opportunity to hang out with him on the set of ST.p2’s episode ‘Bread and Savagery’ penned by Rich Chambers (see above – #6) which I guest starred in and I’m one of the Howard Fine acting school alumni he mentions in the article. When I learned he was playing Garth, it immediately made sense to me; he has the eyes for the role and I told him so. I know who he’s trying to entice to play Capt. April and if it happens, fans are going to be floored. ST.Axanar is one to watch my friends.

Looking forward to this for a number of reasons. The ships look great, getting to see a Captain April in action, and Richard Hatch as the Klingon villian? All looks very Cool. I am curious, is Withrow pictured above with Peters the actor who played the Admiral in Going Boldly? Thought the GB Admiral was well acted and was wondering who the actor was?

@1 & @7 – The Hermes is an evolution of the USS Intrepid seen in STAR TREK ENTERPRISE (The Expanse, Twilight).

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Intrepid

Just as the Ares could be seen as an Akira-class precursor.

The Light Works, and Tobias Richter have put together some absolutely stunning digital renderings of Star Trek ships over the years.

Their 5 minute battle sequence made for the FEDCON featuring the USS Kelvin in an asteroid field is amazing.

It’s most likely posted here already, but if not, here’s a link to their site- (I hope this is OK to do)

http://www.thelightworks.com/

And Starring Richard Hatch, as Charlie Batch!

I would love to see this and see what they do.

Interesting. The Ares looks like an older version of the Titan.

The guys did an awesome job with it and the Hermes.

Except for “Of Gods and Men”, I never watched any of the fan series/movies. Any recommendations for good fan made series/movies ?

I know I did not mean for the Ares to look like a TOS Titan but with the direction that Alec gave emit sort did turn out like that. It has been fun designing the Ares and the costumes for this. Now I can’t wait to get to work on Mr. Hatch’s Klingon look.

Referencing comment 12, the character of the Admiral was portrayed by Robert Withrow in “Going Boldy” and the upcoming Phase II episode “Origins”.

@19 “Now I can’t wait to get to work on Mr. Hatch’s Klingon look.” With or without ridges? Just curious. I’ll be happy either way.

Very nice CGI!! Looks like a great start here.

@13 “The Hermes is an evolution of the USS Intrepid seen in STAR TREK ENTERPRISE (The Expanse, Twilight).”

I respectfully disagree. Except for the nacelles, that ship is identical to the USS Newton from Star Trek `09. It has twin secondary hulls/hangar bays below the level of the saucer section, just like the Newton. The surface detail, bridge, etc., is the same.

17. The Ares inspiration was the USS Centaur from DS9, which I always liked. In fact, the ship I designed when in high school was pretty similar, with under slung warp nacelles.

21. Klingons will have ridges, though more subtle than TNG era, think TMP.

23. Correct. The Newton was the inspiration. Though I can see how someone would think Intrepid.

Thanks especially to Rick and Jonathon for the kind compliments, as well as everyone else!

The quality and care that goes into these fan films NEVER ceases to amaze me. These are people who do this for nothing more than love of the game, and yet they yield products that would’ve made most major TV studios blush with embarrassment at one time.

I salute them as well as their ingenuity and resourcefulness and I offer my thanks for not only ‘living the dream’ but sharing it with the rest of us fans.

And I’ve met Richard Hatch at conventions on many occasions. He is as passionate about science fiction as any one of us fans. He is the real deal. He is also a very open guy who will gladly talk to anyone who shares that passion for sci-fi. I found him to be very personable and just an all-around great guy who treats the fan base with much respect.

And while I love new Battlestar Galactica VERY much (not to mention his personal involvement in it), there is also a sentimental part of me that would’ve also loved to have seen Hatch’s concept for a TOS BSG sequel series/movie bear fruit. I’ve seen his “Second Coming” trailer, and it had some interesting ideas. His BSG sequel books were a lot of fun as well. Sort of an unofficial TOS BSG final season, so to speak.

I look very forward to “Axanar.” I’m already a Phase II fan and I wish this new team (with some P2 members) all the luck in the galaxy!

Live long and prosper, guys! ;-)

@24 I personally love the Hermes/Newton ship design. Like your nacelles better.

So is this set Post “whom Gods Destroy” or are we seeing BEFORE he went mad?

Nice pictures (very nice in fact) but what is the point if one cant clip & paste to their Star Trek Stuff in their Pictures folder? to prevent unscrupulous folks to from doing unscrupulous things with those images?

This looks like great fun at the puter. Can’t wait.

Impressive.

Just checked the Phasebook page. Wow! That’s a lot of work.

One nit-pick… if you have steps coming out of the shuttle nacelles, doesn’t that mess up the nacelles?

Dunno. I’m no Starfleet engineer…

27. Yes, this takes place 23 years BEFORE “Whom Gods Destroy”.

28. Go to our Facebook page and you can download all the photos.

31. Yeah I agree. You won’t see steps!

When I read the headline I thought “what is the winner of season one of Survivor doing in a Star Trek fan film?”

Nice to see the trek universe expanding beyond non canon but not really into this stuff.

The images of the Hermes look fantastic, nice mix of original and alternate styles. Tough little ship.

Nice Worf reference.

Well, I guess I know how he felt now!

Post kelvin nacelle caps, weren’t they red with needles pointing out?

Tell you the truth, I wasn’t much of an admirer of fan productions.. I love what they have done with Phase II. Its more close to classic Star Trek than anything..!

By the way Hatch is a legend, Glad to be aboard..He He!!

Richard Hatch is a nice addition to the cast. He’ll make an interesting Klingon. Tobias Richter leading the CGI! He’s got a great reputation.

The Light Works, great as always! Ihr macht das echt Klasse! :)

This project brings together the best in prop, set and ship design, CGI and illustration that I can think of. Good luck, guys!

Richard Hatch should play the lead. He actually looks like Garth and is a credible actor. Sorry, Alec as I’m sure you’re bank rolling part of this. The Phase 2 team has proven that their production is credible. The acting has always been the weakest part along with the editing, but even that has improved. I would hate to see yet another beautiful production marred by lukewarm acting. This may have started out as fan made productions and you could forgive a certain amount of flat presentation but when your mixing credible actors with novices…not so sure. Think about it.

Looking forward to this. Beautiful ship design and renderings by Tobias and company as well as the exciting addition of Mr. Hatch to the cast. I suppose we had to say bu-bye to the miniskirts one day, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. However, this costume design is very well thought out.

Whoa! Nice ships and great designs. I look forward to see the new series. I am also happy to see the ships from Star Trek 90210 are transforming into the Star Trek Universe as we know. Love the Hermes design. The Klingon D-6 looks fantastic. Thanks everyone.

“…there is just so much talent in Southern California, and we need to tap into that. I study at the Howard Fine acting school in Los Angeles…”

Well, it’s a good thing he didn’t go to that ‘other’ acting school of Howard, Fine,…and Howard! ;-D

WOO! WOO! WOO!

those ships a fantastic ! , guys do some crowd funding , seriously i will pay to make this look as good as possible.

Looks great! Good job everyone!

This sounds like a cool project, I’m a big fan of PHASE II so I’m glad there’s a clear link.

Richard Hatch is a VERY big coup, congratulations there.

The Soval thing sounds interesting – are you talking to Gary Graham about a brief comeback?

All the best, the ships rock and can’t wait to learn more.

Go Alec! Well done. Alec did a great job in Go Boldly. I also got to spend some time with Alec last June during the Bread and Savagery shoot. He bought lunch for everybody a couple of times. (No small feat!) Alec is an incredibly talented guy and I’m looking forward to Axanar.

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‘Star Trek’ Copyright Settlement Allows Fan Film to Proceed

By Christopher Mele

• Jan. 21, 2017

It was a legal battle worthy of a Federation starship taking on a Klingon destroyer.

On one side was Axanar Productions , which raised $1 million to make an amateur fan film called “Axanar” that was influenced by an episode from “Star Trek,” the popular science-fiction television series that originally was broadcast from 1966-69.

On the other side: Paramount Pictures Corporation and CBS Studios, which own the copyrights for the six “Star Trek” television series and 13 movies.

“Axanar” was the brainchild of Alec Peters of Los Angeles, an avid “Star Trek” fan. He was 8 years old when its show time moved to 10 p.m. So he could watch an episode, his mother put him to bed at 8 p.m. and woke him two hours later.

Axanar Productions made a 20-minute movie called “Prelude to Axanar” that was posted on YouTube in 2014 and was meant to be a springboard to a 90-minute movie called “Axanar.”

The prelude movie, with its high production values and detailed costumes, characters and props that evoke the original “Star Trek,” caught the attention of Paramount and CBS executives. They launched a copyright infringement lawsuit in federal court in California in 2015.

In court papers, Paramount and CBS said “Prelude to Axanar” echoed the “feel and the mood” of “Star Trek” and copied many of its copyrighted works, including the Starship Enterprise, Vulcans and the “interrelationship between species, planets and alliances.” Legal arguments even discussed whether the Klingon language was subject to copyright protection .

In an exhaustive inventory of alleged infringements, the suit included side-by-side photos comparing space vessels, logos, terminology, costumes and other elements from the original series with the 2014 film.

Axanar argued that Paramount and CBS had long tolerated fan fiction and that no previous cases had been brought against a fan over alleged copyright violations.

The suit was “at odds with the Star Trek ideals of inclusion, tolerance, unity and peace,” Axanar said in a court filing.

Though the suit was derided by some fans, The Hollywood Reporter noted that the studios were using it to signal that they would no longer tolerate professional-quality derivatives of its movies and television series.

On Friday, the sides announced a settlement.

“Axanar and Mr. Peters acknowledge that both films were not approved by Paramount or CBS, and that both works crossed boundaries acceptable to CBS and Paramount relating to copyright law,” a statement attributed to all the parties said.

The statement said the studios “continue to be big believers in fan fiction and fan creativity” and encouraged amateur filmmakers to demonstrate their passion for “Star Trek” as long as their works were nonprofessional and met the companies’ guidelines for fan films .

Mike Bawden, a spokesman for Axanar, said the agreement allows the company to make no more than two additional films of a maximum of 15 minutes each that could be distributed on YouTube without ads. “Prelude to Axanar” can remain on YouTube without ads.

There is no timetable for when production might begin at an Axanar studio in Valencia, Calif.

“We’re starting from scratch,” he said in an interview on Friday. “We got a lot of work done, but the question is how do you take a 90-minute story and turn it into a 30-minute story?”

“Axanar” is set 21 years before the original television series, which was set in the 23rd century, and tells the story of Garth of Izar, a legendary Starfleet captain who was a hero of Capt. James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. Garth, who led his crew in a war against the Klingon Empire, was introduced in a 1969 episode called “Whom Gods Destroy.”

Jack Begg contributed research.

Lawsuit Over 'Star Trek' Fan Film Settled

Axanar Productions — the company that planned to launch a feature-length, fan-supported " Star Trek " film — has reached a settlement with copyright holders CBS Studios and Paramount Pictures following a lawsuit.

A statement from Axanar and a joint statement from CBS and Paramount detail how the new film "Axanar" will be released. Instead of being a feature-length film, it will be shown as two 15-minute segments on YouTube, commercial free. Axanar's previous "Star Trek" production, called "Prelude to Axanar," will also be shown on YouTube without ads.

"Axanar and [executive producer Alec] Peters acknowledge that both films were not approved by Paramount or CBS, and that both works crossed boundaries acceptable to CBS and Paramount relating to copyright law," according to the statement from CBS and Paramount.

The statement added that any future films made by Axanar and Peters must comply with guidelines for fan films that CBS and Paramount released in June 2016, while the lawsuit was ongoing.

Those guidelines stipulate that fan-made films must be no longer than 30 minutes (in segments of 15 minutes each), the title can't use the name "Star Trek" and production must be noncommercial. Among other stipulations, the guidelines also include restrictions on the use of "Star Trek" content such as costumes.

"Paramount and CBS continue to be big believers in fan fiction and fan creativity," the CBS/Paramount statement continued. "They encourage amateur filmmakers to showcase their passion for 'Star Trek.' Paramount and CBS will not object to, or take legal action against, 'Star Trek' fan productions that are nonprofessional, amateur and otherwise meet the guidelines."

A statement from Axanar added that further details would be released privately to cast, crew and donors of the production.

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"Since the beginning of the lawsuit, over a year ago, we have expressed our desire to address the concerns of the studios, and our willingness to make necessary changes, as long as we could reasonably meet our commitments to Axanar's over 14,000 donors, fans and supporters. We are now able to do exactly that," the Axanar statement said.

The statement added that Axanar would finish "final legal requirements" in the next 60 days, as well as address "several preproduction issues" before principal photography begins on the film. Axanar would also follow the CBS/Paramount guidelines for future projects, according to the statement.

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace , or Space.com @Spacedotcom . We're also on Facebook and Google+ . Original article on Space.com .

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, " Why Am I Taller ?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace

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'Star Trek' Fan Film Lawsuit Settled, 'Axanar' Will Be Released In 15-Minute Segments

The Star Trek fan film  Axanar  is moving forward again. Axanar Productions raised $1 million via crowdsourcing to produce a feature-length fan film with production values beyond your typical fan project. After the movie had started shooting, CBS and Paramount filed a lawsuit, claiming the fan film violates the rights of their intellectual property. Despite directors J.J. Abrams and Justin Lin urging the studio to drop the lawsuit, it continued, but it's now settled.

Below, learn more about the  Star Trek  fan film.

Axanar Productions and Paramount won't go to trial. A part of the settlement is that the owner of Axanar Productions, Alec Peters , makes crystal clear that the fan film and its prequel, A Prelude to Axanar , "were not approved by Paramount or CBS, and that both works crossed boundaries acceptable to CBS and Paramount relating to copyright law." The film's producers will have to make "substantial changes to resolve this litigation," including turning the feature-length fan film into two commercial-free 15-minutes segments.

For future productions, Axanar Productions must follow the fan-film guidelines issued by Paramount. Here are a few of those rules :

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.

Axanar  broke a few of the rules. Against the wishes of rule no. 5, the production company hired professional actors and crew members, some of whom had already worked on official Star Trek productions. A fan production, according to Paramount's guidelines, can only involve amateurs.

Over 10,000  Trek  fans supported the fan film on crowdsourcing sites. The story takes place 21 years before the first episode of Star Trek , "Where No Man Has Gone Before," and is about legendary Starfleet captain Garth of Izar. We'll likely get more updates on  Axanar  and when it'll continue production, but at least after over a year of this lawsuit, it's finally come to an end for both parties.

Here's a clip from the fan film:

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Axanar has settled its lawsuit with Paramount over its Star Trek fan film

The decision allows all parties to skip a juried trial.

By Andrew Liptak

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Just weeks after a US District Court Judge rejected the claims of fair use from the producers of the Star Trek fan film Axanar , Paramount and Axanar Productions have announced a settlement that will allow both parties to skip a juried trial.

In the settlement, Axanar Productions and its owner, Alec Peters, acknowledged that the film and its prequel , Prelude to Axanar , were “were not approved by Paramount or CBS, and that both works crossed boundaries acceptable to CBS and Paramount relating to copyright law.”

the producers will need to make “substantial changes” to their film

Furthermore, the settlement will require the the producers to make “substantial changes to Axanar to resolve this litigation,” and future productions from the company will adhere to the new fan-film guidelines put forth by Paramount as a result of this case. Those rules state that productions must be less than 15 minutes long, they can’t use the name Star Trek in their title, and they must use commercially available costumes and props. Fundraising for such films is capped at $50,000. It’s unclear exactly what the settlement will mean for Prelude to Axanar , or whether Axanar Productions has immediate plans to continue or scrap production on its main film.

Paramount Pictures, which owns the Star Trek franchise, sued the production last year for infringing on its copyright after Axanar raised more than $1 million in a pair of crowdfunding campaigns to produce a professionally crafted fan film. The lawsuit has prevented the filmmakers from beginning production. Last summer, J.J. Abrams indicated at an event that the lawsuit was “going away,” only to have Paramount continue its suit. The filmmakers tried to claim that their production fell under fair-use guidelines, and that Paramount couldn’t copyright the Klingon language.

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