Guidelines Aftermath

How the New Guidelines Affect Current Fan Productions

Main article: Official Star Trek Fan Film Guidelines
See also: Star Wars Guidelines Comparisons and Axanar Tries to Rally Fan Films to Its Proposed Guidelines

Table of Contents

By Carlos Pedraza and James Heaney

In the aftermath of the release by CBS and Paramount of production guidelines on June 23, 2016, stunned fan producers assessed the impact of the new restrictions on their shows.

FAN FILMS PRIMER Learn all about CBS/Paramount’s history with fan films and the dangerous legal territory upon which fans treaded until the studios released these guidelines » Fan Films Primer

Clarification

Although many fan projects suspended production immediately, a June 28 podcast interview with CBS’ vice president of product development, John Van Citters, reassured some fan productions that they could resume work, while others considered how to retool to fit the guidelines. Others — including the largest and best-known, Star Trek: New Voyages — remained ominously shuttered, awaiting further clarifications that may not come for some time.

Impact on Star Trek Fan Productions

The titles below link to each production’s statement in response to the studios’ new guidelines. Productions that have not released a statement are not listed. An asterisk (*) denotes that a production is suspended, cancelled, or still considering whether they may continue.

Video Productions

Production Title Status
Absolution Continuing; will complete current episode, then consider retooling as an audio drama
Ambush Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines
Anthology No longer a Star Trek project; continuing production under new title The Outer Rim
Aurora Completing current episode as a “grandfathered” production
Axanar Continuing pending lawsuit outcome; believes it has fair use immunity
Captain Pike Continuing
Cataja: The Falkenhorst Chronicles* Cancelled
Chance Encounter Continuing; “aware” of guidelines and appears compliant.
Constellation* Cancelled
Star Trek Continues Completing current episode 1); awaiting clarification on subsequent releases 2)
Dark Armada Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines 3)
Dark Isolation Completing current episodes, then relaunching as non-Star Trek project
Dreadnought Dominion Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines
Star Trekz Empire Continuing as a non-Trek project 4)
Exeter Trek Continuing work on pilot; awaiting clarification for future episodes
Farragut Completing current series finale as planned; a sequel series has been cancelled
Intrepid Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines
Melbourne Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines
Minotaur Continuing; rejects legitimacy of studio guidelines
Nature's Hunger Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines
New Voyages/Phase II* “New Voyages no longer exists.” 5) Fate of episodes currently in post-production unclear.
Outlaws Resuming production; format unclear 6)
Pacific 201 Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines
Potemkin Pictures Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines
Project NCC 1703 Resuming as Starship Langley
Raven Continuing; will comply with guidelines 7)
Renegades No longer a Star Trek project; continuing production
Red Squad Continuing as a “grandfathered” production
Reliant* Suspended indefinitely
Saladin Continuing current episodes as a “grandfathered” production, then shutting down
Valiant Continuing current episode as a “grandfathered” production; further future unclear
Yorktown: A Time To Heal Continuing as a “grandfathered” production. 8)

Audio Productions

“Long-form radio dramas” aka “audio dramas” are expressly not covered by the guidelines, according to the Engage podcast’s interview with John Van Citters. All audio dramas that initially closed down have since reopened.

Production Title Status
Continuing Mission Resuming
Diplomatic Relations Resuming under new management
Equinox Resuming
Excelsior Resuming
Gates of Sto'vo'kor Resuming
Henglaar, M.D. Resuming
Lost Frontier Remaining online; may continue 9)
Lost Universe Resuming
Outpost Resuming
Ranger Resuming
Section 31 Files Remaining online; may continue 10)
Shadows of Tyranny Resuming
Starfinder Resuming

Special thanks to James Heaney for collating these responses.

This list will continue to be updated. Many ongoing fan projects have not yet made any statement. If you have information about a production that is not given here, please use the Axamonitor feedback form to submit additional information.

Keywords

1)
release date September 2, 2016
2)
…but, for now, “We fully intend that the kind donations from our supporters will be used for the exact purpose for which they were donated.”
3)
except for “one piece of [Guideline] #1”
4)
personal communication with the producer on Facebook, 7/17/16
5)
New Voyages was actually canceled in late April (before guidelines were made public). The sets have since been licensed as an official Star Trek tour site.
6)
originally an audio/visual hybrid
7)
Initially, Raven created a stir when it announced that it would refuse to comply with several guidelines, apparently asserting a fair use immunity. Raven’s Executive Producer, David Whitney amended his position on July 2nd after “discussing… with our Producers and legal advisors”
8)
The John Van Citters interview appeared to specifically address and authorize Yorktown (he made reference to a movie that has been twenty years in the making, and that can only describe Yorktown).
9) , 10)
Creator Eric Busby initially took both his Trek series offline, but restored them after the John Van Citters interview