On April 2, 2016, Axanar published an updated FAQ on its website addressing production questions and the impact of the copyright infringement lawsuit it faces from CBS and Paramount Pictures.

It’s reproduced below in its entirety. AxaMonitor will publish an analysis of this information presently.

We’ve been hard at work creating a new FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) to provide answers to the most frequently-asked questions we receive via email and through social media. Of course, if you have other questions, you can always check out our other FAQ pages (General FAQ’s, http://www.axanarproductions.com/faq/donor-faq/ or Trek Geek FAQ’s) or send us a question via our website.

Who is suing Axanar Productions and why?

Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios are the plaintiffs and are suing Axanar Productions and Alec Peters for alleged copyright infringement.

Why didn’t Axanar Productions get CBS and/or Paramount’s permission to make PRELUDE TO AXANAR and AXANAR?

Our understanding is that CBS doesn’t establish guidelines or give out explicit permission to fans to produce fan films (despite what you may have read to the contrary). According to CBS, every fan production relies on the benevolence of CBS in order to exist. Nevertheless, Axanar Production’s executive, Alec Peters, met frequently with CBS representatives seeking guidance. The last meeting between Alec and CBS took place at the Las Vegas Star Trek convention in August of 2015. At that meeting, CBS’s representatives told Alec they would not say what a fan film could or could not do but that they’d let him know if AXANAR went too far.

Did Axanar Productions know it was going to get sued?

No. In fact, Axanar Production’s executive, Alec Peters, read about the lawsuit online—after it was filed—the same day it was published by the trade press. There was never a “cease and desist” letter or any other notice delivered to Axanar Productions or Alec Peters in advance of the filing. No phone call. Nothing. Which, considering Alec Peters’ history of volunteering for CBS on the CBS Star Trek Archive, and being a licensee at one point, is disappointing. It was also disappointing given that based on his meetings with CBS, Alec Peters believed he would be given some warning that would have allowed him to consider, and ideally resolve, CBS’s concerns before CBS sued him.

Has Axanar Productions attempted to settle the lawsuit?

Axanar Productions made a settlement offer to Paramount and CBS within 24 hours of the lawsuit being delivered to the production’s offices, but it was rejected without a counter proposal. Axanar Productions continues its efforts to try and resolve this case as soon and as efficiently as possible, and remains optimistic that there is a mutually beneficial solution for all parties here.

Is it possible to make changes to either PRELUDE TO AXANAR or AXANAR so Paramount and CBS will find them acceptable?

PRELUDE TO AXANAR was released over a year and a half ago, in 2014, and we again heard no complaints until this lawsuit was filed in December 2015. So it is too late to change PRELUDE TO AXANAR.

AXANAR, on the other hand, hasn’t been filmed yet. We don’t know yet what changes will make it into the final product. There are many ways we can tell the story and we feel it’s prudent to leave our options open. Our hope is to find a solution with CBS and Paramount that will allow us to move ahead and tell the story over ten thousand fans have supported with their donations.

When did Axanar Productions come into operation?

Axanar Productions was created in 2013 in anticipation of a March 2014 crowdfunding campaign to finance the twenty-minute short film, PRELUDE TO AXANAR.

What kind of company is Axanar Productions?

Axanar Productions is registered with the state of California as an S-Corporation. We are also operating as a California Non-Profit Corporation which is the first step towards achieving registration with the IRS as a federally tax-exempt non-profit corporation (commonly referred to as a 501©(3)). To date, Axanar Productions has not charged viewers to watch PRELUDE TO AXANAR, and had no intention of charging viewers to watch AXANAR. All fan donations raised have gone to the costs of producing the film.

After the lawsuit and the fate of the AXANAR feature film is determined, will Axanar Productions still remain as an operating business? If so, what will it do?

Axanar Productions’ mission is making fan films inspired by Star Trek. What the company does in the future will depend on the outcome of this lawsuit.

How many people are employed by Axanar Productions?

Everyone who works on Axanar Productions projects is an independent contractor; the company does not have any employees. Of all the contractors, there are three who spend 40-60 hours per week working on Axanar Productions-related projects and tasks.