THE ONLY production shot at OWC Studios was this student project in May 2018, just after OWC’s first sponsorship deal for the facility had expired. Image/Axanar Productions
FEBRUARY 14, 2019 | 3 MIN READ
Contradictory Details Emerge in OWC Sponsorship
Other World Computer Confirms Sponsorship Timeline, Throws Peters’ Statements into Doubt
OWC Sponsorship
Other World Computing said February 13 it sponsored what Alec Peters now calls Ares Studios for a year, with a six-month extension. That confirms one claim by Peters but belies a few others made as he launched a Patreon campaign to pay for the facility.
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Timeline
OWC’s original sponsorship deal was for 12 months, running from May 2017 through April 2018. A six-month extension would’ve run from May-October 2018, just days before Peters held Axacon at what he still called OWC Studios even after the deal’s expiration.
Separate sponsorship
OWC also donated equipment and offered production support for the Axanar film under a separate agreement.
Contradictory Statements
Peters’ previous public pronouncements contradicted one another about when OWC ended its sponsorship, and how long he had been paying rent and expenses for the warehouse.
- January 18: On the premiere of Reel Trek on YouTube, Peters claimed he’d been paying the rent for four months (i.e., since October 2018). As it turns out, OWC paid for October.
- January 21: On Axanar: Confidential’s premiere Peters claimed he’d been paying the rent for six months (i.e., since August 2018). OWC was still paying rent at that time.
- January 21: In the same livecast, he claimed it was five months (i.e., since September). OWC paid for September and October.
- January 29: Peters claims he’s been paying studio costs for two years.
Obfuscation
Months after OWC pulled out, Peters was still using the company’s name. He also failed to disclose the end of OWC’s sponsorship until needed — when he had to turn to fans to subsidize the warehouse.
Failure to disclose has become Peters’ typical behavior with regard to what could be considered bad news.
Term of Extension
The six-month extension was a detail that appeared in an alternate pitch video never published on the Patreon page.
The sponsorship was going great as late as September 24, 2018, according to Peters: “OWC Digital is still sponsoring the studio that bears their name, and they’re still very happy with what we’re doing.”
Five weeks later, the extension of OWC’s sponsorship expired.
Via Direct Message
OWC clarified its sponsorship timeline via its MacSales Facebook page, in a direct message to Erick Pierce.
Further assistance to Peters?
OWC declined to answer, saying, “We cannot disclose any financial details, unfortunately.” 
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