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— | summary_fact_check [2017/01/10 13:40] – [Disinformation] Carlos Pedraza | ||
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+ | {{:: | ||
+ | <wrap lo> | ||
+ | </ | ||
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+ | < | ||
+ | // | ||
+ | </ | ||
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+ | ====== Peters' | ||
+ | {{TOC}} | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | //**__ __**// <wrap lo>**By [[user> | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <wrap lo>//See also: [[summary_motions_filed|Plaintiffs Cite Peters' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Inappropriate spending alleged by plaintiffs [[CBS]] and [[Paramount Pictures]] in their copyright lawsuit against [[Alec Peters]] led the producer to issue a statement November 18, 2016, denying he misspent money donated by Star Trek fans to produce his feature film, //Axanar//. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In a motion for [[summary_motions_filed|partial summary judgment]], the plaintiffs asserted that defendants Peters and his company, Axanar Productions Inc., raised, and spent, well over a million dollars, paying themselves, actors, and crew members, while renting out a studio (which Peters intended to lease out for other productions), | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Axanar PR Goes Into High Gear ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Following those public revelations from plaintiff documents that were [[axamonitor_redaction| inadequately redacted]], Peters' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Despite the Axanar camp's condemnation of the plaintiffs' | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{page> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Statement Answers Plaintiffs' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The November 16 court filings, which included the [[defense_summary-filing|defense' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The apparent author of Peters' | ||
+ | |||
+ | > In light of information contained in the Motions for Summary Judgement filed by both sides in our continuing litigation with CBS Studios and Paramount Productions, | ||
+ | |||
+ | [{{ : | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Peters' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The statement confirmed earlier reports that Peters had been paying the rent on the commercial studio he built in warehouse space leased using donor funds: | ||
+ | |||
+ | > Alec Peters has put in approximately $150,000 of his own money into Axanar over the past year. He is currently paying the $15,000 a month it costs to keep the studio open, out of his own pocket, as he has been doing since this for the past 6 months. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP todo> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | //**__True or False? | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <wrap em> | ||
+ | |||
+ | The trouble with the claim Peters put " | ||
+ | |||
+ | **DUBIOUS STUDIO OWNERSHIP** His claim of paying the rent for Axanar' | ||
+ | |||
+ | **UNPAID RENT** In addition, Peters admitted, under oath, in his deposition, that his separate company, [[propworx-email|Propworx]], | ||
+ | |||
+ | Finally, why? Given the amount of money Peters should have [[ambition_vs._achievement# | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Salary or Reimbursement? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Despite Axanar' | ||
+ | |||
+ | > Alec has not kept a single dollar from donor funds, either in salary, or expense reimbursements. Any money Alec received was paid back through the money he has been putting into Axanar. This means, Alec has worked full time on Axanar for over 2 1/2 years and not received a dime in salary, benefits or expense reimbursements. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP todo> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | //**__True or False? | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <wrap em> | ||
+ | |||
+ | Peters' | ||
+ | |||
+ | > "It just amazes me that some people are stupid enough to believe that just because CBS/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | **EASY TO PROVE, HARD TO DISCLOSE** Never mind that CBS and Paramount' | ||
+ | |||
+ | **HOW REPORTED TO IRS?** Peters appears to be claiming that any money he was paid as a " | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== What Accountant When? ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | At the heart of Peters' | ||
+ | |||
+ | > Axanar now has an accountant who has taken all of the voluminous notes and records Alec and the team have kept and completed financial statements for the past 2 1/2 years. The financials will now be reviewed by our CPA/Tax accountant next week as she prepares our tax returns. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP todo> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | //**__True or False? | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <wrap em> | ||
+ | |||
+ | <wrap em> | ||
+ | |||
+ | * **Financial " | ||
+ | |||
+ | > The only document Mr. Peters has turned over relating to the expenditure of the $1.4 million he raised from Star Trek fans to create //Star Trek: Axanar// is <wrap hi>a financial summary prepared by his accountant</ | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[federal_magistrate_judge_charles_f._eick|Federal Magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick]]' | ||
+ | |||
+ | * **Reviewed by Accountant**. The plaintiffs' | ||
+ | |||
+ | > The <wrap hi> | ||
+ | |||
+ | * **Preliminary Quicken Notes**. Yet in her October 28 opposition brief Ranahan described the earlier records named in the ex parte motion as " | ||
+ | * **Revised Quicken Notes**. The defense appeared to have handed over a new set of documents, described as "a revised version of Mr. Peters' | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Independent Financial Review Committee ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | In light of Peters' | ||
+ | |||
+ | > We have decided to create an Independent Financial Review Committee, a group of industry professionals and donors, to review the financials and report back to the entire donor base. We believe that the report from this committee will give donors the confidence that the Axanar team spent the donor money wisely and that Alec has not received any compensation or expense reimbursements. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP todo> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | //**__True or False? | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <wrap em> | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Industry Professionals**. Which industry? Film? Accounting? Most filmmakers are not known for being accountants (that' | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Donors** Which donors? Chosen by Peters? How does his being able choose the donors to be members of the committee ensure its independence and impartiality? | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Cost**. Who is paying for this committee? How many members? How will they be compensated for their time? Will this expense also come out of donor dollars? | ||
+ | |||
+ | From this vaguely worded proposal, it's unclear what value such a review committee would add to a review of Axanar' | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Peters' | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Nonprofit Organization ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | The statement goes on to state that Axanar has not given up on its long-delayed intention to obtain 501%%(c)%%(3) nonprofit status from the state of California and the federal Internal Revenue Service: | ||
+ | |||
+ | > Axanar has also retained a firm to prepare and manage our 501%%(c)%%(3) filing, which should be filed shortly. They are currently waiting on a document back from the [California] Secretary of State approving the change to our articles of incorporation and then they will file our application. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP todo> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | //**__True or False? | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <wrap em> | ||
+ | |||
+ | Nonetheless, | ||
+ | |||
+ | **APPLICATION PROGRESS** There’s a process for Axanar to follow to become a federal tax-exempt non-profit organization, | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Has Axanar drafted or filed articles of incorporation as a non-profit? | ||
+ | * Has it constituted a board of directors? | ||
+ | * Has it registered with California’s state agency governing charitable organizations? | ||
+ | * Has it prepared or submitted its 501%%(c)%%(3) application to the IRS? | ||
+ | * Has it drafted its bylaws? | ||
+ | * Has it prepared its systems for the specific reporting requirements to which non-profits are subject, like IRS Form 990? | ||
+ | |||
+ | At what point in the process does Axanar find itself? What does “we’re working on it” actually mean? Given the lack of clarity about Axanar' | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Commercial Studio ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Axanar' | ||
+ | |||
+ | > While Axanar has not made one dime off of renting out the studio, that is the intention of the Axanar team, as we hope to continue to be able to pay the rent. Every single dollar raised by renting out the studio (which we now call Industry Studios) will go towards producing Axanar. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP todo> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | //**__True or False? | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <wrap em> | ||
+ | |||
+ | [{{ : | ||
+ | |||
+ | **AxaMonitor**' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Moreover, "not one dime" earned from the studio makes it appear as if Axanar wasn't trying to earn money until now. What appears to actually be the case is that the soundstage simply wasn't ready until recently to rent out to film or television productions. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Though Peters boasted in May that the studio would be operating the following month, it turned out the facility needed additional work before it could officially open for business, including upgrading the fire sprinkler system to meet fire department codes. Peters contracted with a firm to assist him in getting the studio to pass the permit process and be certified for film, television and photo projects.(([[http:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Disinformation ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Peters' | ||
+ | |||
+ | > With everything going on concerning the lawsuit and the amount of disinformation being spread by people whose intention is to see Alec Peters fail, embarrass those who worked with him and make it impossible to share our vision for the story of //Axanar// with the tens of thousands who financially supported this project, we thought it was important to give you our side. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP todo> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | //**__True or False? | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <wrap em> | ||
+ | |||
+ | In fact, given its hundred thousand Twitter followers, tens of thousands of fans on Facebook, claimed 14,000 donors and the national (even international) positive news articles from such outlets as Space.com, Newsweek, Bloomberg, the Washington Post, and Wired, it's difficult to see how a disinformation campaign with a far smaller reach could threaten Axanar. | ||
+ | |||
+ | **HIDING DISSENT** Meanwhile, since the lawsuit was filed in December 2015, Peters has [[night_knives|purged]] hundreds of former fans from its various Facebook pages, blocked many from its Twitter feed and, after failing to [[no_refunds|silence critics]] with a combination of refunds and non-disclosure agreements, forced refunds on backers in order to [[no_refunds|delete their critical posts]] in Axanar' | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Addressing Copyright Concerns ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | The statement concludes with an assurance to its supporters that Axanar is committed to finding a way to work with CBS and Paramount: | ||
+ | |||
+ | > Axanar Productions remains committed to addressing the copyright concerns of CBS Studios and Paramount Pictures Corporation in a way that allows us to tell the story of //Axanar// our fans and donors have supported. Once this lawsuit is resolved, Axanar Productions’ team will meet and discuss what kinds of modifications need to be made so we can move forward with production. | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP todo> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | //**__True or False? | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <wrap em> | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | **Keywords** {{tag> |