Jon, I think in this case you need to do some research about Axanar. Alec Peters was in trouble for the amount of money he directly stole from the donations for his own personal use. He used several hundred thousand dollars to fund his studio that originally was designed to make his personal productions instead of Trek fan projects. He was caught using donations to buy both him and his wife brand new vehicles also.
I feel free to say this because I was an original investor in his company and never got what was promised to me…as hundreds of other donors.
I’d really hope that you would do some research of this instead of ignoring the truth…something I have never seen you do!
What Alec Peters did wrong with Axanar — and your donor money:
• Raised over $1.1 million from 14,000+ donors. The feature film was never made.
• Paid himself $38,000–$65,000 in “salary” from donor funds — for a fan film.
• Donor money went to his health insurance, car insurance, gas for his AND his girlfriend’s car, Lexus servicing and tires, AAA membership, tens of thousands in meals, and his girlfriend’s phone bill.
• Poured nearly $750,000 of donor money into building a commercial studio he planned to rent out for other for-profit projects. He lost the lease, and the landlord kept the improvements.
• CBS found roughly $200,000 in undisclosed income — pushing the real total toward $1.5 million.
• A federal judge ruled Axanar was a commercial use and that Peters “directly profited” — fair use rejected on all four factors.
• The settlement forced Peters to publicly admit he “crossed boundaries” of copyright law. He’s a lawyer — he knew better.
• Donor perks went largely unfulfilled — his own claim is only about two-thirds delivered, years late, and only to donors who tracked him down.
• After the settlement, he kept fundraising, selling merch, using Star Trek branding, and drawing a salary — and a 2023 arbitrator hit him with a $292,000 judgment for violating those terms.
• The restrictive fan-film guidelines that punished the ENTIRE fan Trek community were a direct result of Axanar’s behavior.
One project. Over a million dollars. No film. Donors like me got nothing — I’m out $500 and never received the autographed crew photo I was promised.
This wasn’t a fan film that got in over its head. It was a million-dollar mismanagement dressed up as fan passion.
Jon, are you willing to discuss this further or are you also having a money problem? I just find it confusing that you have never looked at both sides of the issue but have gone with the side offering you certain benefits instead of the truth.
When you start paying yourself a salary and hiring professional actors to play their Star Trek characters, there is point where you are no longer a "fan film".
Jon, I think in this case you need to do some research about Axanar. Alec Peters was in trouble for the amount of money he directly stole from the donations for his own personal use. He used several hundred thousand dollars to fund his studio that originally was designed to make his personal productions instead of Trek fan projects. He was caught using donations to buy both him and his wife brand new vehicles also.
I feel free to say this because I was an original investor in his company and never got what was promised to me…as hundreds of other donors.
I’d really hope that you would do some research of this instead of ignoring the truth…something I have never seen you do!
Can't have the serfs outshining the educated, refined, and talented noble class.
No, no, no.
Get back to your trough, consume your slop, and LIKE it.
We await your praise and adulation, peasants.
Considering the shyte that paramount has turned out in the last ten years, I'll take Return to Axanar and New Voyages any time.
You like crap? Twelve years for this??
Then CBS and Paramount arrived with lawyers.
Scum. They took a license to "print money" and turned it into Satanic Propaganda.
Star Trek died after Voyager (Enterprise was crap but not Woke Shit - I can give it that much).
Wrong. Peter’s stole over $1,000,000 for his donors.
Well, if true, that's more evil too.
It's true. There are court documents.
What Alec Peters did wrong with Axanar — and your donor money:
• Raised over $1.1 million from 14,000+ donors. The feature film was never made.
• Paid himself $38,000–$65,000 in “salary” from donor funds — for a fan film.
• Donor money went to his health insurance, car insurance, gas for his AND his girlfriend’s car, Lexus servicing and tires, AAA membership, tens of thousands in meals, and his girlfriend’s phone bill.
• Poured nearly $750,000 of donor money into building a commercial studio he planned to rent out for other for-profit projects. He lost the lease, and the landlord kept the improvements.
• CBS found roughly $200,000 in undisclosed income — pushing the real total toward $1.5 million.
• A federal judge ruled Axanar was a commercial use and that Peters “directly profited” — fair use rejected on all four factors.
• The settlement forced Peters to publicly admit he “crossed boundaries” of copyright law. He’s a lawyer — he knew better.
• Donor perks went largely unfulfilled — his own claim is only about two-thirds delivered, years late, and only to donors who tracked him down.
• After the settlement, he kept fundraising, selling merch, using Star Trek branding, and drawing a salary — and a 2023 arbitrator hit him with a $292,000 judgment for violating those terms.
• The restrictive fan-film guidelines that punished the ENTIRE fan Trek community were a direct result of Axanar’s behavior.
One project. Over a million dollars. No film. Donors like me got nothing — I’m out $500 and never received the autographed crew photo I was promised.
This wasn’t a fan film that got in over its head. It was a million-dollar mismanagement dressed up as fan passion.
Wow.
That’s from his donors.
Jon, are you willing to discuss this further or are you also having a money problem? I just find it confusing that you have never looked at both sides of the issue but have gone with the side offering you certain benefits instead of the truth.
When you start paying yourself a salary and hiring professional actors to play their Star Trek characters, there is point where you are no longer a "fan film".