Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
jenkins-interview [2021/07/21 00:30] – Carlos Pedrazajenkins-interview [2021/07/27 12:44] (current) – Carlos Pedraza
Line 1: Line 1:
 {{::jenkins-interview-2.jpg?nolink|}} {{::jenkins-interview-2.jpg?nolink|}}
  
-<fs x-small>JULY 21, 2021<wrap indent> | </wrap><wrap indent> 28 MIN READ</wrap></fs>+<fs small>JULY 21, 2021<wrap indent> | </wrap><wrap indent> 28 MIN READ</wrap></fs>
  
 ====== Why the Danger Posed by Peters is Worth a Court Battle ====== ====== Why the Danger Posed by Peters is Worth a Court Battle ======
  
-<fs large>**Fired Axanar director Paul Jenkins says he needs to stand up to the bully to protect others**</fs>+<fs large>//**Fired ‘Axanar’ director Paul Jenkins tackles societal danger posed by toxic fandom**//</fs>
  
 {{TOC}}{{page>byline}} {{TOC}}{{page>byline}}
Line 13: Line 13:
 //Jenkins granted AxaMonitor a lengthy interview in which he describes Peters’ flawed leadership of the ill-fated fan film as “cult-like,” complete with loyal surrogates doing his bidding by publicly attacking his online critics. Jenkins’ counter suit, and the documentary, are the writer’s response to what Jenkins’ describes as a purposeful assault on his family, bleeding their finances dry as Peters escalates his legal attacks.// //Jenkins granted AxaMonitor a lengthy interview in which he describes Peters’ flawed leadership of the ill-fated fan film as “cult-like,” complete with loyal surrogates doing his bidding by publicly attacking his online critics. Jenkins’ counter suit, and the documentary, are the writer’s response to what Jenkins’ describes as a purposeful assault on his family, bleeding their finances dry as Peters escalates his legal attacks.//
  
-The entire interview appears below. An excerpted version appears in AxaMonitor Daily; all graphics, hyperlinks and subheadings were added by AxaMonitor.+**EDITED VERSION** While the entire interview appears below, an [[http://eepurl.com/hEfJIL|edited, condensed version]] appears in the AxaMonitor newsletter; all graphics, hyperlinks, subheadings and annotations in both versions were added by AxaMonitor.
  
 **DISCLOSURE** AxaMonitor editor Carlos Pedraza has served as a consultant to Jenkins’ project, contributing research and documentation. **DISCLOSURE** AxaMonitor editor Carlos Pedraza has served as a consultant to Jenkins’ project, contributing research and documentation.
  
-====== Why? ======+===== Why? ===== 
 **Q. Why are you making this documentary?** **Q. Why are you making this documentary?**
  
-**A:  I’ve been working** in the entertainment industry for over thirty years and in that time, I felt I had “seen it all,” with regards to fan behavior. I have received death threats for comics I have written. I have seen fans physically attack creators and on at least one occasion I saw a creator get into a fist fight with a fan who had apparently said something particularly unpleasant. I have seen a blogger call into question the parentage of a well-known writer, all because that blogger didn’t like a story the guy had written. And worst of all, that writer, I happen to know, was orphaned at a young age. It’s getting out of control.+**A:  I’ve been working** in the entertainment industry for over 30 years and in that time, I felt I had “seen it all,” with regards to fan behavior. I have received death threats for comics I have written. I have seen fans physically attack creators and on at least one occasion I saw a creator get into a fist fight with a fan who had apparently said something particularly unpleasant. I have seen a blogger call into question the parentage of a well-known writer, all because that blogger didn’t like a story the guy had written. And worst of all, that writer, I happen to know, was orphaned at a young age. It’s getting out of control.
  
 We are witnessing a group of very loud, very manipulative people who see an opportunity to control other fans by weaponizing the very things that they love; in other words, we see people who have never created anything of note taking “ownership” of a piece of IP [intellectual property] that they did not create, and stating they are the arbiters and protectors of the franchise. They curry favor with vulnerable fans who may not like the direction a favorite show or film series has taken. And then, they use certain tried and tested techniques to essentially control those fans. It’s one of the oldest and most predictable scams in the book because it creates cultlike conditions; victims are constantly gaslighted, so that they believe they are being persecuted. Then, they are offered “protection” by the very person who is controlling them. As we all know, it is virtually impossible to find a way out of a cult, just as it is impossible to see that you are being sucked into one. You cannot persuade a person they are losing their mind. We are witnessing a group of very loud, very manipulative people who see an opportunity to control other fans by weaponizing the very things that they love; in other words, we see people who have never created anything of note taking “ownership” of a piece of IP [intellectual property] that they did not create, and stating they are the arbiters and protectors of the franchise. They curry favor with vulnerable fans who may not like the direction a favorite show or film series has taken. And then, they use certain tried and tested techniques to essentially control those fans. It’s one of the oldest and most predictable scams in the book because it creates cultlike conditions; victims are constantly gaslighted, so that they believe they are being persecuted. Then, they are offered “protection” by the very person who is controlling them. As we all know, it is virtually impossible to find a way out of a cult, just as it is impossible to see that you are being sucked into one. You cannot persuade a person they are losing their mind.
Line 29: Line 30:
  
 <WRAP 525px>//**__Watch__**// <WRAP 525px>//**__Watch__**//
-{{youtube> HF_yeuw4uo0?x-large|Into the Wormhole Pitch Video}}+{{youtube>HF_yeuw4uo0?x-large|Into the Wormhole Pitch Video}}
 <fs smaller>//Writer Paul Jenkins tackles toxic fandom in his forthcoming documentary.//</fs><wrap indent><fs x-small>Video/Into the Wormhole</fs></wrap> <fs smaller>//Writer Paul Jenkins tackles toxic fandom in his forthcoming documentary.//</fs><wrap indent><fs x-small>Video/Into the Wormhole</fs></wrap>
----- 
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
-During my time on Axanar as its director, I witnessed a near constant barrage of online agitation, anger and hatred aimed at anyone who questioned the missing money, or who Peters felt had upset or slighted him. On more than one occasion, I stepped in; I spoke a couple of times publicly about how I sympathized with the frustrated donors, and this put me at odds (although I could not have imagined the extent) with Alec Peters. As the situation worsened, I learned, incredibly, of Peters’ secret Facebook group called the Troll Hunters whose entire existence seemed to revolve around discrediting and attacking detractors of Axanar. I made it clear I could not continue if these behaviors did not stop, and this, I feel, put Peters in a difficult position because it was now clear my company and I had witnessed a lot of things that he would have preferred we did not see. When we objected to a particularly egregious violation of normal protocols, Peters fired us from the project, made the spurious claim that I had ”done no work,” and almost immediately threatened to sue us if we did not sign a separation agreement he had concocted. And so, we’re going to follow the path of this particular lawsuit and, I suppose, show the hell I have to deal with as we embark on this awful rollercoaster ride. We’ll ask the question, “How much damage can one fan do?” The answer, I think, will upset and potentially overwhelm a lot of people. There are quite a few impactful revelations in our documentary that will surprise even those who thought they knew how bad it could be.+**During my time on Axanar** as its director, I witnessed a near constant barrage of online agitation, anger and hatred aimed at anyone who questioned the missing money, or who Peters felt had upset or slighted him. On more than one occasion, I stepped in; I spoke a couple of times publicly about how I sympathized with the frustrated donors, and this put me at odds (although I could not have imagined the extent) with Alec Peters. As the situation worsened, I learned, incredibly, of Peters’ secret Facebook group called the Troll Hunters whose entire existence seemed to revolve around discrediting and attacking detractors of Axanar. 
 + 
 +I made it clear I could not continue if these behaviors did not stop, and this, I feel, put Peters in a difficult position because it was now clear my company and I had witnessed a lot of things that he would have preferred we did not see. When we objected to a particularly egregious violation of normal protocols, Peters fired us from the project, made the spurious claim that I had ”done no work,” and almost immediately threatened to sue us if we did not sign a separation agreement he had concocted. And so, we’re going to follow the path of this particular lawsuit and, I suppose, show the hell I have to deal with as we embark on this awful rollercoaster ride. We’ll ask the question, “How much damage can one fan do?” The answer, I think, will upset and potentially overwhelm a lot of people. There are quite a few impactful revelations in our documentary that will surprise even those who thought they knew how bad it could be.
    
 ===== Alec Peters' Lawsuit ===== ===== Alec Peters' Lawsuit =====
Line 70: Line 72:
  
 **Alec Peters violates** the terms of his agreement on a daily basis, and by lying to us he essentially exposed us to the wrath of CBS. This affects us in a couple of ways: I happen to actually work in the entertainment business and my work across multiple media brings me in contact with any number of corporations like CBS/Viacom. I have absolutely no desire to burn any bridge and will never know if any bridges have been unwittingly burned. This is extremely difficult to accept — Peters’ cavalier regard for the truth in this matter might have damaged relationships irreparably. **Alec Peters violates** the terms of his agreement on a daily basis, and by lying to us he essentially exposed us to the wrath of CBS. This affects us in a couple of ways: I happen to actually work in the entertainment business and my work across multiple media brings me in contact with any number of corporations like CBS/Viacom. I have absolutely no desire to burn any bridge and will never know if any bridges have been unwittingly burned. This is extremely difficult to accept — Peters’ cavalier regard for the truth in this matter might have damaged relationships irreparably.
 +----
 +//See also: [[cbs_settlement|CBS-Axanar Settlement Agreement]]//
 +----
  
 ==== The Countersuit ==== ==== The Countersuit ====