{{::axanar-script-leak.jpg?nolink|}} \\
**NOT HAPPY** Axanar's former chief technologist leaked the 'fully revised, locked' script after producer Alec Peters criticized him again on Facebook.
====== Former CTO Leaks ‘Fully Revised, Locked’ Axanar Script ======
**//Terry McIntosh Threatens to Release More Axanar Records//**
{{TOC}}
//**__ __**// **By [[user>cpedraza|Carlos Pedraza]]**
[[terry_mcintosh|Terry McIntosh]] threw down the gauntlet.
Axanar's former chief technology officer made public the version of the //Axanar// feature script that [[Alec Peters]] quoted director [[Robert Meyer Burnett]] calling it "the best Star Trek movie script ever." Fans who read the leaked script appeared to disagree.
[{{ :locked-script.jpg?300|The script that launched a lawsuit.}}]
===== Posted on Facebook =====
McIntosh, who resigned his position in May 2016, uploaded the [[https://www.facebook.com/download/preview/1862772583974620|screenplay]] to the [[face>groups/axamonitor|AxaMonitor Facebook]] group early in the morning on June 28, 2017, following a {{ ::peters-mcintosh.jpg?linkonly|post by Peters}} in which he misstated the order of events surrounding McIntosh's resignation, claiming he'd been fired instead.
McIntosh's apparent response:
> You know what? Fuck it. Because Alec thought it was a good idea to talk smack, here's the whole Axanar "feature" script. Blow me twelve ways to Sunday, c--t bucket (Alec).(([[face>groups/axamonitor/237968543384667/|Terry McIntosh post]], AxaMonitor Facebook group, 6/28/17.))
The August 2015 screenplay is marked as version 7.3, and the one Peters himself declared "fully revised and locked" on Facebook.
That post featured the script repeatedly referred to in the [[copyright infringement]] [[lawsuit]] against Peters and Axanar brought by [[CBS]] and [[Paramount Pictures]] in December 2015, which was [[axanar_settles|settled]] in January 2017.
[{{ :terry-headshot.jpg?direct&152|**Terry McIntosh**}}]
===== Axanar Response =====
Axanar spokesman Mike Bawden told **AxaMonitor** that script is far out of date, and that McIntosh is treading on tricky legal ground:
> The current version of the screenplay for //Axanar// is Version 11. I’m sure [Terry] signed the same NDA as I did – and without specifically checking the document again, it seems to me that posting a copy of the script (even an out-of-date version) would be a violation of that agreement.((Email from Mike Bawden to AxaMonitor editor Carlos Pedraza, 6/28/17.))
==== Peters on Facebook ====
Meanwhile, in the Facebook group, [[face>groups/258982371228800/|The Real Truth About Axanar]], Peters echoed Bawden's reaction to the script being leaked:
> The fact that Terry released an old version of the script today, the day after I posted the truth, shows you what kind of person he is. He violated his NDA and continues to be the kind of person he claims we are.(({{ ::peters-reaction.jpg?linkonly|Alec Peters Facebook post}}, 6/28/17.))
[{{ :captain-peters-1.jpg|**Alec Peters**}}]
===== Peters-McIntosh Acrimony =====
Since McIntosh's departure, relations between Peters and McIntosh, who was set to testify against Peters in that lawsuit, had grown increasingly acrimonious, with McIntosh boasting that he had documentation pointing to Peters' mismanagement that resulted in spending $1.7 million with no film produced.
==== Provoking Legal Action ====
McIntosh seemed to be provoking Peters to take legal action, starting with filing a copyright notice with Facebook to get the script removed from the AxaMonitor Facebook group's files. McIntosh stated on Facebook:
> He'll be a confirmed coward if he doesn't. I insist that he does, because I want to see the real Axanar books and a discovery process is the best way to let me in.(([[face>groups/axamonitor/237968543384667/?comment_id=237972846717570&reply_comment_id=237973340050854&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D|Terry McIntosh comment]], AxaMonitor Facebook group, 6/28/17.))
McIntosh argued that a lawsuit against him by Peters would, under [[discovery]] required by a suit, open up financial and other records the former CTO claimed Peters wouldn't want made public.
If McIntosh's leaking the script was intended to push Peters to take legal action, Axanar's producer wasn't taking the bait. Peters posted on Facebook:
> I wouldn't waste my hard-earned money on suing Terry. Because frankly, I don't care. His actions speak for themselves.(({{::peters-not-suing.jpg?linkonly|Alec Peters Facebook comment}}, 6/28/17.))
**AxaMonitor Review** \\
McIntosh's August 2015 script is the same one obtained by AxaMonitor in September 2016 and [[locked_script|reviewed]] by screenwriter and producer Jody Wheeler.
==== Genie Out of the Bottle ====
Peters is well known for making litigious threats on social media, such as when he had YouTube take down a [[fan_edit_interview|pseudonymous]] [[prelude_fan_edit|fan edit]] of //Prelude to Axanar//, ironically claiming copyright infringement — the very accusation made against him by the owners of Star Trek. //Prelude: Redux// tightened the short film and eliminated Peters, who portrayed Captain Garth, from the cut.
=== No Takedown? ===
While it is possible Peters will get Facebook to remove the screenplay, dozens of copies have been downloaded, and within hours posted on multiple websites. Peters would have to track down and issue takedown notices to each website.
[{{ :axanar-script-excerpt.jpg?direct&300|**A PAGE** from the August 2015 //Axanar// script.}}]
Axanar spokesman Bawden, however, doubted Peters would do so:
> Given the number of changes made to the script since mid-2015, [Peters] may not even care. He’s focused right now on tightening up the drafts of his two scripts for the authorized //Axanar// segments.((Email from Mike Bawden to AxaMonitor editor Carlos Pedraza, 6/28/17.))
===== Axanar by the Numbers =====
One member of the AxaMonitor Facebook group, Johnpaul LeBrun, provided readers with this breakdown of the //Axanar// script:(([[https://www.facebook.com/groups/axamonitor/permalink/238130273368494/|Johnpaul LeBrun post]], AxaMonitor Facebook group, 6/28/17.))
--> By the Numbers (click to view) #
**By Johnpaul LeBrun** \\
For those of you who don't like pain - an amateur analysis of the "locked" Axanar film script.
Christian Gossett asked the original question - how many pages have Garth doing something or saying a line.
Answer 78 out of 106
He is also mentioned by name or by inference on four more.
So that's 82 out of 106 (or 104 if you exclude the title pages) or 78% of the script.
There are 42 speaking roles and at least 20 non-speaking roles (assuming the "100 Klingons" were done digitally)
5 or 6 alien races are represented (Antosians are basically bald humans, so that would be easy):
* Vulcans
* Klingons
* Tellarites
* Orions
* Andorians
* Antosians
It's difficult to determine how many ships would actually be depicted in the pew-pew scenes as the script is all over the place with the numbers but there are at least 80 Federation/allied starships and over 100 Klingon ships.
Sets that would need to be constructed/redressed for some shots
I tried to be fair, and condense, as a lot of this stuff could be fudged by a competent team.
FEDERATION WAR ROOM \\
ARES CLASS BRIDGE \\
GARTH'S QUARTERS \\
KLINGON WAR ROOM \\
ARES CLASS C-I-C (at one point the script says "optical" so maybe this was supposed to be a digital set?) \\
KHARN'S QUARTERS \\
ARES CLASS TRANSPORTER ROOM \\
RESEARCH OUTPOST:MAIN ROOM \\
D-7 BRIDGE \\
D-6 BRIDGE \\
STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE: CORRIDOR OUTSIDE CELL \\
STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE: INTERROGATION CELL \\
ARES CLASS TURBOLIFT \\
USS ENTERPRISE BRIDGE \\
T'VAL - VULCAN SHIP BRIDGE \\
ARES CLASS CORRIDOR \\
INTERIOR: 602 CLUB
Exterior "locations" needed: at least 5, although 3 could have been fudged or redressed.
Digital sets needed: at least 3 but as many as 7 (towards the end Alec starts putting "optical" tags on sets, perhaps as a mental aid because he was running out of money)
Remember kids, they were only 30 days away from shooting.
Some of my favorite lines in no particular order:
* "STORM THE GATES!"
* "For chaos builds only darkness"
* "Just do it!"
* "One way or another, this war ends at Axanar!"
* "Beware the Ides of March, Captain"
* "A sharp knife is nothing without a sharp mind"
* "The crew is impressed as hell by what Garth has just done"
* "Garth of Izar's legend grows"
* "Our radio is broken - we are only picking up show tunes"
* And finally - the worshipful V.O. that plays as Garth goes to sleep is by a young officer who is purposefully hand - writing a special tale about Garth's exploits.
You are all welcome.
<--
\\
===== The Latest Draft? =====
During the lawsuit, Peters' attorneys claimed the script underwent further revision to reduce or eliminate possibly infringing elements. No version of those supposed later drafts has been seen publicly, nor a description of how it might avoid infringement given the defense attorneys' claims that many elements of the Star Trek copyright were actually in the public domain.
In his statement denying summary judgment in the case federal [[judge_r._gary_klausner|Judge R. Gary Klausner]] [[fair_use_denied|disagreed]].
===== Public Response =====
**What's a 'Mary Sue'?** \\
According to Wikipedia, a "Mary Sue is an idealized and seemingly perfect fictional character. Often this character is recognized as an author insert or wish-fulfillment." (([[wp>Mary_Sue|Wikipedia entry]] on "Mary Sue," retrieved 6/28/17.))
Members of the [[face>https://www.facebook.com/groups/axamonitor/237968543384667/|AxaMonitor Facebook]] group began criticizing on the script almost immediately, centering on the idealized "Mary Sue" nature of [[mema>Garth of Izar]], the heroic starship captain portrayed by Peters in //Prelude//.
==== Reddit ====
Meanwhile, on [[https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/6k0pcx/the_axanar_script/|Reddit]] commenters used the script's release to post harsh words about the screenplay, Peters himself and the failed //Axanar// feature project.
> This is supposed to be the best Trek ever that shows us Gene's optimistic vision and isn't all about pew-pew but intellectually stimulating?(([[https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/6k0pcx/the_axanar_script/djikzxp/|Reddit post by Krandor]] 6/28/17.))
> They also didn't understand how shifty Peters was behind the scenes. He had a year to make the film between the fundraiser and the lawsuit. Instead he rented a warehouse, laid down carpet, and tried to build a studio instead of a fan film.(([[https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/6k0pcx/the_axanar_script/djilo7p/|Reddit post by jesuschrist1701]], 6/28/17.))
==== Axanar: The Sporkings ====
One [[axanar_sporking|Axanar critic]] quickly set up a website, [[https://axanarsporking.wordpress.com|Axanar: The Sporkings]], just to critique the script, apparently on a page-by-page basis. For example, the reviewer takes aim at a lofty-sounding speech delivered by the Klingon commander, Kharn: "It’s a pretty little speech, but when broken down one finds it is like the [[yout>T_4W5ywBTpE|waves upon the firmament]], full of sound and fury, yet signifying nothing."(([[https://axanarsporking.wordpress.com|Axanar: The Sporkings]], 6/28/17.))
===== More Releases =====
McIntosh threatened to leak more Axanar data, including donation records he has claimed prove Peters underreported the amount of money he had raised from Star Trek fans — apart from the publicly available [[crowdfunding_platforms|crowdfunding data]] from Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
[{{ ::prelude-title.jpg?direct&300|**WHAT'S LEFT** of the //Axanar// script is to be reduced to two short films to be produced in the same faux documentary format as //Prelude//.}}]
===== 'Axanar Lite' =====
While the feature film will never be produced, the terms of Axanar's settlement with CBS and Paramount allow Peters to produce [[axanar_lite|two 15-minute short films]]. Instead of the narrative format of //Axanar//, Peters opted to repeat the faux documentary format of //Prelude//, with two episodes constituting parts IV and V of the fictional "[[knowing_infringement#is_axanar_transformative|Four Years War]]" documentary.
With all the money raised for //Axanar// gone, Peters would likely have to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce the two short films without the benefit of crowdfunding, which was proscribed by the lawsuit settlement.
==== Returning Actors? ====
{{::graham-deal.jpg?direct|}}
[{{ ::hertzler-congress.jpg?direct&100|**J.G. Hertzler**}}]
To keep fans' interest in Axanar alive, Peters has claimed the [[cast|Star Trek alumni actors]] who appeared in //Prelude// would return, stating as recently as June 25 that actors Gary Graham and J.G. Hertzler would appear in the short films.
On June 28, however, Graham said no deal for him to appear in the //Axanar// shorts had yet been struck. Meanwhile, Hertzler recently announced a [[https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetwburns/2017/06/14/actor-who-played-klingon-general-martok-will-run-for-congress-as-mark-twain/#445b299cd29b|run for Congress]] under the guise of Mark Twain, and signed on to reprise his role as the Klingon, Martok, in [[http://www.startrek.com/article/j-g-hertzler-joins-the-cast-of-star-trek-online|Star Trek Online]]. {{:axamonitor-ico.gif?nolink|}}
=== Graham, Hertzler Return ===
In November 2018, Graham and Hertzler appeared at [[axacon_schedule|Axacon]], attached to the project, though a shooting schedule had not yet been set.
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**Keywords** {{tag>Prelude Script Screenplay Axanar lawsuit copyright}}