Guidelines Aftermath
How the New Guidelines Affect Current Fan Productions
Main article: Official Star Trek Fan Film Guidelines
See also: Star Wars Guidelines Comparisons and Axanar Tries to Rally Fan Films to Its Proposed Guidelines
Table of Contents
By Carlos Pedraza and James Heaney
In the aftermath of the release by CBS and Paramount of production guidelines on June 23, 2016, stunned fan producers assessed the impact of the new restrictions on their shows.
FAN FILMS PRIMER Learn all about CBS/Paramount’s history with fan films and the dangerous legal territory upon which fans treaded until the studios released these guidelines » Fan Films Primer
Clarification
Although many fan projects suspended production immediately, a June 28 podcast interview with CBS’ vice president of product development, John Van Citters, reassured some fan productions that they could resume work, while others considered how to retool to fit the guidelines. Others — including the largest and best-known, Star Trek: New Voyages — remained ominously shuttered, awaiting further clarifications that may not come for some time.
Impact on Star Trek Fan Productions
The titles below link to each production’s statement in response to the studios’ new guidelines. Productions that have not released a statement are not listed. An asterisk (*) denotes that a production is suspended, cancelled, or still considering whether they may continue.
Video Productions
| Production Title | Status |
|---|---|
| Absolution | Continuing; will complete current episode, then consider retooling as an audio drama |
| Ambush | Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines |
| Anthology | No longer a Star Trek project; continuing production under new title The Outer Rim |
| Aurora | Completing current episode as a “grandfathered” production |
 Axanar | Continuing pending lawsuit outcome; believes it has fair use immunity |
| Captain Pike | Continuing |
| Cataja: The Falkenhorst Chronicles* | Cancelled |
| Chance Encounter | Continuing; “aware” of guidelines and appears compliant. |
| Constellation* | Cancelled |
| Star Trek Continues | Completing current episode 1); awaiting clarification on subsequent releases 2) |
| Dark Armada | Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines 3) |
| Dark Isolation | Completing current episodes, then relaunching as non-Star Trek project |
| Dreadnought Dominion | Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines |
| Star Trekz Empire | Continuing as a non-Trek project 4) |
| Exeter Trek | Continuing work on pilot; awaiting clarification for future episodes |
| Farragut | Completing current series finale as planned; a sequel series has been cancelled |
| Intrepid | Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines |
| Melbourne | Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines |
| Minotaur | Continuing; rejects legitimacy of studio guidelines |
| Nature's Hunger | Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines |
| New Voyages/Phase II* | “New Voyages no longer exists.” 5) Fate of episodes currently in post-production unclear. |
| Outlaws | Resuming production; format unclear 6) |
| Pacific 201 | Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines |
| Potemkin Pictures | Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines |
| Project NCC 1703 | Resuming as Starship Langley |
| Raven | Continuing; will comply with guidelines 7) |
| Renegades | No longer a Star Trek project; continuing production |
| Red Squad | Continuing as a “grandfathered” production |
| Reliant* | Suspended indefinitely |
| Saladin | Continuing current episodes as a “grandfathered” production, then shutting down |
| Valiant | Continuing current episode as a “grandfathered” production; further future unclear |
| Yorktown: A Time To Heal | Continuing as a “grandfathered” production. 8) |
Audio Productions
“Long-form radio dramas” aka “audio dramas” are expressly not covered by the guidelines, according to the Engage podcast’s interview with John Van Citters. All audio dramas that initially closed down have since reopened.
| Production Title | Status |
|---|---|
| Continuing Mission | Resuming |
| Diplomatic Relations | Resuming under new management |
| Equinox | Resuming |
| Excelsior | Resuming |
| Gates of Sto'vo'kor | Resuming |
| Henglaar, M.D. | Resuming |
| Lost Frontier | Remaining online; may continue 9) |
| Lost Universe | Resuming |
| Outpost | Resuming |
| Ranger | Resuming |
| Section 31 Files | Remaining online; may continue 10) |
| Shadows of Tyranny | Resuming |
| Starfinder | Resuming |
Special thanks to James Heaney for collating these responses.
This list will continue to be updated. Many ongoing fan projects have not yet made any statement. If you have information about a production that is not given here, please use the Axamonitor feedback form to submit additional information.
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