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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
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
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.
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 |
| Star Trek: Anthology | “Pursuing the most effective means” to continue; has apparently resumed production on a vignette |
| Aurora* | Awaiting clarification |
| Axanar | Continuing pending lawsuit outcome; believes it has fair use immunity |
| Cataja: The Falkenhorst Chronicles* | Cancelled |
| Chance Encounter | Continuing; “aware” of guidelines and appears compliant. |
| Constellation* | Cancelled |
| Star Trek Continues* | Awaiting clarification 1) |
| Dark Armada | Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines 2) |
| Dark Isolation | Completing current episodes, then relaunching as non-Star Trek project |
| Dreadnought Dominion | Continuing; retooling to comply with guidelines |
| Star Trekz Empire* | Suspended; considering options |
| Exeter | 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.” Canceled in May (before guidelines were made public). 3) Fate of episodes currently in post-production unclear. |
| Outlaws* | Suspended; considering retooling as an audio drama 4) |
| Pacific 201 | Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines |
| Potemkin Pictures | Continuing; asserts compliance with guidelines |
| Raven | Continuing; will comply with guidelines 5) |
| 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 6) |
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. Nearly 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 7) |
| Lost Universe | Resuming |
| Outpost | Resuming |
| Ranger* | Suspended; “rethink[ing] our show” |
| Section 31 Files | Remaining online; may continue 8) |
| 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.
Keywords
1)
More precisely, it appears that STC is continuing production but will hold off on any public releases until they have clarified their position with CBS.
2)
except for “one piece of [Guideline] #1”
4)
currently an audio/visual hybrid
5)
Initially, Raven created a stir when it announced that it would refuse to comply with several guidelines, apparently asserting a fair use immunity. Raven’s Executive Producer, David Whitney amended his position on July 2nd after “discussing… with our Producers and legal advisors”
6)
The John Van Citters interview appeared to specifically address and authorize Yorktown (he made reference to a movie that has been twenty years in the making, and that can only describe Yorktown).