MICHAEL HINMAN asks detractors NOT to call AXANAR a “scam”

Michael Hinman–blogger and self-described journalist

If being an Axanar detractor were an Olympic event, MICHAEL HINMAN would have to change his last name to PHELPS.  He is the administrator of the CBS/Paramount v. Axanar Facebook group where detractors of Axanar and Alec Peters go to…well…detract.

I visit the group occasionally when I feel my blood pressure has dropped too low, and I usually realize within about a minute or two of reading the comments there why I usually hit the “Back” button on my browser after about a minute or two of reading the comments there.

So imagine my surprise when I popped over there a few minutes ago to find a message from Michael Hinman that I actually AGREED with!  In fact, I need to APPLAUD him for posting it!!!

I’ll reprint the post in its entirety in a moment, but first I need to explain a few things.  If you’re a reader of the blog comments here on FAN FILM FACTOR, you’ve probably seen at least a few detractors doing their “thing” when I post blogs that discuss Axanar.  And some of those comments can be a little–shall we say–intense, passionate, heated, crude, indignant, insulting, ranting, raving, vitriolic (the list goes on).  And that’s only a taste of what you’ll see on their Facebook group.  Trust me; it’s not pretty.

I can deal with all of the above–my only real pet peeve (aside from obscenity) is straight-out misinformation.  It bugs the shat out of me, and can, at times, border on libel.  I’ve even gone so far as to issue warnings a few times in the comments section and state that opinions expressed by the readers of Fan Film Factor do not necessarily reflect the views of the blog owner (me).  Well, today it was Michael Hinman’s turn to issue the warning to his members…

Ironically, it wasn’t Axanar that was the catalyst for the warning (although God knows there’s been enough libelous things said about that subject and Alec Peters and anyone who doesn’t lambast Alec Peters–such as myself–on that Facebook group).  Instead, it seems to have been another sci-fi project that got called a “scam,” and Michael finally jumped into action.  He quite rightly, in a long and detailed posting at the top of the page, publicly called for a halt to all unsubstantiated accusations on the Facebook group page.

And here’s what Michael said to his group:

A reminder of the rules …

Please note that it is understood that we CANNOT commit libel in the group. So while much of what is said is protected under free speech and such, libel is not.

I get uncomfortable when we call anything Axanar a “scam.” I do ask people to refrain from it, and will ask that publicly once again.

Calling something a scam without the basis of doing so opens you (and potentially this group) up for libel. And it’s even worse when we go off on other unrelated groups as well. Especially those who are not even here to defend themselves.

In terms of the Sci-Fi Museum, two former volunteers came in here and started calling that a scam. It is not only inappropriate, but it is potentially unlawful, and can expose not just you, but the group itself to litigation.

If you feel something is a scam, then report it to local authorities.

If you want to share your experiences, and opinions based on facts, that is fine. You can dislike something, not agree with it, share your bad experiences, whatever you like. But you cannot draw a conclusion of something serious like “scam” without some major evidence to back that up.

We have not really cracked down on the use of that term here, but it seems we need to be a little more vigilant.

I do want to apologize on behalf of the group to Huston. I only know him through this Enterprise Bridge project, and trust me, he went through an early wringer with me to ensure that this project was on the up and up, and I check in with him quite regularly.

The only complaints I have ever received were from a couple of former volunteers. And each time I have asked for some kind of evidence of their claims, they included none.

I absolutely will keep an open mind on projects like Huston’s, and make sure they are held accountable. I was friends with the TrekUnited people until I felt they were doing a major disservice to the donors, so trust me, you don’t get free passes with me just because I like you. In fact, you’re usually under greater scrutiny, because I have a direct line to you.

I know that there are some raw feelings and such about the settlement and its aftermath (although I feel great about the settlement personally, so I’m not sure why anyone would feel bad about it, but that’s just me). But that doesn’t open the door to unfairly attack other people and other groups.

Especially without any evidence except what comes out of someone’s mouth. To say you had a bad experience, you can do that. But to claim something criminal or heavily unlawful – you can NOT do that.

So I am going to ask that we be careful about using the “scam” word, and I think we need to be a little more vigilant about asking those who use the term not to use it, even with Axanar, because there is no evidence at this point there is a scam there, so we cannot say that.

While we have our fun, and Axanar may not deserve to be treated fairly in many of our eyes, they still should be treated fairly here. Because of we start up with hyperbole and baseless claims, it will make it much more difficult to counter their bullshit out in the ether.

This group still has a lot of work and discussion ahead of it. And thanks for helping us maintain its longevity – and fairness.

Comments will remain open on this, but it is NOT to restart the Sci-Fi Museum debate.

Thanks.

 

145 thoughts on “MICHAEL HINMAN asks detractors NOT to call AXANAR a “scam””

  1. Sorry, this sounds fishy to me. After more than a year of anti-Peters posts suddenly Michael posts this? This sounds suspicious to me. Has ANYONE paid attention to what Michael was saying until the settlement was announced? There is something here that we don’t know about and it stinks.

    1. Agreed – and isn’t the obvious possibility that he’d maybe received a warning about the possibility of real Litigation, so took this step to “cover their a$$es” ?

  2. While we have our fun, and Axanar may not deserve to be treated fairly in many of our eyes, they still should be treated fairly here. Because of we start up with hyperbole and baseless claims, it will make it much more difficult to counter their bullshit out in the ether.

    Where was this months ago? At least we have the term “alternative facts” to use now.

    This group still has a lot of work and discussion ahead of it. And thanks for helping us maintain its longevity – and fairness.

    With the case settled, what else is there? Interesting.

  3. Huh. If it weren’t for the risk if legal, he probably wouldn’t have said anything…

  4. Oh please! Hinman runs a cesspool of hatred, libel and defamation, which has attacked me personally, demeaned my girlfriend and Diana in hateful and misogynistic ways, attacked Rob Burnett, and NOW he wants to be all high and mighty?

    Hinman and his minions have proven to everyone what hateful, immature trolls they are. His claims of “I am a journalist” ring hollow when he ATTACKS everyone who ever disagrees with him and states “I don’t need evidence”, probably his most famous line.

    I am sorry you give him credit, when not calling Axanar a “scam”. I think that is basic respect, of which his group gives none.

    Oh and let us be clear, Terry McIntosh just committed libel by lying about how much Axanar raised in donations in the CBS/Paramount vs. Axanar haters group. Did Hinman do anything about that? Nope.

    So please don’t give me that “I am all about truth” bullshit Michael. Your 13 months of attacks speak for themselves.

    Alec Peters

    1. Sorry to do this, Alec, but you get a warning for not saying “bullshat.” I know, stupid rule. But I really do want to keep the fights clean around here.

      Other than that, you seem to make some strong points. And I didn’t hear about Terry lying about how much Axanar raised in donations. How can he even do that when both the plaintiffs and defense team accepted the actual donation numbers into evidence uncontested? So the numbers are official. To say now that they are not the official numbers seems kinda dumb on Terry’s part…alt-fact dumb. What did he do/say?

      1. My guess is Terry just used GROSS totals, not NET. The fund hosting sites each take a percentage from the donations as their fee. This would explain the difference in numbers.

        Besides, if it were anywhere close to two million, CBS’ lawyers would have been ALL over that!

        1. Yeah, the lawyers would certainly have been all over the gross, but here’s the problem. The Kickstarter and Indiegogo totals WERE the gross. Fees are subtracted FROM that number. So Terry’s number of $574,368 was taken from (I’d assume) this page:

          https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/axanar#/

          It doesn’t match precisely, but Terry’s is only $66 off.

          But then there’s the $725,829 number. Where does that come from? Is it from the big Kickstarter?

          https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/194429923/star-trek-axanar

          But that total was only $638,471…not $725,829. And that $638K was the GROSS, from which 5% was taken in commission by Kickstarter and another 5% went to credit card verification fees.

          So if anything, the NET on that Kickstarter was $574,624.

          HEY WAIT!!!

          Maybe THAT’S where Terry got his first number from! It wasn’t the GROSS on Indiegogo; it was the NET on Kickstarter!

          So that means that the $364,284 was probably the NET from the Indiegogo campaign.

          But if that’s the case…then where the heck did that $725,829 number come from??? Is there a rich Uncle Alfred that no one told me about?

          Actually, if you subtract the mysterious $725,829 number from Terry’s $1.97 million total…you’re right back at the $1.2 million ($1.25 million, actually) that was reported publicly.

          So maybe Terry’s math DOES work…and the $725,829 was just a typo! 🙂

          (Man, my brain hurts now!)

    2. That is really funny comment coming from you Alec. You call yourself a “Producer” and yet you don’t know the first thing about being a “Producer”. For that last 13 months it’s been tit for tat. You too have spread lies and rumors as well, you have spread misinformation and touted off your opinions as facts AND you have attacked various donors for simply asking legitimate question regarding the production and their donation. You have zero credibility.

      You lied for 13 months to donor saying sorts of crap that was proven to be exactly that, all lies. You told donors their money was safe which was a lie. You told donors you filed for 501 C and you never did, it was a lie. I could keep going and going but you get the picture.

      For a man who thinks he is smarter than everyone else around him for the last 13 months you have proven otherwise in more ways than one.

      1. “You told donors you filed for 501 C and you never did, it was a lie.”

        Wow, Rand…using lies to call someone a liar. That’s…well…it’s ballsy is what it is.

        1. What do you expect from someone who shot out of the gate making accusations of embezzlement because his name was scrubbed (it’s wasn’t) along with a bunch of others (they weren’t) from the donor roster, than acts like a gods-damned child when he’s shown that he’s wrong about the “scrubbing”?

        2. Jonathan, Filing for 501 C non profit status would be a matter of public record. For two damn years not Alec has in fact told donors he filed and the application was pending. There is NO RECORD OF THIS of any 501 C filed by Axanar OR filed on behalf of Alec. IT HAS BEEN LOOKED INTO. I have also looked California state public records and there is NOTHING even show a pending application much less even one that was filed.

          Now if your going to deflect and not respond why even bother commenting,,, Huh Jonny?

          BTW Alec, where is my god damn refund?

          1. A lie is a very poor way to say hello. A continuous stream of lies…well, now we’re entering the realm of behavioral pathology.

            What amazes, though, is how you are able to present such a blatant and easily-disproved false statement with such casual confidence:

            “I have also looked California state public records and there is NOTHING even show a pending application much less even one that was filed.”

            Of course you didn’t do that, Rand, because pending tax exempt applications are NEVER public.

            Don’t just take my word for it; just scroll down to the bottom of this page:

            https://www.ftb.ca.gov/businesses/Exempt-Organizations/The-Process.shtml

            Disclosure of Application Materials

            We may not disclose to the public the business and financial matters of a tax-exempt organization while we consider the exemption application; however, once we grant or acknowledge tax-exempt status, we may disclose information included with FTB 3500 or FTB 3500A. If we deny exemption, then that information remains confidential. If an organization’s tax-exempt status is revoked, then that information is available to the public.

            At this point, Rand, it’s probably clear to everyone reading this that not only is your credibility now completely in the toilet, it’s actually been flushed and is on it’s way to the sewer.

            But thank you for playing. Please enjoy this lovely parting gift. And here it is now…

            “BTW Alec, where is my god damn refund?”

            In my house, we teach our six-year-old to say “please” and leave out the “god damn.” But you might not be six yet.

          1. When did Alec say he was already operating as a 501(c)(3)? Last I heard, he was awaiting an approval from the California Secretary of State’s office of a resubmitted document and was then going to complete the final non-profit filing for Axanar Productions. Did Alec announce somewhere that had already happened? Did I miss a memo?

          2. Jonathan,
            Go to Alec Peters’ Star Trek Auction, Props and costumes site. Go to The Collective, and then find the thread titled Axanar film prompts lawsuit.
            Alec talks about his having a non profit, and how it is ok for non profits to pay employees.

          4. According to their articles neither Hindman or Axamontor think they said they claimed they had already obtained 501(c)(3).

            But in that facebook echo chamber, non-factual statements that knock Axanar are NEVER corrected. It’s just taken as more proof of lying.

            What Axanar actually wrote on their FAQ was that they were “operating as a non-profit”, which is not an tax emption statement. It just means you work like a non-profit org, and California tax code doesn’t own the definition of those words . But they add to add that they still working on the 501(c)(3) in an update to satisfy these people.

            You can read Hindman’s article on it here
            http://1701news.com/node/1116/peters-axanar-operates-non-profit.html.

          5. Well, that explains a lot! OPERATING as a non-profit means you are SEEKING non-profit tax-exempt status. If you’re operating as a FOR-profit entity, the IRS isn’t likely to grant you non-profit status. So you operate as a non-profit first, and then, once you have an actual tax-exempt certification, you can switch to saying “We ARE a non-profit” instead of just OPERATING as one.

            I wonder if that’s why so many people are confused. If so, thanks for shining a light on that blog article from Hinman from last year.

          6. Sometimes Jonathon, I have serious doubts as to you even reading what you’re writing.

            The follow is an exact copy and past from the FIRST LINE of the quote you used to say ‘Nuh, ah. It’s not public.’

            “We may not disclose to the public the business and financial matters of a tax-exempt organization while we consider the exemption application;”

            Let’s parse this out.

            “We may not disclose to the public the …” – This is saying that the IRS cannot disclose something specific to the public about the application. This implies that there are other things (things not specifically mentioned here) that it can.

            “business and financial matters” – business matters, who has contracts with who for what supplies, all business policies and procedures. basically anything related to operating the business aside from the money. Financial matters, these are to with the money. How much cash a business has, how much debt a business has, how much money is flowing through the business and were it’s going.

            “of a tax-exempt organization while we consider the exemption application.” – This one basically means. After the organisation has submitted all appropriate documentation to the IRS for the to go through and consider whether or not tax-exemption status should be granted.

            So basically, you just quoted something that at best that says nothing about whether 501c3 applicants are private or not and at worst implies that applicants are publicly available.

            Good Job.

          7. Sorry for the delay in responding, Andrew. As I’ve reported over the past week, my old computer pretty much conked out and has now been replaced.

            However, during the down time, I asked my accountant, and yes, while an organization is going through the tax exempt review and approval process, it is still considered a private entity and entitled to confidentiality. Until such time as an organization is given tax exempt status, the fact that it has applied for such is very much considered a business and financial matter and cannot be disclosed to the general public.

            She invites you to contact the California Franchise Tax Board and verify this for yourself:

            https://www.ftb.ca.gov/aboutFTB/contact.shtml?WT.mc_id=Global_Utility_Contact

            So yes, Rand did, in fact, lie when he said, ” I have also looked California state public records and there is NOTHING even show a pending application much less even one that was filed.” He neither looked into such records (since there are no records of pending applications available to the general public), nor can he conclude that there is nothing to show a pending application since he didn’t look in the first place.

            And hey, I just don’t like liars in general…and even less on my blog. The world is complicated enough just from the truth!

          9. Go to the web page on your browser and copy-paste the full website URL into a comment. If I have to scroll down the page to find the comment, then just grab a string of four or five consecutive words that are unique to that comment, and copy/paste them into your comment here on FFF, as well. If I search for that phrase on the page using my browser’s “find” function, it’ll scroll me right down to it.

          10. Jonathan: In the facebook echo chamber, they’re calling you all sorts of names right now for making a difference between “operating as non-profit” and having 501(c)(3). Shawn even saying it would be a crime to claim you’re operating as non-profit.

            They are wrong and should read up on it: A non-profit does Not require 501(c)(3). This article even says most nonprofit never apply for it. That designation is only to ask for tax exception.

            http://smallbusiness.chron.com/long-can-nonprofit-operate-501c3-status-60923.html

          11. Thanks for the link, Fred. I do get amazed sometimes by the clueless ignorance of those folks. It was nice having a mostly non-functional computer for a week, as it gave me an excuse to pay absolutely no attention to the peanut gallery. I decided to check in or the echo chamber earlier today and discovered that, apparently, they now have some very strong opinions about my stock portfolio. Good to know! 🙂

          12. In retrospect, I guess what’s making them freak out is that there is a confusion in your comment, jonathan.

            You wrote that getting 501(c)(3) would make an entity go from “operating as” to actually being a nonprofit. But there is no such concept. You’re always a nonprofit, it’s a concept defined by the state.

            The 501(c)(3) just says that you now have access to tax exception. It’s not what defines you as a non profit. It just allows you to keep more money.

          13. Operating as a non-profit is necessary before getting tax exempt status. Let me try to explain myself better. If McDonalds or Macy’s suddenly went to the IRS and applied for tax exempt status, they likely wouldn’t get it. Why not? Because they make a LOT of profit! So if you want the government to consider you non-profit enough to qualify for tax exempt status (officially recognized status as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization), then it’s a good idea to ACT like a non-profit first to convince them that that is what you will continue to do. But hey, if the detractors want to freak out…who am I to stop them? 🙂

      2. Where is your proof rand?

        Start posting – with legit sources, I’ll wait.

        As a donor, I, like others, have taken Alec at his word. Our money is safe and will be used to make quite possibly the best fan production as can be made under the stupid guidelines…

    3. Um no Alec, Terry did nothing of the sort. He posted a screenshot of a calculator with some numbers, nothing more.

      Now we all know that Terry has copies of all of the Axanar financial records up until the time he left so it could be that he totalled up all of your revenue streams into one sum. That’s not libel, it’s mathematics. Of course, now the case has been settled there is no gag order on him….

      Speaking of hatred and libel and attacks, you and your minions are some of the most hateful trolls I have ever seen. Your personal attacks on dozens of people are legendary and well documented, as are one from your minions like Britto. So don’t go and try taking the high road here. YOUR 13 months of attacks speak for themselves too.

      1. I’ve now taken a look at Terry’s post. His numbers appear to be just that–numbers. They don’t match anything verifiable, and we fans have access to the publicly-available numbers for all three crowd-funding campaigns to check the accuracy. There are other huge numbers on there, too, that seem to have materialized out of thin air…one of them being nearly $365,000! Where the heck did THAT come from??? It doesn’t match any of the crowd-funding numbers, and there just isn’t enough Kharn Roast in the entire world to make it to that number! Alec put in $150K of his own money, but I don’t know any backer who more than doubled it.

        I think Terry is having a laugh at the detractors’ expense.

        1. Quite possibly Jonny, which is why I don’t know why Alec went off the deep end. Guilty conscience perhaps?

          Anyway, Terry claims his records show possibly an even bigger total as it takes into account not only the publicity available crowdfunding numbers, but also all of the direct and retro and convention sales and donations as well. Again, he claims he is going to double check his records and then (I’m assuming) make them all public.

          I suspect this is another reason Alec settled. See, if Alec’s submitted financials varried dramatically from Terry’s records (pulled from Ares Digital I assume) then it would have come out in court that one of them is lying. He of course submitted all of this in discovery so both sides saw what he had.

          I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

          1. I actually think Terry’s pulling a fast one on you here, Sandy (not entirely sure why–you might want to ask him). But if Terry’s records didn’t match Alec’s, the plaintiffs would have immediately brought up that discrepancy with the judge. They didn’t. That alone should be enough to discredit him.

            You’ll see elsewhere where I did the math for you all. Terry seems to have added an arbitrary number of $725,289 that looks like it came out of somewhere that, if you’re wise, you might want to disinfect before touching it. If you subtract that arbitrary and imagined number, you’re back to $1.2 million…which is where the total is supposed to be.

          2. But that’s exactly the point Jonny. The Plaintiffs would have brought it up in court if it went to trial but Alec chose to settle. Is this one of the reasons, that he’s been lying about his income? That would be a proper bombshell if true and certainly worth settling (after saying the whole time he never would) so it didn’t come out in court.

            When people talk about the $1.4m they are only adding up the crowdfunding figures and NOT all of the other revenue streams. It would make a lot of sense if the figure was higher.

        2. Terry’s playing a game of chain-jerking. He puts a set of numbers out there without actually saying what they’re supposed to be, but insinuating that it means something nefarious.

          1. It just seems so…well…I don’t know if sleazy is the correct word. Manipulative? Instigating? Nefarious?

            Anyone got a good word to call Terry’s move? (“Dick-headed” would be an implied direct insult to Terry, so let’s please try to keep it to words that describe the action itself and not the person acting.)

      2. Please…cry us a river, Sandy…You who I don’t believe I’ve insulted or been profane to in open forum while you have in recent days called me a t**t and told me to f**k off…so please don’t try to be done kind of wounded saint.

        1. I’m not acting like a wounded saint Colin, Alec was. I was just calling him out on it.

      3. Seriously Sandy? Pro-Axanars are the haters? One merely has to look at the Facebook group you are in with you psychos, “CBS/Paramount vs. Axanar” to see 13 months and 1000’s of hours of vile pure hatred. Carlos Pedraza, and Michael Hinman gathered the lowest of the lowest to further there vendetta against Alec and Axanar because poor Star Trek New Voyages felt sided because Axanar received many accolades that they ever could.

        So that is the haters new thing? Call pro-Axanar the haters, who have done nothing but try to defend against you and your “Children of the Corn”?

        After 13 months false predictions, assumptions, and outright lies about “Alec is going to jail”, “Alec will be out in the street with nothing”, Axanar will NEVER be made in any form” you and your haters continue to attack even after defeat. That’s a form of brain damage. Turns out CBS settled in spite of you.

        1. I do find it an interesting strategy to try to rewrite history and thousands of saved Facebook posts and say that the detractors were the reasonable ones and the Axanerds were the belligerent bullies. It’s also really funny! 🙂

        2. Oh Chuckie, why do you always look at 2 + 2 and get 17?

          NOTHING in my comment denied anything that me or anyone in the CBS/P v Axanar may have said. Clearly you have a reading comprehension problem. Alec was attempting to take the high road and I was simply pointing out that he and you and others are just as bad if not worse. Simple.

    4. You yourself have been reactionary, difficult and argumentative Alec. Hinman is your mirror, which is why he cannot claim to be better than you.

      Frankly I don’t think anyone comes out of this looking good. I think it’s a time for people to make peace.

      If you, Hinman, Lane, Pedraza or any others truly believe in the principles of Trek, it’s time for an end to mudslinging and egos.

    5. You had my respect, even admiration, Alec, when I first became a donor. But you pissed that away as your mismanagement, scope creep, lies, half-truths, deflections became evident. All that money with little to show for it.

      If you look back at your own actions and are honest with yourself, is it any surprise that people lash out? If you hadn’t banned people who dissented from your narrative would this cesspool even exist?

      1. Well, I don’t ban anyone from either here or Small Access, and the cesspool still exists (i.e., I seem to get as many arrows shot at me as Alec gets shot at him…well, nearly as many). So I’m not entirely sure you can blame it on banning, Chris.

    6. Alec,

      Would you please address your statements at Fedcon in 2014, and your interview in the Wrap in august of 2015, where you stated you met with the studio prior to production and were told the only thing you could not do was make money off of your project, and then how you justified paying your self a salary from donor funds? It looks like you were totally aware of the rule and intentionally broke it. Am I wrong? That was the only rule or guideline. Now how many are there?

      Also, the same wrap interview related that the studio contacted you and told you to stop. Yet you continued, and even blatantly used the Star Trek IP for merchandising (coffee, models, etc…).

      Many of us have no respect for you because of what appear to be your accurate statements ( some would say lies), your ever changing narrative, and your facsist suppression of anyone critical of you.

      Please release your financials. Remember, you are the most transparent of the fan films. If all is as you say, you can expect a lot of apologies nd vindication. Heck, if you had any integrity you would insist all the evidence presented at the deposition be made public. The secrecy only benefits you.

      1. We’ll see if Alec even wants to bother with this barrage, but in the interests of my never-ending battle with “alt-facts,” let me state unequivocally that at NO time did the studios EVER contact Alec to tell him to stop.

        ow can I be so certain? Because it never came out in ANY witness deposition. If anyone from the studios had claimed at any point during their deposition (and multiple studio executives from CBS and Paramount were deposed) that they or someone at their studio had contacted Alec and told him to stop, then that statement or statements would have been a matter of public record (unless it was redacted, and there would be no reason to do so as numerous other quotes from depositions–not having to do with Alec’s financials-were included in subsequent filed motions).

        And if there were ANY testimony of the studios having told Alec to stop at any point before the lawsuit was filed, such a bombshell (yes, bombshell!) would have most assuredly been included in the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment requesting a ruling of willful infringement. But there was no such testimony ever included in any plaintiff motion from the filing of the initial complaint onward. Had there ever been such a substantiated claim, I am certain that Judge Klausner would have included a ruling on WILLFUL infringement in his summary judgments…heck, even I would have said it was willful had there been ANY indication that Alec had ever been told to stop by the studios before he was sued! Instead, the judge left the determination of willful versus non-willful infringement as a question for the jury to decide…and even said that he himself could see a reasonable argument for non-willful infringement. That would absolutely NOT have been the case had the studios ever contacted Alec and told him to stop.

        And speaking of asking people to stop–could I please request that people stop posting all the alt-facts? It’s like playing whack-a-mole with all the lies, falsehoods, and misinformation. It’s exhausting for me to keep writing all of these posts debunking the alt-facts…and I have to believe it’s exhausting for you to read them all.

        1. Jonathan,
          Please google the Wrap August 2015 interview with Alec Peters (it is the one where Alec states he met with the studio prior to production and was told their only rule was that he could not make money on his project).
          In the article it is related that the studios expressed their concerns to Peters and were now pursuing other options.
          Oh, and to a person of average intelligence being hit with a lawsuit from a property owner says “knock it off”

          1. For anyone who didn’t read that Wrap interview, here’s the quote in question:

            “CBS has not authorized, sanctioned or licensed this project in any way, and this has been communicated to those involved,” a representative from the network told TheWrap. “We continue to object to professional commercial ventures trading off our property rights and are considering further options to protect these rights.” (Paramount did not return TheWrap’s request for comment.)

            Rather than just conjecturing, I asked Alec Peters directly. He informed me that, just a week and a half before the interview appeared, he had met in person with executives from CBS and asked, again, for guidance and/or feedback. And again, they told him the same thing: “We can’t tell you what you can and can’t do, but we will let you know if you go too far.”

            You’ll notice that there are two things missing from that quote in the article:

            1) The name or position/title of the person who said it, and
            2) Any mention that the studio actually wanted Alec Peters to stop. (Go look. It doesn’t say he should stop making his fan film.)

            Anyway, Alec figured that the quote came from some guy in the PR department looking to cover his butt and protect CBS from angry licensees who might get miffed that a fan was getting a free “license” while they were paying tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for their licenses. When read with that understanding, that first sentence makes a lot more sense, as does most of the second one.

            Alec told me that he wasn’t about to suspend or cancel a million-dollar fan film project with 14,000 donors based on one anonymous quote in a random interview (one of many) that didn’t even tell him specifically to shut anything down. Alec had a direct line of contact to CBS, and they to him. He’d just met with them face-to-face 10 days earlier and was told, “We’ll let you know if you go too far.” So if, in those 10 days, he’d somehow gone too far, Alec assumed CBS would pick up a phone and call him (or e-mail) and tell him directly…rather than hoping he might read an ambiguous quote from an unnamed “representative” buried inside of a long Internet interview.

          1. Actually, I expect there would still be alt-facts. About a week ago, Gabe Koerner sent me the following image and proceeded to say that Alec Peters wasn’t a big fan of telling the truth…

            “What was Alec lying about?” I asked.

            “You know, the whole part of him telling Terry about trying to peddle Axanar to Netflix … Did you not read that part?”

            Indeed, I had read that part! And here’s how even looking at the bare-naked truth–directly in front of you!–an alt-fact can emerge. NOWHERE does that say Alec Peters met with Netflix or even tried to “peddle Axanar” to them. Indeed, it says much the opposite:

            “Let CBS deal with Netflix. We would produce.” It’s right there, dammit!

            CBS would deal with Netflix, Axanar Productions would just offer to produce whatever CBS and Netflix decided they wanted to create. “Prelude” and “Axanar” would just be the sizzle reel/proof of concept.

            Was it a bit of a pipe dream? Probably. But stranger things have happened in Hollywood. The idea was to say, “Look, if we could do this for a million dollars, imagine what we could do for you guys for $10 million!”

            As it happened, no one from Axanar ever met with anyone from Netflix. Alec had an “in” at Netflix, but hey, I have an “in” with J.J. Abrams’ sister (my best friend and his family are close with her and her family). Has this ever gotten me (or my friend, who is also a Trekker) onto the Star Trek movie sets? Nope. Having an “in,” while certainly a step on the journey of any deal, is certainly not the deal itself.

            But look, the idea was NEVER to sell Axanar to Netflix! It was to sell Netflix ON Axanar (or rather on AXANAR PRODUCTIONS!) in order to convince them to hire the team to make Netflix-licensed Star Trek (since Alec knew the two companies were already in talks following the success of Marvel’s Netflix series). Now, I’m not saying that Alec Peters would have been chosen over Bryan Fuller, but remember that, at the time, no one knew there would even be a Star Trek: Discovery. Alec was just hoping to at least be in the running for…well…something, as a cost-competitive option. But he never tried to peddle Axanar to Netflix and never met with them.

            And yet, somehow, even looking directly at Alec’s own words, Gabe somehow reached a totally erroneous conclusion that 1) Alec had actually met with someone at Netflix, and 2) he was trying to sell Axanar to them.

            So no, I don’t believe that if Alec released his complete financials it would eliminate alt-facts. In fact, considering how many transactions are on the unabridged pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages of spreadsheets, I can only imagine that the quantity and complexity of the information would result in an exponentially GREATER numbers of alt-facts!

  5. Personally I think we should reserve our utter outrage and ranting for politics, not for Axanar. So I applaud Mr. Hinman’s calling ‘enough is enough’.

    1. The next detractor who starts bashing Alec and Axanar on this blog, I’ll just tell them: “Hey, Michael Hinman says to KNOCK IT OFF!!!”

      Thanks, Michael. 🙂

    2. Too bad right after Hinman’s statement, he was right back on Facebook doing the same thing he told the haters not to do….

  6. What you completely forgot to mention in your blog post here Mr. Lane, is what led to this post by Michael Hinman. It was started after Alec tried to draw attention away from his own shortcomings with this whole Axanar project, by basically saying “Hey don’t look at me for not doing what I said I would, go look at THOSE guys who didn’t do what THEY said they would.” Worst of all, the person/group that he picked to call of this time is Huston Huddleston and his original project “Enterprise-D Bridge Restoration”. I can understand Alec getting upset about people endlessly going on and on about certain things, even if they are true (and I believe most of them are), but trying to start up rage towards others just to get it away from himself is not right. Alec has done things like this multiple times, such as his repeated “calling out” of Vic/Star Trek: Continues and James Cawley/ST: New Voyages. Things like these is exactly why so many people dislike Alec so strongly. Nobody likes a “tattle-tale”.

    1. Actually, what led to this post by Michael Hinman were things the members of CBS/PvAxanar were saying. His message was NOT addressed to Alec.

      Alec can, of course, say anything he wants to (and usually does). But Michael Hinman will likely never get personally sued for anything Alec Peters says.

      And hey, the important thing that Michael admitted: I get uncomfortable when we call anything Axanar a “scam.” There have been a LOT of detractors saying that. It’s obviously not true, and now even Michael Hinman has told his group to stop using the “s” word or saying:

      If you want to share your experiences, and opinions based on facts, that is fine. You can dislike something, not agree with it, share your bad experiences, whatever you like. But you cannot draw a conclusion of something serious like “scam” without some major evidence to back that up.

      If folks like Rand could take those words to heart, the world would begin to be a much better place.

      2. Rand used to be a friend of mine. We use to laugh together at how much Axanar haters were idiots. I understood Rand has psychological issues….he craves attention and was always over the top with his hatred of CBS/Paramount vs Axanar group. Rand even started a hater toward hater group, that was never stanchioned by Alec. But I accepted Rand for who he was, as friends always do.

        Eventually, I learned though I controlled my counter-attacks, Rand didn’t have control over himself, and I became more of an advisor and babysitter…than a friend. I understand Rand personality type. He’s an extremest supporter. If you don’t cuddle him, his type is prone to lashing out and turncoating. The haters discovered this and all they had to do was give him a little attention….and he slid right over into their awaiting arms.

        Rand now disgusts me. He lies with without remorse, attacks just for the sake of it, and has become just as brain damaged as his new friends at CPvsA.

        1. It sounds like you’re describing a condition known as borderline personality disorder, Charles. But while I understand that you were relating your personal experiences with Rand, as that’s fine, the “brain damaged” part counts as a personal insult. So I have to give you a warning on that. Sorry.

  7. It’s a nice gesture by Michael Hinman to keep the Axanar groups and the CBS/Paramount groups more accountable and less bashing each other !
    You know slamming each other with sarcasm or unkind words doesn’t really accomplish anything – and Alec should be more understanding and mature, not to simply lash out that fury when Michael is holding the olive branch !

    1. “Olive branch…” That is an…interesting choice of words, John. It kind of ignores a year of Alec and Axanar bashing by Michael and his people without anything close to an apology. But what Michael said about not calling it a scam was at least a step in the right direction. I give him credit for that. But he also said, While we have our fun, and Axanar may not deserve to be treated fairly in many of our eyes… To me, that doesn’t quite reach the level of “olive branch.”

    2. Michael Hinman holding out an olive branch would mean he’s got a blackjack behind his back in his other hand. Hinman has a personal beef with Alec Peters, part of how the whole hater community was founded in the first place, so if his “offer”is met with extreme cynicism, it’s because he went to great lengths to create such feelings.

  8. Got to agree with the others, where was this “no accusations without facts” attitude from the start? A little late now. All because someone else was made involved that he doesn’t feel he can push around, I guess. Maybe this is why his minions have been showing their faces in other groups outside of CPvA trying to spread their propaganda…

  9. This in nonsense. Hinman turned his blind eye to accusations of Peters being a con man for over a year. It’s only now that there’s a settlement and there will be no on the record trashing of Peters that he is back tracking.

    I am no fan of Alec Peters, but this just goes to show you how full of it the most obsessive anti-Axanar types have been. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that the most obsessive characters on both sides of this saga walk away away from this with less dignity than they started.

  11. I’m not convinced he has suddenly decided to be sensible. Someone has him spooked.
    He has allowed that group to pretty much do whatever they want including, but not limited to:

    – Public and private harassment of pro-Axanar FB users
    – The creation of libelous MEMES using Photos from their various targets personal FB pages or Axanar material
    – The disclosure of countless private messages
    – The targeted smear campaigns on any articles even remotely pro-Axanar
    – Libelous remarks regarding funding
    – Baseless accusations of fraud and embezzlement

    They have also created several pornographic representations of Axanar and Alec Peters on Twitter.

    So why the sudden change?

  12. I’ll be perfectly honest. I never thought Axanar was a scam, mismanaged and run by some folks that didn’t understand what they were getting into.

    That can happen to anyone, yet I think they should have just admitted they took on more than they cold handle and avoided all the drama.

  13. Let me be clear… The attacks on Huston were precipitated by comments made by Alec Peters in the Star Trek group, insinuating that Huston and the Bridge Restoration Project wasn’t fulfilling it’s obligation.

    I find it funny that after Huston directly confronted Peter’s comments addressing all of the concerns raised, that instead of apologizing, to Huston, Peters simply deleted his comments.

    1. Two wrongs don’t forgive either. Alec wasn’t the only one attacking Huston. Rather than being the bigger man/men/people and standing up for Huston, the detractors joined Alec in the mudslinging. I think both parties should apologize (not just Michael Hinman), but unfortunately, I have no control over either.

      I asl think the detractors should apologize for calling Axanar a scam and implying that Alec is an embezzler (and for all the negative, hurtful things they said about RMB, Diana, Crysstal, myself, and many others who simply tried to stand with Axanar). But I doubt that’ll happen either.

  15. This is pretty much all garbage from Michael Hinman…. He just accused Alec and Axanar of the things he just apologized for in this blog over at the big Star Trek Facebook group.

    Hinman is likely trying to protect himself from a libel suit, and trying to distance himself as leader of the nastiest haters group on facebook.

  17. I’d like to address the notion that Alec didn’t get money from Axanar because in the end he has paid it back by paying studio rent.

    Alec got paid a salary and charged personal expenses to Axanar. That is undisputed. One could easily argue that this poor management of donor money is part of what led to Axanar running out of money, which is why Alec must now pay out of pocket.

    So let me ask this: If Axanar had raised $2 million, or $3 million and wasn’t out of money, would Alec have ever paid this money back? What I’m getting at here is that Alec is trying to take a moral assertion (“I haven’t made money from Axanar”) when in reality it was a matter of necessity. If he didn’t “pay back” Axanar by paying the rent the studio would be closed.

    It’s this kind of verbal obfuscation and self-justification that leads people to feel Alec is untrustworthy.

      1. It doesn’t matter how much money Alec has or hasn’t put in. There shouldn’t be any question of his morals or good faith. Jonathan, with all do respect you think because he put his personal funds into the project (according to him) that he is allowed to do as he wanted/felt he could with the rest of the money.

        He has a responsibility to the Donors first and foremost at all times no matter what. If a donor ask to see where the money has been spent he has an obligation to fulfill that request regardless of if he wants to do so or not. He doesn’t have the right to tell them no under any circumstances.

        1. Actually, Alec doesn’t have that obligation. No fan filmmaker does. I don’t call up Sky Conway and say, “Hey, what did you do with my $200 for ‘Renegades: The Requiem’? Show me every dime you spent!” No, I just wait for “Renegades” to come out, and when it does (NEXT MONTH!!!), I will watch and enjoy it. I never bugged Vic Mignogna for all of his financial details–no one has that I know of. “Starship Farragut” still hasn’t released their series finale “Homecoming” and I donated to that one over a year ago. Do you see me hounding John Broughton for a financial reckoning or asking to check to see how new his tires are?

          So no, Alec does not have any more responsibility to release the nitty gritty details of every penny he spent than does any other fan filmmaker. That said, it’s always a nice surprise if they do (hasn’t happened beyond STC’s 5013c filing–which is only a small, partial financial accounting of a much larger set of books–and of course, for Axanar). And in Axanar’s case, Alec is about to present something that is even more detailed than STC’s records. As for the rest of the fan productions out there, well, feel free to start complaining to the “Captain Pike” people. They took in nearly $100K total in 2015 and haven’t shown fans very much in almost a year and a half.

          Compared to most (nearly all) fan productions and fan filmmakers, Alec Peters has been amazingly transparent. In fact, without using the words “Mignogna,” “Vic,” or “Continues” name me one other fan production that has been even a little transparent in sharing the details of how they spent their donor funds. And if you can, then name two.

          1. In those cases, you don’t have to ask where the money went, because the films came out.

            As I’ve said before all that Alec really needs to do is put out his film.

            If a chef says a burger costs $20 and you pay $20 and get a burger, who cares if his ingredients only cost $1.

            So make the damn film! No more crowd funding, no more campaigns, just get the film made. If you can wave a film in people’s faces, then most questions go away.

            Want to end all complaints of a scam? Just make the movie! Money in movie out.

          2. As I said, “Captain Pike” and Starship Farragut’s finale “Homecoming” also raised quite a bit in crowdfunding (in the case of Pike, nearly $100,000). I haven’t seen perks from either yet–and I donated back in 2015) nor have I seen a completed fan film…and they weren’t sued!

            So–double-standard or just an Ahab-like obsession against Alec Peters? I’ll let my readers decide.

          3. Tommy Kraft used his donations to make Horizon.
            Sky Conway used his donations to make Renegades and Renegades:Requiem

            And that’s a big lesson in retail and customer service. If you get the production made and delivered, that’s all people need.

            It’s when the product isn’t produced that people start having to explain how the sausage gets made and why things didn’t work out.

          4. You do remember that they got sued last January and that anything included in the full Axanar feature could have been the basis for a new lawsuit against the defendants, right?

          5. I’m just listing 2 productions where I know where the money went. 🙂

            I’m not saying that Axanar should be finished by now, (although you always want to make it seem like I am.) A year from now, if there is an Axanar fan film released, then most of these complaints about how money was spent will go away.

          7. Can you name another
            Fan film where the producer took a salary and personal expenses from the donors money?
            And pissed away over a million dollars, over three years, with no movie to show for it?

            No ? That is why people question Alec Peters. Quit pointing the finger at other fan film groups.

    2. Well with the lawsuit over and the same people spouting the same tired BS I’m gonna move on. It’s been lovely but I don’t think these trolls are worth my time anymore, thank you for your time Mr. Lane and I look forward to an expose on the film when it’s finally released.

      1. Please don’t be a stranger, my Alaskan friend (are you actually Alaskan?). There’s still lots of great NON-Axanar stuff on Fan Film Factor…and it’s not nearly as controversial! Look around the rest of the site and I think you’ll find some good stuff. Start in the “Funny” section; it’s worth checking out.

    3. Thanks Chris!
      I never got that either. He paid himself a salary, and then defended doing so. That is an undisputed fact.

      I believe the salary, expenses, merchandising was why the studios targeted him in the first place.

      After the fact, when he is called out on this, he puts in $150,000 of his “own” money into Axanar (which would include his $65,000 dollar salary and tens of thousands of expenses) He paid the rent on a studio (oops, ware house) that he was personally liable for (not Axanar!) how the heck is that paying the money back ? He had to pay it anyway! And he was housing his other businesses there as well.

      if you steal something, putting it back does not change the fact you stole it!

      1. Well, that was about as accurate as the weather forecasts that predicted a much drier than normal rainy season for Southern California this winter!

        In order for Daniel’s scenario to work, Alec Peters would have had to have written a single $150,000 check AFTER he got his hands caught in the cookie jar. But as we all know, that’s NOT what happened. Before Axanar ever got off the ground, Alec had already put $50,000 of his own money into the project. So his $38,000 “salary” was more accurately a reimbursement and will likely be reported to the IRS that way (if it wasn’t already, as that would have been part of his 2015 returns…and I haven’t heard about Alec being audited). More money of his was donated in small amounts over the ensuing months and, after the lawsuit had been dragging on for months, Alec held an auction of his personal prop and costume collection to fund additional costs associated with the studio–including rent, utilities, and probably even postage for shipping perks. And even more recently, Alec held another auction to raise more money.

        Now, had Alec Peters REALLY wanted to get away with “stealing,” he would have settled a long, long time ago, taking the studios first “offer” of shutting everything down completely. He could have blamed the studios for the failure of Axanar to get made, subleased out the studio space for the rest of the term of Alec’s own lease, and kept all of his props and costumes. He would have come out so far out ahead…

        …assuming Daniel is correct, which he obviously isn’t.

        Man, I’m so exhausted trying to correct all of the alt-facts people post!

        1. You are entirely missing my point, Jonathan. Probably on purpose, or maybe you have the blinders on.

          The only reason Alec has “paid back” Axanar is because he has to, because there is no donor money left. He’s “paid back” Axanar because it was necessary, not because it is the ethical thing to do.

          If his salary was a “reimbursement” for his $50K donation, does that mean that if he can raise $150K in private, non-cowdfunded donations that he can be reimbursed again?

          1. Personally, I think Alec deserves an actual salary for everything he’s done for this project. Just like “Star Trek Continues” pays salaries to their actors and crew (possibly even to Vic himself–we don’t know who got paid what), I think it’s fair for Axanar to pay their cast and crew for their time. (Obviously, CBS doesn’t agree, but we don’t see eye-to-eye–get it?–on a lot of things.)

            Anyway, the fact remains that, whether Alec paid into Axanar all at once or at various points, the result is still the same: he’s $150,000 poorer (personally) because of this project. He didn’t come out ahead financially by any stretch of the imagination. People calling Alec a thief or an embezzler or whatever other nasty name have to remember that the primary goal of thieves and embezzlers is to come out of the endeavor with MORE than they started with…not less.

            Why don’t you detractors just celebrate the fact that Alec Peters’ prized collection of hundreds of thousands of dollars of screen-used props and costumes is now mostly gone. Doesn’t that make you at least a little happy?

          1. Of course I get my info from Alec. He’s the one with the financials that I saw. Where are you getting your information, Daniel? Is it bottled at the source or somewhere way downstream? I trust the stuff coming from the source…especially when I can verify it with others and my own two eyes.

        3. And no, we do not already “know” any of what you typed. That is why we want to see the full financial information!
          And so what, Alec Peters donated to his own project! Big deal. The reimbursement part has me perplexed, especially when so many other donors are not being reimbursed.
          I was all for Axanar when it was going to be a fan film staring Alec Peters. I enjoyed fan films and are happy (and even jealous) of the fans having fun with what they love. But, when Alec Peters put money in his own pocket (a rule every one knew not to break) that was it for me. His subsequent statements and actions only made it worse.

          1. Other fan films pay their people, why shouldn’t Axanar? I donated a couple of hundred dollars to Star Trek Continues. I have no problem that part of my money (maybe all of it) went to pay salaries. Same goes for Renegades (although I can’t be certain if or how much they’re paying anyone since, unlike Alec, that $900,000 fan series hasn’t released any financial details).

        4. That is so much BS Jonny. If it was really a “reimbursement” then why the hell did he call it a “salary” in the financial report??? All either of you are doing is trying to rewrite the facts to suit the moment and cover his tracks. I do not believe he is stupid enough to make a mistake like this.

          You and he can spin this anyway you want but no one is buying it. I do hope that when he reports it to the IRS like this they see through his ridiculousness and take the appropriate action.

          1. I’m just going to add to that Jonny. If it wasn’t a salary then why has he spent the last two years defending it as a salary??? That no one should work full time for free? That $38k is not even minimum wage?

            The spin you’re putting on this alt-fact of a “reimbursement” is ridiculous.

          2. In the eyes of the IRS, it will be seen as a reimbursement because of two things:

            1) Axanar Productions never issued Alec Peters a W2 or 1099 form. So in the eyes of the government, he was never considered an employee on a salary or receiving any form of compensation.

            2) Alec has proof that he put in more money than he took out. In the eyes of the IRS, that counts as reimbursement, not s salary.

            The mistake was in ever calling it a “salary” in the first place. And since you love pointing out when Alec Peters makes a mistake…there’s one gift-wrapped for you. I won’t even argue the point! 🙂

  18. “If folks like Rand could take those words to heart, the world would begin to be a much better place.”

    Pot calls the kettle black.

  19. Well, this doesn’t really sound like an apology to me. I remember him saying – a long time ago when the lawsuit was still quite new -, that his efforts to attack Axanar and Alec Peters are based on IP holders hostile position and he promised to cease these attacks the moment this conflict gets resolved. This sounds like he has no intention to keep that promise. Otherwise he would already have disbanded the group.

    1. It’s because he has a personal issue with Alec Peters that goes beyond Axanar. Without Axanar as a shield now, he may be afraid of being called out for libel. But, the ongoing posts by himself and his cronies show that may not be that big of a worry.

  20. Some people can’t let go. It’s over. Axanar survived the suit. CBS/P got what they wanted, no full length movie. Axanar fans and donors will still get something. Sorry, rabid detractors, too freaking bad that you won’t get your pound of flesh. However the true casualty from the CBS/P suit, the idiotic guidelines, the fallout between the different factions, the discord between the different fan film productions, the collateral damage taken by the entire fan film genre (in the Trekverse at least) and the egos all over the place is the Star Trek fan.

  21. I think it’s obvious that Axanar isn’t a scam, but it does suffer from many of the same problems other crowdfunded projects do. Mission creep, missed deadlines, cost overruns, etc… In fact, it’s things like that keep many people from backing many projects. And, quite frankly, things like that can seem like a scam to people who’ve pre-ordered something.

    That’s the biggest problem with any pre-order based economy (not just crowdfunded projects, but look at the comic industry): you’re asking people to buy your product sight unseen, based solely on goodwill and reputation. So, if the people who’ve pre-ordered the product don’t get it on time, or if they’re perception of the producer turns sour, problems (and accusations of of it being a scam) are bound to happen.

    I agree that the group is very toxic, and I agree that Axanar infringed on CBS’s copyright. To often, members strayed from legal analysis to just straight-up bashing. Also, the group was to partial to other fan films, and refused to see any similarity between Axanar and other crowdfunded fan films that might suggest those films might also have been infringing. (In fact, Hinman got mad at me for saying that I thought ST:NV and STC were likely infringing on CBS’s copyright too.)

    But the group was a good source for court documents, meaning I didn’t have to use my own PACER account to grab them. Also, there was some good analysis over there by a few people. And I found the obsession with pies cute and endearing.

    But man, some of those people are jerks.

    1. I will admit to grabbing a few documents from their FB group, as well. All in all, I spent $43 of my own money pulling copies off of PACER. But with Jody Wheeler doing the same, if he got them up first, eventually I’d just grab his versions. Why throw away money on electrons? 🙂

  22. “it will make it much more difficult to counter their bullshit out in the ether”

    Gee nice message about getting along, but then turn around and let it be known you’re going to continue to stir the pot. It’s like Carlos an the SMALL ACCESS page doing his kumbaya speech and the stating there were so h other stuff he needed to investigate. Is it any wonder people don’t believe or trust what either men have to say?

  23. Oh look. The obsessive Sandy Greenberg turns up to post negativity. What a surprise. Don’t you have anything else going on in your life?

  24. After seeing ALEC PETERS fared against CBS and PARAMOUNT in court MICHAEL HINMAN may be afraid of how he would fare in court if sued by ALEC for libel.

      1. borg, Alec didn’t fare too well against CBS & Paramount. He settled because it was in his best interest.

        The FACT that both parties settled showed great generosity on the part of the studios. They allowed Axanar to be made (hehe) because they care about the fans. May not be what we were expecting yet it’s better than nothing

  28. Hey Jonathan – you just summed up how I feel when coming here to see what ridiculous spin you put on anything Alec Peters and Axanar. I mean hell, your degree stupidity with regard to the legal issues surrounding this case is legendary.

    I mean how do you feel about supporting Alec Peters now that he finally admitted he knew all along, win or lose – Axanar could never be made as originally stated in the various crowdfunding campaigns? Must be nice to know that he wasted 13 months (and donor funds for filing fees) fighting something he knew he couldn’t win at – and further accepted the EXACT SAME settlement that CBS/Paramount offered in March of 2016?

    Hell, had Alec taken the settlement then, he might have had the money available still to produce the two 15 minute ‘Axanar’ segments. But hey, that would also mean the end of donor funded Sushi parties, mobile phone bill payments, tire and car repair payments, etc.

    If Michael Hinman has taken the art of being an “Axanar hater” to new heights, you’ve done the same with regard to being an Alec Peters/Axanar sycophant. Maybe if Alec still has enough money – you two can get a room and stroke each others egos until you both achieve mutual satisfaction.

    1. Okay, Armsman, you get a warning for that. Personal insults are not allowed, and the next time straight to the trash heap, do not pass go, do not get posted for others to ooo and ahhh at your cleverness.

      That said…

      ALT-FACTS ARE DRIVING ME NUTS!!!!

      As has been stated multiple times, that were no settlement terms offered in March. Settlement talks didn’t even begin until April, and even then, the terms required that Axanar not be made at all…which is a huge difference. (Alec revealed that in an early podcast, I seem to recall.)

      As for knowing that Axanar wouldn’t be the same as originally planned, that was something I first learned about in mid-August when Alec was trying to come up with a way to make Axanar and not get sued again…and going with the mockumentary format seemed the safest way to go…back in the days when it was still hoped that fair use could be used at trial and that the mockumentary format would be the clincher for proving transformativeness.

      If you’re angry that I didn’t say anything about the format change here, my apologies. To be honest, in all the legal document analysis, it just didn’t come up until December when those script changes were mentioned quite clearly in a summary judgment motion.

      And to be honest, had Alec and company won the lawsuit outright, there would still be the option to do Axanar as a drama and not a mockumentary. But truth to tell, I kinda liked the idea of another set of Federation Historical Society mockmentaries…especially since Axanar was going to be made in three or four parts anyway. And it did keep the project safe from another lawsuit…or such was the hope.

      And please notice how it IS possible to answer someone with politeness…even someone who is being rude. You have little to be proud of, sir….well, nothing really.

  30. Jonathan, regarding your war against Alternative Facts and the countless hours you’ve spent doing it already, might I make a suggestion. It may take you a bit of time right now, but I’m betting it will save you time in the long run, especially as the desperation of the detractors begins to move toward it’s inevitable denouement.

    Consider making a new post in an almost FAQ format, where you collect together the most common conspiracy theories, lies, accusations, etc., that keep reappearing every few days in the comment threads (as if they don’t read your blog enough to know they’re the 100th customer who has claimed the Alec is really a vampire from Rigel IV, or whatever). Make them into a numbered list, along with the reasons (which you’ve had to retype so many times already) why the theory/accusation/lie isn’t or can’t be true.

    Then, every time one of them slinks in and wants to reignite the same conversation (probably because someone brought it up again over at CBSPvA), just respond to them with the link to your FAQ article, tell them to read whichever number(s) apply to their particular fever dream, and then thank them for playing. Hey, that extra traffic of them clicking on another page might earn you a whole dime in ad revenue. 😉

      1. Yeah, it probably would have been a better suggestion if I’d made it a few months ago.

        But if you’re starting a drinking game, I’m sure we can scrounge together some Tranya. Or maybe we’ll need something harder for certain alt-facts, in which case we can drag out the Romulan Ale. 😉

        1. Actually, considering most of what they say, I’d say the most appropriate drink would be prune juice…’cause you know what prunes ultimately lead to. 🙂

  31. What part of “I put in $150k” makes it okay to waste the donors’ $1.5 million, huh Jonny and Alec? That’s what cracks me up about it. It’s like “whatever, man,” so you ALLEGEDLY put some money into your own little show. That doesn’t entitle you to WASTE the other 1.5 million and using a good portion of it for personal enrichment. Frankly, I believe the $150k you ALLEGEDLY repaid actually came out of Donor funds as well but we will never really know and that is my opinion.

    1. You use the word “waste” without backing it up. $1.5 million is a lot of money. Just how many tires and sushi dinners do you think Alec paid for???? 🙂

  32. CEOs of non-profit organizations get paid a salary and yet the organization does not magically transform into a for profit organization. If a non-profit CEO can draw a salary than Alec should be within his rights to do the same.

  33. That is so much BS Jonny. If it was really a “reimbursement” then why the hell did he call it a “salary” in the financial report??? All either of you are doing is trying to rewrite the facts to suit the moment and cover his tracks. I do not believe he is stupid enough to make a mistake like this.

    You and he can spin this anyway you want but no one is buying it. I do hope that when he reports it to the IRS like this they see through his ridiculousness and take the appropriate action.

    If it wasn’t a salary then why has he spent the last two years defending it as a salary??? That no one should work full time for free? That $38k is not even minimum wage?

    The spin you’re putting on this alt-fact of a “reimbursement” is ridiculous.

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