Blog Entries – Page 121 – Fan Film Factor

STALLED TREK: AMUTT TIME (interview with MARK LARGENT), part 2

Last week: it was time to play the music, it was time to light the blinky lights, it was time to meet the puppets on the starship Second Prize…

I’m referring, of course, to the 15-minute computer-animated Star Trek parody fan film Stalled Trek and its lone episode, “Amutt Time.” It’s unique in that it features computer-generated puppets as the familiar characters of our favorite starship in a hilarious parody of the second season episode “Amok Time.” In this case, though, Mr. Spott is a Vulcanine (WOOF!) going through heat and needing to return to his home planet for mating with T’Pomeranian. Of course, Mr. Spot is only half-Vulcanine, so he’s essentially a “mutt”…hence, the title.

Continue reading “STALLED TREK: AMUTT TIME (interview with MARK LARGENT), part 2”

CBS/Paramount files an AMENDED complaint against AXANAR

On March 11, 2016, Paramount and CBS filed an amended complaint against Axanar Productions and Alec Peters for copyright infringement complaint, specifying precisely which elements of the Star Trek intellectual property that the two studios believe was illegally used without consent.

The original complaint was brought by Paramount and CBS on December 29, 2015. Axanar’s legal team filed a response on February 22, 2016 seeking dismissal of the lawsuit on a number of legal grounds. Presumably, that response is what has motivated Paramount and CBS to amend their complaint.

Here is a link to the text of the original lawsuit.

Here is a link to the text of Axanar‘s response.

Here is a link to the text of the AMENDED lawsuit.

Please note: Fan Film Factor is taking a neutral stance regarding this lawsuit and will simply announce developments as they happen.

For a more complete list of media coverage of this story, Axanar has provided this Press Room Page full of links to news reports and editorials regarding the lawsuit.

STALLED TREK: AMUTT TIME (interview with MARK LARGENT), part 1

Okay, now I’ve seen everything!

Star Trek MUPPETS??? Well, why not?

Truth to tell, when I first found this little gem—entirely by accident on YouTube—I wasn’t expecting much. It looked silly, and I didn’t really get what the title meant. And then I watched it. Hilarious! Brilliant! A perfect parody of one of the most classic fan-favorite TOS Star Trek episodes: “Amok Time.”

Continue reading “STALLED TREK: AMUTT TIME (interview with MARK LARGENT), part 1”

STAR TREK: HORIZON (interview with TOMMY KRAFT), part 2

Last time: we got our first look at the newest Star Trek fan film to take the online world by storm, Star Trek: Horizon. Since it debuted online seven days ago, it’s logged well over 300,000 views on YouTube! If you haven’t watched it yet, click that link in the opening sentence and do it. Do it NOW!!! (Imagine Arnold Schwarzenegger’s voice saying that.)

Seriously, though, this fan film is amazing, made even more so by the simple fact that it was filmed almost entirely in a basement against a green screen! It features trained actors, cutting edge quality visual effects, and an original composed musical score. Add to that a compelling story, engaging characters, solid directing, and top-notch editing…and you’ve got a MUST SEE fan film that both dazzles and delights. Continue reading “STAR TREK: HORIZON (interview with TOMMY KRAFT), part 2”

STAR TREK: HORIZON (interview with TOMMY KRAFT), part 1

Man, are you guys ever in for a treat! The full-length Star Trek: Horizon has just been released to the general public, and it is a cinematic triumph of Trek fan films.

Show-runner Tommy Kraft gave me a special link to view the movie early. I’d watched barely the first 15 minutes when I shot him a Facebook IM saying simply “F—king WOW!”

Horizon (no ‘s’ at the end, folks!) starts out with a bang—several, in fact—and immediately lets the viewers know that they’re in for a wild and high-quality fan film ride. Continue reading “STAR TREK: HORIZON (interview with TOMMY KRAFT), part 1”

AXANAR files legal response to CBS/Paramount Lawsuit

On February 22, 2016, the legal team for Axanar Productions and Alec Peters, the firm of Winston & Strawn LLP, filed a response to the copyright infringement complaint that was brought by Paramount and CBS on December 29, 2015. The response seeks a dismissal of the complaint on a number of legal grounds.

Here is a link to the text of the original lawsuit.

Here is a link to the text of Axanar‘s response.

Please note: Fan Film Factor is taking a neutral stance regarding this lawsuit and will simply announce developments as they happen.

For a more complete list of media coverage of this story, Axanar has provided this Press Room Page full of links to news reports and editorials regarding the lawsuit.

DIGITAL GHOST (feature)

It was the dawn of the Modern Age of Fan Films…

Although fan films date back to the early days of the original Star Trek series, it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that fans were finally able to create something with off-the-shelf consumer products that looked like more than just a crappy home movie. By the late 90s, fans could record and edit footage using digital cameras, do their own 3D effects and Chroma-keying, and even add music through the use of MIDI. Many fans were also getting quite good at costuming. Suddenly, the only limits facing fans who wanted to make their own filmed versions of their favorite genre franchises were their imaginations, creativity, and skills with these new technologies.

Continue reading “DIGITAL GHOST (feature)”

STAR TREK: AURORA (feature)

In today’s world of cutting-edge Star Trek fan films, teams of dozens—sometimes hundreds!—work to make these ambitious cinematic endeavors come to life on YouTube, Vimeo, or even a DVD or Blu-ray.

So it’s definitely worth taking notice when a top-tier Trek fan film is produced by only ONE man. Well, I should qualify that. His first episode cast was comprised of 17 people (including the creator himself and his wife Jeannette), the original music was composed by John Catney, and a number of CGI 3D meshes and textures were created by other artists. But everything else – the writing, directing, producing, sets, make-up, wardrobe, lighting, sound, camera angles, editing, and 3D animation – that was all in the hands of one guy: Tim Vining.

And he never even had to get out of his chair!

Continue reading “STAR TREK: AURORA (feature)”

STARSHIP FARRAGUT, Part 3 (2011 to 2016)

Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

— Rear Admiral David G. Farragut

Last time: Between 2005 when they first started production on their pilot episode and the end of 2010, Starship Farragut managed to produce two full-length fan films of about an hour each, two shorter “Crew Logs” vignettes, two animated episodes, and one online comic book. They also moved their production from the Washington, DC area to St. Marys, GA where they began construction of their own TOS sets in a 2,500 square foot facility they called Studio 1.

As plans began to solidify to produce their third (and most ambitious!) full-length feature, Starship Farragut creator and star, John Broughton, announced an unexpected decision of his own: he would be giving up his leading role as Captain Jack Carter and would be stepping back from day-to-day production going forward. Would Starship Farragut be able to continue without its captain? Let’s find out… Continue reading “STARSHIP FARRAGUT, Part 3 (2011 to 2016)”

STARSHIP FARRAGUT, Part 2 (2008 to 2010)

“Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

— Rear Admiral David G. Farragut

Last time: we met John Broughton, U.S. Navy veteran turned starship captain. Broughton played John “Jack” Carter, commanding officer of the USS Farragut NCC-1647, who began his mission during the third year of Captain Kirk’s original five-year mission.

Starting in 2005, John Broughton assembled a dedicated team made up of dozens of family, friends, and family of friends in the Washington, DC area who worked intently on building sets, sewing uniforms, and making props. With help from NEO f/x to do CGI visual effects and James Cawley, who generously allowed John’s team to film scenes on James’ meticulously-constructed Star Trek: New Voyages TOS bridge sets in upstate New York, Starship Farragut managed to film not just one but two full-length episodes and release both during the 2007 calendar year. Their second episode even went on to win the award for Best Fan Film at the Wrath of Con film festival in 2008.

It’s fair to say that Starship Farragut successfully navigated a whole slew of torpedoes that might have sunk a lesser fan production, and they were sailing “warp speed ahead!” into 2008. And that’s where our story picks up… Continue reading “STARSHIP FARRAGUT, Part 2 (2008 to 2010)”