Your 9 Legal Rules on Developing Your Own Star Trek Fan Film (and the Videos to Prove It)
Copyrights, trademarks, patents -- they're tricky stuff in this legal field, especially when it involves entertainment. Why? Because those brands we love so much are so often imitated out of devotion and obsession, but the fact remains: the original owners of the brand must protect their own interests and lay down some rules, the same as Star Wars constantly does on a regular basis --
We're Talking About Fan Films, of Course -- We See Them All Over the Internet, Actually
Check them out on YouTube for yourself. Fan films. Sometimes called "fan fictions" or "shippers" commonly associated with romance. We see it with Harry Potter, another well known brand, we definitely see it with Star Wars (you'll find quite a few fan films on YouTube lovingly dedicated to the brand and franchise of Star Wars), and noooooooow....
We see it with Star Trek, for obvious reasons. The most recent films have made a killing in the media for a lot of reasons (Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, etc. etc.), and there's a loving fan base behind the brand (arguably larger than even Star Wars), so we're willing to bet there's a lot of you out there wondering just what it takes to get any fan film of yours to pass successfully past the Romulan gaze of the owners of the brand.
The Truth Is There Are Guidelines, But Not Many Know About Them
This will be your informational guide as to what you need to do about making your own Star Trek fan film without getting into any legal trouble, because remember: you're dealing with a brand you don't own. You have to be at least legally respectful of the brand, the franchise, the history behind it.
Star Trek is rich with that history of developing a brand that's actually been around, I believe, longer than even Star Wars. Longer than many brands, actually. So take some notes. These are the guidelines personally published by CPS and Paramount themselves, the holders of the brand of Star Trek:
- Video Length -- Yes, the length of your fan film matters. Find out right here just how long (or short) it has to be.
- Using the Words "Star Trek" -- This might surprise you from a certain point of view.
- Unique Content -- This one's important, for any fan film out there, and here's why.
- Use of Actual Accessories/Merchandise -- This isn't as clear cut as you think. Check this article out to learn more.
- "Real" Fan Productions -- What exactly does that mean? Click here to find out.
- Make Your Fan Film "Non-Commercial" -- Let's be clear that it's not as black and white as you think, as in you can't ever sell your fan film for personal gain sort of thing, and here's why.
- Make It "Family-Friendly" -- Sure, Captain Kirk had his way with many an alien woman, but not with these fan films, according to CBS and Paramount.
- Disclaimer -- Yes, you'll need a specific "disclaimer" on your Star Trek fan film. Want to know what that disclaimer should be?
- Reserving Rights -- This might freak you out....
A lot of Hoops to Boldly Go Where No Filmmaker Has Gone Before, We Know
But it's the law, so says the holders of the brand. This is very much the same for all other brands out there along the realm of fan films or fan creations, as it were. So, again, do your research, keep this article on file for review.
Because you never can tell if there's a Klingon lurking in the shadows the moment you break copyright, trademark or patent law!