About 2 years ago I stumbled onto a Star Trek Fan Film Called “Prelude To Axanar”. This film told the story of one of the Greatest battles in Star Trek lore “The Battle of Axanar” which made the character Captain Garth a legend in Starfleet. In the original run of Star Trek in the 60’s this was referenced in the episode “Whom Gods Destroy”, as Captain Garth is one of Kirk’s Heroes.
Prelude to Axanar was a fan film like no other, it had professional actors, amazing VFX, was using Crowdfunding in a way no other fan film had in the past(it raised more than 1 million dollars in 3 separate campaigns). The Trek fan film Universe loved it…….and then CBS/Paramount decided Instead of working with the team behind it(Alec Peters, Rob Meyers Burnett etc), they simply sued Alec and Axanar for copyright infringement. The shockwave through Star Trek fandom was immediate and widespread. On one side, you had the supporters(dubbed Axanards) and those who sided with CBS/P(dubbed detractors or haters,due to their campaign of harassment towards Alec, his GF and anyone who supported him, including me). Multiple Facebook pages for and against Axanar sprang up, the trial and its various motions were dissected in many ways, and it was all to come to a head this year in January with a trial…..and then it was settled. Axanar Productions and CBS/P made a wide ranging settlement that allowed Axanar to be produced under the CBS/P Star Trek fan film guidelines, with a few exceptions, including that the actors from Prelude could reprise their roles. Both sides gave a bit and both sides got something in the end.
Since then a few things have happened…..Actor Richard Hatch(best known for playing Apollo in the original run of Battlestar Galactica) passed away from Cancer(he played Kharn in Prelude), Alec also moved his studio from CA cross country to Georgia. I had asked for an interview more than a year ago, but with everything going on I put it “on the shelf” so to speak. Well I took it off the shelf this week, and thought up 10 questions to ask Alec. I wanted a different type of interview, I wanted to get a glimpse into who he was, and “why” Star Trek, while avoiding all the questions that had already been asked(lawsuit, settlement etc).
So Here it is……GeekyKool.com’s interview with Alec Peters
>> #1 – getting the “big elephant” out of the way with the first question… Since we both grew up on Long Island(Syosset, NY here),What is the biggest thing you miss about New York city?
Well, New York is the greatest city in the world, and there is so much to do. I think the thing I miss is Christmas in New York City. Rockefeller Center, Macy’s, there is an energy and Christmas spirit you get that you don’t get when it is 80 degrees and sunny in Southern California! And I grew up in Lloyd Harbor, and used to ride my bike over to the Squadron Shop that was in Syosset!
>> #2 – What science fiction TV Shows did you grow up watching(besides Star Trek)?
Everything Gerry Anderson. I started with Thunderbirds, then Captain Scarlett, UFO and Space 1999. UFO was my favorite. In the movies Silent Running was my favorite and last year I was fortunate enough to get the original art to that classic movie poster. Truly a holy grail! Of course I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s and Sci Fi was not as prolific as it is today.
>> #3 – What inspired you to become a fan film producer?
I always wanted to tell the story of Garth of Izar, having written my first Garth story when I was in Law School in the 80’s. So when James Cawley invited me to play Garth in an episode of Star Trek New Voyages called “Origins” which was about Kirk at the academy, I jumped at the chance. Then James and I talked over lunch about me writing a screenplay of my Garth story and we were off to the races.
>> #4 – Who has been your favorite Sci Fi actor or actress to work with/meet?
Well, I knew Richard Hatch for 23 years. He was my biggest fan and a huge supporter of Axanar. I loved that man and he was one of my best friends. So working with Richard was a real treat. Plus he loved the role of Kharn and would always talk about it.
>> #5 – What was it about Captain Garth’s story as a character that resonated with you enough to want to play him on screen?
I really think it was his nobility. You see it for the briefest moments in “Whom Gods Destroy”, but what you see is powerful. I mean, he was Kirk’s hero, a legend. I wanted to know about this character. What was this battle at Axanar? Why was he such a great captain? We are told he explored more planets than any other captain. Important tidbits that needed explanation.
>> #6 – What was your first reaction to seeing so many people showing up to help load the Axanar sets into the new studio in GA?
It put a huge smile on my face. For weeks we had been getting more and more people say they would come help. It was hard to believe there were so many Axanar fans in Atlanta. But they kept coming! It really was a sign of how much they loved Axanar and we were incredibly grateful.
>> #7 – Why do you think Prelude to Axanar was so well received by Trek fans worldwide via Youtube and other media sites?
I think it really is the Star trek that fans want. It is true to what Star Trek is all about. It doesn’t re-imagine the TOS universe, it adds to it. It resonates with Star Trek fans on so many levels. We honor all the little things that are important to Star Trek fans about the universe. Fans can easily see Prelude to Axanar living in the TOS timeline.
>> #8 – Do you see the fan film guidelines that CBS/Paramount created for Trek fan films as an Obstacle, or as something that fan films can work with to continue to create good quality content? Anything you would like to see changed in them?(not pertaining to Axanar)
Well, the Fan Film Guidelines didn’t have to be so draconian. It shows a totally different attitude towards fans and fan films from Lucasfilm, which embraces fan films as an important activity of Star Wars fans and something that adds to the tapestry of the Star Wars universe. CBS won’t even let fan film at its official conventions. Obstacles? Well, the guidelines certainly limit what one can make. I fail to see how hour long episodes like Star Trek New Voyages or Star Trek Continues, are a problem. And the fact that Star Trek Continues is now making hour long episodes in violation of the guidelines, and CBS is doing nothing, proves that CBS doesn’t think fan films damage their franchise.
As far as anything being changed? Well, that is a whole article in and of itself!
>> #9 – In your last donor letter, you mentioned Other Star Trek universe things you wanted to work on. Care to give a sneak preview of anything?
Well, no. Sorry! 🙂
(I had to try and get a bit of a scoop, didn’t work, but I had to Try)
>> #10 – Not a question per say(I wanted to end on an even number), the floor is yours, anything you want to say to your friends/supporters? I give you full freedom to finish up any way you like.
With over 3 million views on YouTube, and 47 film festival awards around the world, it is pretty clear Prelude to Axanar has made a huge impact on Star Trek fans. Just look at the comments on our YouTube page. There are thousands of fans who want to see CBS embrace Axanar. And since CBS won’t, we think the two 15 minute episodes we will produce will create a trilogy that will really be something special for Star Trek fans, and we hope it inspires other Star Trek fans to preserve the Star Trek we all want to see by doing their own projects. Axanar is a movement because fans make it so.
>> Thank you very much for granting me this small Interview.
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My pleasure!!
