Note: We encourage all Star Trek fans to read the Klingon version of this article below. Please remember, contract contract… ‘Ach neh sabtahbogh verengan contract.
Paramount Pictures Corp. and CBS Studios Inc. have filed a lawsuit against Axanar Productions, Inc. alleging that a crowdfunded Star Trek fan film has violated copyright law, by among other things, using the ?Klingon? language. The fan film, entitled, Prelude to Axanar, was described in Axanar?s Kickstarter campaign as a ?short film that will give viewers a historical look at the events leading up to the Battle of Axanar?Shot like a History Channel special, Prelude to Axanar will be Star Trek like you have never seen it before?? The Axanar Production team raised over $100,000.00 to make the Prelude to Axaner film and subsequently raised over an additional million dollars for the feature length follow-up. Paramount and CBS Studios contend that the filmmakers of Prelude to Axanar infringed on Star Trek?s copyrights by, among other allegations, replicating the Klingon appearance, the Vulcan appearance, and the Klingon Language.
In their Amended Complaint, Paramount and CBS Studios contend that ?Klingonese or Klingon, the native language of Qo?noS, was first spoken in Star Trek ? The Motion Picture in 1979. It was used in several works moving forward, including Star Trek III – The Search for Spock.? CBS Studios claims that the Axanar Production team is aiming to be of such a visual quality as to be mistaken for the actual Star Trek product. Now a California Court will have to determine for the first time whether a language can be copyrighted. Alec Peters, the lead producer of the Prelude to Axanar film, claims that he had previously met with CBS Studios and was told that Axanar would be ?fine? as long as the Axanar Production team did not make any money. CBS Studios is seeking up to $150,000.00 for every copyrighted Star Trek element that the Axanar Production team has allegedly infringed. Take a look at some of the alleged infringement (found in the Amended Complaint). Are the similarities out of this world?
mIllogh qonwI’ qoSta’ Qav’e’ Copyright Infringement ‘ej fan:?laH tlhIngan Hol Copyright SoH?
lawsuit against axanar Productions, inc. teywI’ paramount mIllogh corp. cbs law’ inc. ‘ej alleging ‘e’ copyright chut wem Hov trek fan mIllogh qonwI’ qoSta’ crowdfunded pong wa’ lo’ “tlhIngan” Hol. Del fan mIllogh qonwI’ qoSta’, vaS’a’ ‘oH bomvetlh pong’e’, Prelude axanar, pa’ axanar kickstarter campaign je “ngaj mIllogh qonwI’ qoSta’ historical legh wanI’ Dev axanar may’ ? nob viewers bach rur qun Channel le’, Prelude axanar ghaH Hov trek rur ‘oH pa’ Dleghbe”a’… ” $ 100,000.00 vay’ Prelude axaner mIllogh qonwI’ qoSta’ pep rIn ‘ej ghIq pep rIn Saturjaj ‘uy’ dollars feature ‘ab follow-up axanar Production team. ‘e’ infringed Prelude axanar filmmakers Hov trek copyrights pong, wa’ latlh allegations replicating tlhIngan Hoch, vulqangan Hoch, tlhIngan Hol je ‘oH ghobvam’e’ paramount cbs law’ je.
qaStaHvIS Amended Complaint, vaj “wa’DIch jatlh klingonese tlhIngan, Sung Hol qo’nos, pagh qaStaHvIS Hov trek ? ghotvetlhDaq mIllogh neH 1979. ‘oH ghobvam’e’ paramount cbs law’ ‘ej ngat qaStaHvIS puS Qap spock nej tlhetlhbe’lu’taHvIS, DaH nobvam Hov trek ‘AY’ WEJ-. ” vaj Qeq axanar Production team ‘e’ HaQchorHey visual laHlIj pe’vIl Heghbogh vajpu”e’ ghaH Qagh actual Hov trek product DoQ cbs law’. DaH qIlmeH pIj vIyajlaw’ jotlhmeH laH copyrighted Hol ghaj california je. ‘e’ previously ghom je cbs law’ ‘ej ‘e’ axanar ghaH “rup” Hoch nI’ law’ ngabchugh Huch wej chenmoH axanar Production team ghaH DoQ SuvwI’ alec peter, Dev producer axanar mIllogh qonwI’ qoSta’, Prelude. Da’elDI’ $ 150,000.00 Hoch copyright Hov trek element allegedly infringed axanar Production team ‘e’ yInej cbs law’. SuD legh ‘op allege infringement (tu’ qaStaHvIS Amended Complaint), similarities qo’vam?
