CBS and Paramount ink new, strict guidelines for Star Trek fan projects

After waging a months-long legal battle with the creators behind Axanar, a film based within the Star Trek universe, Paramount Pictures and CBS have listed a new set of guidelines for fans looking to create Star Trek-inspired or related projects.

The lawsuit was eventually dropped after J.J. Abrams and Justin Lin, the two directors behind the more recent slate of Star Trek films, complained to Paramount about the way the production company was treating fans. In an attempt to avoid lawsuit situations like this in the future, Paramount and CBS have agreed upon new terms that would appease both companies — especially with a new Star Trek movie out next month and a new Star Trek series due out next year.

Some of the guidelines include that the project can not be longer than 30 minutes in length, can't include the name Star Trek, can't include clips from any of the Star Trek films or television properties, and people can't be compensated for their services. As for projects that want to raise money for production, Paramount and CBS don't have an issue with it — as long as it remains under $50,000 and the project can not make any money off of the Star Trek brand once it is released.

Essentially, Paramount and CBS are all for short films going up on YouTube and entertaining other Star Trek fans, but they don't want people making money off of their properties. A full list of guidelines and rules can be read here.