One thing we at Axanar pride ourselves on, is being the most transparent and accountable crowd-funded film out there. So here is our “annual report” of sorts to keep you informed about where your money is going.
First and foremost, it is important to remember that what started out as a glorified fan film is now a fully professional production. That means we do things like a studio would. And of course, that means things cost more. We don’t cut corners. We don’t ask people to work full time for no pay. And the results speak for themselves.
PRELUDEÂ TO AXANAR
We have published an official budget. You can download it on the Facebook Axanar Fan Group.
SECOND AXANAR KICKSTARTER
Here is a ROUGH budget for the first Axanar Kickstarter:
$ 182,000Â Â Â Â Â Sound Stage building rental (12 months & deposit 1/15 – 2/16)
$ 12,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Warehouse rental (9/14-1/15)
$ 37,200Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Construction Dept. Salaries
$ 32,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Stage Floor
$ 12,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sound proofing Doors
$ 20,700Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Set Construction Supplies
$ 5,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Equipment Rental
$ 22,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Office Renovation
$ 15,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Make Up (Pre-Production)
$ 8,200Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Vulcan Shoot
$ 59,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Production Team salaries
$ 54,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Construction Team salaries
$ 6,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Insurance
$ 5,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Crew meals
$ 18,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Camera/editing equipment
$ 22,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Perks (60,000 patches)
$ 2,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Perks (CD)
$ 2,500Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Legal Expenses
$ 1,500Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Phone
$ 1,800Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Internet
$ 2,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Music
$ 1,500Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Backerkit Fees
$ 32,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kickstarter Fees
$ 35,000Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Amazon Payment Processing
$ 9,500 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Prelude deficit (Overage costs absorbed by Axanar from Prelude Kickstarter).
$ 597,900 TOTAL
$ 40,100 BALANCE
Please note that we are a professional production and thus RUN like a professional production. That means our full time employees get paid. Not much honestly, but everyone has bills to pay and if you work full time for Axanar, you get paid.
Also, no other fan film has production insurance like we do. We pay $ 12,000 a year for that. Again, a professional production. Plus we are based in Los Angeles, where everything costs more.
And if anyone has questions, you need only ask me, as I am always willing to chat about it.
And a more detailed Annual Report will be put out in PDF form soon.
Alec
Alec, I think I speak for all Axanar fans here, you and the team have always been honest and open with where our money goes. Nothing comes for free at the end of the day and the amount of work you guys put in just shows your enthusiasm and dedication to the film. There will always be naysayers, just look at what the new Star Wars and Paramount Star Trek films are getting and no one has seen them yet!
The fans will always be here and we’re always willing to help you get Axanar funded, filmed and finished.
Thanks Andrew! We take our work and our commitment to you, our donors, seriously.
Alec
Hi Alec,
I’m excited beyond words for this movie! I couldn’t agree more that artists should be paid for the work they do. Its so great that you guys have found a way to get this film moving, and manage to pay those that you can! As an actor I’m astonished, it’s quite a feat!
I’ll keep my eyes glued to what I like to call your “Captain’s blog” (please feel free to use that) for more news.
I’m so glad that Star Trek lives, and means as much as it does to me to others.
Live long and prosper!
Tyler
Thanks Tyler! Start spreading the news!
http://www.savethefederation.com
Alec
Alec,
Except for some punctuation ( 😉 ), I second the statement made by Andrew.
Very honest and transparent production team.
Kickstarter and Amazon look very expensive.
Great work.
Hi, Alec and the Axanar Team-
I am truly impressed with the work you all have done, and am doubly impressed with the transparency in financial and creative matters, that you all have shown. I probably need not say it, but I will. A hater’s gonna hate. Nothing can be done about it, but to keep doing the great work you guys are doing, and letting the results speak for themselves. I look forward to seing the finished movie.
Keep up the good work! 😉
I can’t say I’ve seen a breakdown laid out before on a “kickstarter”. That makes me both a little sad that you felt you had to do it, but also happy that you feel you could show this to the public with confidence. Being a part of this Kickstarter has been full of surprises though. Who would have thought watching a bridge being constructed would bring a smile to my face so often? I mean, they are just pictures. Given that nothing in this world is guaranteed, especially a Kickstarter project, I personally feel glad to be a part of this group. Lets get this movie made!!!
I can’t wait to see the movie when it’s done I first got into watching star Treck with my grandfather so seen so many actors willing to make another just warms my heart keep up all the hard work also I always enjoyed the star Treck movies because it made me thank that is what I hope our military ends up been like scent I’m a disabled veteran
You began your Kickstarter with a modest dream, and found out there were a lot of others who shared that dream, and that has allowed you to expand on the dream, to make it so that maybe, just maybe the dream does not have to end when the project is done. Keep up the good work, I am waiting to see the finished results.
I’m curious, what are some avenues where you can legally earn some revenue (without infringing on licensing issues)?
Are you able to rent out the sets to another production when you’re not using them, or as was mentioned previously; conducting film school classes?
I enjoy reading your blogs and although I’m a big supporter of the Axanar production (Prelude was amazing!) I’m not financially in a position to donate.
To answer your questions:
Axanar, and all indie Trek and fan films, operate under common sense and strict rules laid down by CBS — the owners of Star Trek — for what efforts such as ours can and cannot do. We cannot profit from their intellectual property, meaning we can’t sell merchandise that bears their marks, but we can, for example, offer things like discs of the film(s) as thank you perks for a kind donation to the production. Some might consider that a technicality, or clever wording, but that is what CBS has said that we all need to do and that’s what we do without question. They allow us to play in their awesome sand box, within reason, and we respect their wishes and property in all things.
Regarding renting out the sets or studio space, absolutely. In fact we’re actively going to be doing that and the reason for that is the lease for the studio is not cheap and by doing so we can bring in funds that will (hopefully in full, but certainly in part) pay for that expense. It’s financially prudent, it’s a benefit to the Star Trek indie and fan film community, and it’s allowed by CBS in whatever way that they might have a say in such a more private thing.
Thanks for your thoughtful questions and I hope that this info has helped.
Best,
Terry
Thanks for the quick response, Terry! To clarify, CBS will let you rent out standing sets that are clearly star-trek based (i.e. bridge or transporter room)?
🙂
CBS really doesn’t have a say in the matter. We can film anything that we want to in our studio and on our sets. All that matters is how the end result would be released, because that surely would fall under the rules that CBS has in place for all fan films and indie Trek to operate under. But, with that said, I could do a puppet show on the bridge set, call it “Grand Space Wagon Train Adventure of Awesome!”, sell it, and it would be what it is since it’s not Star Trek. =P
In that case, you *MUST* get the new Muppet show to film an episode of “Pigs In Space” on your bridge. 🙂
It would be absolutely epic!
It’s very cool of you to publish the Axanar budget, and I hope that it sets a precedent that all other future Kickstarter projects eventually feel compelled to follow. Transparency creates trust. Going forward, I’ll be much more inclined to donate (and donate *more*) to Kickstarter projects that follow your lead in this, as it builds confidence that the money isn’t being wasted. Well done, sir.
I am absolutelyt in awe at how you folks have managed to make this work on such a string like budget. You are bringing back the Trek we grew up with, and that I thought peaked, with ST2. I dragged a bunch of co-workers to a table and said “You gotta see Prelude, it is amazing” and they agreed, especially when I told them what your budget was. They were guessing 2-3 million spent! The industry needs to learn lessons from you, as well as give the cast their due, as I am sure they asre not making a big buck out of this, but they are ensuring they will be seen for years and years to come. Maybe you folks can continue with more stories in the future and build a base of others who want to work with what you have created so it can go on. Tossing in a couple hundred bucks to see a 90 minute movie may seem counter-intuitive to some, but when Trek is done right, it is well worth it, I have watch Prelude probably 20 times already and still marvel at the synergy you folks got. Awesome work!
Thank you Brian. We appreciate your support and we will continue to make great Star Trek so long as you the donors support us!