I was writing an Op Ed collating all of the comments on last week’s post when I decided to put together a few questions for James Cawley to respond to. To my delight he responded and it changed the tone of this entire entry.

I specifically asked James to respond to several of the accusations put forward about him, notably the refunds for the final episode crowd funder and Jim Bray’s comment that a few people had been blacklisted from Ticonderoga.  Instead of interpreting what James has said, I’ve decided to quote his email directly:

First off, I am not opposed to Stage 9 studios, if they want to make fan films, then by all means make them and abide by the guidelines as given to fans by CBS, so hopefully they have no issues with CBS or STAR TREK.  I have zero issues with any of that. What I am opposed to is them opening up to the public for events or tours. As you know, I pay for the right to do that. My perspective is from a purely business standpoint, not personal towards anyone. That’s it, nothing more.

…To Jim Bray’s comment, there are a couple of folks who have for many months been involved with infighting thru fan films and sets and so forth, I did reach out to try and help and I did my best to do so, I considered them friends, because some of them did work on New Voyages… I have not spoken to any of these folks, nor have I said you can’t come and visit like anyone else.

As to New Voyages, The final episode was shot and fully cut together with some vfx unfinished. At some point, I hope to see it get the light of day, and am hoping that it can happen, the rough cut was released on youtube by some of the gang awhile back, it may still be there.  Now I am aware that some folks were missed and did not get perks, when I have been contacted, I have either refunded them myself or got them their perks.  I am sure there are some more who did not get their perks, and as needed they will. Mr. Greg Schnitzer was in charge of this and sadly passed away unexpectedly. I do what I can, when I can, where I can with what I have.

James also noted that he has since stopped visiting a lot of the forums and Facebook groups because he doesn’t like the negativity involved – whether it’s negative comments surrounding fan films or the new Star Trek series coming. James, like me, has grown tired of the “toxic topic of the day” and has moved on, as I wish we all could.

I’ll leave the final word to James, because it’s a sentiment I share.

Fan films have been fraught with drama and why I don’t know, they are supposed to be fun filled times with friends and like minded folks, they generally start with those intentions but rarely stay with them, in my experience. For the life of me, I don’t know why. I have not been involved with them for quite some time now and I miss some of the friends I made, but not the drama that sometimes ensued.