Could a fan based production step over the line? Say it raised hundreds of thousands to make it? I suppose, for legal reasons, it would be hard for you to comment.

From their preview video it looks like the Axanar guys are making something that puts a lot of official Star Trek to shame so maybe that's what's making CBS sweat.

But if I was in charge of a franchise and fans made something substantially better than my own team then I'd just hire them. ;-)

I am NOT saying that the Halo mods you highlighted blow official Halo stuff away (I haven't seen them). I suspect that they wont. They are a different genre. But, I bet having that stuff in their portfolio would be a big plus when looking for work after college.

Anyway, if anyone wants to know what Axanar is...

Preview suggests that embedding isn't working so... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W1_8IV8uhA

I only found the Axanar video because I was perusing Trekyards.

Their website is here.

In theory I hate Star Trek (all the bland episodes) but I have been geeking out for days, working though the trekyards playlist.