Now that Les Moonves is out of CBS, maybe the other executives can see Star Trek in a more favorablr light. Moonves hated Star Trek, which I thought odd, since it started the whole concept of the "franchise". Before Star Trek there were no conventions, merchandise, etc. Star Trek made money for everyone who owned it.
We can only hope that the board of CBS puts a sales person in charge of the franchise, and removes the laywers from making the decisions on how and what to license. Fan Films should be licensed when they exceed 15 minutes, and they should be allowed to exist. If the fanbase like the concept proposed by a film maker, and they can raise the funds to produce the film, then CBS should look at the level of complexity and license the film appropriately. If the film maker agrees and can pay the licensing fee, then they should be able to make the film and whatever entisements they promised to the fans for the donations to the project, with the stipulation that the end product is distributed for free viewing by non-doner fans - which is the nature of a "fan film".
But, currently, CBS still has a laywer involved and incharge of the franchise's licensing, which makes no sense what so ever.
JT