Thursday, May 21, 2009
Barry Bowles / Showstoppers
I worked for Barry Bowles DBA B-Luv Productions on his movie "Showstoppers" in 2006. I worked 3 days and should have been paid $450 total, but instead they sent me a check for $150. I tried to get in touch with him and his producers Darisha Rolle and Lisa Diane Washington, but no one ever returned my calls. I sent letters, but they were returned to me by the post office. If anyone knows where this guy is, please post.
Friday, March 20, 2009
John Ewing III, Marie Hedwood
Warning: Don't work for John Ewing III (executive producer) or Marie Hedwood (line producer)!
They will not pay you! They will offer you less than minimum wage, then give you B.S. runaround stories about why you aren't being paid per the terms you originally agreed. More than a dozen crew members on their latest venture together are now waiting for their pay that was due at the end of the shoot!
So... If they are hiring you as the editor, good luck! You probably won't get paid either!
(...just bend over...)
They will not pay you! They will offer you less than minimum wage, then give you B.S. runaround stories about why you aren't being paid per the terms you originally agreed. More than a dozen crew members on their latest venture together are now waiting for their pay that was due at the end of the shoot!
So... If they are hiring you as the editor, good luck! You probably won't get paid either!
(...just bend over...)
Menetie Ejeye / M. Ejeye Films
Back in November, I was hired to work on a low budget horror film titled 'Angels of Death' which was being produced and directed by Menetie Ejeye of M. Ejeye Films. When we wrapped in December, Menetie told everyone he had gone over budget but would be able to pay everyone within 30 days. He even wrote a few people checks that he post-dated 30 days. However, all
of those post-dated checks bounced. Now it's 90 days since we wrapped, and we still havn't been paid, not to mention that Menetie won't return phone calls or e-mails. And to make matters worse (for the actors), it now appears that he never filed any of the SAG paperwork for the show.
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Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 8:38 PM
Thank you to the creator of this blog and the individual who originally added Menetie Ejeye / M. Ejeye Films to the Hollywood Blacklist. I too worked on the film specifically mentioned. I do not disagree with any of the details already posted. In addition, contracts were handed out and signed on the first day of the shoot. M. Ejeye continuously "forgot" to provide copies of the signed contracts, finally stating he would mail them because that's how it is "normally" done. Needless to say, I never received a copy of my contract from him, and was fortunately only able to get one thanks to another crew member who had obtained copies of some. Since various cast/crew members have contacted M. Ejeye requesting payment, M. Ejeye has only responded once, as far as I know. In that response, he demanded written apologies from some individuals for being "immature, rude and for harrassing him," before remitting payment to anyone. He provided his own experience, saying he once worked on a big-budget production with an A-list actor and was not paid for a month, claiming that the way he was handling things was how it "really works in Hollywood." Of course, it has been over three months now that he has not paid anyone. I personally stopped contacting him regarding payment due to his last response, which contained what I consider to be veiled threats, and made me worried for my safety, especially since he has my address. Also, on the odd side, I continue to be on his mailing list and have received promotional messages regarding his prior feature film, "Roadside Assistance," which he is currently selling online. To other filmmakers who read this, especially editors, composers and others working in post-production, please remember the names Menetie Ejeye, M. Ejeye Films, and "Angels of Death" and do NOT work on the project. It cannot and should not survive post-production and hit distribution until ALL cast/crew are paid. Thank you.
of those post-dated checks bounced. Now it's 90 days since we wrapped, and we still havn't been paid, not to mention that Menetie won't return phone calls or e-mails. And to make matters worse (for the actors), it now appears that he never filed any of the SAG paperwork for the show.
------------------------------------
Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 8:38 PM
Thank you to the creator of this blog and the individual who originally added Menetie Ejeye / M. Ejeye Films to the Hollywood Blacklist. I too worked on the film specifically mentioned. I do not disagree with any of the details already posted. In addition, contracts were handed out and signed on the first day of the shoot. M. Ejeye continuously "forgot" to provide copies of the signed contracts, finally stating he would mail them because that's how it is "normally" done. Needless to say, I never received a copy of my contract from him, and was fortunately only able to get one thanks to another crew member who had obtained copies of some. Since various cast/crew members have contacted M. Ejeye requesting payment, M. Ejeye has only responded once, as far as I know. In that response, he demanded written apologies from some individuals for being "immature, rude and for harrassing him," before remitting payment to anyone. He provided his own experience, saying he once worked on a big-budget production with an A-list actor and was not paid for a month, claiming that the way he was handling things was how it "really works in Hollywood." Of course, it has been over three months now that he has not paid anyone. I personally stopped contacting him regarding payment due to his last response, which contained what I consider to be veiled threats, and made me worried for my safety, especially since he has my address. Also, on the odd side, I continue to be on his mailing list and have received promotional messages regarding his prior feature film, "Roadside Assistance," which he is currently selling online. To other filmmakers who read this, especially editors, composers and others working in post-production, please remember the names Menetie Ejeye, M. Ejeye Films, and "Angels of Death" and do NOT work on the project. It cannot and should not survive post-production and hit distribution until ALL cast/crew are paid. Thank you.
Friday, February 27, 2009
David O Neal
Hello i recently answered an add for a guy that called himself David O Neal. He wanted stock footage around the L.A., Santa Monica, and Hollywood area. After I filmed what he wanted and he said he would send me a harddrive to transfer the files onto. He kept telling me it was on the way. Kept telling that. It was the holiday season so I gave him the benifit of the doubt. The harddrive never came and and he stopped returning the emails and phone calls. He is a scammer.
His email is editingbydave@aol.com
The title of the add was "2 day Stock Footage shoot Camera Person wanted (LA)". He also did one in Las vegas too I saw later. He said he would pay $950.00 Thanks and beware.
-----------------------------------------
Date: 2009-01-18, 6:12PM
I feel for you... David Oneal hired me on Dec. 17, 2008 to do the shoot and he asked me if I can deliver the footage to him before the end of the year? Then he wrote again (the same day) saying it would be nice to go out and get some footage in the rain and if I can start that day(it was raining that day). I thought that was odd since we haven't even spoke on the phone. So i told him i can start the next day and I would be happy to drive by his place in Burbank to introduce myself and also to pick up deposit since this was a big job...He never responded so i never did the shoot. I learned my lesson last year when a friend of mine friend ask me to shoot and edit his corporate event. We agreed on the fee of $700.00. I sent him the final and he said the check was in the mail. That was January 2008.
Good Luck, sorry you have to go through this just cause some idiot is out there trying to rip people off. This is one reason why us (camera ops) need to stick together and 1st stop taking work that pays peanuts and 2) get some kind of deposit up front. I know it's hard to ask, cause so many cameramen just are so hungry to get work we don't want to rock the boat.
----------------------------------------
Date: 2009-05-01, 11:43AM PDT
Due to the many responses regarding this clown I have to tell you to stay away. It's obvious he has done this to many of us free lancers. He hired me and quite a few others to shoot for some show on discovery about theme parks and stock type footage. I was stupid for starting the project without a contract, my mistake. As free lancers sometimes you take the work that way....Most of the people I have worked for are professional and appreciate the work that we do.
I shot some stuff and he kept telling me to send it to him on a drive. I told him to buy the drive and send it to me with the deposit. This he agreed to and even asked for the paypal account. After 3 months of "Oh yea I will send it over right away" I gave up knowing my work was a loss. I told him I was going to file with small claims and he kept saying "Don't do that, let's talk" HE NEVER DID WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD IN ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS.
I got some emails telling me that some of you were hired by him and even got paid while some of you did not. Feel lucky he paid you. I imagine he just hires a bunch of us to go shoot with for a steady rate then the first one of us who sends the footage on the drive either gets screwed or partly paid, while the rest of us who have worked get nothing.
I found postings on craigslist from other free-lancers that said they were hired for the same exact job as me and they were not paid either.......
LET MY STUPID MISTAKE BE A WARNING TO NOT WORK FOR THIS SCAM ARTIST WHO DOESN'T CARE ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY....
daveoneal.com
DAVE ONEAL
DAVID ONEAL
DAVID SHANAHAN
His email is editingbydave@aol.com
The title of the add was "2 day Stock Footage shoot Camera Person wanted (LA)". He also did one in Las vegas too I saw later. He said he would pay $950.00 Thanks and beware.
-----------------------------------------
Date: 2009-01-18, 6:12PM
I feel for you... David Oneal hired me on Dec. 17, 2008 to do the shoot and he asked me if I can deliver the footage to him before the end of the year? Then he wrote again (the same day) saying it would be nice to go out and get some footage in the rain and if I can start that day(it was raining that day). I thought that was odd since we haven't even spoke on the phone. So i told him i can start the next day and I would be happy to drive by his place in Burbank to introduce myself and also to pick up deposit since this was a big job...He never responded so i never did the shoot. I learned my lesson last year when a friend of mine friend ask me to shoot and edit his corporate event. We agreed on the fee of $700.00. I sent him the final and he said the check was in the mail. That was January 2008.
Good Luck, sorry you have to go through this just cause some idiot is out there trying to rip people off. This is one reason why us (camera ops) need to stick together and 1st stop taking work that pays peanuts and 2) get some kind of deposit up front. I know it's hard to ask, cause so many cameramen just are so hungry to get work we don't want to rock the boat.
----------------------------------------
Date: 2009-05-01, 11:43AM PDT
Due to the many responses regarding this clown I have to tell you to stay away. It's obvious he has done this to many of us free lancers. He hired me and quite a few others to shoot for some show on discovery about theme parks and stock type footage. I was stupid for starting the project without a contract, my mistake. As free lancers sometimes you take the work that way....Most of the people I have worked for are professional and appreciate the work that we do.
I shot some stuff and he kept telling me to send it to him on a drive. I told him to buy the drive and send it to me with the deposit. This he agreed to and even asked for the paypal account. After 3 months of "Oh yea I will send it over right away" I gave up knowing my work was a loss. I told him I was going to file with small claims and he kept saying "Don't do that, let's talk" HE NEVER DID WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD IN ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS.
I got some emails telling me that some of you were hired by him and even got paid while some of you did not. Feel lucky he paid you. I imagine he just hires a bunch of us to go shoot with for a steady rate then the first one of us who sends the footage on the drive either gets screwed or partly paid, while the rest of us who have worked get nothing.
I found postings on craigslist from other free-lancers that said they were hired for the same exact job as me and they were not paid either.......
LET MY STUPID MISTAKE BE A WARNING TO NOT WORK FOR THIS SCAM ARTIST WHO DOESN'T CARE ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY....
daveoneal.com
DAVE ONEAL
DAVID ONEAL
DAVID SHANAHAN
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