unpaid travel expenses

[francescasmum]

I was looking back through dds file at the weekend, getting things in order when I noticed an unpaid travel expences account for a film made in back November . When I looked on my computer I found an e-mail dated 26th April saying I would be getting half in the next week, I had agreed to paying half then and half later as it was a small independent film maker who depend on fundraising and donations. Well, I sent an e-mail saying that we do not seem to have received the money and could they look in to it and I all hell broke loose, they accused me of putting financial gain above my daughter's experience and insinuated that as there chair was dying of cancer I was being insensative to request the payment (despite not being aware of his condition when I sent ,what I thought was a polite, gentle reminder).

Am I being insensative?

[Irishdancer]

No u are not being insensative, your dd worked for them and u had an agrement with them to pay half, they should not exprct u to pay traveling expences. I will not let ds do any work if they expect us to pay for travel

[Caroline A-C]

That is awful. However, if you have an email from them regarding payment of travel expenses, they should honour that. The fact the their chair has cancer, although very sad, has absolutely nothing to do with this. That is just a bullying tactic and extremely unprofessional to mention anyway. I hope you have success getting what is rightfully yours.

[janine]

Absolutely not!! your daughter filmed for them in November( & your costs were incurred then),now 8 months later you are still awaiting payment for your expenses which was part of your agreement. Your daughter & yourself only agreed to provide service based on their undertaking expenses, You have fulfilled your side of the agreement & they have failed to fulfil theirs... & as for their heavy handed attack when questioned, This tactic is done simply to 'get rid of you' & 'get rid of having to pay out any money'.. Do you have any E-mails or any written contract stating their agreement to pay expenses??If you do have then legally the company has no way out of its agreement.. Personally I would send them a recorded delivery letter stating that if payment is not received in full within 7 days then you will be contacting your lawyer/ trading standards & will have no option but to pursue them through small claims court, also that interest will be charged on all amounts, from after the 26th April.. Don't get involved in any discussions involving your daughter with them, to be honest it's simply none of their business..& the same goes for the chair who has cancer, they should be discussing this with you , & using it as an excuse....

[missmoneypenny]

Oh that doesn't sound very fair of them. You did absolutely the right thing and why wouldn't you ask for expenses that had already been agreed. Very, very unprofessional to mention illness when there was no way you would, or should, have been aware of that. Sorry to hear you had this experience x

[francescasmum]

Thanks everyone, thats put my mind at rest. Ive received another e-mail which is quite nasty and they have now asked me to change an entry on Kccp which has been there for 7 months (and is the same as the directors) and if I don't they will contact them! Sounded very much like a treat to me so I've deleted the credit from dds profiles, all of them! She has that many that their little film is quite insignificant any way. By the way we have not recieved a copy of the film yet, they are trying to raise money to edit it and they wanted us to pay for set photos, saying if we get family members to buy the photos the film will be ready quicker and expences will be paid! We have not been able to view the photos! They also mentioned contacting equity and their brother who works on a soap and that they have other contacts in the business!!
It is getting rediculous and I've decided that they are pathetic, but I have also decided that I will not let them bully me and will invoice them every week until they pay up!
Had they explained their financial difficulty in a more polite manner, or even if they had explained the difficulties because of the chairs illness in a less confrontational way I would probably have said forget the expences, but I'm dammed if I will now.

[sophiesocks]

i cannot believe how poorly you and your dd have been treated, its a shame as some short films are such a rewarding experience and some can end like this. good luck getting your expenses paid.

[Caroline A-C]

Think they would be pretty silly to contact Equity having written you the latest email - rather condemming for them!!!!!! By emailing you that I think that they have caused themselves big problems more than scaring you - would be interesting to see what the legal implications would be!!

[Irishdancer]

Is yr daughter with Abacus think u said she was going for the work shop? If so get in touch with Debbie and she will sort it out for u even though u where not with them at the time she filmed. Got a friend who is with abucas did a feature film before she she was with them has not got any money or expences and Debbie is trying to get her money.

[ash]

an organisation has committed a financial arrangement with you for specified services

you provided the required services

You are entitled to the agreed payment

THATS IT......

What circumstances they now find themselves in are really not your concern, you should not be intimidated or be made to feel this is your fault

I suggest writing back a reminder to pay, giving a deadline to pay or that you intend to recover the monies via small claims court very very reasonably.

Sadly there will always be shysters and clowns in any industry

[AbiTheActress]

I waited 3 months to be paid from one job! It wouldn't be acceptable waiting 3 months or in your case 8 months to be paid from a normal job so why is it acceptable with acting jobs? My agent also negotiates for me even when I find a job myself, on one job she got it from expenses only to being paid as well so it is always best to speak to them.

[paulears]

You've exhausted your stock of threats and patience. County Court judgement on line - you can issue a summons on line at minimal cost, and you get your expenses back when you win. Your emails and initial contract will be sufficient to show the court.

You don't know the chair personally, so why should this interfere with pressing for what is due? - and we're talking expenses, not huge work payments.

You're unlikely to want to deal with them any more - so just file the CCJ. Once they have it, it will be a major warning to others and could impact on their revenue stream - so as soon as it turns up, they'll probably settle straight away!
Paul

[pg]

I know it's no laughing matter for you but "contacting Equity" because you have asked for agreed travel expenses? What a ridiculous, empty, back-to-front threat that is! What an earth would they expect Equity to do (other than tell them to hurry up and pay you what's due to you).?

What a bunch of ... well, I won't type what I think.

I hope you get your money. I would feel the same as you after receiving such ridiculous, unprofessional, threatening correspondence.