BAD DIRECTOR FROM MANDY.COM

[Buchaill9]

Does anyone know if there's a way of making a complaint about about a bad independent Director I've unfortunately come in contact with? Are they regulated somehow? My son performed in an expenses only short film and, not only have we never received the expenses, but I have not even received a copy of the promised film. This man has now stopped all communications and I happen to know the other young co-star of the film has also been treated similarly.

[pg]

I'm sorry you have had a bad experience.

There is probably some way of contacting the administration of Mandy.com but I expect there is a mention somewhere on the site that they are not responsible for the posts that appear on it.

If these were students, then you could complain to the college involved, but if it is an independent film then there is unlikely to be anything very much that can be done, unfortunately.
Does the company still exist? Very often the group comes together for just one film and then disbands.

The digital film revolution is not all good news. Costs of producing films are now much lower, but this does mean that anyone with a camera can now attempt film production and call themselves a film director. There is no regulation in the independent market.

Did you have the expenses agreement in writing? Have you signed release forms etc?

Once pay and contracts come in to play then there is more accountability - expenses only work can be a bit of a minefield.

You would be perfectly within your rights (for any future occasion) to insist that expenses were reimbursed in cash at the start of each filming day. If they don't pay you - you go home. You can stipulate this at the beginning. There is no harm in being assertive when it comes to unpaid work. If everyone did this, the people asking for people to work for nothing might start to treat their volunteer actors with a bit more respect.

[Flosmom]

If you want the money, you could pursue a small claim. Just google it - it's all done on-line these days so it's easy to lodge your claim with the court. Sometimes the act of doing so is enough to rattle the funds out of their pockets. No-one wants a judgement on their credit records.

Otherwise I'd suggest you just write it off to experience. Even major film productions can fail even before they make it to final edit, for all sorts of reasons. Someone in the industry once explained to me that, in films, every production is a prototype. There is no magic formula so who knows what will get to the screen and what won't?

But please don't let it make you or your DC bitter. My girls have been involved in several no/lo budget films which have been huge fun and they have footage to show for it. They have also done paid work, got the cheque but not got clips to use (yet!). It seems to be the way of things. Enjoy the filming process - anything else is a bonus.

But if you are promised money, get it in writing, An exchange of emails is good enough. And pg is right (as always) expenses on the day is not too much too expect either.

Good luck - let us know how you get on. Oh - and this site is pretty good for spotting serial offenders so when your DC is offered their next role, if you want to check it to, just ask.

Hope this helps

Deb x

[Irishdancer]

It happens, I got a email form a director to ask if ds would be in his short film I said no as it meant I would have to take time of work with out being paid he said he would pay me what I would lose which was about £30 came to the end of filming he said he did not have much money on him he did giver £10 as I am on my own with my son I lost money that week though did get a copy of film. Another time did a short film from KCCP it said £50 but what it did not say was they would pay dc expencises but not mine only found out when we got contract through as my train fare was much more expencive than ds with rehursals ended up having one director wanted two which he changed I was out of pocket. Then we kept on asking for a copy of film director kept sending emails to say not yet but was giving copy's to well known directors and not us, then just before Christmas got a email saying as it was coming up to Christmas why not buy a copy for every one at £8.99 per copy I did not buy it ds only had a small part. Keep getting emails saying film is being shown places where we would have to pay to see it. Did see the film but it cost me £15 for me and ds to watch it. Ds is a member of Equaty now so if he ever dose a short film will get a contract to say that ds will get a copy of film in a certin time limit or he won't do one again. Ds went to a meeting at Equaty and was told not to do any thing for fee, another member ased about free work. The trouble is there are so many so called directors and you don't know what they are like until you are on set, and so many people want to be famous do will do any thing for fee which is not fare on the actors who do this all the time and try and make a living out of it they have family's to keep. Ds was asked to audition for a short film which was not paid this week there was going to be audition then recall so that was going to cost before the film started then no grantee that he would get the part even though another director recommended ds, he will be 16 this month and needs money to do things he wants to do so when I asked if he wanted to audition he asked if it was paid job when I said no he said he did not want to do it so told agent no