DEAN ALIOTO deanaliotopost.com Bad Color Correction Job, Spillage everywhere Los Angeles California
I HIRED DEAN OFF OF CRAIGLIST TO HELP ME FINISH COLOR CORRECTION ON THE PROJECT. I GAVE HIM ALL THE ORIGINAL FOOTAGE AND XML. I ONLY ASKED HIM TO fix lighting for the interior scenes on the phone AND HE AGREED AND TOOK THE JOB. WHEN I SHOWE UP TO PICK UP THE PROJECT, I FOUND OUT THAT HE COULDN'T REALLY FIX THOSE THINGS BUT HE DECIDED NOT TO TELL ME WHEN HE GOT HIRED ON. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT HE DIDN'T EVEN USE THE RAW FILES TO DO A PRORER JOB WITH THOSE SCENES BUT INSTEAD USED ONE MY EDITOR'S MOV OUTPUTS TO SAVE TIME. AS A RESULT, HE EVEN MADE THE FINAL OUTPUT WORSE WITH GREEN AND MAGENTA COLOR SPILLAGE THROUGH SOME OF THE SCENES. WHEN I GOT HOME, I LOOKED OVER THE OUTPUT AGAIN, AND I SAW ALL OF THOSE THINGS. I CONTACTED DEAN BUT HE NEVER RESPONDED. HE TRIED TO PUT THE BLAME ON MY DP EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T USE THE ORIGINAL RAW FOOTAGE THAT I GAVE HIM TO DO A PROPER COLORING JOB. I FEEL SCAMMED AND CHEATED OUT OF MY MONEY. DO NOT WORK WITH THIS PERSON. I WILL ATTACH SCREEN SHOTS TO PROVE THE POINT.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
UPDATED REPORT - MISUNDERSTANDING
#4Author of original report
Wed, June 07, 2017
I just got off the phone with Dean and it seems like there was a misunderstanding and miscommunication on both sides. Dean agreed to work with me and help me resolve my issues on Monday. I will update this with more details as soon as i can
Dean Alioto Scamming the First time film-maker
#4Author of original report
Wed, June 07, 2017
All of the statements you're making are untrue. I asked you to redo all the the interior shots using raw footage which you agreed to which would essentially negate the use of all your samples. I gave you the hard-drive with raw footage and XML for that purpose like the editor would to any colorist. Finally, my editor did more than color but also sound, titles and other things for $300 which is not the subject of this e-mail or part of my agreement with you and he would release the project on that condition. My agreement with you was that you would use the raw files for the interior scenes and do your grade all over again and fix major problems with lighting. You scammed me out of $250 by not doing that and not using the raw footage and XML that I provided like any colorist would but instead trying to color over the editor's first pass to make it easy for yourself in terms of time and work invloved and then misrepresenting it as your own to me and then blaming lighting and the DP for the problems that you encountered grading it which I later found out were untrue when I called my DP but instead the result of your work since you failed to use Raw files and were coloring over the MOV output given to me for temporary internet use and as a reference. After I called my DP, i found out that you didn't use the raw files to do the job properly which you later agreed to as well. There is no point in communicating any further if you're unwilling to correct your error and I will hold you accountable for $250 plus any additional monetary damages that I will have to encounter trying to correct your mistakes by giving it to another colorist. You decided to take advantage of me as a first time film-maker who would lack understanding of all these things, plain and simple.
Dean
California,USA
ARTUR BENSON SCAMMER
#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, June 07, 2017
I won't be using childish capitol letters to get my point across here. I was originally contacted and asked by wanna-be filmmaker Artur Benson, to provide FREE color grading samples of his first short "Finding Johnny." Which I did. Then he said he was going to hire me. He then proptly stopped communicating with me -- I later found out he gave my color grading samples to his editor and had him knock them off.
I was shocked by this, but I figured he's young and learned his lesson not to rip off Colorist's grades, so when he asked me to fix some of his editor's color grading I agreed. Keep in mind, I was doing this job at a major indie favor rate of only $250 -- I support independant filmmakers so I was cool with doing the work. He told me he wanted me to use some of the shots his editor graded did and asked me to adjust the shots around it, so I was forced to work off his editor's graded hi-rez movie file.
After spending a couple days grading, Artur came over to sign off on the final grade. We tweeked the image for an additional 3 hours to his liking. He was then satisfied, officially signed off, and paid me -- HOWEVER, he only paid me $200 and I had to run after him to get the additional $50. Ridiculous -- that was a first for me. All of my clients have been highly professional and have not put me through such rigmarole.
Then Artur texts me late that night, wanting to tweek some more and accuses me of knowingly taking on a job that could not be done to his liking. I considered stripping his editor's grades and going back to the raw files and doing the job the way he should have originally -- then he sent me an email in the morning threatening to sue me.
This young guy is full of BS. He drives a new mustang, comes from rich parents, and feels intitled to pay dirt prices and threaten people. I've been in the business a very long time and have no other complaints about my work for a reason -- I'm very good at what I do and I always deliver.
I would say to all other professional crew people out there, stay way clear of working with Artur Benson.