Complaint Review: Film Monkey Studios

BEWARE OF THIS COMPANY !!! The worst vendor we have ever dealt with, period. Not only are they terrible with customer service, they have not delivered all the items within the stipulated time in the contract as promised.

In the beginning, their communication via email was prompt as I imagine we are new business for them and they quickly offered us a contract to sign and advised us to pay as soon as possible for VIDEOGRAPHY. We completed the transaction and entrusted them to plan accordingly.

A couple of months before the wedding date, we emailed them several times and we did not receive any response. After about 2 weeks, we receive a standard Questionnaire form for us to fill up all the details of our wedding so that they would not miss anything (I guess and hope). Talk about being cold and having no customer service. I saw this as a red flag and started checking online for recent reviews on them, boy was I shocked with the similar treatment they gave others (and probably worse).

Just before the wedding, we feared the worst as Chris and Rebecca did not respond to any of our enquires like: Who is our videographer ? What time will he / she be there ? What is the contact details ?  These are BASIC and FAIR questions to ask but we did not get anything. ONLY ON THE WEDDING DAY, WE KNEW OUR VIDEOGRAPHER EXISTED as the ambiguity towards Film Monkey’s services plagued us during the wedding week.

In the end, our wedding went well and we had a great time :) The videographer seemed like he knew what he was doing and we hoped for the best. After the wedding and honeymoon, we contacted Film Monkey via email and Facebook to get an ETA on when the items would be sent. Here are the items promised in the contract to be delivered within 90 days (not business days) after the wedding date:
- 5 Minute Highlight Film (online)
- Full Version of Film Posted Online
- 4 Fully Edited DVD or Blu-ray (60 Min.)
- Keepsake Engraved DVD Case
- FREE RAW FOOTAGE!
- FREE 8 INCH HD VIDEO FRAME WITH YOUR HIGHLIGHT PRE-LOADED TO DISPLAY IN YOUR HOME!

They deflected any concrete answer for an ETA and just pointed us to the contract. So, we waited patiently for the items to come in. After 90 days, we sent a Facebook message to them to ask where are the items. To our surprise, they have a NEW CONTRACT which is advertised on their website stating that all 2016 weddings have a 90 business-day turnaround time: https://www.filmmonkeystudios.com/terms-conditions. Therefore, Chris / Rebecca said our final date would be 25th Feb, 2017. When we saw this, we called bullshit on it but decided, hey, let’s just wait a bit more for the final package. What the heck right.

Less than 2 weeks before 25th Feb, guess what, the package from Film Monkey arrives with 3 DVDs, 1 Blu-ray and the Keepsake Engraved DVD Case. Where is the 5 Minute Highlight Film ? Where is the Full Version of Film Posted Online ? Where is the FREE RAW FOOTAGE ? Where is the FREE 8 INCH HD VIDEO FRAME WITH YOUR HIGHLIGHT PRE-LOADED TO DISPLAY IN YOUR HOME ?

We played the DVD and Blu-ray and to our horror, the videos were not well made. Many short videos compiled together with people’s heads being cut off, zero focus on what’s actually going on and no proper editing. Honestly, the videos made by our guests were far superior than this and the editing skills were inferior…nothing like the ones on Film Monkey’s website...ABSOLUTELY DISAPPOINTING !!!

Infuriated, we called, left voicemails and wrote a stern email to them demanding an explanation. They said that editing constitutes as simply joining all videos and adding the Film Monkey logo intro, and this was done by one of their best editors. WTH !! We currently have a case with MasterCard / PayPal and will be pressing charges based on breech of contract and false advertising (100% satisfaction guaranteed on their website).

Funny thing was when Film Monkey knew about this, CHRIS immediately shared with us a Dropbox link to the raw footage…LOL !!  With all that has happened to us, we will not settle until we receive a full refund from these fraudsters. For everyone that is going through this ordeal with Film Monkey or have recently gone through this, our advise is please do not give up and lodge a complaint with Visa / MasterCard / PayPal / BBB / social media.

 When I check the BBB in Las Vegas, I find this: Business Started: 06/18/2015 Business Incorporated: 12/01/2014 in NV. Unless they were operating illegally or under a different name, your info may be a bit skewed.

 I have been shooting for Film Monkey since 2014. I have been paid regularly. They do have a lengthy review process when analyzing the footage you filmed. They do this for quality assurance and to make sure the footage is up to par with their standards. They do and will give you constructive criticism so you can improve as a cinematographer. You really need to take their advice. The company is huge and I get weddings every weekend. The work is consistent. Always ask for more work because they will keep you busy. Hope this helps!

I wish I had read your report earlier. I have shot many weddings for them and now they owe me for 6 weddings and won't respond to my emails or answer my calls. I'm talking about weddings shot 6 months ago and they own me thousands. Wish I had known it was a scam before I let them owe me so much. Of course I am going to sue them though.

I'm really done with this situation, you got your footage, I got my money, lets just forget about this situation but first lets stop with the lies. I was not an employee for this company, I was paid as a freelancer for two weddings and was not fulltime. I understand that you are trying to save face but you should have thought about that before withholding money in the first place. I told you I would send you the footage for the second wedding upon recieving money for the first which is admirable and logically makes sense. 

We could go over this again and again with threats etc. until we are blue in the face but that won't help or change anything. It's been a long time since this has occured and I've moved on, you should too. In the future, just pay your videographers after each wedding instead of withholding money until they give you footage for more than one without seeing any dollar signs first, this will make them feel a lot more comfortable and confident in sending you guys the footage.

There is no defamation of character, I let you know right away that I didn't feel comfortable sending the footage for the second wedding when I hadn't even received payment for the first wedding, anyone that reads this would be in favor of me. You didn't pay me until I filed a report on BBB and now you're trying to make me out to be the bad guy, what a joke.

Get over it, you guys tried to be shady and it didn't work out, that's it. This happened to the other videographer that was hired by you guys as a freelancer also, not just me so there are witnesses involved.

I have emails about this correspondense, multiple emails in fact and I almost gave up trying to get my money thinking I had been scammed after at least a whole month went by with out a response from you guys, it wasn't until I remembered about BBB that I figured I would give a last ditch effort. Luckily filing the report worked and I finally received my money, then I immediately sent you the footage for the second wedding through dropbox and washed my hands with the whole situation.

Stop this nonesense, you need to cease and desist yourself, not me.

-J San Diego, CA

Dear JosephDean Martinez,

This CEASE AND DESIST ORDER is to inform you that your persistent actions including but not limited topersistent online posts have become unbearable. You are ORDERED TO STOP such activities immediately as they are being done in violation of the law.

I have the right to remain free from these activities, and we will pursue any legal remedies available to me against you if these activities continue. These remedies include but are not limited to: contacting law enforcement to obtain criminal sanctions against you, and suing you civilly for damages as we have incurred as a result of your actions.

Again, you must IMMEDIATELY STOP. You risk incurring some very severe legal consequences if you fail to comply with this demand.

This letter acts as your final warning to discontinue this unwanted conduct before we pursue legal actions against you. At this time, we not contacting the authorities or filing civil suit against you, as we hope we can resolve this matter without authoritative involvement. We am not under any circumstances, however, waiving any legal rights I have presently, or future legal remedies against you by sending you this letter. This order acts as ONE FINAL CHANCE for you to cease your illegal activities before I exercise our rights.

Thank you,

Christopher and Rebecca Portman

on behalf of counsel 

Robert S. 

Film Monkey 

info@filmmonkeyweddings.com

3565 Las Vegas Blvd. South, #382

Las Vegas, NV 89109

 I was not an employee,lol they hired me for a wedding gig off of Craigslist. I was not terminated and I am not retaliating because of it. Just please stop this nonsense and move on. -J San Diego Ca

I am the attorney for Film Monkey. The above review was left from a former employee who was terminated and the review was simply left as retaliation against the company. We are now looking into a possible defamation law suit against this person.

Thank you,

Robert S.

info@filmmonkeyweddings.com