U.N.C.L.E. Fest, Rec Room Productions, Russ Cootey Advertised film festivsal for May 2004 at Alex Theatre, Glendale CA. No festival held, ripped off entry fee and film.! Internet rip-off scam California
I responded to an internet listing for a new film festival to be held at the beautiful, newly refurbished Alex Theatre in Glendale, Caalifornia.
Fest was listed on www.craigslist.org and www.indiewire.com among other listings. Listing was linked to www.unclefest.com
The website was well laid out with great pictures of the Alex.
I sent in the $30.00 entry feel and a VHS copy of my film for for the the festival that was to take place May 7-9, 2004. There was to be opening night party, media events and prizes.
When I went back to check the website in April it was gone. Alex Theatre said they never had a contract with U.N.C.L.E Fest., but had talked to a Russ Cootey who said he was running U.N.C.L.E. Fest.
Check for entry fee made out to Rec Room Productions.
Dan
No. Hollywood, California
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Dan
No. Hollywood,California,
U.S.A.
Response to Rebuttal -- Russ Cootey never had a contract with the Alex Theatre
#3Author of original report
Wed, June 23, 2004
Russ Cootey never had a contract with the Alex Theatre for the dates he advertised the Film Festival as taking place. Address film was sent to was a postal mail drop. All phone numbers for Russ Cootey were disconnected cell phone numbers. Calls to associates of Russ Cootey were to locate him. When he returned a call, the only call made to him, he refused to give a contact number or address where he could be found and said he plans to put on the festival "sometime in the future." This is not a responsible business man.
Russ
Burbank,California,
U.S.A.
U.N.C.L.E. fest postponed
#3REBUTTAL Individual responds
Tue, June 22, 2004
Dan Roth was notified that his film was not accepted into the U.N.C.L.E. fest film festival and that the festival was in fact postponed until the summer of 2005.
Although we have accepted some films in which we feel are what we are looking for to screen at our festival we felt the need to wait until 2005 so that we may have more than just a few quality film to share with our audience.
Furthermore we have waived the entry fee for those filmmakers who have simply asked due to their financial situations.
Any filmmaker knows that entry of a film does not automatically give him or her acceptance of to any festival.
Dan Roth could not realize this and proceeded to make threatening calls to myself and to my associates at 3:00 in the morning several times per week.
Dan Roth has proven to be completly petty and unprofessional.
Thank you,
Russ Cootey
Burbank, Ca.