Complaint Review: Robin Helmet Jacob - Internet Internet

Since 2005 Robin Jacob has been libeling and slandering Ric Lawes. Jacob is referred to by a number of different people in the film industry as a narcissistic sociopath who Lawes met in 2002 in Bangkok when Jacob approached Lawes to finance his film projects.

In 2003-4 after spending time building a profile for him at his request, putting together Information Memorandums and Business Plans, it was apparent most of his dealings were unverifiable. On Internet Movie Database (IMdb.com) he managed to list a lot of small productions where he claimed to be producer and director when in fact he simply crossed referenced himself by using his companies in the Philippines (Tiger Records) and in Singapore (Tiger Films Pte).

During the 'assessment' to assist the paper trail, on requesting further and better particulars, it became apparent Jacob had none. As an alleged 'director' when a show reel was requested, his standard reply was - I don't need one'. Industry standard for any director is a show reel!

Further when digging into Jacob's background he claimed to be a 'chef. This was later found to be a figment of his imagination - He was in fact "fired" as a short order cook in 2004 in London - which surprisingly, Jacob admitted. Even more surprising was why was Jacob working flipping eggs when he was a 'successful' director?

Inclusions in the projects Jacob required for financing was a film library from WWII he was going to obtain for less than USD100,000 which he was going to reedit and sell off. Jacob played with some of these productions and listed these on IMDB as well thus rolling up his Producer/Directors credits. They were basically simply adding a front and back end credit when in fact he had none. He was trying to raise USD500,000 against his library that was available for less than the USD100,000.

During 2004 Jacob was made an offer to edit a film "Shadow Island". His editing skills were at the time only on Canopus and he had no experience of industry standards of Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premier or Avid.

The film was brought to Lawes by an Englishman - Stephen Rouse - who turned out to also have a questionable background.

On checking Rouse's background as wishing to direct this film, it turned out the films he claimed he had directed - were in fact telemovies and on talking to the producer in London of the one he claimed was an award winner, Silent Whisper - was in fact brought home by the DP (cinematographer) and 1st Assistant Director as Rouse was incapable. On requesting proof of award Rouse said he had won for the film in Italy, his response was he did not remember as he was 'dyslexic' or what it was for and the award was in his garage in London. He was given 2 weeks to produce the award and it was not forthcoming. On checking by phone to the Directors Guild of Great Britain(DGGB),they confirmed they do no check listing credits. Rouse had also fabricated some background 'information'.

At this point investors had raised funds on a Bank Bill on an Eastern European Bank and the film was two weeks out in preproduction. Jacob was approached to direct - due to his "directing" credits and as now attached editor, said he was reluctant claiming he did not want other peoples work - since finding out he had not directed anything - this later proved his reluctance - and the investors attended Jacob's apartment in Balmeg Hill in Singapore and approved the change from Rouse to Jacob.

From then on it went downhill fast. Within days of Jacob being in preproduction it became apparent he was marginal with only some idea of directing but in comparison with Rouse, was superior only in 'attitude'. Rouse had been given an olive branch and told to accept 2nd Unit Director which he accepted as he had 4 previous directing credits "claimed" on the Directors Guild of Great Brittain. Running out of time the film started shooting.

Within the first two days Rouse and Jacob were at each others throats with Jacob requesting physical demolition of Rouse - his actual words were - "I want him taken out". Fortunately the film had two excellent Cinematographers who held the lack of directing together. Carroll Raver in New York and Laurie Gilbert in Singapore/Malaysia - both of who could confirm these statements. Actors were directed by Carroll and the shooting was directed by Laurie.

As a 24 day shoot and realising Jacob's inabilities only days in - there was no option but to continue as replacement was impossible. During shooting when continuity - and others questioned Jacob's methodologies - his standard answer became "I'll fix it in post". This has been proven to be impossible. From 33 hours of footage shot, the film had to be cut to 47 minutes to cut around all Jacob's mistakes as well as him missing "23 scenes" of the 158 in the movie - completely. He is on these tapes as continually speaking during takes thus was recorded into camera and this overrode the sound which now is rebuilt through Technicolor in Thailand.

Jacob continually walked in front of camera during takes, cut off actors prior to full delivery thus not allowing any possibility of scene closure or capture of emotion, was in frame on more than a 'few' occasions and generally shot the same scenes over and over without any variations. He also did no cutaways able to 'patch' his inabilities and when doing a CG shot - using a blue screen, shot the elements of the CG but never did the plate shot. Nothing could be cut together. These are the actions of a complete novice. A full video of his inabilities is available and will be added should his nonsense and continued slander and libel continue. This is now complete from the various editors in the project and will be available on YouTube on how 'not to direct a film'.

So the fired short order cook, holding himself out to be a 'director' really had no idea of what he was doing. All this can be confirmed by contact the actors involved as well as the producers, sound recordists and the DP's. Three editors tried to patch the film together and it was only recently the film was able to be put together 'forensically' by an American who had experienced similar problems and who had the patience. All this does not need rebuke here in the rip-off report! It is now becoming public record.

However, what sparked Jacob to slander and libel lawes was, during shooting there were also delays in the finance side as the Bank Bill from the investors was drawn on an Eastern European Bank and the Bank in Australia taking it down (ANZ) would not accept the paper. New Bills had to be drawn and that was going to take more than month by the time funds were transferred to be drawn from acceptable banks. At this point Lawes and his co-producer Michael Srisomsub and Rouse were all putting in money to support the production to the tune of some USD400,000.

Then on cessation of the film - Jacob put in an invoice at twice the agreed figure and was refused by Lawes. TAt that point Jacob commenced a powerplay. He convinced Srisomsub and Rouse to cut Lawes out, Jacob then copied the shadowisland website created by "host it 4 u" and set up another website called officialshadowisland using all the stills photos Lawes gave him and made up a blog of directors reports - a complete fabrication.

But Jacob is not that smart despite claiming and IQ of 160 to all he meets! Lawes contacted his investors and had them cancel the finance - as he had passed over he masters tapes and sound tapes to his co-producer who was now being influenced by Jacob. This is when the film fell into disarray. Within 60 days Rouse and Srisomsub had come back and in 90 days they were back under the one umbrella with Lawes and Jacob had been given termination and Cease and Desist notices. It was at this point he began his smear campaign which he carries on now nearly 5 years later.

Lawes was forced to sue Jacob in the courts of Singapore to have him remove his alter ego website Urban Rebel libeling Lawes which can be confirmed in the Singapore Court. The acton was case number MC17085/2006/K. Court ordered removal of his libel. Jacob claims to have won the case with me owing him SGD50,000! Another fabrication by Jacob. The Lawyers involved - Samuel Seow Law Corp in Singapore can clarify any of that.

After Jacob plagiarised the website of shadowisland he continued to libel and slander Lawes but had left Singapore thus was no longer able to be "treated" by law. After the court case (before everything was in his name on the godaddy sites etc) he then hid ownership and started using aliases to slander, defame and libel Lawes - but his work was to bite him on the butt. Looking back at his IMDB website it can see he has done no work since 2005. His ego-driven website officialrobinjacob is also a no point of contact - all photos on the site from the film, he has no permission to use and he continues to thumb his nose at the legal issues as he is obsessed in trying to bring Lawes down.

Then poetic justice - a film he claims to have written - called "1066" was listed on IMdb but also Shadow Island in his so called 'credits' - the producers for '1066' astutely doing DD contacted Lawes/Shadow Island who only sent them the filed Police Report from Thailand (Jacob has outstanding arrest warrants after running from police from actions commenced by Lawes in Bangkok). It would appear Jacob has been removed from the film as 'director' and thus the latest spat of slander and libel here and on other websites and again he has been incensed at being caught out. Like all sociopaths, they don't give up so he continues to fabricate and confuse his words, changing to suit his vitriolic venomous libel.

Lawes still lives in Bangkok in the same house for the six years. He is continuously working and in 2010 did two large feature films for international clients apart from commercials. Unlike Jacob, Lawes continues to work as anyone reading the garbage put up by Jacob and his alias', as he continues to just dig a larger hole - as no-one in their right frae of mind would ever deal with this man. As a film industry person, he has no credibility, he has no verifiable international credits and his skill set at best is only 'internet slander' at which he thinks he is good.

In true sociopathic traits:

Interpersonal traits

Glib and superficial

Egocentric and grandiose

Lack of remorse or guilt

Lack of empathy

Deceitful and manipulative

Shallow emotions

Antisocial lifestyle

Impulsive

Poor behavior controls

Need for excitement

Lack of responsibility

Early behavior problems

Adult antisocial behavior

The complete picture

All the above facts are verifiable by the film crew of Shadow Island, the law firm who undertook the action against Jacob, the post houses and of course, Lawes, the Royal Thai Police and the Singapore Courts. And from Lawes,the only defense to slander or libel is truth.