Most unfavorable experience…we felt duped! My film has won top awards from coast to coast, and even in the lack luster festivals I was still able to leave a good review…that was until I attended the ACFF! I confirmed that the awards festival would be on Saturday, when we were to have dinner with Dean Cain. Once confirmed we bought a ticket to the event. Once we arrived to the hotel a hand written sign welcomed everyone. No one was around, so I had to locate the screening room myself. Got settled in the room and went back down to register. There was no signage for ACFF only JCFilms. After registering we didn’t receive our bag from their sponsors as promised….nothing. Nothing seemed to be going as planned. I did wish to get a photo with Dean, only to promote my movie which was hitting DVD and streaming the following week. Therefore, I sent an email to JC the coordinator personally and let him know that I was expecting and requesting that the top 6 finalists get to meet Dean Cain for a photo op…shouldn’t be a problem since we were promised a reception with Dean before the awards banquet…right? Wrong!
Like other film makers we arrived early, at 6:00 instead of 6:30. We waited one hour…no Dean Cain and no reception! 7:00 banquet time arrived and we were herded into the room to grab a $3.00 meal, the event we had paid $75.00 for. Later Dean was escorted in to answer a few questions at a brief Q&A. He was then escorted out, forbidden to meet him as promised! As JC was exiting he said we were going to be extras in his film, because they need an awards banquet. I was perplexed, I told JC prior I had NO interest in being an extra.
We thought he would return with Dean afterwards to present the awards, as Dean was labeled the presenter. Nope! The DP yelled that’s a wrap…and it was! No sign of the coordinator anywhere. I went to the car in dismay and unbelief! Did I really just purchase a $75 ticket, film entry fees, and hotel room—just to be duped to be an extra in the film? It seemed so! I wrote asking if they were coming back to announce the awards. No response! I did finally get a reply that just said, “Not yet!” Another email followed in which he said the judges had not finished watching all the films. That told me right there he hosted an awards banquet, had people attend, and knew that awards would not be announced or given. That there my friends is a con job! He didn’t even try to save face, and had so many opportunities to do so. Not only did he try to pal around with Dean and keep him from the film makers, but he failed to communicate or approach and introduce himself. Communication is key, and there was none.
This is the first year for this festival, therefore all the pictures representing this festival came from somewhere else. It even shows a picture of Dean presenting-as I said it didn't happen!
I could go on and on…but it is just sad and agonizing :(
I did find out eventually that my film was a winner…but no Dean Cain to present it…oh…and no actual certificate as promised…am I surprised? No!
Whats more…he wants to have these festivals nation wide. I would highly suggest that he first have a successfully run festival and make it right with those he duped!