The Vine Entertainment Meeting

[alexs]

Okay, it's been some time since I posted about my meet and greet, and seeing as this is a place to help other writers, I wanted to give everyone the skinny. 

So, last time I posted I had a meet and greet regarding a script.  The meeting went well enough that the producer I met with scheduled a follow up meeting.  I'm thinking this is great! Only there were a few red flags that kept me from really allowing myself to celebrate.  The first and most glaring was the fact that the producer I met with hadn't even read my script yet.  According to him the "development department" had read it, liked it, and passed it along to him.  He said that the company liked to meet with the writers to get a first hand feel for who they, and that they would read the script if they liked what they saw.  (I'm paraphrasing a bit, but this is basically what was said). 

Now, I was thinking that I might even buy into this philosophy because reading script after script is teadious and never really done by the producers themselves,  but something just seemed off. 

After telling them a bit about myself, where I came from, what I've written, if I was repped or not, etc.  They started telling about the company.  I guess they have a deal with a private investor for 60 million (6 pics 10 mil a piece)  I looked this up and it's legite.  They currently have a few movies either just ready to come to theaters or in post production.  Okay, I'm thinking this sounds great.  Then they kept talking and started telling me about some of the "programs" they have for writers.

At this point they told me that they helped writers make a "teaser trailer" for their film and that was the best way to get the script made.  The way this works is that you the writer brings in whatever money you can come up with from outside investors and they match that and help you make a high quality teaser trailer to sell the film. Wait a minute, why is a production company trying to help me sell my script?  Isn't it their job to buy it and then they get it made?  Red flags, red flags, red flags. 

Still I was willing to hear this thing out because I don't have anything else going for me.  We said goodbye and a second meeting was set up.

At this second meeting I was supposed to meet with the CEO of the company and the producer was supposed to have read my script. I showed up for the second meeting and there was no CEO and the fact that the CEO wasn't there was never even discussed.  Naturally the producer "liked" my script but it needed some work.  At this point I felt like I was buying a car.  This producer looked more like a car dealer to me than a legit producer.  The second meeting was basically a push for me to get some money, bring it to them, they would match, and then we would shoot this teaser trailer.  Yeah right!

The way it sounded was that there was no accountability as to where my money would be used, they would use all of their people, and then they would forever be attached to my script if and when it was bought and made by a "real" production company. 

Naturally I never returned and I haven't spoken to anyone in the company since then, but I wanted to post this because there are so many concerns that I think other writers should be aware of with this company.  Where I'm not sure they are actually trying to be vindictive with their plan of action, it really doesn't help the writer as much as it helps them.   

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[FSUWriter]

Congratulatons.  On many levels.  First, welcome to the world of "Hey, Newbie Writers are There To Be Used" Hollywood.  It's a world that every new writers enters, through a doorway that is crowded with scam artists watching as intently as limo drivers at the airline gates the day after the Grammys.  This is part of that "dark side" referred to.

More importantly, congratulations for being smart enough to recognize it, savvy enough to let it play out, and strong enough to walk away.  You are now ahead of 98% of your peers.

I can't underline that enough.

You have no idea how many newbies would have fallen into this.  After all, the reason the do it now is because they have had some success at it in the past.

Vine Entertainment isn't unknown.  I've run into that name before and posted about it.  I'm not sure what forum it was, but there was some reference to it and I did some basic research and posted a caution about what I read.  Even the idea of their "legit" movies.  Yes, their website does imply that they have an active up and coming slate of movies.  But closer examination and research tells you that ambiguity of such statements (not just with them but with all other companies as well).  On their website, they show "Cut Off" and "Grin" as their headline features.  However, their film page shows the promo posters and "trailer coming soon".  Doesn't sound as if a feature has been made and, from what I remember from the original post, I put out a warning to step lightly as it didn't seem on the up and up.

Which leads to the first point I want to make about researching companies.  NEVER rely on their webpage.  It's like relying on a con man to tell you that he's not conning you.  No matter which company you are talking about, from Paramount Studios to Joe's Quick-'n-Dash Productions, website are PUBLICITY DEVICES.  They aren't intended as factual information, just intended to convince the reader to buy what they are selling.  If it's movies, it's biased toward that.  If it's to scam a writer, it's biased toward that.

Addendum to that; even if there seem to be legitimate testimonials, news articles, trade mentions, etc. DO NOT trust them implicitly.  90% of those mentions are there because the company's publicity department released the information.  They rely on the common misperception that "if it's in print, it must be legit".

Which is to point two: 95% of EVERYTHING in Hollywood is subjective, ambiguous and deliberately so.  Quantifiable facts are an extremely rare creature in this business for many reasons.  Most of it being because Hype is the common currency and a lot of it is because any committment to facts leaves you open to being held to it later; having it used against you.  You have to analyze everything you are told in this business, no matter how legit the person or company seems (especially when they seem that way). 

A lot of the cons in this business float on the idea that newbies, especially, won't question because they assume that it would be an insult and, therfore, ruin their chances.  The opposite is true: you question and their respect rises for you.  If it's a scam, they will accuse you of insulting them and threaten to walk away.  Cool, let them.  If they are legit, they will answer your questions.  It doesn't make you cynical, it doesn't make you suspicious, it makes you professional.  This is a business after all.

The key to it is doing it with a smile on your face.  That's how Alexs was savvy.  He stayed and listened politely.  Whether or not he asked any questions doesn't really matter, he quickly realized the situation when his "Spidey sense" started ringing.  I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't get a call soon asking him if he had decided to work with them or not.  And when he says "no", he'll get an earful about how he's screwing things up for himself.  But if no phone call... no matter.  He did it correctly.  He was tested and he survived it.

And he'll be tested again.  With better and more seductive offers.

So how do you tell the bad guys from the good?  Experience, mostly.  And paying attention to the respect and treatment that professional writers get, especially the WGA members (by virtue of the Guild's agreements).  Don't make the mistake of thinking that professionals get the better treatment because they are professionals; that all pros started out making the same choices that you are being asked to make by these supposed production companies.  That's the old argument used to get young actresses to take off their clothes; "Hey, everyone starts out this way".  It's b.s.  You don't start out this business with the attitude of a newbie, you start out with the attitude of a Professional.  Not the cocksure, I-Know-It-All attitue, but the attitude of "I'm worth just as much respect as any professional". 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: writers use many words, but the most powerful word in your arsenal is the word "no".  Everyone in this business knows how to say the word "yes", but you define yourself with the word "no".

Now, one final thing to keep in mind.  Vine Entertainment didn't do anything illegal. And, from what I know at this point, isn't doing anything illegal.  Unethical and Illegal are two different dogs.  But even the word "unethical" might be stretching it as the film business has few things it can refer to as absolute ethics. However, there are common rules of respect and common standards to follow.  The Guilds, for the most part, try to maintain these rules through their agreements with legitimate studios and produciton companies.  But for non-members and non-signatories, it's a free for all where the only protection the new writer has is her common sense and willingness to walk away from things that don't feel right.

Kudos, alexs.