Our letter

Here is a copy of the certified letter that went out to Big Sky:

Joy Czerwonky, Producer
Big Sky Motion Pictures
650 North Bronson Ave, Suite B-128
Los Angeles, CA 90004

CC: Rand Chortkoff
14602 Victory Blvd. Suite 200
Van Nuys, CA. 91411

February 21, 2008

Ms. Czerwonky:

We are writing to request immediate payment for our services performed on location of your movie, “SPRING BREAK '83”. Please see the next two pages for each individual's monies owed. We have all verified our addresses with Felicia Trujillo at the production office, but if for any reason, you have lost that paperwork, please remit all sealed, individual checks to: [NAME WITHHELD]

All of us appear in images on the BigSkyMotionPictures webpages, although we have not been paid for our work. Also, we worked in 2007 and your production withheld money and I-9 forms for the 2007 tax year. We are sure that you understand that this is a serious grievance. As were were told, in writing, that we would be paid within 30 days of employment, we are sending this certified letter to inform you that if we are not paid in full by March 10, 2008, we begin the process of collectively seeking legal action, which may include filing multiple small claims suits for the total amount of $11,370.00 plus any applicable legal fees.

Your production company needs to know that there are serious legal ramifications for not paying your contracted employees. On multiple occasions we have attempted to resolve this problem, but after almost four months, your production company has chosen to ignore our requests. Receipt of this letter acknowledges this and the fact that we plan to seek legal action for unpaid wages if we are not all paid in full within 10 business days (March 10, 2008).

Sincerely,

(16 names withheld)

cc:
Felicia Trujillo, Big Sky Motion Pictures; Chris Skelly/Patrick Mulhearn, Louisiana Dept of Economic Development Film Office; California Film Commission; Rand Chortkoff, executive producer