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

An IMDb post

Because of the irresponsible and fraudulent behavior of Big Sky, now filming in the city of Hammond, LA is in serious jeopardy. Word has it that the mayor has declared the city off limits to productions until the issues of owed monies to the town and its residents is resolved. I have shot many many movies and commercials there and is an invaluable asset to louisiana's film community. Even I didn't work on this movie, now we are ALL being affected by their scumbag behaviour. Keep up the pressure and lets make them close up shop, sell all of their assets and pay the people that they owe. Is there any other choice?
by gmbott on IMDb

A letter to the head of the Lousiana SAG office

November 18, 2007
Ms. Shaw,
Hello. I am unsure what your exact jurisdiction is, but I am writing to see if your office has heard anything negative about the film project "Spring Break '83". I am a Texas based actor (SAGe) who did some extra work on their set and some concerns were raised by some of the others that things there may not be operating as they should. Several regular Louisiana extras told me that they had been working since the middle of October and had yet to be paid. My acquaintance was a wardrobe assistant and her entire department quit during the first week of November because they had not paid. From my own experience on set, I saw that the production was not run in an orderly fashion and I witnessed other extras being treated very poorly by members of the production.

Most of the extras and featured extras are not SAG or SAGe and therefore may not be aware of possible avenues in which to voice their concerns. At the suggestion of a friend, I am writing the Louisiana SAG office to see if these concerns were ever voiced or even if this situation merits further investigation.

I know you're a busy woman and I thank you so much for your time. Be blessed.

Sincerely,
(name withheld)