Los Angeles Art House Film Festival Is A Scam!

Hi Guys,

I really, really want to warn everyone about this festival. I know a few members have posted about it on here mentioning they entered through Withoutabox.

Please help me get them removed from WAB as they have still got them listed and are still allowing filmmakers to get ripped off even though I have warned them of the scammers.

The entry fee is between $34-55 USD. I unfortunately paid $55 and am demanding a refund from WAB as they have a responsibility to filmmakers to research these festivals before allowing them to post on their site.

http://laartfilmfest.com/Home.html

If your outraged like I am that we have to put up with this kind of BS when we are struggling enough to make our films them write to Withoutbox support and demand they remove this festival and refund all filmmakers.

Thanks
Alice
 
Awards list reads like that NYIIFF thing, where everyone is a "winner". That's my guess, anyway.

That particular theater the festival shows at is only a couple of miles from my house, btw. Pretty sure we've held auditions there, at some point. Small & cheap rental space.

But yeah... need more details from OP. :)
 
Yeah, what's it all about? I submitted a music video for $35 a few months ago. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a scam. It happens. That's the gamble we take I suppose.

I'll send them an email and take it from there.
 
Besides the many reasons I already know they are a scamfest, the fact that the name of the director which is listed on withoutabox doesn't exist is a huge red flag.

Loren Broadbent is listed as director, when I did an online search for that name the only thing that comes up is the withoutabox listing. A director of a festival would have something online, a post, a blog, a film, something with their name attached to it.

They are saying they will hand out 100 awards at Two Roads Theatre, how is that possible in a theatre the size of my bedroom? It is also a play house not a cinema so there is no screen and only around 30 seats.

The website has no contact name, number or address. The only way to send them the money is through withoutabox. Thats the best way to cover their tracks as withoutabox wont do anything about it.
 
The Scam is they are not a real festival. Taking entry fees but never actually having a festival.

After July 23rd, you can claim they've never put on a festival... if that's the case.

I can almost guarantee there'll be something playing there, on that date though. Whether or not it rises to your definition of a legit festival is another matter entirely.

You wanna go see it on July 23rd? You're local, apparently. :cool:
 
I am on here to try and make other filmmakers aware of this so they don't waste their money. I could be editing my script right now but I am going to every filmmaker site to try and warn people. I did just sign up today, I don't get why anyone would try and argue with me or make it out like I am up to something... I am not the bad guy I am a filmmaker like everyone else on here trying to get by.

With all the overwhelming circumstantial evidence leading to the festival being a fake, why would anyone wait to find out? If you wait then they will get every entry fee up until the last minute. This is how these guys get away with it and continue to do it. Filmmakers shrug their shoulders and say oh well we have to put up with it. Actually we don't have to and people should be more pissed off than they are.

I will get my money back because I got WAB insurance but for the filmmakers who didn't they will lose out.

If someone claims that they are a festival organized by industry professionals and does not have any industry professionals actually associated with the festival thats a lie and a scam.

If they claim to be putting on a the festival at a location but no one there knows anything about it, thats a scam.

There is no question they are a scam fest no matter what happens on the day, the festival has made claims that are not possible to deliver.
 
:) Fuggedaboutit, CF!

I consider these festivals like playing the lottery. It's a gamble. Even when you don't get accepted your money is good as gone.

I spent $120 ($60 twice) thinking my script would get into the Austin Film Festival. No such luck. Legitimate festival, money still gone. And they had the nerve to send out the same rejection "form" letter each year. Bastards.
 
I don't get why anyone would try and argue with me or make it out like I am up to something... I am not the bad guy I am a filmmaker like everyone else on here trying to get by.

No one is attacking you; we're just curious about why you think this festival is a scam.

Thank you for the information.
 
I did just sign up today, I don't get why anyone would try and argue with me or make it out like I am up to something... I am not the bad guy I am a filmmaker like everyone else on here trying to get by.

Welcome Weather_Girl.

Please understand that no one is arguing with you or
trying to make you out as the bad guy. Your very first
post had no information at all. You asked fellow filmmakers
to join you in a battle we knew nothing about. So you
were asked questions.

We all want to draw attention to scam festivals. All of us.
Most of us are willing to help a fellow filmmaker get a fest
removed from WAB that is scamming us. But we also need
to know what the problems are.

That's fair, isn't it?

As the old saying goes; "Just the facts, ma'am." Tell us the
why and you will find support in this group.
 
I just got a reply via email from the festival:

Hello Jeff,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, We are not sure where this is coming from. This is absolutely not true. We will be holding screenings as stated on our website next month. We are currently in the judging process for our first season festival. Again thank you for making us aware of this matter.

Best,
Staff @
The Los Angeles Art-House Film Festival
12400 Ventura Blvd. #226
Studio City, CA. 91604

So there ya go.
 
The email is has no name at all... does no one else find that unusual? They also have not provided one single way of getting in direct contact with a person by phone, email or address. The only contact is through info@ email address.

If your festival is legitimate wouldn't you want your name associated with the event? I have never been in contact with any film festival that has excluded their name or the name of their staff in correspondence.

The address they have provided is a mail box. Is this not further evidence that they are not working from any real location and are willing to give that information out?

This is what I know so far:

When I search the name of the festival director Loren Broadbent online, nothing comes up. No information about this person or anything they have done in regards to the film industry or anything else for that matter. The website claims a group of industry professionals are running the event. They are misrepresenting themselves.

They are charging up to $100 in submission fees. Even established film festivals do not charge this amount. $100 for a festival being supposedly held for one day at a performance theatre in Studio City is pretty steep especially considering the space is very small, how many people will be able to attend this 'event' to make the submission fee worth it.

The website shows images of films and awards that are not associated with the festival. Pulp Fiction, The Godfather. The Oscars. Industry professionals would not need to try and legitimize themselves by using such a lame tactic.

Where is the information online about the festival? No blog posts, no magazine articles. They have not promoted the festival at all and it is a month away.

The only information they have given the filmmakers are that they are a group of industry professionals with no phone number, no direct email and are working from a post box.

What else can I provide besides a statement from them that they are scammers that would convince others.

I am still investigating this and I would love support from my fellow filmmakers.
 
I feel like my post has been looked over (except for you, Flicker, wassup!).

My older brother once bought a Sobakawa Pillow. The infomercial looked really convincing, like it would save his back and help him sleep better, or something.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/AS-Seen-on-TV-Sobakawa-Micro-Bead-Cloud-Pillow/14291327

It's a fucking bean bag.

That's my brothers' fault. He has nobody to blame but himself, for making such a poor purchasing decision.

Weather Girl, I agree with you. This festival looks shady as shit. So why did you send them your money?

On a side-note, may I interest you in a lovely slightly-used Sobakawa Pillow? :)

I'm not making fun of you. I'm just trying to have fun with ya. It's my opinion that you are correct, in your suspicion, but you nevertheless should lighten-up. So you sent them some money. You're not getting what you thought was advertised for that money. But they are still going to hold some kind of "festival", and that will mean that they've legally followed-through on their promise, so you'll have no recourse in asking for a refund.

Sometimes it is therapeutic to simply vent your frustrations, and you've done that. It is also healthy to just let it go.

And there's your armchair psychology for the day. Now, take a look in the mirror, and repeat after me,

"I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And doggonit, people like me!"

:)
 
Hi. I didn't ignore it. I actually watched it and had a good laugh.

I completely get what your saying. Trust me, I am not the type of person who makes a big deal about nothing. I am however really passionate about this. I will get a refund as I mentioned because I bought WAB insurance but other filmmakers wont. So why do I care...

I think its the wrong attitude to have that we should just allow this to happen and move on. If you were a scammer and read this post you would think, how perfect is this, their all going to roll over and die while I fly off to Mexico screaming SUCKERS! So then the scammers think no one will ever stop them or step up and demand accountability. WAB needs to show accountability too.

I get that no one on here really cares, I understand why and will stop trying to make people. I will not stop trying to expose this for what it is and I just thought it would be nice to have fellow filmmakers marching next to me. No such luck.

I maybe came across as overly impassioned about something without explaining myself. Next post I write (in a different forum) will start with a thorough explanation of the matter ha ha.

You guys have taught me something... there ya go I am happy again.

Good luck with all your filmmaking adventures!
 
CRACKER FUNK...

Sorry, I didn't answer your question about why I entered.

I naively believed Withoutabox would screen the festivals as they seem like a very professional site that is run for the benefit of filmmakers. I did not look at the film festivals website only the WAB listing. Very foolish of me indeed.

I know realize that WAB must charge a fee for festivals to register and that is the only contact they have with them. If there is a screening process it must not be working as this festival was allowed to slip through.
 
Trust me, I am not the type of person who makes a big deal about nothing.
I hope you understand that based on your first post to this
community we couldn't just jump in and trust you. Your
subsequent posts have been excellent. On all message boards
people post in anger about some festival or filmmaker. More
often than not it's a "drive by" post so it's understandable that
the board regulars would be cautious and have questions before
joining in.

I get that no one on here really cares, I understand why and will stop trying to make people.
I'm sorry this is the impression you have gotten. We all care.
Every one of us who has posted on this thread cares. Flicker
posted about this on Twitter and sent an email, I did some on
line research and even called the theater. We care.

I agree with you that this "festival" seems sketchy and from
reading the replies from Cracker, Flicker and Uranium I get the
impression all four of us not only care, but agree with you. I
hope you re-read the posts and change your opinion that no one
here cares. We care.

I naively believed Withoutabox would screen the festivals as they seem like a very professional site that is run for the benefit of filmmakers. I did not look at the film festivals website only the WAB listing. Very foolish of me indeed.
Not foolish at all. It happens to all of us. Lesson learned. As the
saying goes, "Caveat emptor". I bet you never send your money
to anyone ever again without doing a little research. And that's a
good thing in the long run.

I hope you get your money back.
 
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