Just got the word that DEN won BEST FEATURE FILM at the San Francisco Underground Film Festival. Although I did rant about it on a previous post, I'll take an award wherever I can get it.
For those keeping count:
BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE at Hollywood Underground Film Festival
BEST FEMALE ACTOR at the MELBOURNE UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL was won by our lead actress, DANA J RYAN, for her role in DEN.
BEST ACTOR at the NEW YORK CITY HORROR FESTIVAL was once again won by DANA J RYAN for her brilliant work in DEN as Cassandra.
And now BEST FEATURE FILM at the San Francisco Underground Film Festival.

The DEN killing machine keeps making its own path.

Greg Arce

Greg,
Good for you
May these be only the first on many more to come your way.
Ted (Leondo)

Den
Den
Den


Congratulations Greg


I hope the machine continues on

For the continuing adventures... uh, misadventures:

http://unseenfilms.blogspot.com/2014/01/den-2001_13.html

Greg

Congratulations Greg!

Well done, Greg. Congratulations!

I guess, thanks, but you guys are not reading the story. This original thread was years ago. Since then I went through all the lawsuits talked about in the story. I didn't know where else to place this so I found this old thread. Maybe it's best I start a new thread.

Greg

You've had our sympathy for the backstory. I interpreted your OP here as a positive moment in an otherwise sordid tale.

Congratulations on your award, even if bittersweet.

It doesn't seem too much like continuing misadventures, just a recap of a sad history. It appears from the story that you have given up on pursuing legal action. True? Is so, too bad.

Yeah, I went through a handful of lawyers and nothing came of it. Each lawyer would start with a positive outlook then after leading me on for awhile would suddenly turn the case down. I ended up going bankrupt doing everything I did to try and sell the film and pursue the law case.

I was just surprised when this reporter approached me out of the blue and was interested in the case again. He had been at the first festival we played at and seemed interested in finding out what happened.

Greg

Wow, Greg! I feel for you. Bunch of scumbags! That's about a blatant as it gets. And for those of us who have had a similar experience: Unless you are independently wealthy, legal help is very seldom on the side of the good guys.

I'm sure you and I could share some amazing stories of being cheated ... you in the film and theater industry, and me in the music business.

Arthur, I'm sure we could fill up books. People don't realize that in the real world David usually gets stomped on by Goliath. The reason you read stories about David winning is that they are the rarity so it makes for a good story. More than likely the guy with the big bucks wins. C'est la vie!

Greg

The gentleman that wrote the article came onto my Facebook page to say this:

Robert Melville: So where to begin with all this. Btw I'm the one that wrote the article. Honestly I'm blown away by the response on it. I've heard from so many people in what has only been 2 days, that are just shocked over the story.

I did a little promoting on twitter, and it somehow turned into 40,000 page views...an article on Reddit...and I heard today that a horror podcast is going to be discussing the article this weekend. Crazy.

I reached out to Greg, because I genuinely enjoyed DEN and felt as though he got a bum rap. It had nothing to do with being against the guys from SAW. Which I guess some "fans" have accused me of. But I was expecting that.

The general consensus has been very positive though. Greg is a true standup guy and I couldn't be happier that his name & film are getting out there. In some form at least.

Well ... maybe today's social media will bring about some sort of positive ending.

I hope your prediction comes true.

Greg

It will come true, Greg. In the end I predict that you will be vindicated and recognized for your film.

And it will be well deserved.

Good thoughts and Good Luck-

Bob

In the article, you say that you would be happy to be reimbursed for just your costs of around $100,000. That may be your problem. A lawyer wants a percentage and they'll want a much bigger percentage than that.

Well, that's what I'm saying now. In the beginning I just let the lawyers handle it. That's just my feeling right now after all the years I've been through it. And it's $150,000 that I lost with the whole project. I'm sure the lawyers were trying to ask or get something much higher.

The only reason I state that now is that I'm pretty honest about the situation. I don't want to bleed anyone of their funds. I just want to be made whole. Put back to square one would be fine by me. I know others would just try to make this into a cash cow, but I would just want to be paid back exactly what I put into it. Sure, if they gave me more that would be great, but I tend not to be greedy.

Greg

Where were these lawyers of yours located? Do you think some or many begged off because if they took your case, they would lose business from big players in the industry?

Oh, and I forgot to mention: Only the lawyers at the time new about the lowest I would go. They all asked what would be the minimum I would take to go away and I said that price. Of course, they all told me to keep it to myself at the time.

So they knew starting out my lowest price and they took the case, but explained that I should not tell that to anyone. I didn't. It's been almost ten years now so I think I can state exactly what I was thinking. I did understand the lawyers would try to get more and were going to take a good chunk out of that, too.

Greg