*Beware of Silver Screen Talent Group Inc., Toronto, Ontario.
I have kept detailed records of all information provided, and it is fact. Mr. Dutton, owner of Silver Screen Talent Group Inc. is now making false accusations which is very concerning to me. I was very patient and made legitimate complaints to various sources ONLY after Silver Screen failed to respond to me... as everyone should. Mr. Dutton is now retaliating due to these complaints. Below is the original detailed letter I mailed to "Silver Screen Inc., Toronto, Canada" in October of 2004 - 14 months after signing with them.
"To Whom It Concerns, October 22, 2004
Let me first state that it upsets me a great deal to be writing this letter to you. On July 21, 2003, I happily auditioned for the Tour Promotion/ Model and Talent Bureau of Cambridge Ontario. Cost - $45.00. 1 month later, I received a high assessment grading along with a letter stating that I was accepted by your company to audition in Halifax on August 21, 2003. An additional $99.00 was paid and was refundable if SilverScreen Inc. didn't accept me after auditioning.
I arrived in Halifax after spending several hundred dollars in traveling expenses. My audition consisted of nothing more than conversation - more about the interviewer than my skills and talents. After being accepted, I signed a contract and paid $250.00 cash on August 21, 2003 with the agreement that I would pay the remaining $210.10 within 3 weeks or so. I was contacted by phone less than 3 weeks later on a Saturday morning requesting the remaining payment. I made that payment of $210.10 on the phone by credit card.
I emailed SilverScreen Talent Group Inc. On November 4, 2003 without ever receiving a reply. I called the office in Toronto on November 20, 2003. I receive a response on December 4, 2003 from Toronto office at which time I was immediately asked to pay an additional $50.00 - which was a P discount - to get my profile photo on the SilverScreen website. I declined. I was also told by Sean that my original contract should have 12 months, but was increased to 18 months due to the new office opening in Halifax. I was given the Halifax number for any additional questions I might have in the future.
I called and emailed the Halifax Office on March 17, 2004 with no reply.
June 9, 2004, 3:20pm, I receive a call from John stating that things were starting to pick up down there, meaning Halifax, and then John highly recommends that I pay an additional $250.00 plus traveling expenses so I can attend a seminar in Halifax which was coming up soon. At this time I said I have been called for more money before and that I had to decline... having little funds. I also stated that I didn't receive a profile photo or anything from their office yet. I was told that they would be sent right out. The first two that showed up were bent, and I called again to get 2 more sent out. They showed up shortly thereafter.
September 19, 2004, 5:40pm - I called Toronto office and left a message. A few days later a Christine responded to my call. I told her most of what is in this letter, and that I was requesting a refund based on these facts and the contract I had signed with SliverScreen. She replied that she would relay my problem and information to Steve, and that he would get back to me the next day probably as he likes to take care of these problems personally.
Over 30 days later; I have yet to receive a response from SilverScreen Inc., and I think I have been more than patient over the past 14 months. I can appreciate that perhaps your company may have taken on more clients than it can handle, and therefore I am requesting a full refund of $460.10
with no explanation needed.
Written Without Prejudice.
Sincerely,
James xxxx
This next letter below is an exact copy of the second letter I faxed to the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services of Ontario on June 29, 2005 regarding Silver Screen's response to them. Incidentally Silver Screen Inc. failed to respond to the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services as stated in their letter to me dated April 18, 2005.
"In response to your letter dated June 21, 2005 regarding a long awaited response from Silver Screen.
My complaints are not unfounded - I have kept detailed records of all information provided, and it is fact. Mr. Dutton is making false accusations which is very concerning to me. I was very patient and only
made legitimate complaints to various sources after Silver Screen failed to respond to me... as everyone should. Mr. Dutton is obviously retaliating due to these complaints.
As to what's stated in Mr. Dutton's letter to you dated May 15, 2005: Mr. Dutton never spoke to me on several occasions - I spoke to him once when signing the contract on August 21, 2003, and then once on my last attempt to contact the company regarding my complaints via their emergency number which is Mr. Dutton's home phone number. I have never spoked to him at any other time. I was only asked for more money by silver screen reps on the other line 2 times they called - I received nothing else from this company at any time. The last conversation in question was when I called Silver Screen,
Toronto once again asking what their company was doing to promote me and why they haven't responded to me. I was given the run-around once again. I called the office in Toronto another time; asked for the owner; and I was told he was out of town. When I called the emergency number given with my contract - Mr. Dutton answered of course. I mentioned my complaints with our contract and the letters I sent without any satisfactory response. He immediately started calling me very degrading names, belittled me, and made homosexual remarks to me - my girlfriend heard Mr. Dutton's remarks. Mr. Dutton hung up on me about 10 times. Every time I called, he would call me names and hang up or leave the phone sitting there. Mr. Dutton told me that he was sending the remainder of my 25 photos to me (which I still have NOT received) and was going to cancel our contract due to me slandering their
company's name. I know what it means when a company swindles someone out of their money.
I didn't state anything about the company and my experience with them that was false. It is fact. When I company doesn't live up to their end of a contract, and then doesn't respond - it's just wrong. I asked why he was doing this to me - Mr. Dutton's exact response was, That's what we do. He hung up at that time. I did not call back. 5 minutes later I receive a call from the Toronto Police stating that I would be charged with harassment if I called that number again - even after I explained the situation to the officer that called me.
The Officer agreed that this business seemed to have bad business practices, and that I should contact a lawyer, because there was nothing the Police could do. Of course I don't have money for a lawyer - I was applying for a job in my local newspaper. I expected the company to do something for me - not just ask for more money without ever providing a service. That's what happened, I never threatened or slandered Mr. Dutton. I was abrupt and blunt when I spoke to people at the office when I was given the run-around every other time I called. They were made aware of the fact that I was losing my patience, but I was not rude. They were vague and procrastinated. Mr. Dutton made it very clear that he was enjoying getting me upset on the phone. He was laughing.
The letter I wrote to Silver Screen on October 22, 2004 and then forwarded to the Better Business Bureau of Ontario due to a non-responsive Silver Screen Inc., and then to your office on Feb.18, 2005 was a complaint that the company failed to live up to their end of our signed contract stating that they are to above all else, assist me in procuring employment and also to consult with me at my request.
The B.B.B of Ontario has had at least 3 recent complaints regarding Silver Screen's business practices, and therefore they have an unsatisfactory record with them. I posted a complaint on another complaint site stating detailed accounts of what the company and Mr. Dutton did to me. Anyone who doesn't live up to their end of a signed contract where money is involved is most certainly scamming me.
Others posted the same complaint before me on the same site. If Silver Screen Inc. would have satisfactorily responded to my letter dated Oct.22, 2004, it never would have escalated to me contacting the BBB of Ontario or your office for satisfaction.
I repeat that my letter dated October 22, 2004, is a detailed account. Silver Screen Inc. Is fully aware of this. What is stated in Mr. Dutton's letter to your company is contradictive to the facts. I have nothing to gain from this. I have obviously lost my money - so have several others - which is why I would simply not like to see this company continue their bad business practices. People work hard for their money - especially in the Maritimes.
I would like to know that the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services can do something, because I believe Silver Screen should be thoroughly investigated... at the very least. I bet the results and statistics would be very upsetting.
I would like to know who Silver Screen Inc. sent my photos to as mentioned in his letter to you and precisely when they did so, because I never received my 2 photos out of the 25 I paid for until the end of June, 2004... 10 months after signing with Silver Screen Inc..
I would like to end by stating that Mr. Dutton knows precisely what my "problem" is. He recieved my detailed letter of complaint and decided to simply ignore me.
Yours Truly,
Jim xxx"
For anyone interested - feel free to contact me.
Jim
Fredericton, NorthWest Territories
Canada
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