I do believe I am the only person of color working on this show. I brought the talent to the table. I worked with the Lamont twins for 5 years pitching them. 2 years even before I met Courtney at JV productions. They have continued to call me a casting producer although I pitched the Lamont’s as a show and helped with the development of the current show.
although I have an executive producer credit and had one on another HGTV show. Change My Space. I have been in the TV business for over 30 years. I find that very disrespectful. I don’t think any of the other EP’S or Co Ep’s on the show are being treated like this. As a black female Executive Producer, I should not be either. I have worked hard to get to where I am in this business.
She has also repeatedly belittled my contribution to the show calling me a casting producer. You can even see it written on the spreadsheet where they paid me part of the development fee. It says Casting Producer 3,500.
Receiving information on production
JV productions have been a nightmare to try to get answers or information about the production. I have not received any information on the show from JV. They have basically shut me out completely. No information on casting, shooting schedule, script, etc. When I asked numerous times about information about the show that I should receive as an Executive Producer (as per my contract) When I asked about other information about the show I was told just last week that the HGTV executives were now running the show not JV so they didn’t have any information.
They have told me they are months behind which is the reason they can’t pay me. Because of a problem with permits. They live in Canada, and I live in Dallas where the show is shot… Where I found the Lamonts. Perhaps because I am on the ground here I could help with permits or something that is going on here in Texas. I went to university here as well and my parents have lived here for 42 years. I know my way around the Dallas area.
Have they asked me to or included me in anything? No. I don’t mind a passive deal meaning not being hands-on on the shoot. But I do expect to be included and kept up to date on the hirings, shooting schedule scripts, etc. of the show. I was told by JV that they gave me a passive deal because they were not going to need a “casting producer” Again I am an executive producer on this show, not a casting producer. This again is a put-down.
Payment
As far as payment according to them, the first check was to be at the commencement of shooting. Shooting began in May and I was not notified that shooting had begun till July. Nor was I informed about the payment plan that they were proposing. When I inquired about payment Courtney emailed me and said I would be paid as an outside contractor 25% at the commencement of shooting, 25% and the end of shooting, and 50% at the delivery of all shows. I never agreed to this. (This is not in my contract)
They had already been shooting for 2 months before I even knew they were shooting, and I had to send an invoice and wait 30 days to be paid. To date, I have received 1 payment of $7,200 in July. I was told that I would get another check in February. I sent my invoice in August. It has been 6 months since the first and only payment. Last week I was told no it won’t be February it may not be till April because we are behind in shooting.
I was told they had already shot 3 shows. From my understanding, the episode fee is $295,000 per episode. I am sure that all the above-the-line people have been paid except me. Why is that? I believe it is because it is not a priority for them and that they are retaliating against me.
At this point have they will only send me my money 21,000 if will sign away my right to any future disputes, They want me to sign something that anulls the original agreement. And the agreement also says if I do anything to breach the agreement I will not be entitled to future payments or credits. This is a new agreement they want me to sign. However, there is still another 20,000 that they over from so-called development overages. Which this new agreement they want me to sign keeps me from disputing. See next paragraph about development overages.
Development overages
Furthermore, in my contract and with their lawyer Sandra by email I agreed to help pay for some development overages. During the signing of the contract, their attorney spoke to me about $30,000 which I would pay 35% I agreed to help them but I would have to SEE the new numbers and to approve them before I agreed to pay. When they sent me the spreadsheet there were $125,000 in development overages.
They intended to dock me $20,000 out of the amount I was owed $48,000. After my lawyer and I looked at the overages we found $ 51,000 were their own expenses. My attorney wrote them saying they were double-dipping. Costs such as overhead for their rent and supplies for their office in Canada, their DocuSign account, The attorney’s fees for negotiating my deal, attorney fees for negotiating the Lamont’s deal were all included. Kirk and Courtney paid themselves multiple times as director, producer, editor, development producer you name it. They even have the $3,500 they paid me as a onetime fee on the spreadsheet as a development cost—So they are double charging me for money I received. See spreadsheet attached.
I personally have never heard of a production company overspending that much. HGTV gave them $47,000 for a sizzle and a pilot. Their total spent was $160,000. I don’t think I should be responsible for their outrageous, irresponsible development overages. Also, any unrecouped development costs are generally recouped and amortized by production companies over the first season from production margins/savings.
In closing, when Buy It or Build it was greenlit, I was excited to be a part of the Discovery family. It happened right after all of the Black Lives Matters protests and the murder of George Floyd.
In the past, HGTV has had very few shows featuring black talent. The Lamont’s had been pitched twice before to HGTV the network passed. My question is if you have black talent but the black people behind the scenes are treated poorly is that really any progress?
Courtney also alienated me from my talent by telling them what my deal with JV was. Apparently, the Lamonts asked JV for 40% of the producer’s fee and Courtney told them they could not give them 40% because they had given me 35% The Lamont’s called me screaming that I was going to give them each 10 percent or they were not going to do the show and that I should have only gotten a finder’s fee. Courtney did not let me know she had shared this private information with the Lamonts. I was ambushed when they called.
The Lamont’s have not spoken to me since that time. After that Courtney sent me an email saying if I did not give the Lamonts part of my percentage they would move forward and do the show without me.
Something else that happened… One of their producers emailed the Lamonts calling them “boys” I called Courtney quickly to let her know that it was racially insensitive to call black men boys. I think this is an important reason why I should know what’s going on the show in the way of the final edit as well. Since they are Canadian, they may not understand what is acceptable and unacceptable to diverse groups here in the States.
I have also experienced several microaggressions from Courtney. In one email she spoke about my “behavior” she was speaking of my asserting myself in my email to them. That can be looked at as the troupe of the angry black woman because we are perhaps assertive and straightforward in our conversation and attitude.
I do believe I am the only person of color working on this show. I brought the talent to the table. I worked with the Lamont twins for 5 years pitching them. 2 years even before I met Courtney at JV productions. They have continued to call me a casting producer although I pitched the Lamont’s as a show and helped with the development of the current show.
although I have an executive producer credit and had one on another HGTV show. Change My Space. I have been in the TV business for over 30 years. I find that very disrespectful. I don’t think any of the other EP’S or Co Ep’s on the show are being treated like this. As a black female Executive Producer, I should not be either. I have worked hard to get to where I am in this business.
Courtney also alienated me from my talent by telling them what my deal with JV was. Apparently, the Lamonts asked JV for 40% of the producer’s fee and Courtney told them they could not give them 40% because they had given me 35% The Lamont’s called me screaming that I was going to give them each 10 percent or they were not going to do the show and that I should have only gotten a finder’s fee. Courtney did not let me know she had shared this private information with the Lamonts. I was ambushed when they called.
The Lamont’s have not spoken to me since that time. After that Courtney sent me an email saying if I did not give the Lamonts part of my percentage they would move forward and do the show without me.
Something else that happened… One of their producers emailed the Lamonts calling them “boys” I called Courtney quickly to let her know that it was racially insensitive to call black men boys. I think this is an important reason why I should know what’s going on the show in the way of the final edit as well. Since they are Canadian, they may not understand what is acceptable and unacceptable to diverse groups here in the States.
I have also experienced several microaggressions from Courtney. In one email she spoke about my “behavior” she was speaking of my asserting myself in my email to them. That can be looked at as the troupe of the angry black woman because we are perhaps assertive and straightforward in our conversation and attitude.
She has also repeatedly belittled my contribution to the show calling me a casting producer. You can even see it written on the spreadsheet where they paid me part of the development fee. It says Casting Producer 3,500.
Receiving information on production
JV productions have been a nightmare to try to get answers or information about the production. I have not received any information on the show from JV. They have basically shut me out completely. No information on casting, shooting schedule, script, etc. When I asked numerous times about information about the show that I should receive as an Executive Producer (as per my contract) When I asked about other information about the show I was told just last week that the HGTV executives were now running the show not JV so they didn’t have any information.
They have told me they are months behind which is the reason they can’t pay me. Because of a problem with permits. They live in Canada, and I live in Dallas where the show is shot… Where I found the Lamonts. Perhaps because I am on the ground here I could help with permits or something that is going on here in Texas. I went to university here as well and my parents have lived here for 42 years. I know my way around the Dallas area.
Have they asked me to or included me in anything? No. I don’t mind a passive deal meaning not being hands-on on the shoot. But I do expect to be included and kept up to date on the hirings, shooting schedule scripts, etc. of the show. I was told by JV that they gave me a passive deal because they were not going to need a “casting producer” Again I am an executive producer on this show, not a casting producer. This again is a put-down.
Payment
As far as payment according to them, the first check was to be at the commencement of shooting. Shooting began in May and I was not notified that shooting had begun till July. Nor was I informed about the payment plan that they were proposing. When I inquired about payment Courtney emailed me and said I would be paid as an outside contractor 25% at the commencement of shooting, 25% and the end of shooting, and 50% at the delivery of all shows. I never agreed to this. (This is not in my contract)
They had already been shooting for 2 months before I even knew they were shooting, and I had to send an invoice and wait 30 days to be paid. To date, I have received 1 payment of $7,200 in July. I was told that I would get another check in February. I sent my invoice in August. It has been 6 months since the first and only payment. Last week I was told no it won’t be February it may not be till April because we are behind in shooting.
I was told they had already shot 3 shows. From my understanding, the episode fee is $295,000 per episode. I am sure that all the above-the-line people have been paid except me. Why is that? I believe it is because it is not a priority for them and that they are retaliating against me.
At this point have they will only send me my money 21,000 if will sign away my right to any future disputes, They want me to sign something that anulls the original agreement. And the agreement also says if I do anything to breach the agreement I will not be entitled to future payments or credits. This is a new agreement they want me to sign. However, there is still another 20,000 that they over from so-called development overages. Which this new agreement they want me to sign keeps me from disputing. See next paragraph about development overages.
Development overages
Furthermore, in my contract and with their lawyer Sandra by email I agreed to help pay for some development overages. During the signing of the contract, their attorney spoke to me about $30,000 which I would pay 35% I agreed to help them but I would have to SEE the new numbers and to approve them before I agreed to pay. When they sent me the spreadsheet there were $125,000 in development overages.
They intended to dock me $20,000 out of the amount I was owed $48,000. After my lawyer and I looked at the overages we found $ 51,000 were their own expenses. My attorney wrote them saying they were double-dipping. Costs such as overhead for their rent and supplies for their office in Canada, their DocuSign account, The attorney’s fees for negotiating my deal, attorney fees for negotiating the Lamont’s deal were all included. Kirk and Courtney paid themselves multiple times as director, producer, editor, development producer you name it. They even have the $3,500 they paid me as a onetime fee on the spreadsheet as a development cost—So they are double charging me for money I received. See spreadsheet attached.
I personally have never heard of a production company overspending that much. HGTV gave them $47,000 for a sizzle and a pilot. Their total spent was $160,000. I don’t think I should be responsible for their outrageous, irresponsible development overages. Also, any unrecouped development costs are generally recouped and amortized by production companies over the first season from production margins/savings.
In closing, when Buy It or Build it was greenlit, I was excited to be a part of the Discovery family. It happened right after all of the Black Lives Matters protests and the murder of George Floyd.
In the past, HGTV has had very few shows featuring black talent. The Lamont’s had been pitched twice before to HGTV the network passed. My question is if you have black talent but the black people behind the scenes are treated poorly is that really any progress?
JV Productions Reviews
I do believe I am the only person of color working on this show. I brought the talent to the table. I worked with the Lamont twins for 5 years pitching them. 2 years even before I met Courtney at JV productions. They have continued to call me a casting producer although I pitched the Lamont’s as a show and helped with the development of the current show.
although I have an executive producer credit and had one on another HGTV show. Change My Space. I have been in the TV business for over 30 years. I find that very disrespectful. I don’t think any of the other EP’S or Co Ep’s on the show are being treated like this. As a black female Executive Producer, I should not be either. I have worked hard to get to where I am in this business.
She has also repeatedly belittled my contribution to the show calling me a casting producer. You can even see it written on the spreadsheet where they paid me part of the development fee. It says Casting Producer 3,500.
Receiving information on production
JV productions have been a nightmare to try to get answers or information about the production. I have not received any information on the show from JV. They have basically shut me out completely. No information on casting, shooting schedule, script, etc. When I asked numerous times about information about the show that I should receive as an Executive Producer (as per my contract) When I asked about other information about the show I was told just last week that the HGTV executives were now running the show not JV so they didn’t have any information.
They have told me they are months behind which is the reason they can’t pay me. Because of a problem with permits. They live in Canada, and I live in Dallas where the show is shot… Where I found the Lamonts. Perhaps because I am on the ground here I could help with permits or something that is going on here in Texas. I went to university here as well and my parents have lived here for 42 years. I know my way around the Dallas area.
Have they asked me to or included me in anything? No. I don’t mind a passive deal meaning not being hands-on on the shoot. But I do expect to be included and kept up to date on the hirings, shooting schedule scripts, etc. of the show. I was told by JV that they gave me a passive deal because they were not going to need a “casting producer” Again I am an executive producer on this show, not a casting producer. This again is a put-down.
Payment
As far as payment according to them, the first check was to be at the commencement of shooting. Shooting began in May and I was not notified that shooting had begun till July. Nor was I informed about the payment plan that they were proposing. When I inquired about payment Courtney emailed me and said I would be paid as an outside contractor 25% at the commencement of shooting, 25% and the end of shooting, and 50% at the delivery of all shows. I never agreed to this. (This is not in my contract)
They had already been shooting for 2 months before I even knew they were shooting, and I had to send an invoice and wait 30 days to be paid. To date, I have received 1 payment of $7,200 in July. I was told that I would get another check in February. I sent my invoice in August. It has been 6 months since the first and only payment. Last week I was told no it won’t be February it may not be till April because we are behind in shooting.
I was told they had already shot 3 shows. From my understanding, the episode fee is $295,000 per episode. I am sure that all the above-the-line people have been paid except me. Why is that? I believe it is because it is not a priority for them and that they are retaliating against me.
At this point have they will only send me my money 21,000 if will sign away my right to any future disputes, They want me to sign something that anulls the original agreement. And the agreement also says if I do anything to breach the agreement I will not be entitled to future payments or credits. This is a new agreement they want me to sign. However, there is still another 20,000 that they over from so-called development overages. Which this new agreement they want me to sign keeps me from disputing. See next paragraph about development overages.
Development overages
Furthermore, in my contract and with their lawyer Sandra by email I agreed to help pay for some development overages. During the signing of the contract, their attorney spoke to me about $30,000 which I would pay 35% I agreed to help them but I would have to SEE the new numbers and to approve them before I agreed to pay. When they sent me the spreadsheet there were $125,000 in development overages.
They intended to dock me $20,000 out of the amount I was owed $48,000. After my lawyer and I looked at the overages we found $ 51,000 were their own expenses. My attorney wrote them saying they were double-dipping. Costs such as overhead for their rent and supplies for their office in Canada, their DocuSign account, The attorney’s fees for negotiating my deal, attorney fees for negotiating the Lamont’s deal were all included. Kirk and Courtney paid themselves multiple times as director, producer, editor, development producer you name it. They even have the $3,500 they paid me as a onetime fee on the spreadsheet as a development cost—So they are double charging me for money I received. See spreadsheet attached.
I personally have never heard of a production company overspending that much. HGTV gave them $47,000 for a sizzle and a pilot. Their total spent was $160,000. I don’t think I should be responsible for their outrageous, irresponsible development overages. Also, any unrecouped development costs are generally recouped and amortized by production companies over the first season from production margins/savings.
In closing, when Buy It or Build it was greenlit, I was excited to be a part of the Discovery family. It happened right after all of the Black Lives Matters protests and the murder of George Floyd.
In the past, HGTV has had very few shows featuring black talent. The Lamont’s had been pitched twice before to HGTV the network passed. My question is if you have black talent but the black people behind the scenes are treated poorly is that really any progress?
Courtney also alienated me from my talent by telling them what my deal with JV was. Apparently, the Lamonts asked JV for 40% of the producer’s fee and Courtney told them they could not give them 40% because they had given me 35% The Lamont’s called me screaming that I was going to give them each 10 percent or they were not going to do the show and that I should have only gotten a finder’s fee. Courtney did not let me know she had shared this private information with the Lamonts. I was ambushed when they called.
The Lamont’s have not spoken to me since that time. After that Courtney sent me an email saying if I did not give the Lamonts part of my percentage they would move forward and do the show without me.
Something else that happened… One of their producers emailed the Lamonts calling them “boys” I called Courtney quickly to let her know that it was racially insensitive to call black men boys. I think this is an important reason why I should know what’s going on the show in the way of the final edit as well. Since they are Canadian, they may not understand what is acceptable and unacceptable to diverse groups here in the States.
I have also experienced several microaggressions from Courtney. In one email she spoke about my “behavior” she was speaking of my asserting myself in my email to them. That can be looked at as the troupe of the angry black woman because we are perhaps assertive and straightforward in our conversation and attitude.
I do believe I am the only person of color working on this show. I brought the talent to the table. I worked with the Lamont twins for 5 years pitching them. 2 years even before I met Courtney at JV productions. They have continued to call me a casting producer although I pitched the Lamont’s as a show and helped with the development of the current show.
although I have an executive producer credit and had one on another HGTV show. Change My Space. I have been in the TV business for over 30 years. I find that very disrespectful. I don’t think any of the other EP’S or Co Ep’s on the show are being treated like this. As a black female Executive Producer, I should not be either. I have worked hard to get to where I am in this business.
Courtney also alienated me from my talent by telling them what my deal with JV was. Apparently, the Lamonts asked JV for 40% of the producer’s fee and Courtney told them they could not give them 40% because they had given me 35% The Lamont’s called me screaming that I was going to give them each 10 percent or they were not going to do the show and that I should have only gotten a finder’s fee. Courtney did not let me know she had shared this private information with the Lamonts. I was ambushed when they called.
The Lamont’s have not spoken to me since that time. After that Courtney sent me an email saying if I did not give the Lamonts part of my percentage they would move forward and do the show without me.
Something else that happened… One of their producers emailed the Lamonts calling them “boys” I called Courtney quickly to let her know that it was racially insensitive to call black men boys. I think this is an important reason why I should know what’s going on the show in the way of the final edit as well. Since they are Canadian, they may not understand what is acceptable and unacceptable to diverse groups here in the States.
I have also experienced several microaggressions from Courtney. In one email she spoke about my “behavior” she was speaking of my asserting myself in my email to them. That can be looked at as the troupe of the angry black woman because we are perhaps assertive and straightforward in our conversation and attitude.
She has also repeatedly belittled my contribution to the show calling me a casting producer. You can even see it written on the spreadsheet where they paid me part of the development fee. It says Casting Producer 3,500.
Receiving information on production
JV productions have been a nightmare to try to get answers or information about the production. I have not received any information on the show from JV. They have basically shut me out completely. No information on casting, shooting schedule, script, etc. When I asked numerous times about information about the show that I should receive as an Executive Producer (as per my contract) When I asked about other information about the show I was told just last week that the HGTV executives were now running the show not JV so they didn’t have any information.
They have told me they are months behind which is the reason they can’t pay me. Because of a problem with permits. They live in Canada, and I live in Dallas where the show is shot… Where I found the Lamonts. Perhaps because I am on the ground here I could help with permits or something that is going on here in Texas. I went to university here as well and my parents have lived here for 42 years. I know my way around the Dallas area.
Have they asked me to or included me in anything? No. I don’t mind a passive deal meaning not being hands-on on the shoot. But I do expect to be included and kept up to date on the hirings, shooting schedule scripts, etc. of the show. I was told by JV that they gave me a passive deal because they were not going to need a “casting producer” Again I am an executive producer on this show, not a casting producer. This again is a put-down.
Payment
As far as payment according to them, the first check was to be at the commencement of shooting. Shooting began in May and I was not notified that shooting had begun till July. Nor was I informed about the payment plan that they were proposing. When I inquired about payment Courtney emailed me and said I would be paid as an outside contractor 25% at the commencement of shooting, 25% and the end of shooting, and 50% at the delivery of all shows. I never agreed to this. (This is not in my contract)
They had already been shooting for 2 months before I even knew they were shooting, and I had to send an invoice and wait 30 days to be paid. To date, I have received 1 payment of $7,200 in July. I was told that I would get another check in February. I sent my invoice in August. It has been 6 months since the first and only payment. Last week I was told no it won’t be February it may not be till April because we are behind in shooting.
I was told they had already shot 3 shows. From my understanding, the episode fee is $295,000 per episode. I am sure that all the above-the-line people have been paid except me. Why is that? I believe it is because it is not a priority for them and that they are retaliating against me.
At this point have they will only send me my money 21,000 if will sign away my right to any future disputes, They want me to sign something that anulls the original agreement. And the agreement also says if I do anything to breach the agreement I will not be entitled to future payments or credits. This is a new agreement they want me to sign. However, there is still another 20,000 that they over from so-called development overages. Which this new agreement they want me to sign keeps me from disputing. See next paragraph about development overages.
Development overages
Furthermore, in my contract and with their lawyer Sandra by email I agreed to help pay for some development overages. During the signing of the contract, their attorney spoke to me about $30,000 which I would pay 35% I agreed to help them but I would have to SEE the new numbers and to approve them before I agreed to pay. When they sent me the spreadsheet there were $125,000 in development overages.
They intended to dock me $20,000 out of the amount I was owed $48,000. After my lawyer and I looked at the overages we found $ 51,000 were their own expenses. My attorney wrote them saying they were double-dipping. Costs such as overhead for their rent and supplies for their office in Canada, their DocuSign account, The attorney’s fees for negotiating my deal, attorney fees for negotiating the Lamont’s deal were all included. Kirk and Courtney paid themselves multiple times as director, producer, editor, development producer you name it. They even have the $3,500 they paid me as a onetime fee on the spreadsheet as a development cost—So they are double charging me for money I received. See spreadsheet attached.
I personally have never heard of a production company overspending that much. HGTV gave them $47,000 for a sizzle and a pilot. Their total spent was $160,000. I don’t think I should be responsible for their outrageous, irresponsible development overages. Also, any unrecouped development costs are generally recouped and amortized by production companies over the first season from production margins/savings.
In closing, when Buy It or Build it was greenlit, I was excited to be a part of the Discovery family. It happened right after all of the Black Lives Matters protests and the murder of George Floyd.
In the past, HGTV has had very few shows featuring black talent. The Lamont’s had been pitched twice before to HGTV the network passed. My question is if you have black talent but the black people behind the scenes are treated poorly is that really any progress?