Hollywood North Entertainment (HNE) revisited

I got an interesting email from a man named Shawn Mitchell, who claims to be the CEO of Hollywood North Entertainment. He would like people to know that he feels that the NBC10 news video that we posted a few weeks ago is not based on truth.  He actually used the word “slanderous” and requested that we remove the video, and says that he is in the process of suing NBC 10.

He also posted a completely non-slanderous comment on the post:

My name is Shawn Mitchell.  I’m the CEO of the company in question.  I’d first like to say that the piece above is IRRESPONSIBLE journalism.  Lu Ann Cahn is an “investigative reporter” who makes her living on sensationalizing isolated complaints into controversial stories.  The reporting in this interview is absolutely inaccurate.   Lu Ann is seemingly oblivious to what is real.  Sanela  (the girl segment) is/or was a client of ours.  She is however, a client with unrealistic expectations.  She thinks & acts as if she is “God’s Gift” to reality TV.  She has no interest in going to an actual audition or go see.  She believes that she can snap her fingers & be cast on a show.  She is for lack of better terms a “spoiled brat”.  How nice of her to agree to do this interview with her Saloon’s sign featured prominently in the background.  Free advertising anyone? 

The other lady is not even a client of ours.  I think they may have hired this lady to say these things.  Maybe they got her from Mike Lemon’s casting company.  The supposed top notch casting director in this piece. Google Mike Lemon casting and you’ll see allot of opinions like these http://phillyactressblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/offering-classes-shady-or-legitimate.html  The company we outsource the print production to charges $288.75 not $250 like the fake check they are holding up says.  Also take a look at the search they are doing on google.  They are pointing to a site that has nothing to do with HNE.  The whole report is absolutely ridiculous!!!

All I have to say is that we are a support casting company that is making huge in roads within the industry.  We represent individuals that we feel have a high % likelihood of being cast for reality shows.  We have the ability & drive to put our clients in front of any & all relevant decision makers that have a hand in up coming Reality TV castings.  Our sole focus is to assist our clients in their casting endeavors.  We DO NOT make a dime until you are cast.  Lu Ann conveniently forgot to mention this. 

I’m available to anyone that has any questions.

Sincerely,

Shawn Mitchell

NBC10’s LuAnn Cahn has been a broadcast journalist since 1978, and is an eight time Emmy Award winner. She won two Mid-Atlantic Region Emmy Awards for a special report which documented her person battle with breast cancer. She does not have a reputation of sensationalizing isolated complaints into controversial stories.

I have personal knowledge of Mike Lemon Casting, and they do actually get their clients work. You may not want to sign up for their acting  classes, and you don’t have to, but they are hardly a scam.

Here are the facts that I have about HNE (which I got from their website):

1. Hollywood North Entertainment sells “talent cards,” like the ones on this page. The charge for these cards is $288.75.

2. The reality stars on the “talent cards” were never clients (read: “customers”) of HNE. As Howie Gordon of Big Brother All Stars said in the video, he did not get on the CBS reality show through HNE, and he was paid to wear the t-shirt he is wearing on the HNE website.

3. You do not have to apply to HNE to be considered for any of the casting calls on their website. The direct contact information for all of those listing can easily be found on the web.

The bottom line is this: Reality Roll Call is well aware of the procedures for reality television casting; some of us through first-hand audition experience and some of us through professional relationships with casting companies. One of the reasons we post casting calls is to prevent people from spending their hard-earned money on things they probably don’t need, like “talent cards”.

If Ms. Cahn or NBC10 retracts their story, or if Howie contacts RRC to tell us he was lying about being paid, we will post a correction.

Reality TV Scam Brought To Light?

Last night NBC 10 news in Philadelphia did a story on Hollywood North Entertainment, shedding some much needed  light on their misleading claims about playing a part in getting some of the biggest reality stars their spots on tv.