p.15 #1 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
The sad reality is that too many lies and promises have been made from the highest levels of Gameface management. Many including myself have received phone calls from Mr. Lavallee attempting to pitch the same promises and many of us have received the same promising scripted emails. It would be great if they survive but the way they manage expenses in the past were a great forecaster of the inevitable. The liberal use of travel and the need for sending staff and friends to cover some events that could be covered by local photographers as the original business model dictated. Lets face it until runners and participants are not allowed to carry cameras and selfie sticks the free download five to seven days later will never succeed. Nobody is going to repost images a week later to Facebook after they posted in real time at the event. What photographer has not been asked to take a picture with the participants smartphone? Well you just supported the demise of the Gameface business model.
p.15 #3 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
I would have to agree they are dying, they would need some very stupid investor at this point to put money in, that isn't going to happen.
the people who are still owned money, hate to say it, but the unsuspecting people who are still working current and future events maybe the only way for us to even have a possibility of getting paid. Who knows really maybe they are so far gone they are not paying anyone at this point...
p.15 #4 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
okay, i took a breather
i still stand by my previous comments. no one but TOP management knows the profitability of their business plan, so the best we can do is speculate. i figure they were reeling in dough from the sponsor watermarks (US Army Reserve, Merrell, Kahlua, etc.). enough dough that future races will cover past, assuming no future dumb investments.
from what i know, last year, they bought some new multi-million dollar cataloging software that really sped up processing times of the race photos. somehow accounting did not do the cash flow statements correctly, and here we are.
XYZ123 (rather, everyone), i heard over the grapevine (no, revealing sources will identify me) that continuing photographers have been prioritized for payment, and have been paid for past invoices in order to keep them on. it makes sense. paying the longest due photogs that refuse to shoot any longer would just use up their trickle of their trickling balance (from current/future events!) however, paying those still loyal will keep their immediate events manned. eventually, those at the back of the bus will be paid.
yeah, i sound like a shill trying to get everyone to work for free. but i truly see that as the only viable way to recover the past money.
p.15 #5 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
"paying the longest due photogs that refuse to shoot any longer would just use up their trickle of their trickling balance (from current/future events!) however, paying those still loyal will keep their immediate events manned. eventually, those at the back of the bus will be paid."
pretty sad really. I know its probably the reality but that is complete BS and a basically is sending the message that they are a trash company that doesn't care about anything but themselves, but we already knew that right....
regardless, the damage has already been done. I am sure the majority of the shooters are already not happy and I am sure current shooters and vets. that have been shooting with them for years have priority over me and others. I guess it doesn't mater if they said they would pay in 2 weeks, yet its been 6 months, and yet they still have money to pay the people that will currently still shoot for them. if they would have paid me I would still shoot for them as well.
p.15 #8 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
Look around. Sports shooting for money is just about dead. I don't know where y'all are shooting but nobody around here is paying diddly squat for sports photographers. Gameface is one of very few companies in the country that pays anything outside of spec for sports photographers.
They are having trouble now so let's be sure to crucify them instead of wishing them well and hoping they recover to the point that they can pay photographers to shoot sports. If there's anything some people love more than kicking someone when they're down I don't know what it is.
You know who else went bankrupt, or nearly bankrupt, and came back? Kodak. Apple. Marvel Entertainment. Six Flags. Texaco. American Airlines. Delta, United and Air Canada to name a few. Not that Gameface is even considering bankruptcy. I don't know.
But, with that being said, let the stoning continue. Good luck getting your foot in the door with anybody who actually pays you to shoot sports. If you can get USA Today to speak to you they will pay you $125.00 per event plus spec on the photos you submit. You're looking at 4-6 hours to cover an event for them, including processing, captioning and transmitting photos. That's around $25.00 per hour plus some royalties trickling in if your photos sell. Gameface rates are what? $50.00 per hour? And you hand them the photos on a card and go home? Yeah, let's put an end to that asap.
Personally, I'd like to see this thread shut down. It has gone way past informative into the land of bashing and wild speculation.
p.15 #9 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
MikalWGrass wrote:
shooshoo, you just identified something akin to a ponzi scheme.
seems like it now that you mention it.
but, the money they're bringing in per event covers a lot more than the $50/hr*x shooters. there is more revenue coming in to cover than just the "next guy in line" so to speak.
p.15 #10 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
Marty Bingham wrote:
Look around. Sports shooting for money is just about dead. I don't know where y'all are shooting but nobody around here is paying diddly squat for sports photographers. Gameface is one of very few companies in the country that pays anything outside of spec for sports photographers.
They are having trouble now so let's be sure to crucify them instead of wishing them well and hoping they recover to the point that they can pay photographers to shoot sports. If there's anything some people love more than kicking someone when they're down I don't know what it is.
You know who else went bankrupt, or nearly bankrupt, and came back? Kodak. Apple. Marvel Entertainment. Six Flags. Texaco. American Airlines. Delta, United and Air Canada to name a few. Not that Gameface is even considering bankruptcy. I don't know.
But, with that being said, let the stoning continue. Good luck getting your foot in the door with anybody who actually pays you to shoot sports. If you can get USA Today to speak to you they will pay you $125.00 per event plus spec on the photos you submit. You're looking at 4-6 hours to cover an event for them, including processing, captioning and transmitting photos. That's around $25.00 per hour plus some royalties trickling if your photos sell. Gameface rates are what? $50.00 per hour? And you hand them the photos on a card and go home? Yeah, let's put an end to that asap.
Personally, I'd like to see this thread shut down. It has gone way past informative into the land of bashing and wild speculation.
Marty, it sounds like you've never shot for GF, can i assume that? most GF shooters have no idea where the money's coming from, so i don't see how a passerby could. GF is censoring all form of social media, so this thread and a few others have become the only place that we can discuss the issue without fear of retribution. hopefully you can understand that.
p.15 #11 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
Marty, why would you like to see this thread shutdown? it is one protection similar to online reviews about a business. Why is it bad to let unsuspecting people know what to look out for when the company itself is very shady in its practices.
Regardless of how sports shooting as an industry is performing, the fact is that the contract we agreed to stated payment would be made in 2 weeks for our services they provided their customers a delivered product. Their business is still being running as "normal". Yet they will cherry pick who gets paid and when while others are left out to dry.
p.15 #12 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
matthewo wrote:
Marty, why would you like to see this thread shutdown?
Like I said before, it has gone way past informative into the land of bashing and wild speculation. And I'm embarrassed by the unprofessional screeching.
Marty, it sounds like you've never shot for GF, can i assume that?
You are correct. But because of this thread I submitted an application and have requested two shoots in my area. I would rather offer my support to a company that, even though they appear to be struggling, is at least trying to make a go in a tough industry than sit back and badmouth them.
If they win I win. If they go down in flames I have lost a few days work. I can take a hit. Personally, I think they will turn it around.
p.15 #13 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
Marty Bingham wrote:
Like I said before, it has gone way past informative into the land of bashing and wild speculation. And I'm embarrassed by the unprofessional screeching.
You are correct. But because of this thread I submitted an application and have requested two shoots in my area. I would rather offer my support to a company that, even though they appear to be struggling, is at least trying to make a go in a tough industry than sit back and badmouth them.
If they win I win. If they go down in flames I have lost a few days work. I can take a hit. Personally, I think they will turn it around.
Here's the problem. They aren't just "struggling". They are actively lying and deceiving people. And THAT'S why people are so up in arms. This isn't just people mad because they didn't get paid. It's the dozens of broken promises, the current craigslist ads, etc. So yeah, this thread serves a purpose to warn people to be careful and to not get deceived.
p.15 #14 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
Unless and until they work out the five to seven day turn around for results the people entering these events are looking for bragging rights to show their coworkers and friends in near real time. Thanks to Snapchat, facebook and whatever will come next, participants are looking for real time acknowledgement. Remember it only counts if the experience is able to elevate the current egocentric nature of the participants. Sad to say but everyone thinks they should have a loftier online presents. Think of the photos as a 21st century equivalent of a participation ribbon! Gameface is not able to capitalize on the need for this immediate gratification. Thus the participants will carry a watertight, shockproof, instantly gratification device and hand it to the photographers at the events to take the photos for them. The reality is the watermarked images are not being downloaded and the investors are not getting a better bang for their buck, the Gameface model needs to keep up with the demand of the participant.
p.15 #16 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
shooshoo wrote:
okay, i took a breather
i still stand by my previous comments. no one but TOP management knows the profitability of their business plan, so the best we can do is speculate. i figure they were reeling in dough from the sponsor watermarks (US Army Reserve, Merrell, Kahlua, etc.). enough dough that future races will cover past, assuming no future dumb investments.
So I guess one could also say no one but TOP management knows how UN profitable their business plan is today!
p.15 #17 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
gordorad wrote:
So I guess one could also say no one but TOP management knows how UN profitable their business plan is today!
thanks for the youtube-level trolling. if you bothered to read: "they bought some new multi-million dollar cataloging software that really sped up processing times of the race photos"
the biz was profitable for years before, and now there's a hiccup
p.15 #20 · Gameface media - heads up on getting paid
shooshoo wrote:
Throwing in my 2c: i've worked w/ GF for years now, first time payments have ever been delayed for me. I am owed >$5,000. Last event that I've been paid for was in April. Please ask any questions that might help us progress these payments, I am sorely in need.
Have you been paid any of the $5000 plus you are owed? That's a big sum. You must be a team leader?
