Downtime Productions Lied and screwed over 20 people out of pay ranging in the 100K. West Hollywood, California

The Beginning:

This all started like a lot of scams: Craigslist. I, along with 3 other guys, answered a craigslist add that was titled "Wanted Camera Man for new network show (okc area)" It said they were going to film a "network" television show and were looking for camera men with their own equipment for some "out of the box thinking." I applied and was contacted by Shelly that I had been selected and needed to fill out some paper work. They sent me 4 contracts to sign. One was a confidentially agreement, a production agreement, an application and one for pay. It said we would get union day rate pay for a Camera Man. We all signed it and faxed it in right away. The show was going to be called "Night Spots with Billy Ray." The host was this "rapper/comedian" named Billy Ray (aka "B Re", aka "Handkufz"). Supposedly he was a ghost writer for Quad City DJ's and the 69 Boyz. 

Next, we were contacted by Don James who mentioned to us that the pay would be exactly $2,500/day +15%. It would equal to around $8,600 for a 4 day shoot. He told us that we would get paid around the 16th of December. 

The Shoot/Production:

When the time came to start shooting we were contacted by the Director, who too didn't know this was a scam and wasn't paid either, and told us to meet at the hotel. They were arriving in a limo which looked to be from a funeral. It was B Ra, his producer Mary DoMoe, (the Producer) and Giorgio Garcia (the tour manager) along with a gang load of skanks that were to be PA's and Promotional Reps. Thursday (the first day) we all went to dinner, which was all paid for, and then started filming at The Catfish Barn here in Oklahoma City. 

We had a production meeting about how the show was laid out and what the roles would be. We met with Mary about pay and asked if we needed to fill out tax paper work or keep track of hours. She told us that "she didn't know anything about it and to contact Downtime." This wasn't our first job with a Network show and knew that the Producer was the person to go to for pay information. This was a huge red flag as was a lot of stuff that went on. Every time we would go somewhere, the 4 camera guys were responsible for carrying all of the equipment while B Re had at least 2 sluts at all time that would wipe his head for him to get the sweat off. 

Over the course of 4 days we would see things like a fight going on between 2 girls in the middle of the night at the hotel to people suddenly leaving the "show" because they got tired of it and pretty much knew this was a scam. At one point, Mary and Giorgio wanted us to go to the mall with B Re and follow him around with cameras and get people to come up and ask him for his autograph. That was embarrassing. If your really famous, you don't need people to go out and grab people to come up and ask for your autograph. This would go on for 4 days - make people think this man was famous for no reason. Giorgio was almost as bad as he was. A little hobbit looking mexican that dropped names so much they almost needed another s***k there to pick them up. 

The big finale would be a performance at a local night club where we had to rehearse having him step out of the limo with more whores and walk into the night club while security held people back. (Inappropriate Content Removed), it's because it was. Giorgio was obsessed with this being right. Calling it "the parting of the Red Sea." No one gave a (Inappropriate Content Removed)about this man and no one was outside to be held back. We then were instructed to follow him inside the club, walk towards the back and have a prayer circle. After the (Inappropriate Content Removed)that we saw that weekend, God wasn't going to be listening to his prayers. B Re (aka Handkufs) went on later that night to perform maybe 3 songs and was extremely winded after doing it. He forgot half the words and it was like watching amateur hour. He acted like a diva the entire time, having everyone wait on him while he would be late for no reason. He always wore a pair of 93' Jordan's, a pair of mom jeans and a black turtle neck. He looked like a black Steve Jobs - not a rapper. 

The Aftermath:

It has been about 5 months since we finished shooting and have not received a dime from Downtime Productions. We have all sent numerous emails and phone calls and no one will get back with us. They finally shut down and took down the website. They did finally answer one email and said "payment was coming and to please be patient." 

The director told us that they had filmed one show prior to this in Ft. Collins, CO. The 4 guys on that shoot have not been paid either. All together they owe all 8 guys close to $68,000 in back pay. I was contacted by two women in Sacramento, CA and was told they are pulling the same scam telling them that its for a network television show and now a movie. B Re tells women that they are going to be PA's or actresses and has them sleep with him in order to keep their jobs. The local news station here has produced a news story over this: http://kfor.com/2013/02/23/iyc-team-exposes-celebrity-wannabe/

There is another person that posted a complaint on here about him as well: http://www.scambook.com/report/view/127648/HandKufz-Complaint-127648-for-$10,560.00

B Re (Handkufz, Billy Ray), Mary DeMoe and Giorgio Garcia need to be stopped and know that you will not be paid if you work with these people. In 2012, they managed to scam over a dozen people out of money and time.