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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film-Yak   » EFW: Everything is F&*@#% Wrong with this company (Page 1)

 
This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2   
Author Topic: EFW: Everything is F&*@#% Wrong with this company
William T. Parr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 823
From: Cedar Park, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

- posted 11-02-2002 12:51 AM      Profile for William T. Parr   Email William T. Parr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well my tenure with EFW other wise known as Entertainment Film Works ended last night because the landlord revoked their lease. THANK GOD!.This company took in a sizable amount of money but yet proceeded to not pay rent on the place, not pay property taxes on the theatre in Dallas and Houston. has a $10,000 electirc bill debt here in Austin and bounced 4 paychecks in a row. Not to mention they never spent a dime on our theatre except to buy 7 amps to replace teh one they took from us to send to Dallas, with used ones mind ya, and a New screen for our big auditorium, outside of that not a penny spent. You gotta wonder where the money went. Anyone else looking to get hired with this group, EFW A.K.A Resturaunt Entertainment Group. BE WARNED!

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Jason Black
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1723
From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

- posted 11-02-2002 02:43 AM      Profile for Jason Black   Author's Homepage   Email Jason Black   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
William,

That's odd. I just read in the 11/02 issue of Bof Office how they were re-opening two theatres in Florida. Brevard County. A former AMC locale and a former Regal location. Says that REG, parent company of EFW currently opeartes 41 theatres in the country..

Bummer about the paychecks...

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Ken Lackner
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1907
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Registered: Sep 2001

- posted 11-02-2002 10:51 AM      Profile for Ken Lackner   Email Ken Lackner   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Jason, the former Regal you speak of must be the Palm Bay 10. I was considering applying there. I think I'll pass....

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Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999

- posted 11-02-2002 09:12 PM      Profile for Ken Layton   Email Ken Layton   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Funny, but EFW closed up the TACOMA CENTRAL 6 (Tacoma, Washington) a couple of months ago in the middle of the night and skipped town owing lots of money (just like they did with the Aurora Cinema Grill in Seattle). The theater is still listed on their website as being open.

Galaxy Theatres (www.galaxytheatres.com) is going to reopen the Tacoma Central 6 soon, but EFW left a very bad taste in everyone's mouth.

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Jonathan M. Crist
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 531
From: Hershey, PA, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

- posted 11-02-2002 11:50 PM      Profile for Jonathan M. Crist   Email Jonathan M. Crist   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
EFW did the same thing in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania last spring at a an old former GCC 4 plex that it ran for about 9 months. Seems they didn't pay the rent and the mall Landlord issued notice of a pending padlock (BIG MISTAKE BY LANDLORD)to take effect on the follwing Monday morning.

On the Sunday afternoon before the scheduled padlock EFW started the first matinee and then the staff got notice from HQ to clear out. While the first matinee show was running, the staff took down the posters, cleaned out the concession inventory and when the show ended locked the doors. I was told they even had people lined up for the second matinee! Guess you can't really call that a midnight move.

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Thomas Procyk
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1842
From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

- posted 11-04-2002 11:18 AM      Profile for Thomas Procyk   Email Thomas Procyk   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
EFW had two theaters here in Orlando, but is now down to one. There were two GCC's that closed. One was behind the mall (THX, 70mm capable IIRC.) and one was in front of the mall, down the street a bit. (not THX, but has digital sound)

The one behind the mall operated with "General Cinema" signage for a while, until EFW ran it into the ground and closed it. Then they opened the one in front of the mall, which is still open (saw Comedian there recently) but seems to be running on a shoestring budget. Presentation leaves much to be desired, with several feet of "mess" between splices, dim projection, and soft focus. In addition, their policy trailer was horribly scratched, and one of the messages that popped up was "Nobody Does It Better!" -- My friend yelled out, "According to WHO?!?"

I bought concessions for "Comedian." -- The popcorn was disgusting and was served out of a warmer that was not even on. At least the staff was friendly.

It's sad to see these once-GCC theaters, a company that cared about presentation and showmanship, being run by these hairless apes.

=TMP=


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Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002

- posted 11-25-2002 03:10 AM      Profile for Pravin Ratnam   Email Pravin Ratnam   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I live in Atlanta. The Sandy Springs location has been closed recently. I will try to find out the reason. It used to be a GC location. EFW retained the THX signage despite not following the standards. All your posts are right on. They had good prices( 75 cents to a dollar cheaper). But it was obvious they were running a bare bones operation. The main auditoriums were very dimly projected. Imagine watching Panic Room dimly projected. It is not a brightly lit movie to begin with.

They seemed to have a decent crowd. So I am sure the numbers couldn't have been disappointing. Funny thing is the website mentions Atlanta is the HQ of this corporation.

One interesting thing is I never saw any kind of a manager or supervisor at this location. Not even a high school or college aged assistant manager.

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Don Furr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 509
From: Sun City, Ca USA
Registered: Nov 2002

- posted 11-25-2002 06:34 AM      Profile for Don Furr   Email Don Furr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It is my understanding that EFW is, among others, the group that started the "Cinema Grills" YEARS ago. That did begin here in Atlanta.
I know that another closed property was the ex GCC on hiway 50 in Orlando. If memory serves me correctly the Cinema Grill company was started by a couple of brothers with the last name of Duffy.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

- posted 11-25-2002 06:51 AM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
In checking their website www.entertainmentfilmworks.com it appears that out of 12 theaters listed "across the country", only the Altamonte, Seminole, Britton and Meyerland are still operating. Of particular interest is that the Meyerland is listed on the EFW website as "NOVA Meyerland".

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Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999

- posted 11-25-2002 09:00 AM      Profile for Ken Layton   Email Ken Layton   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Amazing---Tacoma Central 6 is still listed as an EFW theater. Galaxy Theatres officially reopened Tacoma Central on Nov. 15th and I've heard good things about the operation. Many people were pissed with how EFW ran the place and they seem to be happy with Galaxy running things now.

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Greg Borr
Film Handler

Posts: 39
From: Watervliet, MI
Registered: Mar 2000

- posted 11-25-2002 09:51 AM      Profile for Greg Borr   Author's Homepage   Email Greg Borr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I heard a rumor that EFW lost a large lawsuit to a landlord and that the company was on the way out.

The Meyerland in Houston is now operated by Nova Cinemas.

The Altamonte 8, in Altamonte FL was just recently taken over by TMI Theatres.

The Regency Square 8 in Stuart, FL is rumored to be going to another chain as well.

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Mike Williams
Master Film Handler

Posts: 255
From: Knoxville, TN
Registered: Feb 2002

- posted 11-25-2002 11:12 AM      Profile for Mike Williams   Email Mike Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Maybe I am misunderstanding something on their website, but doesn't it say that EFW is a franchise?

I would guess that would be something like Subway where the company does not own the store, but the product and brand comes from the franchise.

If that is the case then maybe the EFW theaters that are going under are doing so because of irresposible owners at each location not paying rent/bouncing checks etc.

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Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001

- posted 11-25-2002 03:38 PM      Profile for Charles Everett   Email Charles Everett   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
That rumor Greg spoke of is true. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the owners of Fashion Square sued EFW for nonpayment of rent and won a $1.9 million default judgment. The mall owners have garnisheed EFW bank accounts to try and collect the money.

The Sentinel also reported that EFW owes back rent for the Altamonte 8 as well.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

- posted 11-25-2002 05:50 PM      Profile for Bobby Henderson   Email Bobby Henderson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It is unfortunate to hear EFW crapped all over the former GCC Sandy Springs location. It was not a huge theater (and it was a pain in the ass for anyone not from Atlanta to find). But it had a pretty decent THX certified screen. I saw "Far and Away" in 70mm there back in 1992.

The thing going on with EFW, IMHO, is pretty common across the exhibition industry. Basically a class of slumlords has invaded the business looking to make a fast buck delivering rock-bottom [bs] quality to customers.

Of course, one of the ways these guys make their money is by breaking the law. They don't pay any of their bills and hide behind the high cost those owed money have to pay lawyers in pursuing the bills. It is a standard "chess move" in business today to just tell someone "screw you, sue me. It'll cost you more in legal fees than what I owe."

We have to thank all of the lawyers running the country and white collar criminals who successfully lobby our government for setting up a system where crooks commonly win. With some simple tort reform and real teeth in fraud laws, much of this [bs] would not happen.

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William T. Parr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 823
From: Cedar Park, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

- posted 11-26-2002 12:12 PM      Profile for William T. Parr   Email William T. Parr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yeah the sad part of EFW is the president of the company's name is James "SLUG" Duffy. Well Mr Duffy here's to you [fu] [fu] You greedy self rightoues asshole. Hope you end up in a fedral prison as a sex slave to some 400 lb dude named Bubba. [sex]

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