High Noon At Crew

The chatter is off the charts today. Rumor has it that the bank pulled the plug on Crew Creative and they have until noon today to clear out of Dodge. 

Our deepest sympathies to all you rat bastard freelancers left unpaid.

For those wishing to review the gory details, we've attached a copy of the Chapter 11 Petition here.

 

Comments

[Deez Nutz]

heard about it from a friend via text last night

[Jack]

So much for Warners saving their sorry ass.

[T-Po]

How about a little sympathy for all of the amazing people who were employees there? There are a lot of very talented people without jobs now. There is more to our industry than just freelance.

[Rat Bastard Freelancer]

Tell that to someone who's out 25k from Crew.

[ratfreelancer]

crew was an LLC.. anyone unpaid can file with the labor board and hold the *former* owners responsible. i think this is the route to go anyways

[rat bastard out]

I guess the only person coming out of this smiling is Damon Wolf. A big paycheck and from what I hear BIG fat paycheck at Cimarron is the best medicine in an economy like this.

[Odie Cologne]

TOLDYA! http://tinyurl.com/yefnmyw

[Words R Us]

I wasn't holding my breath about the getting paid thing, exactly. For me it was only $1K, so I guess I'm lucky... Agreed, condolences to the dozens of perfectly decent people who worked there, may you find new roles swiftly...

[Randi Bland]

Crew had a great run but they were grossly mismanaged. Take in to account also that their biggest client, WB, has slashed their budgets - if they decide to pay at all -and of course they were gonna fold.

Bad for all the freelancers out there. Good for the 61 other shops who remain scrambling for any crumbs they can find.

[SadAboutCrew]

What happened to Crew is extremely unfortunate and could happen to anyone given the current economy and climate. To those of you commenting, don't think this couldn't happen to you.

The owners of Crew are some of the most caring and supportive people I have had the pleasure to meet. Even while they are packing up, they are working quickly to find people new jobs. How many of you can say your bosses would do the same thing?

What happened to the freelancers is heart breaking and terrible, however, anyone who is taking pleasure or joy in this - should give themselves a good look in the mirror. There are people struggling to figure out now what they are going to do - not to mention the market is going to be flooded with more talent which isn't good for you either.

The owners of Crew created a unique community that is rare to find. One that produces great work and a rare loyalty. Crew isn't just a business, it's a family and it will be very sad to see it go.

[MadAboutCrew]

http://monkeyartawards.typepad.com/monkeyartawards/2009/05/a-tale-of-whoa-dude.html

[Joe W. Raecks]

Ahhh, what a mess. Oh well, those that stayed and thought everything was going to be okay were definitely lied to or delusional. I can only imagine what Jack & Charles think now. LOL Oh, they have run out of excuses and time and all they have now is the echos of "I told you so's" ringing through their ears.

To all of the employees that were laid off a year ago and this past summer, and to all of the freelancers that will never see a dime: enjoy today.

[Say Anything]

Crew was a great company about 2 years ago. Then greed took over.
It is sad, but the owners lost track of what was important. Damon leaving the company was the nail in the coffin for Crew, after that, the glue was gone.

[EAT YO' PIXELZ]

I loved Crew very much. I am sorry that they couldn't survive this.

[timbob]

yup. arterie is next

[Bitter Lemon]

Big happy family, just like the Corleones and the Sopranos.

[MadAboutCrew]

Well, at least now we know who took the glue. But who took the scissors and all the paper clips?

[WAHWAH]

still the best!!!

http://monkeyartawards.typepad.com/.a/6a00e55097ba248834011570a3d595970b-pi

[bada bah bah bah...(fill in catchy jingle)]

don't hold your breath, timbob.
They're kicking ass, and saving grass.
but thanks for your concern ;)

[EAT YO' PIXELZ]

Hey timbob, you're gonna need a bigger boat...

[EAT YO' PIXELZ]

You're gonna need a bigger boat timbob.

[Anita Cocktail]

I believe Ant Farm is next. Do they even have a print division anymore?

[I Need Wine!]

Heather Johnson is going to take a small team of Art Directors and start her own print thing.

Humm lets see..
Heather only works on Warner Bros movies...

All those high salary art directors and Warner Bros slashing their prices sounds like a recipe for disaster..

I guess we be having this same conversation next year when that goes Belly Up too.

[Brainey Warners]

Heather has one client, Blair Rich.

The other Warner execs just give her work because Blair either tells them to, or they think by doing that Blair will be nice to them.

[Lou Zuhr]

i hear a gaggle of those hacks responsible for this mess are going to Trailer Park. Isn't that like jumping from the coals to the fire (or whatever that idiom is)?

[Douche Bigalow]

I think you mean they are going to be LIVING in a Trailer Park, which is more appropriate.

[Trailer Park Hack]

I love the word "gaggle"

but just to clarify, the "gaggle" have only been given a job at Trailer Park to finish up the Crew projects they are taking there.

Past that, who knows, I doubt you can qualify that as gainfully employed.

[Hired Hand]

Hacks don't travel in gaggles. They travel in packs - like cigarettes.

[Ease Up]

Probably a lot of good people having a really shitty day right about now. Sorry guys.

[movingonwithouthate U needatherapist]

I wish those from Crew, Arterie, Trailer Park, whoever, prosperity.

You haters need to be careful, you may be working with some of these folks (again) in the future, and if you have a problem with that, you need to find a different field or have the balls to start your own firm.

Anonymity seems to make you awefully brave, but be careful, even vultures get sick and die.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3842671.ece

This will be my one and only post, don't bother to rebut (although you will anyway), i don't really value your opinions, i just feel the need to stick up for some of the people i have worked with, so they know another person out there cares about them.

[Douche Bigalow]

What a douche! Their "prosperity" is always at the expense of someone else. Thanks for limiting your comments to "my one and only post".

[Gene Shalit]

Just for the record, "High Noon" took place in Hadleyville, NM, not Dodge City, KS, so, technically they had til noon to clear out of Hadleyville...

[Lou Zuhr]

hey movingwithout
you don't need to stick up for those poor people who lost their cush jobs, are you stoooopid? they would kill their mothers (and you which you will some day learn) if it would get them a president title and a swank mid-century furnished office. they have had it way too easy for waaaaay too long, maybe freelancing at Trailer Park will humble them a bit (btw, my friend freelances at Trailer Park and they pay slow). i do feel bad for nice, hard working ex crew empoloyees though (of which there were a few).

[E. Tstuffer Dan. Yousink]

Whatcha talking about? Trailer Park don't hire freelancers, they exploit staff designers instead!

[SadAboutCrew]

The owners of Crew are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Jack, Jennifer, and Charles fought SO hard every day to try and save the company. The ironic part is business was actually really good. If you want to know who is the real villain in this story... it's the banks.

Being none of you actually worked at Crew you have no idea how much stress and effort the owners put into trying to save this company. Their biggest concern wasn't about money for themselves, but about making sure everyone would be ok. They do care about the freelancers who won't get paid. And they spent days trying to ensure that every single one of their staff members would be taken care of.

Heather Johnson is one of the most talented AE's out there and the campaigns she works on say enough about her abilities. I need Wine and Brainey sounds like you guys might just be slightly jealous.

Crew was filled with some of the most talented and kind people I have ever met, Lou Zuhr. Shame on you for saying such awful things! These people stayed at Crew, when they were receiving calls to entice them to go elsewhere, not because they were getting paid super well (they took a pay cut after the bankruptcy - some people were even forced to work two jobs to make up for the loss of income) but because Crew was a place unlike any other. They were loyal and wonderful people and I am so sorry they have to deal with this kind of stress right before the holidays. But i know they are so extremely talented they will find jobs very quickly.

How dare you horrible people come to Crew and smile and fake nice and then write on this blog about how awful the people are and how you are happy they went under.

[Calling it like I see/saw it]

I agree with you on SOME issues SadAboutCrew. Crew was filled with some amazingly talented and generally good people.

But what you haven't hit on is the massive greed that took place at that company. Let's see in the time that I was there at Crew the number of cars Damon had alone was worth over a million dollars, Masserati's, Porches, Mercedes, BMW's, Range Rovers, His multiple houses were something I've only seen in magazines. Jack and Jennifer went through cars as much as he did, big houses, houses in Arrowhead, Charles seems to be the only one who didn't either make as much money as they did or just was a bit wiser.

They were selling the company for 10's of Millions of Dollars and believe me they weren't thinking about YOU when they were doing that. That GREED is the ultimate reason you have no job.

Don't sit here and tell us all that their only concern was for the well being of the employees, because you are wrong and misguided and have obviously drank some sort of Kool-Aid they were giving out.

Heather is a good AE for ONE CLIENT, let's see how far she gets with that ONE CLIENT in an industry that sees more turnover than any other I can think of. Art Directors are taking a huge risk by following her, in a time when I think they should be thinking about stability.

Yes it is sad about the employees and the partners were generally good people. but lets call a spade a spade. Greed will get you every time.

[Coby]

For Hire. Multiple key art award winning art director / creative director.

[have to have humor]

wait..I poured my blood and sweat into Crew for years and Damon got fancy cars and multiple mansions and all I got was this lousy Crew Coffee Mug..

sounds about fair.

[Key Art]

I don't know about what really happened inside at the top of Crew. I just know too many talented people just lost their jobs.

I own a thriving little shop - any former Crew members who can deliver and help service a strong account, email me and we can talk about seting up a partnership.

[email protected]

[Christain Slater]

you all should chill out a bit. people lost their jobs, in this climate, that’s not cool. it’s the holidays. and being laid off ain’t fun. Greed fucked alot of people up. let’s just hope that the people who got fucked can find work somewhere.

[pepe]

BLTitanic.com

[Due Blame]

Let's just hope that Jenny Wall brings the same magic to BLTitanic that she brought to USS Crew.

[Rememberingthegoodtimes]

I'm thankful this week that some of you respect the hard work, wonderful creative and dedicated hard work that came from Crew over the years. It was the best place I ever worked and the friendships I made there will last a lifetime.

[no sympathy]

hjg

[Told You So]

Let's see...six months later the remaining owners were talking to the same people that Damon was talking to 6 months ago, to try and save their asses now that Wells Fargo has given them the boot.

Had Jack and Jennifer used their brains when there still some value left to the company, rather than try some ego/greed driven take-over, they could salvaged what was left and kept the core of Crew employed.

Those who trusted Jack, whose made poor financial decision after poor financial decision, rather than Damon, who was the Face of the Franchise from the beginning, obviously picked the wrong ship to hang their flags on.

[Told you so 6 months ago]

There's no "there" there! All these "agencies" are the same: Vaporations, nothing but smoke, mirrors and hot air. They all try to cash-out and fail because at the end of the day, all the assets go home (or to the titty-bar.)

[Christain Slater]

Damon’s greed and Jack inability sunk Crew. Charles was the creative and only one who was a bit cautious. Damon’s split from his partner and all the shit he bought got to his head. Greed kills.

[I smell a Rat]

Heather Johnson from Crew is starting her own agency. HA! I am sure Blair Rich is getting the major kickbacks. I smell a rat! Heather was plotting this for sometime approaching key Crew Art Directors.
She should call her shingle Johnson/Rich Creative or better yet Rich/Johnson Creative as Blair would never be second fiddle on the marquee. Money was promised up front!! Hell we can't get paid in 6 months but Warners (Blair) is giving Heather money upfront!! This industry is in the toilet.

[christine]

Its tough just doing a good job ,but all the BS that comes with the account. Blair Rich Wedding,John Stanford Wedding and all the others concerts ,plays vacations etc.$$$$$$$$$$.Just doing the work isn't enough. Oh some body else just did an addison to their home and new appliances came because of rain. Right you believe that BS. WB accounting dept.Well the holidays are here and gifts are coming to secure next year BS. At least some have figure out to send their gifts to their homes,Oh and their spouse needs the week off from your vender who has had to employ your other half. Just to make sure its the right color or what you demanded .What ever.HO HO HO

[Alan Marks]

iPhones for 200 employees as a holiday bonus in DEC 2007 followed by the worst commercial real estate deal in the county in 2008 - all during an economic recession, is pure stupidity and naturally results in bankruptcy. three blind mice and their minion egomaniacs ruined that company and a lot of talented people suffered as a result. what goes around...