T

3 Messages

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100 Points

Monday, May 12th, 2025 3:16 PM

In Progress

Person claiming numerous false credits

Have an issue with a page that is substantially - perhaps nearly entirely? - filled with made up credits. I was initially looking at the credits for a project I am currently in the middle of working on, when I noticed a name listed in my department claiming they worked in a position that we have had. Clicked on their name and saw that they have numerous suspicious or sometimes patently and provably false credits listed. Kelly Cook (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3069570/) mainly is credited as a production manager for live shows, but also has an extensive list of camera credits that frankly don't pass the smell test. First of all, I've never met an active member of the camera department who also is concurrently a production manager, much less a cameraperson who only works on high profile scripted shows but only production managers live shows. I checked the name in the Local 600 member directory, and there is no one with either the same first or last name who is a stills photographer. Yet Ms. Cook claims to have done the stills photography almost exclusively on big budget union shows, none of which would be allowed unless she was a member of Local 600. Some of these are farcical, such as claiming to have worked on the studio segments of Hostiles (which had no studio shoot whatsoever), or on Wonka (which shot in the UK). Most egregiously, she is claiming to be not only the B camera operator but also the C camera operator at the same time on Heat 2, which is not even in production yet. She's claimed to be the second unit camera operator on Chris Nolan's new project - this despite the fact that The Odyssey currently has had no second unit whatsoever and Nolan has a strong and publicly stated disinterest in ever hiring one for his films. I've never heard of a career stills photographer who just happens to occasionally work as an operator on some of the biggest films without any prior experience in that position. Virtually all of the stills credits claimed have the comment "studio segments", which is not a distinction I've ever seen in my time in the industry - every feature I've ever worked on, the stills photographer was a member of the crew who joined us wherever we were working. Never seen one that was studio only, never heard of that being a thing, nor have my colleagues who are actual working on-set stills photographers. All of her upcoming credits are false credits, and I strongly suspect the entirety of the camera department ones in general are as well. It's entirely possible that some of the production manager ones may be too, but that is harder for me to assess. None of her photos on the page prove any work within the industry to begin with - they're entirely from mixers, parties, and equipment demos. Is there something that can be done here? Many thanks in advance!

Employee

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37.6K Points

27 days ago

Hi Tachyon_2- Thank you for reporting! We will review this page accordingly and once completed, we'll provide further information. Cheers!