Renault Dustup over ad

07 November 2016 - 14:55 By FARREN COLLINS

Renault might want you to "Drive the change" but more than 10 Cape Town service providers just want answers from the French car giant. Model and casting agencies, and caterers, are among those owed thousands for filming an advert in Cape Town in February for the Renault Duster SUV.But Firecracker, the production company used by Renault India, claims it has settled its bills with the local film producer and has nothing to answer for.To produce the advert, Renault's advertising agency in India - L&K Saatchi & Saatchi - contracted Indian production company Firecracker. In turn, Firecracker contracted Gateway Film Services in South Africa as the local producer, which then engaged sub-contractors.E-mails between Firecracker and Gateway director David Brenton-Wakelin, seen by The Times, outline a bitter dispute over the final cost of the advert.Firecracker claimed to have paid Gateway the $135000 quoted for the production before shooting began. But by the end of filming Brenton-Wakelin demanded more, saying costs had risen to $175000.Firecracker said it would pay once Gateway provided a breakdown to justify the unexpected increase.Brenton-Wakelin admitted to not paying a number of sub-contractors but said it was because he had not received full payment from Firecracker after substantiating the extra expenses for the shoot."They [the producers] kept avoiding me and for days after the shoot they kept telling me it will be sorted out," he said."Then, at the end of day two of the shoot, I just got told the $175000 budget was not acceptable and I must make the costs go away and just 'handle it'."Among those awaiting payment is Lourensford Wine Estate, which was used as a location. Lourensford agent Johan Cronje said Renault was in breach of contract for flighting the ad before the estate had been paid.Twenty Model Management said it was owed R47500 for the use of models in the advert and was unable to pay them.A former Gateway employee, who asked not to be named, said the company had completed a number of jobs without paying suppliers during her time there.Firecracker did not respond to phone calls and e-mails...

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