Warning to Fellow Writers
After reading this thread, I thought maybe my two cents and experience with this individual might help anyone considering dealing with him to decide how to proceed.
My first contact with Joseph Estephan was in 2004. He called me and said he’d seen my entry of a TV series script on Moviebytes.com. We talked and then he threw in the tag about the money. I asked to think about it and when he called back I told him I needed credentials and to know his background. He also told me he was a WGAw signatory for 14 years and gave me the names of people he backed. I decided, without checking the requested information first, to give this a try. On his initial call he said he wanted $20, this call he wanted $100. I balked and told him I only agreed to the initial handling fee and why couldn’t he sign a contract and take a percentage of my earnings rather than demanding fees up front? He said this was simply for the initial handling and copying. I told him I would send him the copies he needed, but he asked for the $20 for handling costs. I gave in – still not sure why I did, but I did.
Later I checked his background and credentials and really wish I’d done that beforehand. I called the WGAw and told the gentlemen that answered about the conversation. A long sigh later and without missing a beat as if calls about this individual were typical, he told me: Mr. Estephan was a signatory for 14 years, but he was dismissed on grounds that could not be discussed. He advised me to seek out an agent and not a manager, never pay money to either one, and perhaps I should do a full background check on Mr. Estephan before I entered into a bidning contract with him. So with sirens going off, I went to IMDB.com and put in the credentials he gave me and the ones on his website. Most hadn’t worked in 3 or more years.
Mr. Estephan contacted me again, this time on a Sunday. I called back to discuss this finding and to tell him ‘no contract, no deal and certainly no more money.’ I got an answer machine. When I got my cell phone bill the next month, the phone number was in Windsor, Ontario, Canada; a far cry from Hollywood, California. He called again two weekends ago but I wasn’t home to answer. I have never heard from him but every few months, he has never called or emailed me about who he is shopping my script to or what is happening with my script, and when I emailed him to ask who he was shopping to, I never recieved a reply.
Every writer must come to their own conclusions about Mr. Joseph Estephan. However, I urge anyone considering dealing with this man, to do a careful and thorough background check, do not send any money to him, and only offer a percentage of earnings if/when he gets you your shot in the biz. And if you do get a contract, pay for a lawyer becuase it could cost you far more in the future. But mind you, this holds true for ANY manager or agent, not just Joseph Estephan.