if you’re planning on using Cupio Media for your business, wedding, personal videography/photography/whatever needs, let me save you time, money, and heartache: DO NOT USE CUPIO MEDIA OR JACK ALLEN’S SERVICES FOR ANYTHING. And now to the why: I contacted Cupio Media way back in 2016 and asked Jack Allen to film my wedding and a love story. It was great. He was super responsive and super enthusiastic on the project. He had lots of big and bright and fun ideas and because Ethan was a Marine (and I did ask like the unemployed college student I was) Jack Allen offered us a military discount on top of the spring promotional discount. “Great!”, I thought. So when we work out all the details – two events: our actual marriage ceremony in our backyard and our vow renewal – Jack remained very communicative during the whole process. We met, we discussed - it was so exciting. Jack filmed our Love Story the day before our marriage ceremony (which was on July 4th, 2016) and showed up on time and ready to go for the ceremony. It was within three, let me repeat THREE, months that I was being asked for music for the Love Story video and had a trailer. The rest of our “production” would be filmed during our vow renewal (originally planned for Dec 2017) after which we would get the whole shooting match. Let me mention, I have already paid him half and would pay the rest on delivery of the final product totaling to an amount of $2699.00. Again, unemployed college student here trying to do all of this on a savings account was a little difficult. The discount was completely and totally appreciated which is why I have said absolutely nothing up until this point. So I first noticed a downturn in customer service when I had to request a postponement in the vow renewal date – South Korea was getting a little hairy and I was having panic attacks that Ethan was not going to get out of the Marines in time and the whole vow renewal would be canceled. This was explained to every vendor which all helped me out and agreed to the new date, including Cupio Media but I noticed a delay in a response. I had to reach out again to make sure they understood the new date. A new contract with the new date was never sent to me, by the way. Then we get closer to the VR (vow renewal) and I start to realize that I actually need a photographer too but it was too close to the date to get anyone so I asked for photography packages from Jack (I had already asked but never got an answer). I was more than willing to pay for photography but Jack graciously offered photography at no additional charge. Cool. Wow. This guy is really incredible, so I thought. So he shows up to the VR, does his thing, we do our thing, and badda bing badda boom, done deal. I’ll have the entire thing in like a few months right? Wrong. Three months go by with deafening silence so I thought I’d check in on the progress and so this whole drama begins. In May 2018 I was told they were behind but I was told I’d see previews that day. No previews. End of May I get no response to my 2nd check-in – I was at least expecting previews or maybe even photos. In June, it takes three days to respond to my 3rd check-in and was told I’d get an update ASAP and never did. In July, I get a response to my fourth check-in REMINDING ME that I have photography at no additional charge so that’s why my production is delayed but I should be getting it the following week. So of course, tail tucked between my legs, I thank them, backed off and waited patiently. In August, after crickets from Cupio Media, I check-in and express a little frustration as apologetically as I could (want proof? I got it.) and they respond with “your production has been culled and is about halfway through edits. We are finalizing one more wedding from December and yours will be finalized next”. I thought, “YES! Relief! I will have some memory of my wedding”. You see, I told all my family to not bother with taking photos and enjoy the wedding. That’s why I hired someone else to do it, right? Well now it looks like I won’t be getting those memories and won’t have any proof of this beautiful wedding outside of a couple of cell phone photos from some friends (THANKFUL FOR EVEN THAT MUCH). December 2018 marches into my life and now Ethan is getting beyond frustrated. I Facebook Message Cupio Media, I call them, I email them and DO NOT RECEIVE A SHRED OF “HEY WE ARE STILL A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS” aka a response from Jack Allen or Cupio Media. I then discover to my horror and sadly lack of surprise that I’m not the only bride going through this. There is even one who still didn’t get anything 15 months later – FIFTEEN MONTHS. And the dude is threatening these women with deleting their footage and legal action for saying anything against him. I finally receive a response from him in January with my photos since I pointed out I should at least get those as they were “free of charge” and it’s not unreasonable to expect something by now. And this response is after another bride spoke out against him on Facebook and it turned into one giant mess. I received those photos but have not posted them on social media because I don’t want to advertise for this guy. And, frankly, if you’re curious about the quality, they’re free photos and let me just say – you get what you pay for. Again I’m promised I’m next in the line of “productions”. February rolls around and no production, not even “what music do you want?” but I’m told “Should be next week!” March rolls around and I’m told to expect delivery “by this Friday”. Guess what? Nothing again. April rolls around and now I’m no longer getting responses. So. Since it has been a year and 2 months since my wedding and 2 years and nine months since my marriage ceremony, I file a complaint on BBB. And turns out, he has another complaint on BBB for the same scenario and boy is his response on there UGLY. I wish I had a screenshot – he goes as far as claiming Christian values, quotes Bible verses, and reminds the bride that some of her family members will DIE ONE DAY and her video will be precious evidence that these people existed. I can’t find the response now but reading it made me sick to my stomach. What kind of sick human being uses someone’s family mortality as a weapon against them? I then dig and find more negative reviews which then disappear. This guy is deleting negative reviews and I’m pretty sure he is creating positive ones if they are recent. He even reviewed himself with 5 starts on UpCity. Anyway, to my absolute shock (sarcasm, sarcasm, sarcasm) he has not even responded to BBB complaint. So, 2 years and 11 months later we are out $1349.50 with nothing to show for it and a bitter taste in my mouth. I have never ever done this before. I have family members that own their own businesses and so I would never want to destroy someone’s business because I have a bad experience. But this is a different case. This guy is committing fraud, holding people’s memories hostage, threatening women and their families, and stealing from people. He needs to be stopped. Unfortunately, my lawyer's fees would be more than what I’ve already paid and I doubt I can really regain the cost of doing business with Jack Allen, owner of Cupio Media. Please feel free to share.
