Actress Barbara Niven And Producer Sue Melke File Action In NY Supreme Court Against Director Nicole Conn For Allegedly 'Hijacking' Their Movie, "Nesting Doll"

NEW YORK, July 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Actress Barbara Niven and producer Sue Melke have filed a complaint with the New York Supreme Court against director Nicole Conn, for allegedly 'hijacking' their film, "Nesting Doll," which the three movie industry veterans had developed over the past three years. Niven and Melke had agreed to partner with Conn and lend their resources to the development of a 'mainstream movie' based on a story about a special needs child, a 9-year-old boy. The three partners were also co-writers of the screenplay, copyrighted in 2016.

Niven and Melke detail in the complaint, how they invested personal funds and raised more than $100,000 from investors and donors, based on the fact that the film would star Niven, and be a "mainstream movie" for general audiences, as described in fundraising materials which used Niven's name as the top-billed star and executive producer, and that of Melke, as a producer.

Niven and Melke allege that, in violation of her fiduciary duty, Conn essentially 'pushed out' the actress and the producer – who were working on financing and distribution for the film with a budget of millions of dollars, and, instead of a general audience, "mainstream movie," Conn produced a low budget film using funds raised under false pretenses and is now marketing it to an LGBTQ niche audience. Niven had originally agreed to star in the film and allowed her name to be used to raise funds in addition to investing $25,000 of her own money. Melke managed an Internet crowd funding effort that yielded more than one hundred thousand dollars from donors and investors who thought actress Niven and producer Melke were attached to the film. The actress and producer sought to avoid legal action over the dispute during months of negotiations to arrive at an equitable settlement including their investors, but all offers were rejected by Conn.

The Niven-Melke complaint details how Conn continued to use Niven's name online after pushing Niven out, and failed to return Niven's or her fans' investments.  According to Willard Alonzo Stanback, attorney for Niven and Melke, a hearing date is set before Judge Andrew S. Borrok, on July 31st.

Media Contact: Willard A. Stanback, Esq., Phone: 646-734-4204, for copy of complaint, NY Supreme Court Case #653434/2018.

SOURCE Willard A. Stanback, Esq.