The barely palpable realization of a dream suddenly recedes when the film is sold directly overseas to generate a quick profit which is diminished by producers when reporting back to investors as a loss, all the while foreign and ancillary revenue accrues. Lack of oversight and the unilateral control by a few unscrupulous producers is a recipe for disaster. This is a common occurance in Hollywood.

The case of Shannon’s Rainbow uncovers the greed and deceit behind the scenes and is unique in that it exemplifies the independence, passion, and courage of the investors who are fighting back and taking charge for once. In the Shannon’s Rainbow lawsuit, investors (executive producer and producer) allege that defendants: director Frank E. Johnson, attorney Joseph G. Pia from Utah, writers Larry Richert and John Mowod participated in fraud and conversion, attempting to seize control of the film and sell it directly to foreign, preventing a USA theatrical release which was initially promised to investors prior to filming.