More than 1,700 talent representatives are calling on Casting Networks to reconsider a controversial plan to charge monthly fees for access to the platform.
Until now, talent reps and managers casting for commercials have enjoyed free access to the platform which promises “over 10,000 high-quality roles published every month” and “over 20,000 vetted casting directors looking to recruit for top projects.”
But this week, representatives received an email from the Redbird Capital Partners-owned platform regarding plans to roll out a tiered subscription system based on list size. So if an agent or manager represents up to 3,000 actors, they can expect to pay $550 per month to use the platform.
Clients of these agents and managers already pay the platform to list their documents like headshots and clips.
“Our pricing tiers are structured to be fair and aligned with the size of your agency,” according to an email to a Casting Networks talent representative obtained by Deadline. The email also included a prompt to a page explaining why the fees are necessary – to address technology costs and to “create a more equitable model.”
“The industry’s move to auto-tapes requires significant infrastructure for video storage, encoding and instant delivery. This membership helps cover these growing operational costs,” the site says, while adding: “We believe that responsibility for platform costs should be shared. This change balances the financial contribution between the talent and the representatives who use the platform to manage and submit them.”
Within 24 hours of the email being sent, a petition was started on Change.org that threatened to boycott Casting Networks if the charges became reality. An agent who spoke with Casting Networks told Deadline on Thursday that she thought the new pricing structure would go into effect this month, but she’s now heard rumors that it could be delayed until January.
Deadline has contacted Casting Networks and will update this story if we receive a response.
Here is what the petition says:
Dear Casting Networks,
Thank you for the years of partnership and for the platform you have created to connect talent, representatives and casting professionals. Many of us have enjoyed working with you and supporting our customers with your services.
However, the recently implemented $400 per month subscription fee for talent reps is neither sustainable nor fair. Our stakeholders already pay significant fees simply to access opportunities – adding an additional costly layer to their representatives cannot be justified.
This decision places an unreasonable financial burden on agencies and managers already navigating a fragile market. This undermines the collaborative relationship between casting directors, agents and talent that is the very foundation of your platform’s prosperity.
If a fair and reasonable resolution is not reached within 72 hours, more than 150 agents and managers will begin a collective boycott of Casting Networks, suspending all submissions and participation until the new fee structure is withdrawn or restructured.
We remain open to dialogue and sincerely hope that Casting Networks will reconsider this approach and work with us towards a fair and sustainable model that supports the entire industry.
