More than 1,800 talent reps are petitioning Casting Networks to reconsider a controversial plan to charge a monthly fee for access to the platform.
Up until now, talent reps and managers who cast for commercials were given free access to the platform that promises “10,000-plus high quality roles published monthly” and “20,000-plus vetted casting directors looking to cast for top projects.”
But this week, reps received an email from the platform owned by Redbird Capital Partners about plans to roll out a tier subscription system based on roster size. So if an agent or manager reps up to 3,000 actors, he or she can expect to pay $550 a month for use of the platform.
Clients of those agents and managers already pay the platform to list their materials like headshots and clips.
“Our pricing tiers are structured to be fair and aligned with the scale of your agency,” according to one email to a talent rep from Casting Networks that was obtained by Deadline. The email also included a prompt to a page that explains why the fees are necessary — to address technology costs and to “create a fairer model.”
“The industry’s shift to self-tapes requires significant infrastructure for video storage, encoding, and instant delivery. This membership helps cover these rising operational costs,” the site says, while adding, “We believe the responsibility for platform costs should be shared. This change balances the financial contribution between talent and the representatives who use the platform to manage and submit them.”
Within 24 hours of the email, a petition dropped on Change.org that threatened a boycott of Casting Networks if the fees become a reality. One agent who spoke with Casting Networks told Deadline Thursday that she thought the new fee structure would take effect this month, but now she’s heard rumors that it could be delayed until January.
Deadline has reached out to Casting Networks and will update this story if we hear back.
Here’s what the petition says:
Dear Casting Networks,
Thank you for the years of partnership and for the platform you’ve built to connect talent, representatives, and casting professionals. Many of us have valued working with you and supporting our clients through your service.
However, the newly implemented $400 per month subscription fee for Talent Representatives is not sustainable or fair. Our actors already pay significant fees simply to access opportunities — adding another costly layer onto their representatives cannot be justified.
This decision places an unreasonable financial burden on agencies and managers who are already navigating a fragile market. It undermines the collaborative relationship between casting directors, agents, and talent the very foundation that keeps your platform thriving.
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 Casting Networks will reconsider this approach and work with us toward a fair, sustainable model that supports the entire industry.
