A FACTUAL ALTERNATIVE TO THE NEWS ABOUT
THE LOS ANGELES CASTING INDUSTRY
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WELCOME TO
ALT CASTING
This is a website dedicated to bringing you unvarnished reality about many in the
Los Angeles casting community, providing the hard facts that the leadership of
the Casting Society of America doesn't want you to know.
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Not affiliated with the CSA.
OUR MISSION
Welcome to ALT CASTING.
Our mission is to create an easily navigated site to help you to discover articles, reviews, videos and other news stories that will assist you in understanding exactly how the casting industry, for nearly three decades, has allowed itself to be undermined by greed and entitlement and manipulated by the so-called "Casting Director Workshop" industry of Hollywood. In a scandal unprecedented in the entertainment industry and only surpassed by the recent #MeToo movement, casting directors, including several members of the Casting Society of America, engaged in what is commonly referred to as Pay-to-Play and have been charged, prosecuted and convicted of charging actors for auditions. Instead of admitting that a few among their ranks were operating in an unethical and illegal manner, and taking a proactive approach to stop it, the CSA leadership circled the wagons and started a campaign to protect the lawbreakers.
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NEWS
Alt Casting will give you the real news and facts about developments in the casting community, including updates in the year long prosecutions of 18 casting directors including 9 members of the Casting Society of America for violations of California labor laws.
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To date, 13 of the 18 defendants have been convicted or have pleaded to the charges against the, Lindsay Chag was found guilty in a jury trial on January 29, 2018.
JURY FINDS CSA CASTING DIRECTOR LINDSAY CHAG GUILTY OF CHARGING FOR AUDITIONS
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
January 30, 2018
Gary Baum
The first jury trial in the prosecutions of 18 casting directors for violations of state labor laws has ended in a criminal conviction. Casting director Lindsay Chag has been found guilty of violating 1703.4 (a) (3) of the Labor Code of the State of California; Charging or attempting to charge an artist for an audition or employment opportunity.
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On February 9 of last year, criminal charges were filed against 18 casting directors, including 9 members of the Casting Society of America and 5 workshop providers for violations of Labor Code. Nearly one year later, 13 of these casting directors have entered into plea deals and have accepted probation or diversion programs. Scott David, former owner of the Actor's Link, has stipulated to having charged for auditions or employment opportunities.
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Ms. Chag is a member of the Casting Society of America.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer has reached nearly a dozen agreements with indicted members of the casting community.
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October 31, 2017
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer on Monday filed plea agreements for another company and individual indicted in a massive pay-to-play audition scandal, bringing the tally of such deals to nearly a dozen
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
High Profile Hollywood Casting Directors Pleads in Pay-to-Play Audition Scandal
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October 5, 2017
Scott David CSA, longtime casting director for Criminal Minds, admits in his plea agreement to having charged for auditions or job opportunities. David, an ardent supporter of the workshops and former owner of The Actors Link lost his job as CD for the show after he was interviewed in the original story in 2016.
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Ricki Maslar CSA, an casting director for low budget films, also pleaded no contest, entrering into an agreement of Formal Diversion with the City Attorney's office.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
Casting Group Reverses Course, Supports Accused Members in Pay-to-Play Audition Scandal
April 5, 2017
In a stunning about-face, instead of supporting the City Attorney's efforts as the org had originally pledged to do, the Casting Society of America promotes fundraiser to defend the handful of casting directors charged with a crime.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
CSA President Richard Hicks Joins SAG-AFTRA General Counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland In Supporting City Attorney's Criminal Prosecution in Pay-to-Play Scandal
"The CSA fully supports the work of the city attorney's office. Along with SAG-AFTRA, CSA stands in support of treating actors with dignity and respect, and those CSA members who teach should do so only with workshop companies which are fully compliant with both the workshop guidelines and the Krekorian Act. CSA members who teach workshops are expected to adhere to the workshop guidelines and the Krekorian Act. Members who are found to be noncompliant will have their membership status reviewed. CSA has been proactive on this issue, including holding a town hall meeting last year to which it invited all of its members to learn about the guidelines and the law, as well as providing the resources and tools for their operation and management." - Richard Hicks, CSA President
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"On behalf of the members of SAG-AFTRA, we're extraordinarily pleased with the action that was taken to handle this problem," Crabtree-Ireland said. "These workshops prey on the hopes and dreams of people that want to work in this industry. No one is more committed to addressing this problem than this office and Mike Feuer. Our members and our future members are the people who are victims of these scams. It's essential to take action. These people's dreams were taken advantage of. These are not people of means. These are people barely getting by. So just to be considered for a job, it's a real abuse." - Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, General Counsel, SAG-AFTRA
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THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
L.A. City Attorney Files Charges Against 5 Casting Workshops in Pay-to-Play Scam
February 9, 2017
Five Los Angeles area workshop providers, Actor's Key, Actor's Link, Actors Alley, Studio Productions and The Casting Network and 18 casting directors charged with violations of California Labor Law, charging or attempting to charge for an audition or employment opportunity.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
Prominent Casting Director Is Dismissed
April 12, 2016
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Less than 2 weeks after the the intitial article, Scott David was released as longtime casting director for Criminal Minds.
David was both a frequent presence on L.A.’s workshop circuit as well as the co-owner of his own North Hollywood-based operation, The Actors Link.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
Pay-to-Play Gains Dominance in Hollywood
March 30, 2016
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The groundbreaking first article from Gary Baum examines and exposes the decades long racket of Pay-to-Play in Hollywood.
In a year long investigation of the pay-to-audition scheme in Los Angeles, Baum uncovers shocking revelations regarding the behavior of casting professionals.
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This list is regularly updated, so check back often for the latest headlines and press coverage about the casting community in Hollywood. Feel free to provide stories regarding casting you'd like to see published here. Use the form below.
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Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA, USA