e-TALENTA has been Europe’s casting platform for professional filmmakers since 2007.
In June 2024, the commercial business model was terminated and since then the platform has been running on a non-profit basis for actresses, actors, agencies, casting directors and other casting professionals.
There is no profit-orientated business model behind e-TALENTA. Instead, we run the platform on a non-profit basis – exclusively in the interests of our members. Our primary goals are creating equal opportunities, transparency and visibility for actresses and actors in Europe.
Any surpluses are charitably used for these goals. There are no distributions to shareholders or investors.
Why are we doing this?
Visibility is of fundamental importance for actresses and actors. A platform that creates this visibility in the national and international casting industry is therefore important and essential for actresses, actors, agencies, casting directors and other casting professionals. At the same time, however, this is only one of many building blocks for the success of an acting career.
Developments in recent years have led to a major imbalance. Large-scale, commercial business models with ever new additional offers are no longer in proportion to the true and anything but simple situation of the actresses, actors and the industry.
We want to counteract this imbalance.
Only a platform on a non-profit basis can do justice to the true situation of actresses and actors. The essential service of visibility should be available to everyone and be affordable. The platform acts in the interests of the actresses, actors, agencies, casting directors and other casting professionals and not in the interests of companies or investors.
A casting platform that is not profit-orientated can be accepted by all as the industry standard. It enables a trusting co-operation between all participants, as no one has to fear that it will be exploited for commercial purposes.
The new non-profit model opens up completely new opportunities for casting directors, directors and producers, but also for agencies, actresses and actors.
Casting directors and other casting professionals can access more complete profiles in one place than ever before.
This step will lead to more equal opportunities and transparency, relieve the financial burden on actresses and actors and radically change the casting landscape in Europe.
Professional operation, further development and innovation with members
Of course, the platform is run professionally and to a high standard and is constantly being developed for and with its members. We continue to aspire to be the leading platform in terms of technology and innovation. The artists themselves should have a say in the functionality and processes on the platform. Ideas and new functions are selected solely on whether they help actresses, actors and the casting industry.
Low costs for actresses and actors thanks to the solidarity principle
Running a multilingual, professional platform for Europe naturally generates costs: storage space for photos and videos, server infrastructure to enable a reliable online presence and a team that takes care of operations, member support and further development. Our primary goal is to keep the costs for actresses and actors as low as possible. We concentrate on the essentials and do without, for example, expensive marketing campaigns.
We have replaced the previous pricing model and introduced a supporting membership model. In addition to a comprehensive free membership for actresses and actors, there is now a supporting membership. It offers actresses and actors everything they need for their professional online presence: a full profile on the platform and all the tools they need to proactively make themselves visible.
We can offer every actress and every actor a supporting membership including a full profile for just €57 per year, as this is merely a cost coverage contribution.
All supporting members actively support the non-profit initiative. The solidarity principle is particularly evident as the number of members grows: every new supporting member helps to keep the costs low for themselves and everyone else – and there is no more profit for shareholders or investors.
How is the non-profit model secured legally?
We have founded e-TALENTA gGmbH, which is recognised as a non-profit organisation and is subject to ongoing official scrutiny. This non-profit company is the sole shareholder entitled to receive profits from the casting platform (more precisely, from iMAGE iN MOTION GmbH as the operator of the platform). Surpluses may only be distributed to the non-profit organisation e-TALENTA gGmbH based on the notarised articles of association.
These surpluses may in turn only be used for charitable purposes within the non-profit organisation. This structure ensures that we can continue to operate the platform professionally and that our members can be confident that no money will be diverted to private interests, but instead will be used exclusively for the benefit of the platform and its charitable goals.
This means that we are subject to strict legal conditions, we operate on a non-profit basis and are regularly audited by the authorities. All income is used for the charitable purpose of promoting artists. The distribution of profits to shareholders, investors, etc. is prohibited. Any surpluses may only be used to promote charitable purposes.
The relevant documents (articles of association, list of shareholders, etc.) are filed in the commercial register, so that everyone can clearly see what the structure is now. Any changes to this structure would be visible in the commercial register, ruling out the possibility of changes being made to these regulations without anyone noticing.
Why does Image in Motion GmbH still exist and why doesn’t e-TALENTA gGmbH run the platform directly?
We would have liked it to be less complicated. However, the tax office is of the opinion that actors and actresses primarily use the casting platform to get work. From their point of view, this is a private, economic interest and not covered by non-profit status. Unfortunately, in our view, the special situation of the cultural sector and that of actors and actresses was not considered.
Therefore, Image in Motion GmbH continues to exist and run the platform. As described above, however, surpluses can only be used for charitable purposes. This solution does not change anything for our members. For us, it means a higher administrative burden, but we are happy to take this on in order to fulfil our non-profit promise.
What happens to your contributions?
Supporting members/users of the platform will continue to receive invoices from Image in Motion GmbH. This company pays all taxes and uses the funds to cover the costs of operating the platform. The primary goal is still to keep costs for actresses and actors as low as possible. Any surpluses can only be paid out to the non-profit organisation e-TALENTA gGmbH.
What does e-TALENTA gGmbH do?
Here you will find all the information about the activities of the non-profit organisation e-TALENTA gGmbH.