The Actor’s Key, a popular Burbank casting workshop company, has closed and filed for bankruptcy after the Los Angeles city attorney’s office announced last week that it had brought charges alleging the company collected illegal pay-to-play fees from aspiring actors hoping to book auditions.
“As many of you are aware, we have been charged with violating the Krekorian Talent Act. As a result of these circumstances, we have found that there is no realistic alternative to closing the business and commencing bankruptcy proceedings under Chapter 7,” the company wrote in a letter posted on its website.
Located at 3504 W. Magnolia Blvd., The Actor’s Key added in the statement that its goal was to educate and inform actors.
“We created The Actor’s Key as a way for actors to gain an education in performing and the business of acting,” the statement said. “Throughout the past almost-decade, we have had so many of you touch our lives, and we hope that our effect on your lives has been a positive one.”
The company did not respond to a request for additional comment.
The bankruptcy announcement followed Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer’s Feb. 9 announcement that more than two dozen people from five talent casting workshop businesses were facing charges for allegedly violating the Krekorian Talent Scam Prevention Act of 2009. The state measure bars casting workshops from collecting fees from clients seeking auditions for acting roles.
The Actors Link, Actors’ Alley, Your Studio Productions and The Casting Network were also named as the alleged violators.
During his Feb. 9 news conference, Feuer said aspiring performers are taken advantage of all too often.
“We all know that Hollywood is the entertainment capital of the world, and it beckons aspiring performers from everywhere to come to pursue their dreams,” he said. “Unfortunately, too often, pay-to-play casting workshops seek to exploit these dreams just for profit.”
An undercover actor assisted the city attorney’s office in its investigation, according to Feuer.
As a result, 28 defendants, including 18 casting directors and “guest instructors,” now face misdemeanor charges, possible jail time and fines, the city attorney’s office said.
SAG-AFTRA, which represents more than 160,000 actors, broadcast journalists and performers, praised Feuer’s office, saying it receives complaints on a daily basis about pay-to-play casting.
“We are extraordinarily pleased with the action the city attorney’s office, led by Mike Feuer, has taken to address this problem,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s chief counsel and CEO.
Current L.A. City Councilman Paul Krekorian authored the Talent Scam Prevention Act when he served in the state Legislature.
“I’m pleased that the city attorney is continuing to use my legislation to protect performers and their families from bad actors in the entertainment industry,” Krekorian said in a statement.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
