Alert to Iskra.bg: Suspicions of unfair practices in „talent“ castings

At Iskra.bg‘s editorial office, numerous alerts have been received from parents and young people expressing concerns about the fairness of talent casting organized by the „Cinema Academy for Talents“. In recent months, they have reached out to the media regarding the lack of transparency from the organizers about the competitions and the request for additional payments every time a participant is approved.

Many parents shared that after their initial approval in the casting, they were asked to pay for a photoshoot for their children at a cost of BGN 65 without being issued a receipt.

„We were approved for the second round, where we had to pay another BGN 72, but no one gave us a guarantee that our child would participate in the production,“, said the victims who sent the signal to the editorial office. According to them, the payments are made through courier companies, which leaves room for doubt about their transparency. Some young people described how after the initial payment, a new fee follows for the next stage.

„I attended the casting, paid BGN 65 for the photoshoot, and soon received an email with approval and a request for an additional BGN 72. However, no one guaranteed that I would be selected for any production,“, the candidate shared.

After being approved for participation in the „Cinema Academy for Talents,“ candidates receive a contract to sign via email. The contract is for a period of two years and can be automatically extended or terminated. The contract ensures the participant receives 90% of the earnings from engagements organized by the Agency, while the Agency deducts a 10% commission fee. Participants are free to work with other agencies without any obligation to pay additional commissions fees. The contract fee is BGN 2.50 per month (excluding VAT) for the first two years, payable in a lump sum and in advance. After the second round of the casting, candidates are invited for a meeting with the team, where, based on their performance, they may receive project offers. It is important that individuals under 18 years of age have parental consent.

Parents of participants raised alarms about the lack of clarity and traceability in the process, as well as the lack of any real opportunity for appearances. Victims also expressed doubts because of the different amounts that are asked for training without clarity about the final results.

„In the summer, we started with them, paid the fee for the photoshoot, but then the requested amount increased for training that was supposed to happen every week. No one explained to us how this training would be conducted,“, other participants in the casting explained.

„Youth deserve to be protected, to have clear terms and guarantees,“, the concerned parents said. Their reports aim to protect other young people and families, and they hope for greater clarity in such talent casting processes.

It is important to note that back in 2020, Iskra.bg warned about this unfair practice, suggesting it is part of a long-term behavioral pattern that requires attention from authorities to prevent potential fraud.

The editorial team remains available for all affected parties to express their positions.

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