TEG Dainty President Paul Dainty, Chairman of Profile Talent Management Shaun Levin, and Seb and Adrian Bohm of Bohm Presents are just some of the figures within the Australian music industry who have teamed up to back the new booking platform, acta.
Founded by Harris Meitanis (also the CEO of acta), the current manager of Sooshi Mango, who has experience as an entertainment solicitor, artist manager, and music producer, acta’s mission is to provide a booking platform that distributes the entire fee to artists and their teams.
The acta management team also includes Brad Drummond (Head of Comedy & Speakers at TEG Dainty), Rob Frank (Verve Creative, Cheeky Food Group) and Callum Anderson (Ex-Universal Music/Talent Manager/TMN 30 Under 30).
Since launching its Beta program in 2022, acta has received support from over 90% of the country’s talent agencies and management companies. Over 2,000 artists have used the service, reportedly facilitating more than $4.7M in direct talent payments from 725 booking contracts.
According to a press release, acta charges talent bookers a fee per show that is “separate to and above the talent fee.” With this fee, talent bookers can access the marketplace for talent in Australia and engage with acta’s talent curation team when it comes to briefs and budgets.
In a statement, Meitanis said of the new platform, “The Australian events and entertainment industry is worth $4.4 Billion, and unfortunately, that attracts a lot of people wanting to make a quick buck without adding any real value.”
Meitanis added, “If you search for LeBron James or Bruno Mars‘ representatives online, you’ll encounter hundreds of people claiming to be their agent or manager, but none of them are. Their real agents appear on the 7th and 11th pages of a Google search! The same issue arises when trying to book Australian talent like Jimmy Barnes, Samantha Jade, Hamish & Andy, David Campbell or Julia Morris. This confusion not only wastes time, but it also results in costs blowing out for talent bookers, and reduced fees for talent.
“These intermediaries also add a complicated layer that often leads to mistakes arising from miscommunication. These intermediaries are more focused on securing their fees rather than ensuring a smooth talent performance execution – of which, they are never a part of.”
Some high-profile stars who have backed acta include Richard Wilkins, The Veronicas, Casey Donovan, Kate Ceberano, Megan Washington, Vanessa Amorosi, and many more.
Levin said of supporting acta, “We are all proud to support acta, which promises to streamline the booking process and enhance transparency. This initiative will benefit talent bookers, talent and their representatives alike.
“Furthermore, talent agencies and management companies can use their own contracts and invoices on acta, ensuring seamless integration into their existing workflows.”
Dainty added, “acta represents a paradigm shift in talent booking, ensuring that talent are fairly compensated for their craft. This platform empowers talent and elevates industry standards.”
Frank Stivala, the Managing Director of Premier Artists/Mushroom Group, said, “acta is a desperately needed evolution which greatly assists both talent brokers and agents alike.”
