StarNow
StarNow is a privately held, Wellington-based online casting marketplace that connects 280,000+ performers (actors, models, voiceover artists, crew, musicians, and content creators) with paid audition and job listings from casting directors across the UK, Australia, the US, New Zealand, and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersWellington, New Zealand
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What StarNow does
StarNow is an online auditions and talent-jobs platform founded in 2004 and headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, that connects performers with casting opportunities across film, television, theater, commercials, modeling, voiceover, content creation, production crew, and music. The platform is structured as a two-sided marketplace: talent create free profiles (showcasing photos, showreels, self-tapes, and UGC clips) and apply to unlimited casting calls, while employers and casting directors pay to post job listings. Core technology components include a web platform, an iOS mobile application with instant job alerts, and advanced job filtering by location, role, compensation, demographics, and union status. The platform operates dedicated casting sections in at least five countries — the UK, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, and Canada — and reports 280,000+ talent members, 13,988 daily job postings, and 3,000+ talent agents scouting on the platform.
The business model combines freemium talent membership with paid employer postings (transaction/model) and an enterprise tier for larger production companies. Distribution is primarily product-led and self-serve via the website and mobile app, with supporting content marketing (industry articles/magazine), organic social (Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), email newsletters, and SEO-driven organic search. Notable enterprise logos using the platform for casting include Netflix, BBC, ITV, Disney, Amazon Studios, HBO, Stan, TikTok, and Nike, indicating both traditional broadcasting/streaming buyers and emerging digital-first buyers. Recent product expansion has included an "Agents & Managers" beta feature, a dedicated enterprise offering, and explicit casting verticals for content creators and influencers, suggesting deliberate extension beyond traditional acting/modeling into UGC-adjacent workflows.
The company is privately held and bootstrapped (no funding rounds, parent entities, or institutional investors are disclosed), with co-founders Cameron Mehlhopt (co-founder) and Jamie Howell (Chief Technology Officer, Systems Architect & Co-Founder) listed in leadership. StarNow reports 251–500 employees and has operated continuously for approximately two decades, though it has not publicly disclosed revenue, pricing, or financial metrics.
StarNow firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- StarNow
- Legal name
- StarNow
- Website
- https://starnow.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- StarNow is a privately held, Wellington-based online casting marketplace that connects 280,000+ performers (actors, models, voiceover artists, crew, musicians, and content creators) with paid audition and job listings from casting directors across the UK, Australia, the US, New Zealand, and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
StarNow industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Casting Marketplace
- NAICS
- Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (71141), Employment Placement Agencies (561311)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Talent Casting & Auditions (Casting Directors, Open Calls) (HSACAHAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Talent Agency & Representation Services (HSACAHAK), Talent Booking Agencies (Live Performance) (MPAIAGAB), Casting & Talent Services (Casting, Background, Talent Holding) (MPADAFAI), Creator Talent Management & Representation (MPAAAHAB)
Keywords
Where StarNow is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wellington
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Markets served
StarNow business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Talent Membership: Free profile tier for talent with premium membership options for enhanced visibility and features
- Casting/Job Listings: Employers and casting directors pay to post auditions and job listings on the platform
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
StarNow product offering
Product offeringCore offering
StarNow operates a two-sided online auditions and casting marketplace that connects actors, models, dancers, photographers, stylists, crew, and musicians with casting directors and employers seeking creative talent. Employers (casting directors, production companies, brands) post paid job listings and auditions, while talent browse, apply, and audition for opportunities through web and iOS mobile interfaces.
Product overview
StarNow is a talent casting marketplace platform that connects performers, models, content creators, voiceover artists, and production crew with casting directors and production companies. The platform offers six core casting categories: Acting Jobs, Modeling Jobs, Content Creator Jobs, Voiceover Jobs, Crew Jobs, and Musical Jobs. Additional offerings include a free talent profile system for showcasing photos and showreels, an iOS mobile application for on-the-go job searching with instant alerts, advanced job filtering by location/type/compensation, an enterprise tier for larger productions, and a beta Agents & Managers directory. The platform facilitates unlimited job submissions with a subscription model, serving talent ranging from beginners to industry professionals across global markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 280,000+ talent members actively searching for opportunities
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use StarNow
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
StarNow technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
StarNow partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
StarNow competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Upwork: Upwork is a leading global freelance marketplace spanning video, voice, and creative talent. Comparable as a talent-to-buyer marketplace, though much broader and oriented toward general freelance rather than entertainment-specific casting.
- IMDbPro: IMDbPro is an industry directory used by casting directors and talent representatives to find actors, crew, and professionals. Comparable as a casting-discovery resource, though it functions as a directory rather than an active job marketplace.
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn is the dominant professional talent marketplace globally. It is comparable as a broad talent-discovery and hiring platform, although it does not specialize in entertainment-specific casting workflows or auditions.
- Fiverr: Fiverr is a broad freelance services marketplace where content creators, voiceover artists, and video talent also find work. Comparable as a creator/talent marketplace, but with a much wider services scope beyond entertainment casting.
Direct peers
- Actors Access (Breakdown Services): Actors Access is a primary submission tool for professional actors connecting to casting breakdowns. Direct peer given identical actor-targeting use case, although it skews more to union/SAG-AFTRA talent in the US.
- Mandy: Mandy (formerly MandyNetwork) is a UK- and Australia-based casting network for actors, crew, voiceover, and dancers. Highly comparable given similar geographic footprint, vertical coverage, and self-serve marketplace model.
- Backstage: Backstage is the largest US-focused casting platform for actors, models, and crew. It is a direct peer given nearly identical product offering (auditions, jobs, profiles) and overlapping target market of performers and casting directors.
- Casting Networks: Casting Networks (formerly LA Casting) is a major platform serving actors and casting directors, with subscription tiers for talent. Direct competitor in the casting marketplace category with strong US presence and enterprise clients.
- Voices.com: Voices.com is a leading voiceover casting marketplace serving commercials, audiobooks, animation, and gaming. Direct peer within StarNow's voiceover category with overlapping buyer and talent base.
- Model Mayhem: Model Mayhem is a community and casting marketplace for models, photographers, makeup artists, and stylists. Direct competitor in the modeling/creative-talent vertical served by StarNow's modeling jobs category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
StarNow social profiles
Digital presenceStarNow financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
StarNow leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
StarNow funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
StarNow M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about StarNow
What does StarNow do?
StarNow operates a two-sided online auditions and casting marketplace that connects actors, models, dancers, photographers, stylists, crew, and musicians with casting directors and employers seeking creative talent. Employers (casting directors, production companies, brands) post paid job listings and auditions, while talent browse, apply, and audition for opportunities through web and iOS mobile interfaces.
Is StarNow a public or private company?
StarNow is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was StarNow founded?
StarNow was founded in 2004. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is StarNow based?
StarNow is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does StarNow make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Talent Membership is the primary driver. The others are casting/Job Listings.
Who are StarNow's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Upwork, IMDbPro, LinkedIn and Fiverr. Direct peers are Actors Access (Breakdown Services), Mandy, Backstage, Casting Networks, Voices.com and Model Mayhem.
Does StarNow have an API?
No public API is recorded for StarNow.
What industry is StarNow in?
StarNow's product category is Online Casting Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAHAL, Talent Casting & Auditions (Casting Directors, Open Calls), with a secondary code of HSACAHAK, Talent Agency & Representation Services. Its NAICS code is 711410 and its SIC code is 7361.