Stilwell Casting

What Stilwell Casting does

Stilwell Casting is a privately-held, women-owned entertainment casting agency headquartered in Midtown Atlanta, founded in 1984 by Emmy Award Winning Producer Annette Stilwell. The firm provides casting services for TV, film, and commercial productions, covering SAG/union projects, non-union projects, real people casting, and specialty casting. Its client base spans major entertainment companies (Netflix, Disney, ESPN, Cartoon Network, Sony, NFL, MLB), consumer brands (Apple, Nike, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Ford, Chick-fil-A, Adidas, Amazon, Dove), financial services (Bank of America, Capital One, Geico, Aflac), retail (Home Depot, Kroger, Dick's Sporting Goods), food and beverage (Popeyes, Bud Light, Folgers, Wingstop, Delta), and government (US Army).

The business is people-driven rather than technology-driven; there is no proprietary software platform, and casting is delivered through experienced casting professionals operating from a dedicated Atlanta studio. Service delivery supports both in-person casting at the Midtown studio and remote/virtual casting via self-tapes and directed Zoom sessions. The company is a 4-person team (Annette Stilwell, daughters Erin Buda and Annie Burch who joined in 2008, and Sara), tightly held with no institutional or PE ownership. The operating model is project-based, with fees negotiated per engagement and rates varying from job to job.

Revenue is generated primarily through casting fees for commercials, TV, and film productions billed to production companies and advertising agencies. The company extends its monetization through two adjacent entities: Studio at Stilwell (a sub-brand for studio rental, events, and photo shoots) and a sister-company relationship with Smith and Stilwell Inc., which provides production payroll services for talent, crew, and photographers. Go-to-market is direct sales/relationship-based with a light social media presence (Instagram, Facebook) and a website portfolio showcasing work for major brands. Geographic focus is Southeast US with virtual casting enabling broader reach.

Name

Stilwell Casting

Legal name

Stilwell Casting

Website

https://stilwellcasting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stilwell Casting is a women-owned, Atlanta-based casting agency founded in 1984 that provides TV, film, and commercial casting services, including SAG/union and non-union projects, for production companies and major brand advertisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment Casting Services

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAFAI

Casting & Talent Services (Casting, Background, Talent Holding)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Production Services (Crew, Equipment Rental, Locations)

SECONDARYMPAAAMAF

Production & Talent Services (Casting, Crew, Production Management)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Advertising, Marketing & PR Services/Production Services for Advertising (Commercial Production, Post)

Keywords

• Talent casting services
• Commercial casting
• TV film casting
• SAG union casting
• Atlanta production services

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Casting Services: Project-based casting fees for commercials, TV, and film productions. Rates vary from job to job. Serves production companies and advertising agencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Stilwell Casting is a full-service talent casting agency providing SAG union and non-union casting for television, film, and commercial productions. The firm also offers real people casting, specialty casting, virtual casting via self-tapes and directed Zoom sessions, and a Midtown Atlanta studio facility available for in-person castings, call-backs, events, and photo shoots. Services are delivered directly to production companies and advertising agencies on a project-by-project basis with custom-quoted fees.

Product overview

Stilwell Casting offers a single unified casting service portfolio centered on professional talent casting for TV, film, and commercial productions. The core offering is casting services, which encompasses union (SAG) and non-union projects, real people casting, and specialty casting. Supporting services include a dedicated studio space in Midtown Atlanta for in-person castings, call-backs, and events, as well as virtual casting options via self-tapes and directed Zoom sessions. The company also maintains sister company relationships with Smith and Stilwell (payroll services) and Studio at Stilwell (production studio), though these are distinct entities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Studio at Stilwell: Production studio and casting facility in Midtown Atlanta

Products and services

• Casting Services
• Studio Space Rental
• Virtual Casting

Named customers30 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Smith and Stilwell, Inc.coreOthersParent/sister company that provides payroll services for productions. They pay union talent, non-union talent, photographers, and crew for productions cast by Stilwell Casting. Provides integrated production support services including full production payroll from talent to crew to photographers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Backstage: Long-standing casting resource and marketplace connecting performers with auditions for film, TV, theater, and commercials. Comparable as a competitor and channel for sourcing commercial casting talent, though broader in scope than Stilwell's casting-only service.
• Breakdown Services: Industry-standard casting platform and breakdown service used widely by casting directors, agents, and managers across the US. Comparable as the de facto infrastructure layer supporting commercial and TV/film casting workflows.
• Casting Networks: Online casting platform serving actors and casting directors across film, TV, and commercial productions globally. Comparable in that it routes casting decisions between talent and productions, though as a platform rather than a traditional casting office.
• Central Casting Corporation: One of the largest and longest-running casting agencies in the US, based in Los Angeles. Provides casting for film, television, and commercials at significantly greater scale than Stilwell, making it a broad incumbent competing for similar projects.

Others

• Studio at Stilwell: Sister brand and subsidiary of Stilwell Casting operating the Midtown Atlanta production studio. Not a competitor but an adjacent ecosystem entity — illustrates the integrated model and serves as a channel partner for casting-led shoots.

Direct peers

• Innovative Artists: Major New York and Los Angeles talent agency representing performers for commercials, film, and TV. Comparable as an established talent placement competitor serving the same enterprise brand and studio client base.
• Telsey + Company: New York-based casting office casting for feature films, television, theater, and commercials. Directly comparable as a full-service casting firm serving top-tier studios, networks, and brand clients.
• Page Parkes & Associates: Texas-based casting agency with a presence in Atlanta and other markets, casting commercials, TV, film, and industrials. Closely comparable as a regional/specialty casting firm in similar verticals.
• Donna Belajac Casting: New York-based casting office specializing in film, television, commercials, and voice-over work. Comparable as a similarly sized casting firm serving major studio and brand clients.
• Abrams Artists Agency: Full-service talent agency representing actors for commercials, film, TV, voice-over, and more, with a casting-adjacent function. Comparable as it places talent with the same brand and production clients Stilwell serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stilwellcasting
• Instagraminstagram.com/stilwellcastingatl
• Xx.com/StilwellCasting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stilwellcasting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stilwell Casting