In this interview, Tope Alake, the founder of The Casting Place, discussed the casting standards in Nollywood, the business of casting, the challenges faced by casting directors, and the role technology plays in streamlining the process with Anthony Udugba
What are your thoughts on the current casting standards in the Nigerian film industry?
Casting in the Nigerian film industry has improved significantly over the last decade, thanks to better communication and the reach of social media and the internet. Today, someone in Maiduguri can easily learn about a casting call in Lagos, which was impossible two decades ago. However, the process still requires actors to be physically present at auditions, limiting opportunities for those unable to travel.
While it is great that social media has made casting more accessible, the current model remains costly and often inaccessible for many aspiring actors. Travelling across the country for auditions comes with significant risks and expenses. Actors face travel costs and the burden of spending hours in long audition queues, often in uncomfortable conditions.
The expenses for casting directors and production companies add up quickly — renting venues, hiring judges, crews, and security. This is where The Casting Place comes in — a virtual platform that leverages technology to reduce costs and eliminate the barriers of time and location. We believe this tech-driven solution is the future of casting in Nigeria, addressing a major gap in the current process and transforming the industry.
We hear about the issues of ‘Sex for Role’ in the industry. Are there other specific areas that have not been discussed enough that need professional and efficient improvements?
The ‘sex for roles’ issue has unfortunately affected the film industry worldwide, including in Africa and Nigeria. It is a disturbing example of people exploiting others for opportunities, which is unacceptable. A more standardised and transparent recruitment process is crucial to eliminating such practices, which is why The Casting Place was created.
Beyond this, the film industry needs significant improvement, especially in talent development, both on-screen and behind the camera. We have relied too much on luck, and it is time to prioritise genuine skill and knowledge. Our legal structures also need serious reform to protect everyone’s rights, and the distribution and exhibition of our content require better regulation to prevent exploitation.
While the industry needs work, focusing on these key areas — talent development, legal reform, and distribution — would be a major step forward in ensuring its long-term success and integrity.
What inspired you to venture into the casting business? Did you identify a specific gap in the market?
A need I saw firsthand inspired me to get into the casting business. I often joke that I am a failed actor. I moved to Lagos two decades ago to pursue acting, but it didn’t work out. Not because I was terrible but because the process was exhausting. Fortunately, I found the motivation to go back to school, switch careers, and work behind the camera.
A decade later, I faced the same problem from a different perspective. As a director and producer, I started casting for projects and realised that the flawed process that frustrated me as an aspiring actor was still in place. It became clear to me that this issue needed to be solved.
Having experienced the problem from both sides, addressing it made sense. Fortunately, We are in an era where technology can help us find solutions. So, we raised a great team, did some good research, and began working. And here we are today.
How does The Casting Place generate revenue? What are the primary income streams for the platform?
The Casting Place’s business model combines subscriptions with custom offerings. For actors, we offer a subscription plan with a minimal monthly fee—extremely affordable because we understand that many actors are still job hunting and may not have much money to spend.
We are banking on volume, where the small subscription fees from many actors will sustain the platform. This subscription gives actors access to all the jobs available on the platform, helping them save time and money.
On the other hand, we offer custom services for production companies or casting agencies. When they need to cast for large-scale productions, they can engage our platform on a broader level for a specific period. We have already had success with several big projects using this model.
Our revenue comes from subscriptions and custom services. The great thing is that casting directors and production companies can currently post jobs for free, while actors will soon start paying for access. Right now, all our services are 100 percent free, but as we grow, we’ll transition to this more sustainable model.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in building The Casting Place? What do you see as the most promising opportunities for growth?
Our biggest challenge in building The Casting Place has been funding. We bootstrapped the entire operation, relying on personal savings, which was incredibly tough. Running a company of this scale, with over a year of research and nearly two years of development, without external funding has been a major undertaking.
Another challenge was assembling the right team. Operating at the intersection of film and tech, we needed a small, versatile team, which was difficult to find, but we’ve now overcome that.
Looking ahead, we see significant opportunities for growth. We plan to expand into other English and French-speaking African countries. We’re also exploring AI to enhance our processes, including matching actors with roles and multi-level suggestions from the script level. This will be possible after integration with other language models. As technology evolves, we’re ready to leverage it to expand our global reach and impact.
How do you see The Casting Place contributing to the overall development of the Nigerian film industry? What impact do you hope to make?
The Casting Place aims to transform the Nigerian film industry by professionalising the casting process and increasing efficiency. We aim to save casting directors and actors time and money, ultimately creating a new, scalable business model.
Built on technology, our platform has the potential to expand into other areas of the industry. For example, there is currently no reliable talent database in the Nigerian film industry. We hope to fill that gap by providing a clean, dependable database that can be leveraged to gain valuable insights and drive further innovation within the industry, including policymaking.
