BackstageReviews 291

Do not join this company as they charged e 168.00 after I cancelled my membership and they refused to give me a refund and they locked my account so I can't even use it. Use lacasting instead.

Backstage has furnished a plethora of VO jobs, but their range of jobs offered is too wide. I'm an 86-year old man, and my voice can pass for 45 years up, but I get constant calls for women, children etc. I spend at least an hour a day searching through leads that simply do not fit my voice. Then Backstage shows me a disclaimer saying my age range (45-86) does not meet the requirement of the VO submitted. They should apply the parameters more closely to mine.

I love backstage! Backstage really helped me to find auditioning roles from network channels such as HBO, Netflix, Disney, Nick and so much more. This website has roles for movies and TV shows that can suit everybody. I love this website and i hope everyone else does too!

Great site, defiantly worth using for castings if you are are in the US. Unfortunately I am not, so I requested to cancel my membership. Expecting difficulty (which is usually the case with cancellations) I got a friendly and understanding response from the team and full refund.
Will carry on using the free subscription but gutted I can't utilise it's full membership cause of being UK based.

I love backstage! I've been casted in so many roles, and every time I've contacted customer support, they've been so amazing and helpful. It's not that pricey, and trust me when I say it lets you audition for SO many things. It took me a long time to convince my mom to let me get it, but it is so worth it. If you're parents are reluctant, show them this review. This site is amazing, I am not being paid to write this, I'm just writing this on my own time because of how amazing it is. Get it, get it, get it!

Backstage is a great way to find jobs and start a career right. Based on my own experience backstage has really helped me evolve. Whenever I have an issue Backstage customer service is always here to help.

Greatest platform I've ever used!
I've gotten several awesome auditions!
And now I'm patiently waiting

We have cast numerous film projects using Backstage. The company's search system is accurate and fast and the number of potential actors/actresses is refreshing. Highly reccomended.

Backstage is good for unrepresented actors. It's mostly student films and microbudget indie stuff. You won't get a life changing gig, but it is useful for building your resume. I had used them for just over 2 years, and was satisfied, until the pandemic hit. I explained to them that I could not afford the service, to which Ben replied, "How about if we give you 2 months for free and move your billing date?" To me, this sounded like "We'll let you keep the service and postpone billing for 2 months." What they should have said is "We're still going to charge you now, but next year, we'll charge 2 months later than the date we are currently charging you on." They didn't say that because that is obviously of no help. I disputed the charge, and the bank reversed it. I cancelled that card, and offered to pay Backstage directly via debit. Richard informed me that I would not be given access to my account unless I dropped the dispute. It was a moot point given that the card was cancelled. I tried contacting Richard several times offering to pay my bill, but never heard back. The big takeaway is this: If you have to use Backstage, keep a close eye on your bank account. They'll charge you without letting you know, and will use a multitude of strategies to make that transaction indisputable. They will also talk a good game, and though they don't outright lie, they definitely obfuscate the truth. Watch your cash because they like to stick their hands in the cookie jar.

I've been on Backstage for close to three years now.
It has really helped me get my foot in the door on a lot of gigs.
My review will be as direct and honest as possible.
Pros:
BACKSTAGE is reputable and DOES have alot of legitimate acting gigs.
Great for Non Union actors.
I personally have not had any issues as far as customer support nor renewal issues.
Very wide data base for any one in the industry.
SAG approved films and shorts that can get you the accredited status to into the Union.

CONS:
ALOT. And I do mean. ALOT of unpaid/ school film type of jobs.
No real A list or major motion picture opportunities.
( I've only seen 1 out of my three years)
They say for example you have an opportunity to apply for let's say The Walking Dead or Fast and Furious. But the truth is A listed gigs will NOT appear here.
In addition those gigs require agents and SAG union. This is this sights biggest downfall.
To be a SAG member you have to have SAG approved film experience. Which BACKSTAGE does offer. BUT. As far as my experience SAG films require agents. Agents won't touch you unless you have SAG experience. So, in essence your like a Dog chasing your own tail. How does one get in the door? As it said in Hollywood. You know someone who knows someone.
Alot of infomercial type. "Teach you to act"
Without accredited teachers courses. ( a high majority of production companies and directors won't take you seriously without ACTUAL acting classes from an accredited institution)

If your an up and coming actor and need IMdB credits or a simple beginner at acting Backstage is your perfect place to learn the craft.
Backstage has given me the tools and gigs to perfect my acting, find my comfort zones and find my limits.
I can actually say I AM a professional Actor.

But if your thinking your going to land that huge gig with a major Hollywood Studio... Get ready to work your butt off and have a microscopic chance.( like a germ using a microscope to find a chance... chance)
Because without SAG union, a reputable agent/ company, and a actual film short/ audition tape done professionally.
You will be chasing extra gigs on major sets ( no SAG APPROVAL as an extra BTW) and doing Film festival shorts.

Cancelled my subscription after the first month (even though I didn't even know I was subscribed, luckily I checked) and was still charged for 2 more months after that. The site didn't let me cancel and support was no help. They just tell you refunds are not available. Very annoying considering I tried to make sure this didn't happen to me and it still did. Not even sure if I'm cancelled now because it said the same thing last time and I still got charged again and again. Would NOT recommend giving them your credit card Info. Also if I get an automated reply to this review saying to email them at customer service and that they are sorry. I already did. No help, said refunds are not available. Also did NOT receive any emails about getting rebilled or that a payment was coming up. I have checked my email and nothing like that had been sent, so that is just not true.

I just realized I was still being billed for a Backstage.com subscription I thought I canceled 2 months ago.

You can turn off Auto-renew, but your subscription apparently remains active.
The final cancellation page seems to be designed to be misleading. After you choose "Turn Off Auto-Renew" in your Payments, you go to a screen with 2 buttons: One is bright blue and says "Wait, I want to keep my subscription!" and the other is grey-- it looks greyed out, as though it has already been clicked by default. This the "Turn off auto-renew" option.
EVEN AFTER YOU TURN OFF AUTO-RENEW, Your account is still active. You apparently have to call or write a support ticket which they say in the Terms, but isn't apparent when you stop your auto-renew.
This is likely why so many people think they have canceled and are surprised to find charges showing up on their credit cards.

On June 12 I was billed by Backstage for the annual membership. However, in March I had went on the website and turned my auto renew off. After being billing, I went back to my account to see my auto renew was STILL ON! I was charged the annual membership of $149 and never received any email receipt regarding this.

I contact their customer service today on June 30, just 18 days after the payment. They continued to tell me that I was past their "10 day" grace period and no refund could be issued. I was even okay will settling for a pro-rated 11 month refund. But they still said that was not possible. Not to mention I have not used their site in over a year...

This is very sketchy that I attempted to turn the auto renew off, yet it was still on. And what kind of company doesn't send a receipt after a payment is made? If I had received a receipt I would have cancelled right away and fell in the "10 day grace period". Instead I happen to look at my statements and see this just 8 days after the "grace period."

This is no way to conduce a business ESPECIALLY admits a global pandemic when so many of us are hurting for money due to loss of jobs. When they say "its not possible to issue a refund" this is a lie. It is possible, they just don't WANT to. With just a couple clicks they could issue a refund or partial refund.

BEWARE of Backstage, not only did I get ZERO jobs from this service, but their business model seems to be setup to auto withdraw funds and have people forget about their membership. I have not experienced customer service this poor before.

I subscribe this website. They said it's 6 months for free. After like 3 months I unsubscribe because I did not like it that much and I after another 3 months I was charged on my bank account £20. When I asked for refund as I already cancelled this and that it does not make sense to pay for something when I am unable to get a job as it was during lockdown they refused to refund me. I WOULD NEVER EVER SUGGEST SOMEONE THIS WEBSITE!

I thought starnow (more accurately softnow) was terrible! Then I came across these idiots!

I emailed this site to ask if posting on their website as someone who is brand new to the industry and as such I would not have any previous samples of work and furthermore not really a website built, if this would be ok. They had told me that this would be of no issue and provided me with a link further highlighting what to post and what not to post.
I therefore, with this information, posted my job and ready to recruit. Within a matter of HOURS I have one of their headquarter bigheads tell me they can't run the listing unless I had previous work samples and a website to hand!
So now I've been lied to, I of course responded to express my disappointment and tell them that if I knew I had been lied to, do you really think I'd have joined them and wasted my time trying to post with them?
In true crybaby fashion, they decide not to tackle a dissatisfied customer head on but to throw a wobbly and remove me from their crumby site!
Makes you wonder what else they're lying about!
I had always heard many a horror story about these "grand" "glamorous" and "glorious" casting sites! I now know them to be true!
Needless to say B. S, on my experience with them, definitely doesn't stand for backstage!