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RedBird Capital Partners Takes Majority Stake in Talent Systems Casting Firm
The pact bolsters the casting software and audition network firm that operates Casting Networks, Spotlight, Cast It Systems and more.

RedBird Capital Partners Takes Majority Stake in Talent Systems Casting Firm

RedBird Capital Partners has taken a majority stake in Talent Systems, the casting software and audition network run by entrepreneurs Rafi Gordon and Alex Amin.

Talent Spotlight operates a collection of casting-related software and audition network services, including Casting Networks, Spotlight, Cast It Systems, Casting Frontier, eTribez Casting Platform and Staff Me Up. RedBird is a private equity firm run by former Goldman Sachs partner Gerry Cardinale that focuses on media, sports, consumer and financial services sectors.

“RedBird’s extensive track record of building long-term, successful businesses coupled with its deep expertise in the entertainment industry makes them the ideal partner to scale Talent Systems,” said Gordon and Amin, who are co-CEOs of Talent Systems. “We’re confident that the partnership and resources that RedBird brings will add to the company’s trajectory and our primary goal of delivering best-in-class technology capabilities to our customers across the talent, casting director, studio, and agency segments.”

Talent Systems brands managed more than 50,000 projects and more than 2 million auditions across film, TV, digital, commerical and stage productions. Gordon and Amin were previously the founders of the Baseline/Studio System database. The pair began moving into the digital casting arena in 2017 with the acquisition of Casting Networks and Cast It Systems.

With RedBird’s backing, Talent Systems’ collection of smaller digital brands will have a better chance of scaling quickly at a time when industry insiders say the vast majority of casting activity is conducted online.

“With Talent Systems, Rafi and Alex have created a platform that offers efficiencies to a media and entertainment ecosystem managing a massive increase in supply and demand of content creation,” said RedBird partner Andy Gordon (who is no relation to Rafi Gordon). “Drawing on RedBird’s investment experience and relationships in the industry, together we have an opportunity to continue to scale their business when it is needed most. We are also pleased that Rafi and Alex, along with their leadership team and existing financial partner Caltius, will continue to have a significant equity stake going forward.”

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson served as legal advisor to RedBird. William Blair served as financial advisor while Morgan Lewis & Bockius served as legal advisor to Talent Systems.

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