Category: Featured

Many producers use production management software to streamline their workflows and keep their productions running smoothly. One of the most well-known production solutions on the market today is Entertainment Partners. 

Entertainment Partners offers services that help producers with management, payroll, taxes, casting, and more. But are they really worth the hype? 

This Entertainment Partners review will look at the company’s services and software features, pros and cons, pricing, and more. We’ll also take a look at some Entertainment Partner alternatives so you can determine the best software fit for your production. 

What is Entertainment Partners? 

Entertainment Partners is a production finance and management solution for the film and television industry. Established over 40 years ago, the company is headquartered in Burbank, California. 

The platform is best known for its integrated products and services suite that streamline various production processes such as 1099 payroll, accounting, and residuals. Entertainment Partners also provides users services for tax management and legal compliance for an overall smoother production. 

Entertainment Partners Casting

Entertainment Partners Casting offers two solutions for producers to help with casting: Central Casting and the Casting Portal. 

Central Casting is a separate entity that helps producers find background actors for film, television, and other types of productions. They have offices in Los Angeles, New York, Georgia, and Louisiana. 

The Casting Portal is for leading casting agencies or producers working independently. Users can book background actors through their private portal and filter their search by look, location, availability, skills, experience, etc. 

Producers can track contracts, release forms, NDAs, policies, and declarations within the portal. The production’s payroll can also be expedited with SmartVoucher, a payment technology that allows producers to set up and agree on times and fees digitally. 

The Casting Portal also offers features that let producers save pre-designed templates, send out bulk messaging questionnaires, create lookbooks, and more. 

Entertainment Partners Payroll

The Entertainment Partner payroll platform covers both payroll and residual payments. The Production Finance Studio, SmartAccounting, and SmartPO provide support for payments, invoicing, timecards, and cost management. 

Entertainment Partners Review

Is Entertainment Partners the real deal? Read on to see what this production and payroll solution offers and where it falls short with our review!  

Features

• Production Finance Studio: Clients can access live updates and streamline their workflows, onboarding, timecards, payroll, and accounting.  
• SmartStart: Onboarding tools equipped with templates, custom forms, automatic updates, and compliance. 
• Smart Accounting: An accounting tool that supports file uploading, handles ACH payment processing live dashboards, and offers one-click audit reporting. 
• Casting Portal: Clients can book talent, send and track documents, and expedite payroll in their private portal. 
• Enterprise Hub: This feature was made specifically for large studios and enterprises managing multiple projects. 
• Insight Solutions: Offers payroll insights to help users make data-driven decisions for their productions.
• EP Now: A news and insights platform where users can get news, insights, and ideas from EP’s experts.
• The Production Community: This community platform provides product information, industry training, and resume support.
• EP Residency: Aids the process of handling Canadian residency documents. Users can upload their records once and share them in just a few clicks.
• SmartResiduals: Can convert revenue and airdate information into payment triggers that can be reviewed, edited, and approved. 
• SyncOnSet: Saves time with automatic script breakdowns and revision, reporting, and tracking production assets and inventory
• SmartPO: Digital management of POs, invoices, and supplier payments. 
• SmartTime: Mobile and digital timecard for onboarding and accounting. 
• Scenechronize: Cloud-based solution for collaboration with crew members and teams
• Movie Magic Budgeting: Simplifies budgeting, estimating, and reporting for productions 
• Movie Magic Scheduling: Schedules shoot times, scenes, and more in detail for projects of any size. 

Pricing

For any Entertainment Partners pricing information, interested parties need to speak with one of their reps. 

Pros

• Centralized space for production management, entertainment payroll services, talent booking, and casting. 
• Works directly with the producer or user to help them understand letters, negotiation agreements, waivers, and other provisions so that all obligations are met.
• A cybersecurity team watches over advanced products and internal protections.
• Users can manage, store, search, and access documents from multiple productions in the SmartHub. 
• Producers can create, edit, and approve their professional budgets for productions of all sizes. 
• Producers can share photos and notes in the cloud. 

Cons

Here are some limitations to consider before choosing Entertainment Partners as your production solution. 

• Entertainment Partner recently had a major security breach, losing information for social security, full names, mailing addresses, and more.
• For casting and payroll solutions, producers and users have to visit a separate website. 
• In Entertainment Partners reviews,  customers mention that getting certain documents can require phone calls, multiple websites, and passwords
• Some talent and workers reported that they had issues receiving their payments from Entertainment Partners
• Customer support can take long time to resolve certain issues about payroll and taxes

Entertainment Partners Alternatives

While Entertainment Partners can work as a contractor payroll solution, there are lots of great payroll services out there. Here are a few alternatives you can use for payroll and production management. 

1. LÜK Network 

LÜK offers a range of production payroll services designed to navigate all the requirements of the entertainment industry. The platform covers everything from cast and crew payroll and payroll taxes to managing workers’ compensation and labor law compliance. 

LÜK also operates as a comprehensive talent-booking platform committed to offering the best selection of diverse talent on the market. It’s your one-stop-shop to source talent from any agency for virtual or on-site casting. Included in our services, we provide a dedicated booking assistant assigned to verify your selected talent. 

Services

• Wage compliance: Handles talent payment for contractors in compliance with labor laws for California and other states.
• Invoice bundling: Pay talent, contractors, incidental, and more with just one invoice per production. 
• Casting: Set up casting calls virtually or in person with the help of a booking specialist.
• Tax management: Send out tax documents on behalf of the producer for tax season
• Worker classification: Correctly classifies any contractors and employees to avoid any fines or legal troubles. 
• Employer of Record: LÜK can serve as your Employer of Record to make sure you hire contractors in accordance with labor laws and regulations. 

Ready to save 15+ hours on your next shoot?

2. Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew provides specialized payroll services for the entertainment industry, particularly for film, television, and live event productions. Their PSL+ platform simplifies payroll management, handling everything from timecards to tax filings. Cast and Crew also offers a digital timecard and workflow system.

Services

• Start+: Tool for digital onboarding processes for productions and crew members.
• Hours+: Digital timecard and workflow solution.
• Incentives Guide: They provide a comprehensive breakdown of all available film incentives.
• Incentives Map: They allow you to compare shoot location options.

3. Extreme Reach

Extreme Reach’s mission is to help producers and clients with payroll talent and rights management. Their services include music publishing, licensing, contract management, and negotiating royalties. The platform also offers payroll solutions such as payroll and incentive management, production accounting, employee onboarding, residual management, and more.

Services

• Residuals: Clients can schedule residual payments as well as receive data and analytics. 
• Production Incentives: Clients can access production incentives map for the U.S. and Canada with overviews of state, province, city, and county programs. 
• Accountant Resources: A self-service platform feature that comes with educational tools and training tools. 
• Payroll: Helps with payroll calculations, talent payment, and managing workers’ compensation claims submissions on their client’s behalf. 

Choose the Best Entertainment Partners Alternative

Entertainment Partners provides producers with plenty of production management, payroll, casting, booking, and more services. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for your production. 

LÜK will revolutionize how you book and pay talent with our intuitive platform designed for producers. You can finally: 

• Simplify payroll for every production with just one invoice approval or dispute
• Easily integrate worker’s comp insurance for cast and crew members
• View rates and availability and book talent from multiple agencies
• Work with a personal booking specialist to set up casting calls and confirm talent
• Reduce payroll expenses 
• Guarantee labor law compliance 

LÜK can reduce your 1099 payroll expenses by 40%, give you back 15 hours on your next production run, and, as our clients say, “save your life.”

Sounds nice, right?

The entertainment industry is constantly growing and evolving through new trends, technology, and individuals taking the world by storm. A lot is going on–everything, everywhere, and all at once 🙂 

At LÜK, we love everything related to production (we’re a production payroll and management tool, after all) so we’re here to share a curated list of production statistics in the entertainment, media, and fashion industries. Including performance statistics, shifting consumer behaviors, and just some interesting, fun facts, this post is guaranteed to enlighten and inform. 

We hope you have as much fun reading it as we did writing it! 

Entertainment & Media Production Statistics to Know

Let’s begin! 

1. The U.S. media and entertainment industry accounts for almost 7% of the U.S. GDP.

The U.S. media and entertainment industry currently accounts for 6.9% of the U.S. GDP. This is a major rebound from the hit it took by the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. The U.S. media and entertainment industry is the largest in the world.

Though the U.S. media and entertainment industry is the largest in the world, it has a lower CAGR than China, India, and Indonesia. China has the second-largest entertainment and media industry, with a CAGR of 6.1%. India is ranked fifth with a CAGR of almost 9.5%, and Indonesia sits at fifteenth having a CAGR of 12.46%.

3. By 2026, global spending in media and entertainment is expected to grow by almost 19%.

According to global projections, media and entertainment spending is expected to grow by 18.9% from 2022 to 2026. Much of this growth is due to increasing data consumption.

4. Streaming services are the largest sector of the Music and Entertainment industry.

The projected revenue for streaming services this year is $316.1 billion and is expected to reach $462.9 billion over the next four years.

5. Unsurprisingly, almost 80% of Gen Z spend more time on streaming services than any other platform.

Over 76% of Gen Z watch TV shows and movies on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming apps connected to their TVs.

6. However, millennials aren’t far behind, with 74% enjoying their streaming services too.

Millennials are right behind Gen Z at 74 percent. They are the second largest demographic that prefers streaming services and the demographic that watches the least network TV. 

These numbers are almost double the amount of Baby Boomers that use streaming services, which comes in at 40%.

7. About 1.4 million Americans work in the entertainment industry.

There are close to 1.4 million Americans working in the entertainment industry, up from 1.32 million in 2019. Common roles and jobs in entertainment are casting directors, production coordinators, set designers, and more.

8. FX artists are some of the highest-paid behind-the-scenes workers in the entertainment industry.

According to ZipRecruiter, the highest-paid workers in the entertainment industry are FX artists, who create visual effects for movies, videos, and television. Other high-paying jobs include executive producer, photo producer, and ghostwriter.

9. Comparatively, the average salary of a professional model is $84,000 per year in the United States.

Salary for models still depends on their projects and location–and this doesn’t include supplemental income from sponsorships or affiliate marketing. However, the median salary is reported to be $84,000. The states that offer the highest salaries for professional models are New York, Massachusetts, Maine, and West Virginia.

10. Almost 60% of professional models have a bachelor’s degree.

Beauty and brains for the win: 59% of professional models have earned a bachelor’s degree, with an additional 13% having earned an associate’s degree and a further 5% having achieved a master’s degree. 

11. Victoria’s Secret holds the Guinness World Record for the most expensive fashion show.

The 2016 Victoria’s Secret fashion show cost nearly $20 million. The show hosted 51 models, including Kendall Jenner, Adriana Lima, and Karlie Kloss, and held performances featuring Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, and Bruno Mars.

12. This makes sense since Kendall Jenner is currently the highest-paid model in the world.

Kendall Jenner is the highest-paid model in the world, raking in $40 million annually with a net worth of $60 million. Kendall Jenner is no stranger to the spotlight and has been the face of countless editorials, commercials, and runways. 

Following close behind Jenner are veteran models Chrissy Teigen and Gisele Bundchen. 

13. There are over 7,000 modeling agencies in the U.S. alone.

The exact number of modeling agencies in the U.S. is 7,352. The state with the most number of modeling agencies is California, with 1,553 agencies and businesses. New York and Florida are second and third in the country for the state with the most modeling agencies. 
Some of the most well-known agencies include Ford Models, Elite Model Management, and IMG Models.

14. So it’s no surprise the fashion industry makes up 2% of the world’s GDP.

The global fashion industry is valued at 1.7 trillion dollars as of this year. In the U.S. alone, the fashion industry is worth $343.7 billion and is expected to grow by almost 2% in the next 4 years. 

15. As of 2022, the U.S. music industry created a market size of $43 billion. 

The music industry did well these past few years, creating a market size of 43 billion dollars. The U.S. is home to the largest music industry in the world and is one of the countries with the most radio play and streaming. 

16. And the U.S. movie industry was recorded to be worth almost $91.4 billion. 

The movie industry is steadily rising despite theaters being closed during the pandemic. The movie industry is expected to see 4.1% growth by 2025. 

Other media industries include: 

• Gaming: $145.7 billion
• Television: $210.4 billion
• Music: $26.2 billion
• Book Publishing: $40.9 billion
• Podcast: $18.5 billion

 17. The most expensive movie ever made is Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Made by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the most expensive movie ever made, with a $447 million budget. The movie generated $2 billion at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film of 2015, and is still the highest-grossing film at the domestic box office nearly a decade later. 

Other movies that top the list include: 

• Avatar: Way of Water
• Avengers: Endgame
• Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

18. Global box office revenue reached a record $42.5 billion in 2019.

Thanks to international audiences, global box office revenue reached new heights in 2019. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, revenue dropped dramatically, only reaching back up to $26 billion in 2022. It’s projected to reach over $30 billion in 2023, thanks to box office hits like Barbie and Oppenheimer. 

Upcoming Trends in the Media & Entertainment Industry

Some of the most popular and upcoming trends to keep an eye on this year.

1. Data and AI will be used to predict audience behavior and anticipate their needs, preferences, and desires. 

The media and entertainment industry will start to rely on AI and data to find, create, and suggest content for their viewers. Through its implementation, we’ll be able to foresee audience behavior, expectations, and preferences. 

It empowers the decision-making process within the entertainment industry for its participants and creators, providing them with the necessary tools to enhance and adjust promptly.

2. Gender-fluid fashion will become more popular and accessible.  

Gender-fluid or gender-neutral fashion will become more popular with Gen Z and younger generations. Retailers and brands will start making clothes that can be worn by anyone and focus on more inclusive sizing.

3. More body-positive, diverse, and inclusive models on the runway.

The runway will start to showcase more inclusive modeling for women and men of all shapes and sizes. This has been a hot topic in the modeling world these past few years, and brands are starting to incorporate more models of different skins, body types, and identities into their campaigns.  

4. Podcasts will become more mainstream in the U.S.

This year, the number of podcast listeners is expected to grow to 164 million. In 2022, it was recorded that there are 144 million regular podcast listeners in the U.S. alone. The annual growth for podcasts from 2019 to 2023 is 17 percent, with more than 3 million active podcasts as of January 2023. 

5. Red will be the color of Fall 2023.

Expect more red dresses, accessories, and shoes on the rack this fall season. This fall will not only consist of earthy, neutral, and muted tones. Instead, the fashion industry is turning to red to liven things up. 

This bold hue has been making its rounds on the runway with major fashion brands like Prada and Valentino and is expected to make its way onto the shelves of major retailers. 

6. The video streaming service industry will continue to grow. 

The video streaming service industry is expected to reach an annual revenue of $137 billion by 2027, showing a yearly growth rate of almost 9.5 percent. Also, due to the success of major streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix, we can expect to see more streaming service platforms debut in the coming years. 

Manage Creative Production Like a Pro

As a producer, you’ve got to stay on top of everything. This includes contractor payments, production insurance, hiring talent, and more. Learning where the industry is going is a major part of that. 

But LÜK is here to offer more: our modern software is re-imagining the production process in ways that prioritize creatives. We provide an effortless way to plan, produce, and pay–so you can take back your time and create the high-quality content you love. 

Casting, booking, contractor payroll, employer of record, workers’ comp…LÜK can do it all. 

We’d love to show you how it works!