BBC
EXCLUSIVE: Mad Dog 2020 Casting, a 25-year-old British company that provides background actors to main productions, is dealing with authorized motion after failing to pay scores of shoppers.
Equity and Bectu, two of probably the most outstanding UK inventive business unions, are pursuing authorized claims on behalf of members who’re owed hundreds of kilos from jobs they accomplished in 2023.
Below-the-line actors who labored on reveals together with Doctor Who and Call The Midwife have been caught up within the debacle, which has rumbled on for months.
Mad Dog promised to course of all excellent funds by the tip of January, however a month on, numerous extras stay impacted.
Equity mentioned 24 of its members have claims towards Mad Dog. It is unclear what number of Bectu members are embroiled within the situation.
A ballot of almost 12,000 background actors on non-public Facebook group Heavy Pencil confirmed that at the least 88 individuals have been nonetheless chasing fee as of final month. Collectively, they have been owed a minimal of £21,000 ($26,000).
Mad Dog has apologized to shoppers and mentioned it stays dedicated to clearing the backlog, with some individuals reporting that they’ve obtained their paychecks. Mad Dog added that jobs undertaken in 2024 will likely be paid in a “normal manner.”
Deadline understands that Mad Dog is trying to piece collectively financing to clear the backlog and is assured that it stays solvent. The company has blamed the dual U.S. author and actors’ strikes for its monetary points.
Under UK laws, it’s illegal for an company to withhold fee from shoppers for greater than 10 days after receiving funds from a producer, broadcaster, or streamer. The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate has been alerted to the Mad Dog situation, however wouldn’t touch upon whether or not it had launched an investigation.
Mad Dog has taken a reputational hit due to the late funds disaster. Deadline is conscious of quite a few prime producers who’re ready to quietly sever ties with the company. They have been reluctant to place their considerations on the report in case it created extra points for these but to obtain fee.
Bectu head Philippa Childs advised Deadline: “Our precedence is guaranteeing that our members are paid the money they’re owed. Despite earlier assurances that Mad Dog would do all it may to resolve this situation in a well timed method, they haven’t met this dedication and we’re not assured that they’re working in good religion. We are due to this fact now pursuing authorized motion towards the corporate on behalf of our members.
“In the midst of a continuing cost of living crisis and a very challenging year for film and TV workers, it’s imperative that freelancers aren’t left out in the cold by delayed payments.”
In a press release, Mad Dog mentioned: “The firm has a backlog of funds for some artists who labored on tasks in 2023, and may be very sorry that this example has arisen.
“We remain committed to paying everyone who is owed pay from 2023, and this is our priority. As part of turning the situation around, everyone who works for the company in 2024 has been and will continue to receive their pay in the normal manner.”
The BBC has advised Mad Dog shoppers that it’s conscious of the difficulty and is monitoring the state of affairs. The broadcaster just isn’t at fault for the difficulty.
