Opinion ID: 2621124
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Overview of Talent Agencies Act.

Text: As indicated above, the Talent Agencies Act (§ 1700 et seq.) regulates the activities of a talent agency, i.e., a person or corporation who engages in the occupation of procuring, offering, promising, or attempting to procure employment or engagements for an artist or artists .... (§ 1700.4, subd. (a), italics added.) Artists include stage and screen actors; radio and musical artists; musical organizations; theater, movie, and radio directors; writers; cinematographers; composers; lyricists; arrangers; models; and other artists and persons rendering professional services in motion picture, theatrical, radio, television and other entertainment enterprises. (Id., subd. (b).) The Act is remedial; its purpose is to protect artists seeking professional employment from the abuses of talent agencies. ( Waisbren v. Peppercorn Productions, Inc. (1995) 41 Cal.App.4th 246, 254, 48 Cal.Rptr.2d 437 ( Waisbren ); Buchwald v. Superior Court (1967) 254 Cal.App.2d 347, 350-351, 62 Cal.Rptr. 364.) As also indicated, the Act's definition of a talent agency is narrowly focused on efforts to secure professional employment or engagements for an artist or artists. (§ 1700.4, subd. (a).) Thus, it does not cover other services for which artists often contract, such as personal and career management (i.e., advice, direction, coordination, and oversight with respect to an artist's career or personal or financial affairs) ( Park v. Deftones (1999) 71 Cal. App.4th 1465, 1469-1470, 84 Cal.Rptr.2d 616 ( Park ); Waisbren, supra, 41 Cal. App.4th 246, 252-253, 48 Cal.Rptr.2d 437), nor does it govern assistance in an artist's business transactions other than professional employment. Among other things, the Act provides that [n]o person shall engage in or carry on the occupation of a talent agency without first procuring a license ... from the Labor Commissioner. (§ 1700.5.) The weight of authority is that even the incidental or occasional provision of such services requires licensure. ( Park, supra, 71 Cal.App.4th 1465, 1470, 84 Cal.Rptr.2d 616; Waisbren, supra, 41 Cal.App.4th 246, 253-261, 48 Cal.Rptr.2d 437; but see Wachs v. Curry (1993) 13 Cal.App.4th 616, 627-628, 16 Cal.Rptr.2d 496.) In furtherance of the Act's protective aims, an unlicensed person's contract with an artist to provide the services of a talent agency is illegal and void. ( Waisbren, supra, at p. 261, 48 Cal. Rptr.2d 437; Buchwald v. Superior Court, supra, 254 Cal.App.2d 347, 351, 62 Cal. Rptr. 364.)