Netflix exec talent scam recap - 7/5/26

^ click pic for YouTube link

I was going to post about some of the fentanyl-fueled violence that TCV, Airbnb, Ellie Mertz, and Jay Hoag profit from that I encounter every day while working with a fentanyl outreach program in Kensington, Philadelphia.

For example, I was about 30 feet away from an older man holding a 19-ish girl by her neck and lifting her to her toes while choking her against a wall with one hand, and injecting her jugular with the other before he let go and she slumped to the ground in despair. There wasn't even joy in the hit. 

Fuck you Ellie Mertz and Jay Hoag. 

Or, remember the senior citizen with no legs who I help use the outdoor port-o-potty sometimes? She returned and had been brutally beaten. 

Fuck you Ellie Mertz and Jay Hoag.

But instead, I am going to do a more lighthearted and fun recap post of some of the blatant violations of Netflix exec orchestrated and sanctioned talent scam "Dub School Los Angeles".

^ click pic for link to full doc, an easy-to-understand explanation of the law from the LA City Attorney (2010, after the law was passed in 2009).

You might want to open it on another screen and follow along while the rest of this post goes through some (but not all) of the blatant and ludicrous violations committed by the Netflix exec orchestrated and sanctioned "Dub School Los Angeles".

California's Krekorian Talent Scam Prevention Act (AB 1319), protects all Californians from dirtballs like Netflix execs who charge labor and artists for opportunities to work, including charging for auditions or access to any other employment opportunities.  

Here's another explanation of the law from Biz Parents Foundation:

https://www.bizparentz.org/krekorian-act/

And another from Child Actor 101:

https://www.childactor101.com/ab1319

And from the LA Times:

https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-casting-directors-charges-20170209-story.html

NOTE: I'm not a lawyer! Full explanations of these terms are on page 2 of the full doc by the LA City Attorney.

This law addresses:

1. Advance Fee Talent Representation Services (AFTRS) - ILLEGAL.

In summary, an AFTRS is a service that charges an upfront fee for access to work, or to an audition, or to career management/representation.

2. Talent Training Services - permitted, but must comply with regulations.

In summary, acting workshops etc.

3. Talent Counseling Services (TCS) - permitted, but must comply with regulations.

Career counseling etc, and includes Talent Training Services (#2) like acting workshops.

4. Talent Listing Services - permitted, but must comply with regulations.

In summary, stuff like membership fee-based online job listings. 

^ click pic for link

Here's the front page of the website, which proudly offers paying participants the "Opportunity to work on your favorite TV shows and movies". 

This isn't the only example, but it's the funniest one.

Also, the same people working at the “Dub School Los Angeles” include people casting the dubs, and operating the recording studio— one of only two recording studios in the US that these Netflix execs allow to record live action English dubs. 

Also, Netflix gets to add to their roster of talent for the limited number of shows they still bother to dub in the US. 

There's also a $2000 directing workshop. Surreal.

I couldn't make this shit up if I tried lol. 

All permitted Talent Service Providers must provide evidence of compliance with submitting a $50,000 surety bond with the California Labor Commissioner, even before advertising their services, let alone operating. 

Here's a link to the California Labor Commissioner's list of Talent Service Provider surety bonds (click on Talent Service Bonds for a dropdown menu by year):

https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/DLSE-Databases.htm

Spoiler: they're not on it, for any year they have been operating. 

There's tons of social media ads referring to it as an "internship"... that costs $2000, lol. 

Whether "Dub School Los Angeles" meets the criteria to legally advertise itself as an internship is beyond my limited knowledge of California law, but it's certainly pretty misleading in my opinion!

Also, multiple social media ads promote how taking the class gets you into the roster of talent, with promises of work to follow. 

I'm not posting direct links to them to avoid embarrassing the very nice people in the ads who have been tricked by Netflix execs into taking part in this scam for much-needed work. But don't worry, the California Labor Commissioner Talent Office has some of them.

Have you ever dreamed of paying $2000 for access to Netflix dubbing work? There's tons of Netflix imagery and references in their social media ads, all approved by Netflix. 

And don't forget:

1. Dubbing workshops were always free, until my boss proposed charging talent to cover Netflix' miniscule costs. I objected repeatedly, and was soon fired lol. 

2. My boss called casting professionals into the Netflix offices on Sunset Blvd to let them know that their services are no longer being used for English dubbing. The surviving US recording studios were pushed to work "the French way", meaning the dub director has to know and/or find the actors themselves. So basically, unless you know a director and/or a Netflix dubbing exec... I guess you need to pony up $2000.

3. Netflix execs hosted the dub school operators at their Sunset Blvd offices multiple times at events promoting them as the creative North Star for visiting dubbing directors and recording studios (also at the events). The Netflix Sr. Director of Dubbing is French, and the Netflix VP of Creative Services is intellectually challenged, so the answer for English dubbing became to do it "the French way". 

Whatever, who cares, but when you also scam talent (and you're also secretly sending most work out of the country for A.I. training)...