Why Every Actor Needs a Contract Review Service Before Signing Anything
You did it—you applied for the role, went to the audition, nailed it, and now you’ve received that email so many aspiring actors and actresses work hard for. So, what’s next? Actors need contract negotiation help, especially in today’s economic climate. Many creatives skip legal review because they trust the studio or are eager to work, which can lead to serious problems down the road. While scrolling through TikTok, I came across an ad disguised as a creator showing off her residual income checks from past roles.
It turned out to be deceptive marketing—just another company selling its services as a middleman in an industry where such intermediaries often aren’t necessary. As an emerging or even seasoned professional, you don’t need a manager, agent, or anyone else managing your money—all of these come with costs that are rarely worth paying.
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“I’ve been using websites like Backstage and Actors Access for years now, and it shocks me to see how many agencies are submitting their talent to us through those platforms,” says author and film producer Lisa K. Stephenson.“On the surface, there’s nothing wrong with it, but beneath that, there is. The whole point of hiring an agency to represent you is to help land more suitable casting opportunities. However, many agencies submit talent who don’t fit the role—whether that’s gender, race, or general requirements. This puts a stain on their reputation, which in turn affects their talent.
We don’t want to work with anyone who can’t follow directions or is blindly applying for roles they have no genuine interest in. It wastes our time and theirs. As a result, many casting directors strategically remove submissions that come from agencies. It’s not uncommon—I’ve seen it happen, and I’ve instructed my own team to do the same. We want direct access to talent, not to exploit them, but because the likelihood they’ve actually read the casting notice is ten times higher. Nobody wants their time wasted.”
The most important part of being a creative is ensuring that you are legally protected. This means covering terms like exclusivity, royalties, likeness use, termination, and NDAs. Fortunately, there are services designed to help strike that balance—ASIAS Legal Services (ALS) being one of them. They note that “contracts aren’t written for the actor’s benefit; they protect the production first, which is why actors need contract negotiation help.” While hiring an entertainment lawyer may sound intimidating, it doesn’t have to be.
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Before you sign, slow down. Ask questions. Because what you sign today shapes what you can do tomorrow.
However, going straight to hiring an entertainment lawyer can cost you upwards of $450 an hour for contract reviews. Meanwhile, at ASIAS Legal Services (ALS), you can pay as little as a $259 flat fee for a contract review. ALS does not provide legal advice but ensures clients reach trusted experts if needed. Typical steps include submitting a contract, connecting with a lawyer, reviewing the lawyer’s notes, and applying changes.
The value of working with a company like ASIAS Legal Services (ALS) is that they offer a rare combination of visibility and protection—providing creatives with access to trusted legal professionals (when absolutely needed, saving hundreds if not thousands in the process) while managing their public image to sustain their careers. The firm stands as a central resource for entertainment figures seeking both advocacy and opportunity. Working with ALS means cc’ing their team on your emails to casting directors, agents, or potential managers (if they reach out and you believe you need or want one). Having ALS on your emails, on your calls, or even there to represent you in interviews and help land press opportunities elevates your status from novice to professional.
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Both legal review and publicity go hand in hand, making services like ALS crucial for your career. When you sign a poorly handled contract, it can limit future endorsements, interviews, and brand deals. At ALS, one client revealed, “I was signed to this modeling agency, and they told me I could not do interviews or magazine covers. I had so many press opportunities presented to me, but they didn’t come from the agency, so I had to turn them down. It wasn’t until later that I realized being signed to an agency was slowing me down. Once my contract ended, I didn’t renew and just hired ALS instead. I can say it’s a world of difference. Half the time, they don’t even need to be on calls—having them on my emails (my legal team is cc'd here as well) is enough. I receive better pay, better contracts, and faster responses.” – Nyla Welman
According to ALS, some questions you should be asking before signing any contract include:“Who owns my likeness once the film is released? Can I promote this project independently? What exclusivity or non-compete clauses are included? Can I terminate the contract, and what are the penalties? Who controls my booking calendar—me or the agency? Am I responsible for covering my own travel, wardrobe, or marketing costs? Will I receive a detailed breakdown of agency commissions per job? How will press opportunities be handled, and can I approve them myself? What are the payment terms and residual structures?”
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Residuals were built for reruns. As I mentioned earlier about that ad I saw on TikTok—a company claiming they can get talent residuals and manage them—it’s not entirely true. Before working with a company like that, you’d want to contact ASIAS Legal Services (ALS) and have their team vet the company before signing or agreeing to any terms and conditions.
The whole concept of reruns was that shows were re-aired on network television, films were re-released in syndication or on DVD, and each reuse generated new revenue—which was shared with the talent. Unions like SAG-AFTRA and the WGA negotiated these payments so actors, writers, and crew continued to earn income whenever a project they worked on was replayed. Streaming has changed this.
When a show is made for a streaming platform, the platform owns the global rights outright. There are no reruns or syndication sales; the content just sits in their library. Because there’s no new transaction, streamers argue there’s no basis for traditional residuals. In the world of streaming, the logic is: “We already paid you upfront.” So they offer higher initial fees instead of long-term residuals. This is known as a buyout contract, meaning there’s no continuing participation in profits—no matter how successful the project becomes.
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ASIAS Legal Services (ALS) helps talent negotiate clear usage limits, bonus structures, reversion rights, and, in some cases, alternative compensation terms. “This could mean requesting that a streaming platform provide a talent with multiple film opportunities instead of just one to offset the lack of residuals,” says Stephenson. All in all, you need legal representation and good publicity that specializes in protecting talent without limiting opportunity. Contact ALS today. As an aspiring actress myself, I can say it was more than worth it!
by Harley Miller
