Created by the industry for the industry, Altai is led by co-founders Josh Algie, ex-casting associate at McGregor Casting, and Renee Currie, previously an agent at Niche Management and general manager at Screenwise. Altai was born out of a genuine need echoed by the industry for a fresh solution which streamlines the required tools and technology into one, collaborative platform.
Says Algie: “It’s no mystery that our industry is operating in a time of unparalleled transformation, in which new technologies, client expectations and modes of engagement are rapidly shifting, along with the rise of more authentic and inclusive storytelling across our screens and stages.
“This period should be full of opportunity and collaboration as we live in one of the most diverse nations on earth. However, working at the coalface of our industry, we’ve recognised that the challenges posed by this rate of change are unsolvable with the current tools and solutions available.
“To compensate, our industry is forced to engage with various and expensive single-use platforms, causing never-ending administration. It’s eroding the casting process, but more importantly – it’s undermining our ability to innovate and connect with the storytelling potential of our nation and beyond. To thrive in this ever changing environment, we require a bespoke solution that is relevant and adaptable to the current and future needs of our industry.”
With an incredible team of top tier developers and designers, led by Chief Digital Officer, Phil Whitehouse, the team at Altai has undertaken rigorous planning and research over the past 18 months, with the sole focus of building a platform that alleviates the current pain points experienced across all facets of the casting process.
Currie says: “Our industry deserves a platform that addresses and evolves with their needs, one that truly dismantles the barriers to entry for misrepresented and marginalised communities whilst addressing the systemic pain points that have only heightened since the pandemic. A platform that supports the integrative and real time sharing of information that we’ve all become accustomed to. Altai is the vehicle to enable that communication seamlessly and we’re thrilled to be sharing it.”
Backed by intuitive and beautiful design, Altai’s initial release includes a range of industry-first features:
Built in live video sessions
– Casting offices can schedule and run live sessions with artists and clients either online or in studio, all within Altai. Live sessions are browser-based, making it simple for users to join.
Status Reports
– Casting offices can seamlessly update an artist’s status within the casting process in real time with their agent, whether it’s a release, placing an artist on hold or confirming them for the role. Alleviating some of the mental health impact on artists not knowing the outcome of their audition.
Secure sharing
– Altai includes the ability to integrate NDA’s, automate watermarking on selected documents and the ability to control the release stages of documents.
Integrated wardrobe forms
– Wardrobe forms are built into Altai and can be customised for every role, with key details pre-populated from the artist’s profile, saving artists and their agent an incredible amount of administration.
Streamlined collaboration with clients
– Casting offices can showcase auditions, wardrobe forms, documents, lists as well as upcoming online sessions for a client to join, all made available within one link.
Launching in Australia and New Zealand initially, Altai offers a 90 day free trial for all new users.
Subscription tiers:
Artists: A$9.99 per month, reduced rate available for 16 years & under.
Agents: A$5.99 per team member per month
Casting: A$9.99 per team member per month
For more information or to sign up, visit https://www.altaicasting.com/
Company Bios:
Josh Algie – Director and Co-Founder
Josh Algie is a passionate screen industry professional with experience in casting across Australia and Europe.
Josh began his career within the entertainment industry in 2012, working as executive assistant to the national head of publicity for the Seven Network. Josh progressed into other facets of the screen sector in marketing, advertising and working as an agent.
Passionate about the casting process, Josh relocated to Madrid and worked for a renowned casting consultancy, specialising in casting Spanish actors for English speaking productions. The opportunity to work across a range of co-productions throughout the EU has provided Josh with a unique insight into the globalising screen industry.
Committed and passionate about progressing Australia’s industry forward, Josh returned to Sydney and worked full-time for one of Australia’s leading casting consultancies, McGregor Casting. McGregor Casting is responsible for casting a range of award winning projects including Babyteeth, Lion, Animal Kingdom, Lord Of The Rings for Amazon, Bump, Frayed, The Twelve, and Mr Inbetween to name a few. McGregor Casting also casts major TV Commercials.
As a casting associate until September 2022, Josh has had the honor of working alongside local and international industry heavyweights on a daily basis. In close consultation with renowned directors, producers, studio executives as well as top talent agencies and artists, has placed Josh in a dynamic position within the sector.
Josh completed his Masters in Screen Business and Leadership with Distinction at AFTRS in 2021.
Renee Currie – Director and Co-Founder
Renee Currie graduated from QUT in 2006 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Distinction. She worked as an associate producer, performer, choreographer and director in the performing arts before realising she had an appreciation for the business side of the arts.
From 2008 – 2022, Renee has worked for Screenwise and was instrumental in Screenwise achieving Registration as an RTO, CRICOS provider and the Accreditation of the Advanced Diploma of Screen Acting.
As general manager and registrar, Renee was responsible for compliance, financial management and holistic continuous improvement. Its commercial and compliance success is a testament to Renee’s commitment and passion for the industry.
From 2011 – 2022, Renee was also the Director of Niche Management, a boutique talent agency. Renee was responsible for guiding and nurturing a diverse roster of artists to expand their careers into the United States and Canada. As Co-founder, Renee oversaw the procurement and negotiation of contracts with international powerhouses such as Marvel Studios, Netflix and Roadshow.
Renee’s experience as both an agent and educational facilitator provides a unique perspective ensuring all creative practitioners are represented.
Phil Whitehouse – Chief Digital Officer
Phil has over 25 years of experience leading digital programs and organisations, he has held a series of increasingly senior and strategic roles culminating in his most recent role as Executive Director for the Arq Group, one of Australia’s most pre-eminent digital technology companies.
Career highlights include:
- Founded the Sydney office of AKQA (formerly known as DT), growing to 100+ people in 3 years and expansion into New Zealand, including market-leading expertise across web, mobile, data, content, marketing, social, advertising and more.
- Held the role of Executive Director at ARQ Group, being responsible for the Northern Region (200 staff across NSW, QLD and WA), supporting the development of solutions across Cloud, Data and Digital.
- Led the digital transformation program at Qantas (80 people, 3+ years), moving their entire digital stack over to the Adobe suite of tools, starting with qantas.com and evolving to include their mobile apps, voice apps, call centre integrations, Pilot app, and a range of data and cloud service initiatives.
