Italian Actors Body Artisti 7607 Sues Netflix Over Residuals & Lack Of Data Transparency

Rome-based actors collective Artisti 7607, which manages rights and residuals for thousands of actors and dubbing artists, is taking Netflix to court for failing to provide adequate data to set payments.

The group said the aim of the action in a Rome court was “to obtain adequate and proportionate compensation due by law to its artists”.

Artisti 7607, which launched in 2010 and began its collecting activities in 2013, said it has been trying to get Netflix to engage on the issue for eight years but that attempts to obtain the data necessary to determine the compensation due to its artists under European and national legislation had been fruitless.

“We have been facing downward market practices for some time but by holding firm positions in everyone’s interest, we have managed to obtain the right remuneration,” said Artisti 7607 president Cinzia Mascoli.

“Many artists understand what we are doing and continue to choose us.”

Co-founding board member Neri Marcorè echoed these sentiments, suggesting Artisti 7607’s legal battle chimed with last year’s Hollywood strikes.

“Artisti 7607 makes a necessary choice to defend the professional dignity not only of our artists but of the entire category,” he said.

“We don’t want to suffer obstructionist attitudes and accept negligible compensation from streaming platforms, for the same reasons that motivated the recent actors’ strike and American screenwriters. We demand transparency on the data for the exploitation of audiovisual works and correct compensation,” he said.

It is the second time, Artisti 7607 is taking to Netflix to court. Last time, Italy’s communications authority Agcom order both parties back to the negotiating table but for talks appear to have hit stalemate again.

A Netflix spokesperson told financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore that that the compensation of artists, interpreters and performers was of “fundamental importance” for the company.

They noted that the platform had a successful agreement with Nuovo Imaie, the Italian collecting organization that represents the majority of Italian artists, interpreters and performers, and had tried to do the same with Artisti 7607.

“We have tried for a long time to reach an agreement with Artisti 7607 and we have provided them with all the information required by law, as recognized by Agcom in its decision last year,” said the spokesperson.

“Artisti 7607 has repeatedly rejected our offer of payment and, while we hoped they would accept it, we are now awaiting the court’s decision.”