Top casting agent joins the POP community
We Got POP (POP) is thrilled to officially announce a top casting agent has joined their ever- expanding film production network.
Tara Keenan, ex-Casting Director of 2020 Casting and crowd casting agent on Steven Spielberg’s READY PLAYER ONE starring Simon Pegg is the latest addition to the platform which connects the film community. Powered by POP technology, Keenan has been able to set up Key Casting, a brand new agency which specialises in casting background artists. As well as the latest Spielberg feature, Key Casting has also provided background artists on Andy Serkis’s period drama BREATHE and has a number of very high profile Hollywood features still under embargo in the pipeline.
Before setting up Key Casting Keenan built her reputation over seven years, landing major film and television projects and delivering top quality casting services. Providing the extras for Martin Scorsese’s HUGO as her first feature, Keenan continued to work across crowd casting and as a Crowd AD gaining invaluable industry experience and knowledge. Other past credits include Mike Newell’s GREAT EXPECTATIONS, Christopher Nolan’s THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, Christopher MCQUARRIES’ MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION and more recently David Michôd’s WAR MACHINE starring Brad Pitt. Keenan’s decision to set up Key Casting timed with the expansion of POP’s platform and the introduction of ‘Chitless’, their paperless payment technology.
“After many years working in the industry, POP has enabled me to make the move into running my own casting agency possible. Their platform gives people like myself, who have the casting experience and industry understanding, the ability to cast efficiently using their great software whilst giving me support when it is needed – something that I think is incredibly useful when starting a new company in such a fast paced industry”.
Holly Gardner, Crowd 2nd Assistant Director on Marvel’s DOCTOR STRANGE also comments on how the platform enabled her to set up her own company Two 10 Casting earlier this year.
“After working with POP and seeing how the platform provides crucial technology and administrative support, the idea of becoming a Crowd Casting Agent and starting my own company grew quickly. My new role as a Crowd Casting Agent means I am still involved in the film making process but also have a better work-life balance and control over my working hours. Two Ten Casting has already provided extras for Armando Ianucci’s THE DEATH OF STALIN, Sky Atlantic and Showtime Network’s GUERRILLA and have big plans for the future. The ever developing, brilliant and innovative POP platform really has created an exciting time for start- up crowd agencies in the UK film and television industry”.
Co-Founder and CEO of POP, Kate McLaughlin adds
“We are delighted to welcome both Tara and Holly to the POP platform. They are both extremely impressive women and with their backgrounds in crowd casting and ADing respectively, they have what it takes to make a great success as an individual agent using POP’s casting portal. We are seeing more and more ex-bookers and ADs exploring the idea of setting up their own casting agencies powered by POP. We are excited to work with people like Tara and Holly and see their businesses go from strength to strength; and we are delighted to support them in any way we can”.
Keenan and Gardner are just two casting agents flying solo amidst a growing marketplace of industry professionals – individuals and companies alike – powered by POP. Casting agencies including The Casting Network, MFS / Action Extras, Extra People, Catnap Casting, Greenlight Casting, Early Bird Casting, AP Casting, Sally King casting, Ink Casting and Mixed Bag Management, a number of film production companies and some of the major studios are all connected on the platform and using POP’s one-of-a-kind technology.
