Entertainment Partners Announces Acquisition Of UK-Based We Got POP Ltd.

BURBANK, Calif., March 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Entertainment Partners ("EP"), the global end-to-end provider of production and workforce management solutions to the entertainment industry and owner of the legendary Central Casting, announced today its acquisition of London-based FilmTech startup, We Got POP Ltd. ("POP"), offering the UK production industry's leading SAAS based workforce and production management platform, including the casting portal and production portal. Through this acquisition, the terms of which were not disclosed, EP will provide best-in-class technological support for the casting and production management needs of its clients around the globe.

Since starting its journey in 2014, POP has revolutionized the way background actors are found, hired, managed, and paid with a casting portal that provides a digital, integrated, and secure system which has become the go-to source for film, television shows, and commercials. The POP solutions were readily embraced by key UK production teams, capturing more than half of the UK casting business in just a few years. Led by entrepreneur and industry veteran Kate McLaughlin, the company undertook a successful expansion into the US market with the opening of its New York office in 2017. POP CEO McLaughlin will continue to lead POP's operations and will join the EP Executive team.

"Bringing together Central Casting with POP naturally complements our strategy to modernize and integrate the production process," said EP President and CEO Mark Goldstein. "The POP team's solutions, with their seamless workflow for selection, hiring, management, and payment of talent and crew, will enable us to better serve our existing casting clients. POP will also allow us to expand Central Casting's reach across the United States and into Europe and Canada led by Jennifer Bender partnering with POP's technology and the POP team. In addition, with the power of their production portal as the foundation to drive workflow efficiency and greater connectivity between production companies and production and across the industry, POP will enable us to support our clients globally by broadening all of our production services across Europe beginning in 2021."

"There is significant alignment between POP and EP, both in our vision for a smarter industry and in our belief that technology can play a key role in driving to a better future," said McLaughlin. "By coming together the synergies will allow each to more quickly deliver on the vision we share with our clients while simultaneously nurturing new opportunities to drive the industry forward."

"While expanding the Central Casting brand globally, integrating the POP platform will allow Central Casting to exponentially increase the number of actors in the casting database and deliver digital vouchers to production," said Central Casting leader and EP Executive Vice President Jennifer Bender.  "We're excited that POP's Production Portal also sets the foundation for bringing a new level of production efficiency and expertise to the UK and Europe. For some time, we've been seeking a partner that would bring the value of our client-first brand to the UK. As will soon become apparent, POP is the perfect fit."

About Entertainment Partners 

Entertainment Partners (EP) is the global leader in entertainment payroll, workforce management, residuals, tax incentives, finance, and other integrated production management solutions with offices across the U.S. and Canada. Currently on a mission to digitize the paper-heavy back office processes of entertainment production, EP combines unparalleled expertise and innovative technology to enable its clients to produce the most cost-effective and efficient film, television, digital, and commercial projects. Its accounting systems and Movie Magic Budgeting and Scheduling programs have long been industry standards and its SmartStudio suite, comprised of SmartAccounting, SmartStart, SmartTime, Scenechronize, SmartHub, SmartResiduals and SmartCards, is the first end-to-end integrated platform connecting the production community and providing new insights for better collaboration and decision making. Its renowned incentives teams assist and advise productions all around the world, and casting and payroll for background actors is handled through its Central Casting division, a Hollywood icon since 1925.

About POP

We Got POP is a technology innovator for the film and TV industry headquartered in London and New York. Since 2014, POP has been on a mission to drive for a smarter, fairer future for the entertainment industry, by building technology to digitize production processes, connect the industry and open access to opportunities and insight. 

SOURCE Entertainment Partners, LLC