Extras agency MovieExtras.ie is celebrating its 10th birthday in style at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin on July 13-14 by holding an open casting weekend for fresh talent.
The Ardmore Studio-based agency has been supplying some of the biggest film and televisions sets with members of the public for the last 10 years.
The casting weekend invites all members of the public to sign up for MovieExtras.ie membership, have their makeup done by professional makeup artists, and get their photo taken by an award-winning photographer.
The agency was set up in 2002 by Derek Quinn and Kevin Gill, as a means for production companies to freely access extras or models for film, television or advertising productions. Since its establishment, the agency has expanded to a client base of over 550 production companies, and can boast to supplying extras on some of the most successful productions in the last 10 years.
These include ‘Titanic: Blood & Steel’, the sophisticated miniseries starring ‘Scream’ actress Neve Campbell and ‘The Good Wife’ actor Chris Noth; the popular BBC comedy ‘Vexed’, which wrapped filming in Dublin in April, and RTÉ soap ‘Trivia’, which is expected to air this autumn.
It also supplies background artists for ongoing Irish productions such as RTÉ soap ‘Fair City’, RTÉ current affairs programme ‘Prime Time’, and TG4 drama ‘An Crisis’, which is currently shooting series two.
The agency is currently supplying extras for the highly-anticipated BBC mini-series ‘Ripper Street’, which is nearing the end of production in Clancy Barracks in Dublin. MovieExtras.ie has supplied thousands of extras for strike scenes as well as wake scenes for the series. Also currently on the agency’s books is Samson Films’ feature ‘Stay’, currently shooting in Galway and starring Irish-American IFTA Award-winner Aidan Quinn and US newcomer Taylor Schilling.
MovieExtras.ie members have received over €8 million in fees so far, and have been involved with more than 1,000 productions. Bray-native and MTV presenter Laura Whitmore got her start with MovieExtras.ie, and is now the MTV News anchor in the UK.
Co-founder Derek Quinn says he is “thrilled” the company is celebrating 10 years in the business, and that he has some “great stories to tell about amazing experiences and meeting some wonderful people”. These “wonderful people” include Colin Farrell (who shot ‘Intermission’ and Neil Jordan’s ‘Ondine’ in Ireland), Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs), and Pierce Brosnan.
“There are over 40 production companies and casting directors who view over 5,000 members’ CVs every month through MovieExtras.ie,” continues Quinn. “Productions are looking for all kinds of people of all ages, looks, shapes and sizes - people who the general public can identify with. So our weekend is open to anyone who might be interested!”
So if you think you have what it takes to don a bowler hat on set beside the likes of Matthew Macfadyen (Ripper Street), walk down a Galway street behind Aidan Quinn (Eclipse), or down a pint in McCoy’s (Fair City), attend the MovieExtras.ie open casting weekend, which takes place at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin’s city centre on July 13-14 from 10am-7pm.
The cost for an individual one-year membership is €99.95, and for a special family package it costs €299.95. Those who are unable to attend the open casting weekend can register online at www.MovieExtras.ie.
