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Since attending FOCUS London, casting company Alessi Hartigan, sponsors of the 2024 Pact and Variety Producers Lunch, has evolved from their first introduction to the UK market into a fully embedded operation. What began as an initial point of access has since translated into long-term partnerships that continue to shape the company’s expansion across the region.
“We came to Focus as our first initial immersion into the UK film scene,” says Shayne Hartigan, casting director and owner of Alessi Hartigan. “Honestly, I think the biggest thing that came out of it was that we met the Screen Alliance Wales and Dragon Studios teams and forged this relationship with them.”
Those early conversations quickly translated into tangible outcomes. Within months, the company returned to the UK and made its first local hire, an introduction that stemmed directly from FOCUS. From there, growth accelerated. As Alessi Hartigan began adapting its US approach to the UK market, it developed a hybrid model for background casting while continuing to build on relationships formed at FOCUS.
“Things work very differently in the US versus the UK when it comes to background casting, so we tried to find a good hybrid model that tied the US model in with how the UK operates,” Hartigan says.
Since setting the plans in motion to establish a presence in Wales, the pace of expansion has been significant. “We moved on to a lot in May and hired our second full-time employee in July. So, within six, seven months, we went from no employees to two full-time employees, and processing just over GBP 1 million worth of payroll in one year. Our plan was the GBP 500 thousand mark, and we blew past that.”
While the company maintains a London presence, Wales has become central to its UK strategy. Reminiscent of his own move to New Mexico, Hartigan sees the demand for enough work to keep people consistently employed. That gap has informed a more community-led approach.
“I would say the Welsh community has been a huge part of our growth, but also keeping us grounded and in reality, with what's going on,” Hartigan says. This level of integration has positioned the company firmly within the regional production landscape. “It’s exciting because we are officially working in some capacity on every single project shooting in Wales, right down to the soap operas,” he notes.
Looking ahead, the company’s ambitions are focused on expanding its offering, branching into a full-service casting entity in the UK handling principle as well as background performers, while maintaining its community-driven approach.
If FOCUS marked the entry point, the past two years demonstrate its lasting value. For Alessi Hartigan, the impact of the event lies not in visibility alone, but in the relationships, it enabled, connections that continue to underpin its growth, partnerships and position within the UK production ecosystem.
