Element Pictures hires for TV growth

Element Pictures, the UK prodco behind hit series Normal People and features The Favourite, Lobster and Room, has appointed two executive producers focused on TV drama.

Michael Dawson

Michael Dawson and Lucas Ochoa have joined the Dublin-, Belfast- and London-based production company, which was founded by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe in 2001 and made its name producing feature films before turning to TV.

Taking up their new roles from early October, Dawson and Ochoa will be based in Element’s London office and will develop new projects as well as work across the existing slate.

Dawson will also oversee Element’s Belfast office with a particular focus on growing the company’s profile and projects in Northern Ireland. Both will report into Guiney, as the lead on development and production.

Lowe will remain across all key decisions from a business affairs and commercial standpoint, the company said.

Having recently produced Normal People for the BBC and Hulu, Element is currently in pre-production with the same two buyers on an adaptation of another Sally Rooney bestseller, Conversations with Friends.

Lucas Ochoa

Ochoa joins the team from Pulse Films, where he was chief creative officer of its scripted division, recently exec producing, alongside Thomas Benski, gritty British crime drama Gangs of London for Sky Atlantic and AMC.

Dawson joins from Silverprint Pictures, having previously been the script executive and executive producer on four seasons of Vera and Chris Lang’s Dark Heart, both for ITV, as well as working on a raft of development projects for various broadcasters.

Guiney, co-founder of Element Pictures, said: “We look forward to building on our track record, working with the best filmmakers, writers and creators as we continue to grow our capacity in television drama.”