Element Productions and Picture Park, two of the region’s leading production companies, today announced a merger agreement, creating what they bill as being the largest production company in New England. The combined entity will operate as Element, blending a team of directors, editors and producers spanning a broad array of production and post services.
Eran Lobel, who founded Element Productions in 1998, will serve as CEO of the combined company and will remain an executive producer. Mark Hankey, who has led Picture Park for almost two decades, will focus on creative development, national expansion and serve as executive producer. Scott Burtnett will continue as senior producer. Rounding out the leadership team is long-time Element Productions executive producer Kristen Kearns, who will remain in that role and focus on growing the company’s post services.
“This merger brings together two entities with complementary skills, creating an opportunity to rapidly drive growth and meet the demands of clients in a continuously evolving production marketplace,” said Lobel. “Picture Park brings a remarkably strong roster of directors and a production team that will immediately strengthen the production arm of Element. Our combined collective of directors, producers and editors will all be able to even better serve agencies and their ever-evolving creative needs, on every platform.”
The Picture Park directors alluded to by Lobel include Jonathan Bekemeier, Bill Cuccinello, DeMane Davis, John Huet, Tibor Nemeth and Charles Wittenmeier. They join Element directorial colleagues Marc Colucci, Craig Orsini and John Papola. Adding to the talent ensemble are editors Kat Baker and Chris Santo of Element and new media artisan Jose Melendez, another Element staffer.
“The new Element will immediately leverage the growth potential of both companies. The ability for directors to work beyond the standard TV commercial format will open up creative possibilities not only for our clients, but also for the directors. The full service infrastructure will help carry the creative vision from concept through completion,” said Hankey.
The company will be based at Element’s new state-of-the-art quarters in Boston. Element’s recent expansion of its post facility provides clients an environment and technologies that streamline workflow and support the creation of quality work from concept through delivery.
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More