What Element Pictures does

Element Pictures is an award-winning film and television drama production company founded in 2001 by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, headquartered in Dublin with a regional office in London. The company produces two core product lines: feature films for theatrical release and television drama series for broadcasters and streaming platforms. Its filmography includes Academy Award-winning productions such as Poor Things (4 Oscars), The Favourite, Room, The Lobster, and Bugonia, alongside television adaptations including Normal People and Conversations with Friends for BBC/Hulu, and The Dry for RTÉ/ITV.

Element operates a B2B professional services and licensing model. Revenue is generated through co-production and commissioning fees from broadcasters and financiers (BBC Film, Film4, Screen Ireland, BFI, Channel 4, RTÉ), production fees from streaming platforms (Hulu, Netflix), and distribution rights licensed through theatrical partners (A24, Searchlight, Picturehouse) and international sales agents (Cornerstone, Match Factory). Since May 2022, Fremantle — a subsidiary of RTL Group — holds a majority stake and provides global distribution infrastructure, while the founders remain as Co-CEOs.

The company's competitive position rests on long-term collaborations with celebrated auteurs (notably Yorgos Lanthimos and Lenny Abrahamson), an award track record unmatched by any other Irish production company (6 Academy Awards, 15 BAFTAs, 4 Golden Globes, a Palme d'Or, and a Golden Lion), and a diversified slate of repeat relationships with major commissioners and distributors across Europe, the UK, and North America. Element also runs Storyhouse, an annual Dublin-based screenwriting festival launched in 2024 to cultivate emerging talent.

Name

Element Pictures

Legal name

Element Pictures

Website

https://elementpictures.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Element Pictures is an Irish-owned, Fremantle-majority film and television drama production company producing award-winning features and series for global broadcasters, streamers, and theatrical distributors from offices in Dublin and London.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Co-production and Commissioning: Element Pictures produces films and television dramas through co-production arrangements with broadcasters (BBC, RTE, Channel 4, Hulu) and studios, receiving production fees and financing from commissioning partners. Revenue is generated through production fees, financing contributions, and backend participation.
2. Distribution Rights and International Sales: The company generates revenue through the sale of distribution rights to theatrical, television, and streaming platforms worldwide. International sales agents handle territory-by-territory sales.
3. Fremantle Investment and Acquisition: Following Fremantle's majority stake acquisition in May 2022, Element Pictures operates as part of RTL Group's entertainment portfolio, benefiting from Fremantle's global distribution network and strategic investments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Element Pictures is a film and television drama production company that develops, finances (via co-production), and produces feature films and TV series for theatrical, broadcast, and streaming release. Its core business spans two product lines: feature film production (e.g., Poor Things, Bugonia, Pillion, My Father's Shadow) and television drama production (e.g., Normal People, Conversations with Friends, The Listeners, The Cage), delivered for enterprise customers such as BBC, RTÉ, Channel 4, Hulu, Netflix, A24, Searchlight, and Fremantle. The company also operates Element Distribution for Irish and UK theatrical releases.

Product overview

Element Pictures is an award-winning film and television drama production company led by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, with offices in Dublin and London. The company operates two core product lines: Feature Film Production (producing theatrical releases including award-winning films like Poor Things, The Favourite, Room, The Lobster, and Bugonia) and Television Production (producing drama series for BBC, Channel 4, RTÉ, ITV, Netflix, and Hulu including Normal People, Conversations with Friends, The Dry, and The Listeners). The company also runs Storyhouse, an annual screenwriting festival, and Element Distribution for Irish and UK theatrical releases. In May 2022, Fremantle acquired a majority stake in the company. Element Pictures is known for bold, distinctive storytelling and long-term collaborations with celebrated filmmakers including Yorgos Lanthimos and Lenny Abrahamson. To date, productions have been nominated for 30 Academy Awards (winning 6), 38 BAFTAs (winning 15), and 21 Golden Globes (winning 4).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Feature Film Production

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 Academy Awards won (most for any Irish production company)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BBC FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBC Film co-finances and co-produces Element Pictures productions including Poor Things, Pillion, My Father's Shadow, The Gallows Pole, and The Listeners.
• Film4coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm4 is a key financier and co-producer on Element Pictures films including Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness, providing development and production financing.
• Screen IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScreen Ireland (Fís Éireann) provides production financing and support for Irish film and television productions, backing Element Pictures projects including The Lost Children of Tuam, September Says, and Rosie.
• BFI (British Film Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBFI provides production funding and financing for Element Pictures productions including Pillion, My Father's Shadow, Herself, and The Gallows Pole through its Filmmaking Fund.
• A24coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA24 handles US theatrical distribution for Element Pictures films including Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness, Pillion, and The Gallows Pole.
• Searchlight PicturescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSearchlight Pictures distributed The Favourite and Poor Things in the US and UK markets, handling theatrical release and marketing.
• MUBIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMUBI distributes My Father's Shadow in the US, UK, Ireland & Turkey, and has partnered on other Element Pictures productions.
• ITV StudioscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorITV Studios handles global distribution for Element Pictures television productions including The Dry.
• Cornerstone Film SalescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCornerstone Film Sales handles international sales for Element Pictures productions including Pillion.
• Match FactorycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMatch Factory handles international sales for Element Pictures productions including My Father's Shadow.
• Picturehouse EntertainmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPicturehouse Entertainment handles UK & Ireland theatrical distribution for Element Pictures films including Pillion and Herself.
• Channel 4coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChannel 4 commissioned Element Pictures to produce Close to Home (starring Anthony Boyle) and The Rachel Incident. Channel 4 is a key UK broadcasting partner.
• Northern Ireland ScreenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Ireland Screen provides production support and financing for productions filmed in Northern Ireland, including Close to Home.
• Electric Theatre CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElectric Theatre Collective is a partner on My Father's Shadow production, providing post-production and visual effects services.
• Channel 4 / Universal Content ProductioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Rachel Incident is produced in co-production with Channel 4 and NBCUniversal/Universal Content Production for Channel 4.
• Page Boy ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElliot Page's Page Boy Productions is a key producing partner on The Rachel Incident television series.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bleecker Street: US independent film production and distribution company focused on prestige adult dramas. Comparable awards-driven positioning with similar filmmaker-attachment model.
• Participant Media: US-based independent film and media company focused on socially relevant prestige content. Overlaps with Element in the awards-driven, mission-led indie film space and similar distributor relationships.
• Searchlight Pictures: Specialty arm of a major studio focused on prestige film production and distribution. Searchlight has distributed Element's The Favourite and Poor Things and competes for the same Oscar-tier films and auteur relationships.
• A24: Independent US film production and distribution company with a comparable auteur-driven, prestige-led slate. A24 has been Element Pictures' primary US theatrical partner (Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness, Pillion) and is the closest comparable business model.
• Focus Features: Universal's specialty film label, comparable as a mid-budget prestige film producer/distributor. Focus Features released Bugonia (Lanthimos/Element) and pursues the same awards-positioning strategy.
• Film4: Channel 4's film arm and a core co-production/financing partner of Element Pictures. Comparable as a UK public-purpose film funder and commissioning counterpart with overlapping slate strategy.
• See-Saw Films: UK/Australian independent film and television production company (Slow Horses, The Power of the Dog). Comparable in scale, awards focus, prestige TV pivot, and co-production financing model.
• Working Title Films: Long-established UK-based independent film production company (Notting Hill, Bridget Jones, Love Actually). Comparable as a UK/European indie with similar BBC/Channel 4 co-production relationships and theatrical output.
• BBC Film: The BBC's feature film financing and co-production arm. BBC Film co-finances a large share of Element Pictures' film output (Poor Things, Pillion, My Father's Shadow) and shares the same UK prestige-drama production mandate.
• Annapurna Pictures: Independent US film production company with a prestige auteur-driven slate comparable to Element's. Operates in the same awards-season specialty film category with similar funding structures.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Element Pictures