Chris Aird

Source: Element Pictures

Chris Aird

Ireland and UK-based film and TV outfit  Element Pictures has appointed Christopher Aird as creative director, to be based in the company’s London office. 

Aird joins from Two Brothers Pictures, where for the last five years he worked as head of drama, executive producing drama series including The Tourist for BBC One, HBO Max and Stan, two series of Baptiste for BBC One and The Widow for Amazon and ITV.

Aird is a former BBC Drama commissioning editor and creative head of drama for BBC Production in England and Scotland.

Aird was appointed by Element Pictures’ founders and co-CEOs Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe. He starts in January 2023.

In the newly created role, Aird will work alongside Guiney managing Element’s development and production slate across television and film for the UK, US, and international market, and will also manage the editorial team while continuing his own work as an executive producer on selected projects.

Earlier this year Fremantle took a majority stake in Dublin, Belfast and London-based Element, whose film credits also include Room, The Lobster and The Wonder.

Element is in post-production on Shane Meadow’s TV period drama series The Gallows Pole for BBC, and is gearing up to launch Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, starring Emma Stone, next year. Element’s and Yorgos Lanthimos’ next film with Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe, And, has just been announced, with shooting to start later this year.

Aird said: “Everything Element have made from The Lobster to Room to Normal People and Conversations With Friends shows such commitment to realising writers’ and directors’ vision. I’m looking forward to working with Ed, Andrew and the team.’

Guiney and Lowe said: “Chris is an extraordinary producer and shares our DNA with his keen eye for quality and detail.”