‘Normal People’ prodco Element hires Pulse’s creative chief for drama & Silverprint exec

LR: Lucas Ochoa & Michael Dawson

Normal People producer Element Pictures has appointed Michael Dawson and Lucas Ochoa as executive producers to oversee its TV output.

The duo will take up their roles from early October and report into co-founder Ed Guiney at Element, which has also been behind movies including The Favourite, Lobster and Room. Fellow co-founder Andrew Lowe will remain across all key business affairs and commercial decisions.

Dawson and Ochoa will be based in the 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 focus on growing the company’s profile and projects in Northern Ireland.

Normal People

Ochoa was most recently at Vice-backed Pulse Films, where he was chief creative officer for scripted. He exec produced, alongside Thomas Benski, UK crime drama Gangs Of London for Sky Atlantic and AMC, and also has credits on Andrea Arnold’s indie drama American Honey and Showtime’s documentary XY Chelsea.

Dawson joins from Silverprint Pictures having previously been script executive and executive producer on four seasons of ITV drama hit Vera. He started his career in Belfast working in factual entertainment for the BBC, spending eight years with the broadcaster’s drama division.

Guiney described the duo as “terrific producers with incredible taste and experience” who would help the company “build on our track record, working with the best film-makers, writers and creators as we continue to grow our capacity in television drama.”

Element is currently on pre-production on the adaptation of Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel Conversations With Friends, which – like Normal People – is being produced for the BBC in the UK and Hulu in the US.

Last year, Element appointed Channel 4 exec Jonny Richards to oversee development of its TV slate.