07 November 2005
PA Group acquires entertainment specialists, All Action Digital
PA Group Ltd, today announced the acquisition of All Action Digital, the international celebrity and entertainment picture agency. The acquisition significantly boosts the celebrity archive and new picture production, which will be available to customers through EMPICS, PA Group's photo licensing division.
PA customers currently have access to some of the best in world-wide news, sport and entertainment pictures, past and present, in the archives and new production of the Press Association, Associated Press and EMPICS, at www.empics.com The acquisition of All Action Digital adds a new dimension to the current entertainment picture production - an archive of over 2.5 million pictures dating back 20 years to the first Live Aid concert in 1985, and a team of highly experienced, creative photographers to deliver more first-class celebrity pictures from around the world.
All Action was founded by photographer Duncan Raban in 1981, since when it has built up a roster of photographers and contacts which has enabled the company to establish an extensive and often rare archive of entertainers and high profile personalities in a variety of different settings, many of which are highly unique or unusual. In particular Raban has pioneered the return of more intimate, fly-on-the-wall celebrity photos akin to the photo shoots of the 50s and 60s when celebrity access was more relaxed. His unusual style and personality have created some truly intimate and playful photographs of artists including Tina Turner, Lionel Ritchie, The Rolling Stones, Madonna and Elton John.
Phil O'Brien, MD of PA Group Photos said, "We care passionately about the pictures we take and the service we deliver to our customers. We always aim to deliver photo productions that excite and exceed the expectations of picture editors, and we recognised that All Action Digital creates that excitement in its photography. All Action's photographers live and breathe celebrity; they have great relationships in that arena, which allows them to capture unique moments."
All Action's founder, Duncan Raban, said, "All Action Digital has always been about producing creative, inspiring celebrity photography that everyone wants to see and that every picture editor wants to use and that creative photography will continue to grow under the PA Group name. We want it to be easy for picture buyers to access the picture that fits their story exactly, and by including All Action Digital, alongside PA, AP and EMPICS, picture buyers are increasingly able to find those pictures in one place."