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    Behind the Lens

    The photo booth company helping Houstonians make memories one pose at a time

    CultureMap Create
    Nov 12, 2024 | 12:00 pm

    Photo booths have exploded in popularity, and having one at your event is almost a given nowadays. But it definitely makes a difference who you rent from, and not just in what types of machines they can provide.

    PicMe Events believes in the power of moments. It’s not just about taking a picture or video — it’s about creating an experience that brings people together, sparks joy, and leaves lasting memories.

    Hear a little bit more about the company, its founders, and what drives them to make every event unforgettable.

    Meet the founders: Michael Vayner and Eric Reed

    Behind PicMe Events are two dedicated co-founders who bring their unique talents and hearts to the business every single day.

    Michael Vayner, the operations expert
    Michael is the organizational backbone of PicMe Events, making sure everything runs smoothly before, during, and after each event. He ensures every detail aligns with their clients' visions and executes it to perfection.

    His family is at the center of everything he does: his loving wife, Holly, and their two daughters, Leora and Eliana. In a beautiful turn of events, the couple is currently in the middle of adopting a 7-year-old girl, expanding their family and love even further.

    Eric Reed, the creative visionary
    Eric is the artistic soul of PicMe Events. With an eye for design, he crafts experiences that go beyond traditional photography. He brings a unique blend of creativity and precision to each event, infusing them with personalized details that reflect his clients' personalities and themes.

    His family — wife Amy, twin daughters Keely and Kenzie, and son Conrad — inspires him daily and motivates him to put his heart into every event.

    Their story: Resilience, passion, and growth
    PicMe Events began in 2016 as a part-time project to make some extra income. But life had different plans, and the story of how it grew reflects the challenges and resilience that brought the company to where it is today.

    In 2017, Michael’s corporate job was unexpectedly cut. A week later, Hurricane Harvey hit, devastating his family’s home and taking nearly everything. But amid the destruction, Michael managed to save the first piece of PicMe’s equipment — a Mirror Photo Booth — by placing it on the bed to keep it safe from the floodwaters. That small act of hope marked the start of something much bigger.

    Later that year, just as things were starting to look up, all of PicMe’s equipment was stolen on Christmas Eve. It was a devastating blow. Yet instead of giving up, Vayner and Reed chose to start anew, reinvesting in new equipment and recommitting themselves to their mission. Since then, they’ve poured their hearts into building PicMe Events from the ground up, and today the business is thriving.

    The "why" behind everything
    "When we see the smiles on people’s faces, we know this work is worth every moment of hardship," says Vayner. "Each time we provide a photo or video experience, it’s a chance to bring a little more joy into someone’s life, to create memories that people can cherish forever. From weddings and birthdays to corporate events and holiday parties, our job is to help people celebrate and remember their special moments."

    "Our families are a big part of this journey, and everything we do is driven by our passion for creating lasting happiness," adds Reed. "Whether it’s Michael’s expertise in operations or my flair for design, we both love using our skills to make people’s events truly special."

    Today: Immersive, innovative, and always growing
    Fast forward to today, and PicMe Events has grown into something even greater than the pair could have imagined back in 2016. It offers a range of cutting-edge, immersive experiences, from AI photo interactions to the “Bot Ross” AI Draw Bot, which brings a unique, creative touch to any event.

    These innovative options allow the company to connect with clients in new ways and keep pushing the boundaries of what a photo booth experience can be.

    "Our goal is to help our clients take their events to the next level, creating memories that guests will talk about for years," says Reed.

    Discover the PicMe Events difference
    "For us, PicMe Events is more than just a business — it’s our way of bringing joy, beauty, and connection to people’s lives," says Vayner. "We’ve faced challenges, but we’ve never lost sight of our purpose. When you choose PicMe Events, you’re not just getting a photo booth; you’re getting a family that’s passionate, resilient, and dedicated to making your event unforgettable."

    PicMe Events

    Photo courtesy of PicMe Events

    Eric Reed and his family.

    Come see what so many others have discovered—PicMe Events will elevate your event, adding that special touch that will have your guests talking about it long after the night is over. We’re here to make memories with you, one photo at a time.

    --

    PicMe Events is available throughout the Houston and Galveston areas, as well as Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio.

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    Movie Review

    Star TV producer James L. Brooks stumbles with meandering movie Ella McCay

    Alex Bentley
    Dec 12, 2025 | 2:30 pm
    Emma Mackey in Ella McCay
    Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios
    Emma Mackey in Ella McCay.

    The impact that writer/director/producer James L. Brooks has made on Hollywood cannot be understated. The 85-year-old created The Mary Tyler Moore Show, personally won three Oscars for Terms of Endearment, and was one of the driving forces behind The Simpsons, among many other credits. Now, 15 years after his last movie, he’s back in the directing chair with Ella McCay.

    The similarly-named Emma Mackey plays Ella, a 34-year-old lieutenant governor of an unnamed state in 2008 who’s on the verge of becoming governor when Governor Bill (Albert Brooks) gets picked to be a member of the president’s Cabinet. What should be a happy time is sullied by her needy husband, Ryan (Jack Lowden), her agoraphobic brother, Casey (Spike Fearn), and her perpetually-cheating father, Eddie (Woody Harrelson).

    Despite the trio of men competing to bring her down, Ella remains an unapologetic optimist, an attitude bolstered by her aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), her assistant Estelle (Julie Kavner), and her police escort, Trooper Nash (Kumail Nanjiani). The film follows her over a few days as she navigates the perils of governing, the distractions her family brings, and the expectations being thrust upon her by many different people.

    Brooks, who wrote and directed the film, is all over the place with his storytelling. What at first seems to be a straightforward story about Ella and her various issues soon starts meandering into areas that, while related to Ella, don’t make the film better. Prime among them are her brother and father, who are given a relatively small amount of screentime in comparison to the importance they have in her life. This is compounded by a confounding subplot in which Casey tries to win back his girlfriend, Susan (Ayo Edebiri).

    Then there’s the whole political side of the story, which never finds its focus and is stuck in the past. Though it’s never stated explicitly, Ella and Governor Bill appear to be Democrats, especially given a signature program Ella pushes to help mothers in need. But if Brooks was trying to provide an antidote to the current real world politics, he doesn’t succeed, as Ella’s full goals are never clear. He also inexplicably shows her boring her fellow lawmakers to tears, a strange trait to give the person for whom the audience is supposed to be rooting.

    What saves the movie from being an all-out train wreck is the performances of Mackey and Curtis. Mackey, best known for the Netflix show Sex Education, has an assured confidence to her that keeps the character interesting and likable even when the story goes downhill. Curtis, who has tended to go over-the-top with her roles in recent years, tones it down, offering a warm place of comfort for Ella to turn to when she needs it. The two complement each other very well and are the best parts of the movie by far.

    Brooks puts much more effort into his female actors, including Kavner, who, even though she serves as an unnecessary narrator, gets most of the best laugh lines in the film. Harrelson is capable of playing a great cad, but his character here isn’t fleshed out enough. Fearn is super annoying in his role, and Lowden isn’t much better, although that could be mostly due to what his character is called to do. Were it not for the always-great Brooks and Nanjiani, the movie might be devoid of good male performances.

    Brooks has made many great TV shows and movies in his 60+ year career, but Ella McCay is a far cry from his best. The only positive that comes out of it is the boosting of Mackey, who proves herself capable of not only leading a film, but also elevating one that would otherwise be a slog to get through.

    ---

    Ella McCay opens in theaters on December 12.

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