Press Release from MERGE@Crossroads

Michael Jackson lives on in an uplifting posthumous music video directed by Mark Pellington at MERGE@Crossroads. From the eerie opening lyrics by MJ himself - "This life don't last forever" - to the video's celebratory crescendo, "Hold My Hand" is a celebration of the performer's vibrant life. The 3:43 tribute melds archival footage of the King of Pop, the supporting vocals of musical sensation Akon, and a cast picked from diehard MJ fans.

"Mark was able to beautifully capture the range of emotion from loss to pure joy within the musical capsule that is so poignantly driven by this soulful track," said MERGE@Crossroads EP, Joseph Uliano.

"The video is a tribute to all that Michael stands for - life, in all its permutations… love, and its power… A video of memory, healing and joy," noted Pellington.

Credits:
Artist: Michael Jackson featuring Akon
Title: "Hold My Hand"

Label: Sony Music/Epic Records
Video Commisioner: Susan Silverman

Prod Co: MERGE@Crossroads
Director: Mark Pellington
DP: Eric Schmidt
EP: Joseph Uliano
Head of Prod: Neil Maiers
Producer: Norm Reiss

Editorial Co: chrome
Editor: Hal Honigsberg
EP: Betsy Beale
Producer: Lisa Ashe

VFX: Prologue Films
CD: Kyle Cooper
AD/Lead Animator: Jesse Jones
Animator(s): Taka Sato, Carlos Florez, Caitlin Content
VFX Editorial: Nathaniel Park, Phil Jackson, Gabriel Diaz
Editorial Asst: Alex Sanchez

EP/Producer: Ian Dawson

Sound Design Co: Beacon Street Studios
Sound Designer: Paul Hurtubise
Producer: Caitlin Rocklen

Shoot Location: Los Angeles

About Crossroads:
A multimedia and content creation firm, Crossroads offers a clear vision, innovative leadership, and unparalleled reach into the entertainment talent pool. With headquarters in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, and an affiliate office in Toronto, Crossroads has six divisions: Film, Television, Commercials, Music Videos, New Media, and Creative Services. All offer exclusive talent featuring some of the world's top directors, show creators, writers, and producers.Founded in 1989, Crossroads has been a consistent leader in the development and production of feature films and television programming, as well as producing award-winning commercial and music video content for top-tier brands, agencies and performing artists.