MAY 17, 1996/ Partizan Midi Minuit, London and Paris, has opened a U.S. office in New York. The new venture has stateside production support from bicoastal/international Propaganda Films, and has hired Cecilia Arca, formerly of Riviera Films, New York, as head of sales….In Los Angeles, John Cigarini, owner/president of bicoastal BFCS, will shut down that production company by early July…. Robert Campbell has joined Tony Kaye Films, London and West Hollywood, as executive producer. Most recently Campbell was at multinational Spots Films, executive-producing for director Tarsem….
MAY 17, 1991/A coalition of advertising executives in New York has launched Ads Against AIDS (AAA), announcing a nationwide advertising competition to help combat the virus. Heading up production of the winning spots will be Laura Nelson, VP/executive producer, DDB Needham; Carole Cohen, senior VP/broadcast production manager, McCann-Erickson; and Rick Wylie, VP/executive producer, BBDO….Killer Music, Hollywood, has signed 13 major feature composers for spot work—among them, Academy Award-winners Bill Conti, Jerry Goldsmith and Henry Mancini….Swell Pictures has unveiled its new division, Bazooka Graphics, Chicago….
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More