Diane Patrone has been named East Coast rep for bicoastal Headquarters, rounding out an in-house sales force which includes Hesh Rephun, who handles the West Coast, and East Coast/Midwest rep Jared Shapiro. Patrone previously served as production/interactive recruiter for Kendall Tarrant Worldwide, New York, and as head of production for New York-based Schofield Films….Curious Pictures, New York, has hired newly formed, Chicago-based repping firm L2 Directors to handle the Midwest. L2 is headed by industry vet Laura Candler Linen. Additionally, Curious has signed East Coast rep Melissa Schmidt to assist head of sales Rachel Klein and to cover the broadcast design field….Michelle Stuart and Carolyn Hill of New York Office are handling East Coast representation for ARF & Co., Hoboken, N.J., which features director Alex Fernbach…Conspiracy, bicoastal and Austin, Texas, has added Diana Mandelare as its in-house head of sales. In addition to those duties, she will oversee the company’s independent sales force in the Midwest, Southeast and West Coast. Mandelare had been with bicoastal Celsius Films where she was serving as assistant sales rep. Additionally, Sherry Howell and Donna Woodroof of Howell Associates, Los Angeles, are now repping Conspiracy on the West Coast. The Midwest is covered by Stephanie Moore and Connie Moore of Gigante Moore, Chicago, and handling the South/Southwest are New Orleans-based Ann Asprodites and Sarah Lange…. KNB EFX Group, a Van Nuys, Calif.-based special effects firm, is now available for spot and music video assignments via United Talent Agency (UTA), Beverly Hills. The company has done work for several upcoming features, including Vanilla Sky, Minority Report and Evolution….Devlin Video International, New York, has hired Mick O’Connor as VP of sales. He comes over from Audio Plus Video International, Northvale, N.J., where he was serving as production manager. Also, Devlin has upped Rico Santana from account executive to sales manager….Lyons•Sheldon•Prosnit Agency, Los Angeles, is repping DP Gary Gallo exclusively…. Production designer Joseph Lucky has joined The Mirish Agency, Los Angeles, for exclusive representation….
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