Bicoastal production house Anonymous has signed director Nic Mathieu, who comes over from Los Angeles-based No Prisoners, and up-and-coming helmer Pat Sherman….Directing duo Snack inc.—consisting of Naz Sadoughi and Edward Salkeld—has joined London-based Stink for spot and music video representation worldwide, except France….Squeak Pictures, Los Angeles, has signed directors Bobby G., Lenny Bass and Jeff Renfroe….Director Brian Johnson has entered into an agreement for exclusive national spot representation with The Joneses, Santa Monica. Over the past three years, the Seattle native has worked on more than 70 campaigns through the in-house production department of retailer The Bon Marche….Dallas-based post shop charlieuniformtango is preparing to open a facility in Austin, which will be staffed by editor Dan Clougherty and executive producer Janell Brown….Hollywood-based digital firm Bitmax has unveiled the Bitmax Asset Manager (BAM!), a proprietary service that allows clients to create, edit and order customized reels over the Web. Currently in the beta testing stage, BAM! is expected to be available to all Bitmax clients by mid-April….Composer Jim Nicholson is returning to JSM, New York, after a three-year tenure at Russo/Grantham Productions, New York.….Crawford Communications, Atlanta, has promoted Paul Hansil to president/chief operating officer, with responsibil-ity for overall management of Crawford’s operations in video, film, audio, satellite communications and Internet services. Hansil was most recently executive VP/chief operating officer….Noted cinematographer Ralf Bode, ASC (Coal Miner’s Daughter, Saturday Night Fever, Dressed to Kill, The Accused), who began his career in commercials and independent films, died of lung cancer last month (2/27) at the age of 59. He is survived by his wife, Christine; two sons, Paul and Max; and a brother, Peer. The family has requested that memorial donations be made to the City of Hope’s West Los Angeles Cancer Center, attention Jennifer Johnson, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte, Calif. 91010….
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