Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has appointed Katherine Oliver as commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, New York. She replaces Patricia Reed Scott, who held the post from 1983 to ’90 and from ’94 to 2002. Prior to her appointment, Oliver served as general manager of Bloomberg Radio and Television International….Director Dave Borthwick, founder of and principal in the Bristol, U.K.-based studio Bolexbrothers, has joined ka-chew!, the Hollywood-based live-action commercial division of animation studio Klasky Csupo, for exclusive representation in the U.S.….Bicoastal Villains has added a pair of comedy directors to its roster: Axel Laubscher and Bjorn Stein….John Bonito, a director/creative at NBC’s in-house agency, has secured representation as a spot helmer with Hollywood-based Level 7….Director Nick Egan, fomerly of now defunct Cognito Films, is working out of Los Angeles-based Arsenal. Most recently, he helmed a music video for Splender’s "Save It for Later," which Arsenal produced….Editor Jack Douglas has joined Crew Cuts/West, Santa Monica. He comes over from Santa Monica-based The Mint….The Whitehouse has added a couple of editors to its roster in Chicago: Melanie Barter, formerly of The Whitehouse, Santa Monica; and Patrick Burns, formerly of Northern Lights Post, New York. Burns is slated to join The Whitehouse effective July 1. The Whitehouse maintains full-service shops in London, New York, Chicago and Santa Monica….Director Jesus Rodriguez has signed with International Legacy Films, a Los Angeles-based spot/music video house under the aegis of executive producer Michelle Colbert….Cibolo Films, San Antonio, Texas, has signed director Elyse Lewin for representation in the U.S. Hispanic market. Lewin continues to maintain her Los Angeles-based Lewin Pictures for general-market assignments….Barbara Gans Russo, formerly head of broadcast production at Publicis, New York, has been named president of New York operations for The Albert Company, a provider of celebrity talent and popular music rights for advertisers….Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman have launched Sea Spot Run, a commercial/music video shop in North Miami….
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