By Millie Takaki
DownStream LLC, a newly formed group headed by Tim Larson, has purchased Portland-based postproduction house DownStream from hybrid direct response ad agency/production company The Tyee Group, Portland, for an undisclosed price. Larson, DownStream’s VP for the past four years, has become facility president and general manager, succeeding Steve Scott, who retired from that position.
The impetus for the deal was global agency network Euro RSCG Worldwide’s desire to acquire a majority stake in Tyee. But to consummate that transaction, Euro RSCG required that Tyee divest itself of its postproduction operation, related Larson.
That opened the door for Larson, who lined up a group of financial partners to make what turned out to be a successful bid for DownStream. He bought the facility from Tyee’s Scott, John Ripper and Roger Thompson, and also sold his shares in Tyee back to the Tyee firm. This paved the way for Euro RSCG’s investment in Tyee, which now becomes Tyee Euro RSCG.
Tyee launched DownStream as a division in ’88. Since then, the post house has grown to generate $8 million in annual revenue and currently maintains a staff of 50 full-time employees.
In January, the company launched DownStream Sound, a recording facility featuring three recording and sound design studios equipped with Fairlight MFX3 digital audio workstations. DownStream’s audio sweetening department staffers recently relocated to the stand-alone DownStream Sound, which is about a mile from the DownStream video post headquarters.
The audio operation complements the main facility’s resources in editorial, post, animation, CGI and film transfer. DownStream, for example, maintains a Philips Spirit Datacine that can accommodate hi-def film-to-tape transfers. The shop also upgraded its visual effects capabilities by adding a second Discreet Logic Flame system last month.
DownStream draws business from the multimedia, longform and commercial production sectors. Its advertising industry clients include Portland-based ad agencies Wieden + Kennedy, Nerve and Moffatt/Rosenthal, as well as Portland production companies such as Chel White Films, Will Vinton Studios and Food Chain Films. DownStream also does international commercial work directly for adidas, as well as corporate and point-of-purchase projects on a client-direct basis for Nike.
Judge Upholds Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Charge Against Alec Baldwin In “Rust” Shooting
A New Mexico judge has upheld her decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
In a ruling Thursday, state District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer stood by her July decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin. She said prosecutors did not raise any factual or legal arguments that would justify reversing her decision.
"Because the state's amended motion raises arguments previously made, and arguments that the state elected not to raise earlier, the court does not find the amended motion well taken," the judge wrote, adding that the request was also untimely.
A spokesperson for Baldwin's lawyers said Friday that they had no immediate reaction to teh decision.
The case was thrown out halfway through trial on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense in the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
Baldwin's trial was upended by revelations that ammunition was brought into the Santa Fe County sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammo unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers say investigators "buried" the evidence in a separate case file and filed a successful motion to dismiss.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey can now decide whether to appeal to a higher court.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for "Rust," was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on a movie set outside Santa Fe in October 2021 when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer —... Read More