Director Rich Newey, best known for his work in music videos, has joined bicoastal The Joneses for exclusive spot representation. His clip credits are for such artists as Christina Aguilera and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, but he has diversified into the ad arena with work for Midway Games, DeVry University, and a PSA for Kids Count.
Mel Gragido, executive producer of The Joneses, believes Newey’s music video experience will help him carve out a commercials niche catering to the youth market. A graduate of San Francisco’s Academy of Art, Newey got his start by writing video treatments for directors John Landis, Dave Meyers and Darren Grant, among others. Newey signed his first directing contract with now defunct Atlas Pictures; he was later repped by since closed Palomar Pictures and then Copper Media, where he first met Gragido.
Newey is no stranger to The Joneses. He helmed the earlier alluded to Aguilera video (from the Shark Tale soundtrack) featuring Missy Elliott through Karma, which is the music video division of The Joneses. Newey’s latest project was the video “What We Do” by the Kray Twins.
The Joneses’ directorial roster includes Newey, the Goetz Brothers, Derek Richards, Don Burgess, Hans Moland, Fred Durst, Zosimo Maximo, Glenn Ashley, Lara Shapiro and Gary Weis. Pam Rohs is the company’s exec producer in New York.
The sales force for The Joneses consists of independent reps Maggie Klein on the East Coast, Doug Stieber in the Midwest, except for Detroit which is handled by Dawn Ratcliffe, and Howell Associates which covers the West Coast.
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More