Bicoastal Original Film has brought filmmakers Peter Lydon and Rupert Wainwright aboard its roster. Lydon was most recently repped for spots by Hungry Man, while Wainwright joins Original following three years at bicoastal Saville Productions.
Although known primarily for his comedy ads, Lydon actually got his start directing documentaries for the BBC. He turned that knack for finding the drama in everyday lives to directing episodic television including the popular British shows Shameless and Secret Diary of a Call Girl, as well as the upcoming four-part miniseries Garrow’s Law about the pioneering barrister William Garrow that will air next month on the BBC.
Lydon’s ad work includes recent spots for the Discovery Channel, Ikea and a package for Sky TV.
“I really enjoy transferring my skills from the world of TV into making commercials,” said Lydon. “In particular my experience with actors in long form comedy has really rubbed off in my comedy spots. That, combined with a desire to bring a cinematic look to the work, helps to set them apart. Many comedy spots have a tendency to look a little flat. I try to bring a little more gloss, a little more visual daring, but always with a strong performance.”
Rupert Wainwright
Wainwright began his career directing high-profile music videos for such artists as Michael Jackson, NWA and MC Hammer. The helmer then diversified into commercials (Reebok, AT&T, Sega, Sprite, and Russia’s 2014 Winter Olympics bid) and feature films (Stigmata, The Fog, The Sadness of Sex) and TV (NBC’s Fear Itself).
Wainwright said he was drawn to Original based on its creative reputation and its involvement in not only traditional commercialmaking but other new forms of content in the advertising/marketing arena.
Original is headed by exec producers/partners Bruce Mellon, Jeff Devlin and Joe Piccirillo.
Sheriff Reports Preliminary Autopsy Results On Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa
Preliminary autopsy results didn't determine how Oscar-winner Gene Hackman and his wife died at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but did rule out that they were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, the sheriff leading the investigation said Friday.
The condition of the bodies found Wednesday indicated the deaths occurred at least several days earlier and there was no sign of foul play.
At a news conference, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said the initial examination by the medical examiner showed no sign of carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas produced from kitchen appliances and other fuel-burning items. When it collects in poorly ventilated homes, it can be fatal.
Mendoza also said an examination of the 95-year-old Hackman's pacemaker showed it stopped working on Feb. 17, which means he may have died nine days earlier.
Hackman's body was found in an entryway. The body of his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, was in a bathroom. She was on her side and a space heater was near her head. Investigators said the heater likely was pulled down when she fell. There also was an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on a countertop.
Whether the pills or other drugs were a factor won't be known until toxicology tests are completed in the coming weeks.
Dr. Philip Keen, the retired chief medical examiner in Maricopa County, Arizona, said it would be unlikely for a person who tests negative for carbon monoxide initially to later be found to have been poisoned by it.
He also said the moment when a pacemaker stops working could mark the point when a person dies, but not always.
"If your heart required a pacemaker, there would certainly be an interruption at that point — and it might be the hallmark of when... Read More