Steele Studios, a postproduction and visual effects house, has named Thom Burkhart as sr. producer. He formerly served as head of digital postproduction for Rhythm & Hues for 14 years.
During his Rhythm & Hues tenure, Burkhart upgraded his department to a full HD post facility and shepherded post services for high-profile commercials, features and theme park ride films, working in tandem with such directors as Ron Howard, Jake Scott, Peter Berg, Harold Ramis, Steve Beck, Charlie Watson, Clark Anderson, Michael Patterson, Jay Vigon and Randy Roberts, as well as VFX supervisors Bill Westenhofer, Doug Smith, John Heller, Todd Schifflett and Richard Hollander.
Burkhart worked on features including Life of Pi, The A-Team, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Fast and Furious 3 and 4, X-Men, Night at the Museum 1 & 2, Moneyball, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. His spot credits span such clients as Budweiser, Coca-Cola, GMC, Mazda, Dodge Neon, Geico, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Sears, Honda and Toyota.
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