Creative post studio Spontaneous has upped its CG game by bringing VFX artist Ed Manning on board as CG supervisor to oversee the increasingly complex CG projects coming through the New York office.
A Harvard grad, Manning has held key executive positions at digital agency R/GA and worked as a freelance VFX supervisor and technical director across a variety of disciplines–from feature films and commercials to software development–with such shops as Method Studios and Psyop. This new role represents a chance for him to take on a more meaningful stake in enhancing and shaping the technical and creative skillset at an evolving studio.
“Spontaneous has a solid creative core of artists across all post disciplines. I’m looking forward to undertaking more complex projects, and building on their already substantial body of knowledge, best practices, and technical resources for the department,” said Manning. “I am also excited about tapping into their foundation in commercial production as a basis for growth into other rich-media areas, like experience design, interactive multimedia, and casual gaming. Finally, the position also affords me the opportunity to take on a leadership role in more personally rewarding areas, like mentoring artists.”
Spontaneous is headed by creative director John Leamy and team leaders Lawrence Nimrichter, director of animation/associate creative director, and Andy Milkis, director of VFX. Manning and Leamy had known each other for years and have worked together on numerous occasions so the opportunity to collaborate on a more permanent basis was a natural step.
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