Noted cinematographer John Schwartzman (Pearl Harbor, Armageddon, The Rock, Edtv) is set to join bicoastal RSA USA for exclusive representation as a commercial director…..Best known in the animation arena, Hollywood-based Class-Key Chew-Po Commercials is in the process of creating a live-action spot group under the aegis of Paul Babb, former senior partner/executive producer at Ogilvy & Mather, Los Angeles. The new venture is currently developing its directorial roster and seeking representation.….Conspiracy has signed directors Jonathan Taylor and Andras Mahr for national spot representation. The directors will be based in the company’s Venice, Calif. office. Conspiracy has additional offices in New York and Austin, Texas….Editor Mark Block, formerly of the New York office of bicoastal Crew Cuts, has joined Boomtown, New York….Editor Scott Philbrook has come aboard bicoastal Mad River Post. He will be working primarily out of the shop’s Santa Monica and San Francisco offices. The move marks Philbrook’s return to editing after a year’s hiatus. He was earlier on staff at The Lookinglass Company (now The Whitehouse), Santa Monica, and before that, at Superior Assembly Editing Company, Santa Monica….Wendy Rosen, owner/editor of 3 Fingered Louie, New York, has joined the board of the Association of Independent Creative Editors (AICE) East Coast chapter… North Hollywood-based Pivotal Post has acquired the assets of Digital Entertainment Solutions, including its rental operation as well as digital dailies and global video transport services. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed….
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More