Ed Decter—who directed The New Guy, slated for a May release through Sony—has signed with bicoastal First Look Artists for representation as a spot helmer. Decter co-wrote with partner John J. Strauss the hit comedy There’s Something About Mary, which was directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly. First Look Artists is the recently launched commercial production division of publicly traded First Look Media (SHOOT, 2/9, p. 1). Linda Ross is executive producer of First Look Artists….Director Bobby Sheehan is joining bicoastal Celsius Films. He was formerly repped via Squeak Pictures, Los Angeles….Bonnie Goldfarb will be partnered as executive producer in the soon-to-be formally launched Harvest, the production company she is co-founding with director Baker Smith (See 2/9 "Street Talk," p. 22). Goldfarb has been Smith’s longtime producer….Director Joe Schaak has been named a full partner in Minneapolis-headquartered spot production house Twist, joining founding partners of the three-year-old shop, president/executive producer Jim Geib and director Rich Michell. Schaak has been with Twist since its inception, but mostly until now only for regional representation as he ventured out for national coverage via other houses. But now, Schaak’s partnership signals his commitment to be repped throughout the country—and internationally—by Twist, which has expansion plans domestically and overseas….Feature DP Caleb Deschanel, ASC, who directs commercials via West Hollywood-based Dark Light Pictures, won the American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement Award in theatrical motion pictures for his lensing of The Patriot….After wrapping the feature Vertical Limit, director Martin Campbell is available for spots via Santa Monica-headquartered Original Film….Sandy Schwartz, formerly of bicoastal Shelter Films, is joining bicoastal Go Film as production manager….San Francisco-based recording and audio post facility Music Annex has changed its name to Annex Digital….Chuck Pfeifer, a partner in New York-based production company Pfeifer Van Dusen, is set to make another cameo appearance for director Amos Kollek in Beirut. Pfeifer also appeared in Kollek’s Fast Food, Fast Women….
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