New York-headquartered CatatoniaGiraldi–a multinational production house formed in 2006 by director Bob Giraldi and Catatonia Films, Mexico City, for Hispanic and mainstream English-language spots–has brought directors Josh Marston and Sebastian Alfie on board. Marston's credits include Maria Full of Grace, a feature which won the Audience Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, and episodes of primetime TV series Six Feet Under for HBO and the upcoming Swingtown, which is slated to debut on CBS. Alfie is a spotmaking veteran whose credits include campaigns for Mercedes-Benz, Movistar and PlayStation in Spain, shoots for Coca-Cola and Sprite in Argentina and recent stateside assignments for Crispin Porter+Bogusky, Miami and Boulder, Colo., and Grupo Gallegos in Long Beach, Calif….The directorial duo Peter Martin–Peter Livolsi and Martin Dix–has joined bicoastal Sleeper USA for U.S. representation. Livolsi is a graduate of the American Film Institute's directing program and Dix is a writer/creative director who has worked at agencies in the U.S. as well as in his native Australia. The Peter Martin directing team, formerly repped by harvest, Santa Monica, was among the helmers selected for SHOOT's 2006 New Directors Showcase….Meanwhile, another alumnus from that same year's SHOOT New Directors Showcase, Scott Corbett, has joined the roster of Identity, the New York shop headed by owner/exec producer Joe Masi. Corbett's past affiliations include Boy Genius and the now defunct commercial division of A Band Apart. He first established himself in the industry as an ad agency copywriter working on both coasts and then made a successful transition to the director's chair….
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