Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK), headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., has completed its acquisition of LaserPacific Media Corp. (Nasdaq NM: LPAC), a leading Hollywood post company, in a transaction valued at $30.5 million. The original deal was agreed upon in August (SHOOT, 8/15-29, p. 7). LaserPacific will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kodak and become a part of the company’s Entertainment Imaging services group, headed by VP/general manager Bertrand Decoux. Emory Cohen, co-founder of LaserPacific, leads the subsidiary as CEO….Calling it a major "setback in our efforts to revive the film and TV production industry in New York," Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle (D-Irondequoit) criticized Gov. George Pataki’s (R-N.Y.) veto of legislation designed to attract film and TV work to New York State. Sponsored by Morelle, the bill unanimously passed both houses of the legislature in June 2003, and would have amended the Tax Law and the Administrative Code of New York City in relation to the imposition of personal income tax on the accrual of income, particularly income received by an individual through a partnership, S corporation, estate or trust, as a result of that individual’s chance of residency. The bill was supported by such organizations as the New York Production Alliance, the Directors Guild of America, the Association of Independent Creative Editors and the Association of Independent Commercial Producers….Director Paul Santana has come aboard ka-chew!, the live-action commercial production unit of class-key chew-po, Hollywood….Michael Spoljaric has joined Spontaneous, New York, as senior designer. He was formerly with R!OT Manhattan….Paul Hansil, who most recently served as president of Crawford Communications, Atlanta, has returned to the manufacturer side of the business, as director of business development, key accounts, for Mountain View, Calif.-headquartered Pinnacle Systems. He will remain based in Atlanta….Ntropic, San Francisco, added producer Heather Gibbons, who comes over from Mad River Post, Santa Monica. Earlier, Dana Townsend—an alum of Radium, San Francisco and Santa Monica, and SOLdesignfx, Santa Monica—was named Ntropic’s exec producer….The fifth annual Gunn Report—a compilation of award show results over the past year—has named the top production houses, directors, ad agencies and campaigns of ’03. Topping the field of most-awarded production companies is bicoastal/international Morton Jankel Zander, followed by bicoastal/international @radical. media, Bangkok, Thailand-based Phenomena, London-headquartered Spectre (now known as Large, after its merger with Stark Films, London) and two companies tied for fifth place, Gorgeous Enterprises, London, and bicoastal/international Partizan….
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