Chief imaging officer/senior colorist John Dowdell and VP/general manager Alfie Schloss are no longer with Technicolor Creative Services-New York (TCS-NY). Schloss and Dowdell played key roles in building TCS’ New York base, which opened a little over a year ago—Schloss on the employee side and Dowdell on technical development, including the construction of New York’s first digital color grading theater. It is ironic that Dowdell has had a longstanding relationship with the folks at Thomson-owned Technicolor’s sister company, Grass Valley (which incorporates the former Philips digital imaging unit), maker of the Spirit Datacine. For years, Dowdell has worked with the Spirit team—including at trade shows—demonstrating and championing the Spirit, while playing a key role in introducing it to the commercialmaking community. A Technicolor spokesperson reported that Dowdell would continue to work with TCS in a non-staff role…. Director Brett Ratner has joined bicoastal HSI Productions for commercials and music videos….Miami-based Cineworks is expanding with HD and digital intermediate (DI) services. It has appointed Demetri Kitsopoulos as senior colorist/director of imaging, and also recently brought in Tapehouse co-founder and industry visionary Mark Polyocan as its head of sales and marketing. Kitsopoulos comes from Digital Filmworks, Copenhagen, an early pioneer in the emerging DI field. He has also worked at now closed Digital Magic and Frame, Set, Match in Northbridge, Australia. Additionally, he has worked closely with manufacturers such as da Vinci and Thomson in color correction tool testing…. Directors Archer $ Beck have joined bicoastal Hornet for commercialwork….Rudy Perez, a Grammy-winning songwriter/producer and New York music house ONDA have entered into a new venture, ONDA/RPE, which will bring Hispanic artists to the U.S. general market and Hispanic advertising communities….Director Linzi Knight has signed with Compulsive Pictures, New York, for exclusive U.S. representation….Tamsin Prigge has joined Venice, Calif.-based editorial house King Cut as its executive producer. She formerly served as exec producer at West Hollywood commercial production house Incubator Films…. New York-based Cutting Vision has added executive producer Stephanie Shayne….Cibolo Films, San Antonio, has opened an office in Los Angeles, which will be run by company founding member and president Jim Riche. Additionally, director Robert Latorre has come on board to direct spots for the Hispanic market. He maintains his Dallas-based shop, Big Fish Films, which specializes in food and tabletop commercials….Flame artist David Reynolds has joined Red Car, New York….
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