Director Tripp Dixon, who was formerly with NFL Films, Mt. Laurel, N.J., has joined Good Films, New York….Editor Kim Salter has joined Red Car, Chicago, coming over from Avenue Edit, Chicago. Red Car, Chicago, has also added producer Kristen Tanda, who had been at The Whitehouse, Chicago….John Clark has come on staff at Motion Theory, Venice, Calif., as visual effects supervisor. He is no stranger to the company, having worked there as a freelancer since 2002. Also joining Motion Theory is production supervisor James Taylor….Peter Gilberti, a lead character animator on Spider-Man 2, has joined Toronto-based visual effects studio Spin….New York-based commercial production company Compulsive Pictures has expanded its services to include event production. The new division emerged to meet the needs of advertisers who complement traditional broadcast, print and public relations campaigns with sponsored media events. Compulsive will coordinate key elements of events, including set construction, lighting, sound, staging and special effects….
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