Director Lenard Dorfman has joined bicoastal/international Morton Jankel Zander (MJZ). He was previously with bicoastal/international @radical.media….Director Robert Hales has signed with bicoastal X-Ray Productions for commercial representation, and with bicoastal merge@crossroads for music videos….Sam Ketay, an up-and-coming director who will be featured at the Clio Festival next month as part of SHOOT’s New Directors search, has signed with @radical.media….Director Anders Hallberg has signed with bicoastal/international Believe Media….Editor Ed Patrowicz, a founder and partner at New York-based Nice Shoes, has decided to retire from the industry. As part of his responsibilities, newly added senior VP Richard Cormier will handle Patrowicz’s duties as managing director of Nice Shoes’ sister companies Guava and Freestyle Collective….Jennifer Ingalls has joined Area 51 Films, Santa Monica, as head of production. She was formerly a staff producer at bicoastal HSI Productions….Carol Mauriello has joined Serious Robots, Raleigh, N.C., as executive producer. She had previously been a visual effects producer at Quiet Man, New York….Diana Lochridge has joined Crossroads Television as creative director/producer….Jamie Day and Patrick Lindsay of McCarthy Mambro Bertino, Boston, are the winners of the 2004 "Team USA" competition, which determines the U.S. entrants at the Cannes International Advertising Festival’s Young Creative Competition. Because of a scheduling conflict, the team will not be able to attend the event; instead, Jason Hoff and Sherrod Melvin of BBDO New York, who came in second, will represent the U.S. at the ad fest….Editors Hank Corwin of bicoastal Lost Planet and Chris Franklin of Big Sky Editorial, New York, top the field of finalists for the Association of Independent Creative Editors (AICE) Awards. Spots cut by Corwin received six finalist nominations, followed by five for Franklin-edited fare. Best-editing winners across 11 categories will be announced and honored during a gala awards ceremony on May 13 at Soldier Field, Chicago. The festivities will also include the induction of three Chicago stalwart editors into the AICE Hall of Fame: Jimmy Smyth, founder and former owner of Optimus, Chicago; Bob Blanford of now defunct Editor’s Choice; and Tony Izzo of the since closed Edit/Chicago. Look for detailed coverage of the AICE finalists and Hall of Fame inductees in next week’s SHOOT….
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