As part of the reorganization in the wake of the merger between New York ad shops Bozell and Lowe, Andrew Chinich, formerly head of production at Bozell, will replace Nick Felder as executive VP/director of broadcast production at Lowe. Felder, however, will remain at Lowe in a newly created senior role in the production department….Scott Mitchell and Chris Bing have been promoted, respectively, to director and deputy director of creative broadcast production at FCB, Chicago. They succeed senior VP/director of broadcast production Mike Leary, a longtime FCB staffer….Mark Barasch has resigned from Palace Studios-NYC and opened SoundImage at Photomag, a music/audio post shop in the former Photomag space in New York. Joining Barasch—who will hold the title of president—at SoundImage are mixers Bobby Elder, Kenny Fredrickson, P. Dennis Mitchell, Michael Levesque and Jared Seidman, as well as director of operations Lucy DeJesus….New York-based audioEngine has added mixer John Grant, formerly of Photomag, New York….Albert Hughes, half of the Hughes brothers directing duo (From Hell, Dead Presidents, Menace II Society), has signed with @Tate, Santa Monica, for exclusive spot representation. At press time, he was wrapping an @Tate-produced EA Sports campaign for Odiorne Wilde Narraway+Partners, San Francisco. Meanwhile, Allen Hughes is currently directing a pilot for USA Network about a special investigative unit that tracks serial killers. He continues to be affiliated with Oil Factory Films, Hollywood, and will again be available for commercials effective April 8….Executive producer Elvia Gaitan has launched Pistolera Post. The new Santa Monica shop opens with editors Patrick Sheffield and Greg Chamberlain….Editor Chris Jones has joined DownStream digital, Portland, Ore…..After eight years in the New York office of bicoastal Crew Cuts, editor Nicole Futoran has joined Steel Rose Editorial, New York…. Blair Hayes is currently directing a one-hour pilot for producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Warner Bros. Television. The drama is titled Fearless and is based on the series of young adult novels by Francine Pascal. Hayes is scheduled to again be available for spot work beginning April 7 via Area 51 Films, Santa Monica….
Actor Steve Guttenberg Returns To L.A. Neighborhood Now Charred By Devastating Wildfire
Steve Guttenberg awoke Thursday morning to a grim reality: The treacherous wildfire that tore through the Pacific Palisades had left his once-lush neighborhood charred and unrecognizable.
With homes smoldered, streets emptied and friends scattered by evacuation orders, Guttenberg counted himself among the fortunate. His property was miraculously spared. But the actor-producer still struggled to reconcile his relief with the haunting sight of his ravaged, once lavish community.
"Just this morning, I woke up and I was really conscious of my mental state and my mental health, because the last three days, I've seen so much tragedy," said Guttenberg, pacing through the ruins of his neighborhood. He said his home has electricity but no running water.
Guttenberg thanked God that his block was safe, but he said about 20 homes were burned "pretty bad" in his 80-home community after wind-whipped fires tore across Los Angeles, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled as the fires burned uncontained Wednesday. He said the fires are the worst he's ever seen in his 66-years.
The wildfires have burned the homes of several celebrities including Billy Crystal, Carey Elwes and Paris Hilton.
Guttenberg said he never expected all of this to happen.
"It's like when someone dies suddenly," he said. "It's like when someone gets hit by a car. You never expect that to happen. That's how shocking it was."
During Guttenberg's stroll, it was an eerie scene with scorched palm trees, homes reduced to ash and rubble, and the daytime skies casted an ominous twilight over the devastation.
"I've seen people scared, people in wheelchairs, mothers and fathers trying to find their kids, people having anxiety and panic... Read More