Sam Swisher and Trevor Shepard have secured space in Culver City, Calif., to house their recently launched Woodshop, a production company focused on design and animation. As creative director, Shepard leads WoodShop’s design, animation and live-action projects. He previously served as creative director at Elastic, a sister company to Rock Paper Scissors. Prior to that he had been an art director with Stardust, and animator/designer at Blind and Motion Theory. Woodshop exec producer Swisher was former EP/head of sales for Public VFX….Director/writer Kevin Samuels has joined the roster of MAKE + MODEL, the studio headed by exec producers George Cawood and Mark Hyatt. Samuels’ directorial credits span such clients as AT&T, Home Depot, Hyundai, Budweiser and Skechers. For the latter, Samuels recently wrapped a spot starring hockey great Wayne Gretzky….
Sheriff Reports Preliminary Autopsy Results On Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa
Preliminary autopsy results didn't determine how Oscar-winner Gene Hackman and his wife died at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but did rule out that they were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, the sheriff leading the investigation said Friday.
The condition of the bodies found Wednesday indicated the deaths occurred at least several days earlier and there was no sign of foul play.
At a news conference, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said the initial examination by the medical examiner showed no sign of carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas produced from kitchen appliances and other fuel-burning items. When it collects in poorly ventilated homes, it can be fatal.
Mendoza also said an examination of the 95-year-old Hackman's pacemaker showed it stopped working on Feb. 17, which means he may have died nine days earlier.
Hackman's body was found in an entryway. The body of his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, was in a bathroom. She was on her side and a space heater was near her head. Investigators said the heater likely was pulled down when she fell. There also was an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on a countertop.
Whether the pills or other drugs were a factor won't be known until toxicology tests are completed in the coming weeks.
Dr. Philip Keen, the retired chief medical examiner in Maricopa County, Arizona, said it would be unlikely for a person who tests negative for carbon monoxide initially to later be found to have been poisoned by it.
He also said the moment when a pacemaker stops working could mark the point when a person dies, but not always.
"If your heart required a pacemaker, there would certainly be an interruption at that point — and it might be the hallmark of when... Read More